James is driven to build a mental health system that is accessible, compassionate, and grounded in community. His lived experience as a former police officer living with PTSD shapes his commitment to timely, rights-based psychosocial support. As CEO of the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (MIFA), James leads with a focus on culture, collaboration, and lasting impact. For nearly 40 years, MIFA has united a national federation of service delivery organisations, supporting people with high needs mental health challenges, their families, carers and kin. Alongside its core advocacy and policy reform work, MIFA auspices national initiatives such as ‘Psychosis Australia’, ‘Finding North’, and ‘Out from the Mist’, shaping practice, supporting recovery, and strengthening the sector. In this role, James is advancing a more community-centred approach to mental health with government, reducing reliance on medicalised models of care and elevating the role of organisations walking alongside people every day. James’ career spans senior roles in the Queensland Government and leading mental health organisations, including the Queensland Alliance for Mental Health, Fortem Australia, and Beyond Blue. He continues to elevate community voices, strengthen the MIFA federation, and collaborate across the sector to advocate for the reforms needed to create a mental health system that genuinely supports the people it is designed to serve.

With a 20-year background in Victoria Police, Tim has transitioned from Detective Senior Sergeant to a pivotal role in emergency worker mental health. As Co-Director at Phoenix Australia's Centre of Excellence, he applies his extensive experience to develop targeted mental health care models. Tim's career includes emergency services mental health related roles at Beyond Blue and The Police Association Victoria. His approach uniquely blends project management skills, lived experience, and deep understanding of mental health challenges faced by emergency responders. This distinctive perspective allows Tim to create innovative solutions, addressing complex systemic issues in emergency services mental health support.

Luke Damon is a veteran, executive and lived experience advocate who brings a unique perspective shaped by service in Australia’s Special Forces, senior leadership in financial services, and a profound recovery journey through psilocybin-assisted therapy. After enduring combat loss, moral injury, and complex PTSD, Luke became the first veteran in Australia to legally access psychedelic treatment outside a trial, an experience that was profoundly transformative. Today he shares his journey to highlight the importance of connection, culture, and leadership in frontline mental health, and advocates for safe, ethical, trauma-informed approaches to healing and post-traumatic growth.

Elisabeth Pookapund Goh is a Deputy Captain with NSW Rural Fire Service, and Emergency Management Lead at Sydney Water. A daughter of a military and policing family, she brings lived experience of first responder mental health challenges, navigating Complex PTSD following her operational and incident management roles through both her role as a firefighter and earlier career in national security. Elle has a deep passion for frontline mental health while championing diversity, equity, and inclusion in emergency management. She has presented at ACEFA and AFAC conferences on improving engagement with vulnerable communities and strengthening the use of artificial intelligence in emergency management.