Committees

Suicide Prevention Australia Committees

Our Committees are made up of Suicide Prevention Australia’s members and associate members. They bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences, ensuring a well-rounded and inclusive approach to suicide prevention efforts.

The inclusion of individuals with lived experience in our committees provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by those at-risk and is integral to shaping our work.

You can read more about each committee and its members below.

Please note, members with LEP next to their names are currently involved in our Lived Experience Panel.

Meet Our Committee Members

The purpose of the Audit and Risk Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities, by reviewing and assessing:

  • Financial management and financial reports, including budgets, forecasts, internal and statutory financial statements
  • The independence and performance of external audit and the assurance provided by external audit
  • The effectiveness of risk management, including risks assessment, internal controls and other risk mitigations, and risk review

Members include Graham McLean, Darren Black and Rob Prugue.

The Governance Committee ensures that the board fulfills its legal, ethical, and functional responsibilities through adequate governance policy development, recruitment strategies, training programs, monitoring of board activities, and evaluation of board members’ performance. It also assesses and analyses constitutional changes and amendments as they relate to the ongoing development of the organisation.

Members include Phillip Cornwell (Chair), Angela Emslie, Graeme Holdsworth (LEP) and Nicolas Brown.

The Policy Committee provides advice to the Suicide Prevention Australia Board, and the policy team through the CEO, on priorities, content, activities and processes for policy development and advocacy.

Current members include Stan Piperoglou, Graeme Holdsworth (LEP), James Bell, Tara Hunt, Stephen Scott, Tom Riley, Jenny Smith (LEP) and Vickianne Smith.

The Research Advisory Committee, chaired by Professor Don Nutbeam, guides the work of the National Suicide Prevention Research Fund with the support of expert researchers, service providers and people with lived experience of suicide.

Members include Professor Donald Nutbeam – Chair, Professor Myf Maple – Deputy Chair, Dr Zac Seidler, Professor Jane Pirkis, Professor David Crompton OAM, Associate Professor Fiona Shand, Dr Jaelea Skehan, Julie Robotham, Dr Jo Robinson, Dr Nikki Jamieson (LEP), and Rosiel Elwyn (LEP).

Learn More

In 2024, Suicide Prevention Australia has established eight State and Territory Committees across the country. The State and Territory Committees are an evolution of the Joint Committees that were established in 2019. The establishment of separate State and Territory Committees reflects and incorporates feedback from our members to extend the reach of the suicide prevention sector into all communities across Australia.

These committees will provide an opportunity to share input from a local and community level, contribute to the national agenda and provide a clear and collective voice for suicide prevention through:

  • Evidence-based guidance
  • Systemic influence
  • Capacity and capability building
  • Organisational outreach.

If you would like to find out more about joining our State and Territory Committees, please contact membership@suicidepreventionaust.org

Listed below are the committee members in each State and Territory.

Australian Capital Territory

Emily Brown (Chair)
Taylor Brown
Michael Collins
Carleigh Dallen
Jake Farriss
Stephanie Hodson
Emilija Robeska
Hope Steele
LewChing Yip

New South Wales

Toby Dawson (Chair)
Jordan Chadwick
Daniel Chin
Michelle Dickson
Vanessa Lakits
Tara McAndrew
Jurie Rossouw
Samara Shehata

Northern Territory

Nicole Pietsch (Chair)
Jace Berry
Alice Campbell-Jones
Simon Casey
Lidia Di Lembo
Tricia Maling
Karyn Moyle
Daniel Mulholland

Queensland

Justin Geange (Chair)
Sarah Agnew
James Allen
James Bell
Linda Fielding
Nichola Parry
Glen Poole
Melanie Schroder
Jamie Thompson

South Australia

Karen McColl (Chair)
Danielle Bacskai
Suzi Evans
John Harvey
Annette Hovey
Kerry Kroehn
Heather Nowak
Michael Traynor

Tasmania

Michael Kelly (Chair)
Jonathan Bedloe
Sharon Corvinus-Jones
Mark Davis
Debbie Evans
Ben Fisher
Laura Grattidge
Laura Johnson
Chaya Rainbird

Victoria

Alison Asche (Chair)
Sonja Bottern
Peri Boztepe
Jillian Broadbear
Natalie Flatt
Paul Milne
Nyachan Nyak
Cathryn Pilcher
Renee Tsatsis

Western Australia

Jo Drayton (Chair)
Victor Adeseolu
Sal Cleveray
Michael Elwan
Jordan Jackson
Malcolm Jetta
Paul Litwin
Dee Melbourne
Kirsty Stewart

The Lived Experience Advisory Committee provides strategic advice relating to lived experience matters to Suicide Prevention Australia.

Members include Charlie Anderson, Hope Carberry, Fabiola Case, Isabella Cini, Rachel Fishlock, Justin Geange, Dr. Cathy Kezelman, Carrie Lumby, Esther McKay, Nichola Parry and Emily Unity.

Get Involved

Whilst we are not currently taking applications, expressions of interest will be sent to our members when positions on our committees become available.

Become A Member