Collaboration • Knowledge • Leadership

Collaboration • Knowledge • Leadership

Mental Health Victoria Board candidates shortlist

13
Sep, 2022

After a very competitive process with over 50 applications received, we are pleased to announce the five approved candidates to stand for election by the members of Mental Health Victoria for the Board.

Members will be invited to vote for their chosen candidate via an online platform.

Candidates, whose bios are featured below, are:

Amanda Bond, CEO of CareChoice

Julie Borninkhof, CEO of PANDA

Tom Dalton, CEO NEAMI National

Teresa Jayet, CEO Mallee Family Care

Karenza Louis-Smith, CEO ermha365

The Electronic Ballot opens on Friday 9 September at 9.00 am and closes Friday 14 October at 5.00 pm. CEOs of member organisations will receive an email from Mental Health Victoria via the Election Buddy platform with a link to the electronic ballot, and a unique code for their organisation.

Chosen representatives will lead Mental Health Victoria's direction for the next three years.

 

Candidates

 

Amanda Bond

CEO, CareChoice

Amanda Bond "I have always been a passionate advocate of the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing.

I am a skilled Board member who has over 20 years’ experience as an executive leader with a strong business and social science background. I have been the CEO of CareChoice for over 7 years, a leading NDIS provider of complex disability, psychosocial support, and allied health services. CareChoice are also an out of home care provider delivering trauma informed care in the child protection sector funded by the Victorian State Government and we employ over 1,200 staff across Victoria.

I am a current board member for TCFV who specialise in bereavement and peer support for those whose children, grandchildren or siblings have died in addition to providing phone-based peer support to this cohort. Throughout all this vital work, I have gained greater insight into the challenges faced in the mental health system and the critical nature of the reform agenda.

Previously I held the role of Head of Operations and Compliance at Australian Unity, a leading private health insurer so I also have a working understanding of both the public and private (in and outpatient) hospital settings associated with mental health and psychiatric services in Victoria. I was also instrumental in working to create policies and legislation with the Federal Government focusing on preventative health. I was on the Department of Health appointed Board of the Sorrento Cemetery for a 5-year term and established and implemented a ‘Friends of the Sorrento Cemetery’ working group to assist the newly bereaved whilst contributing to the historical cemetery.

I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the important work of Mental Health Victoria and building a mental health system where everyone has equitable access to world-class mental health services."

Qualifications

BSocSc (Psychology), GAICD

 

Julie Borninkhof

CEO, PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)

Julie Borninkhof "As a recognised senior leader of the national mental health sector, I believe I possess a range of skills, attributes and perspectives that would ensure my value on the Mental Health Victoria Board.

Having worked with, and alongside MHV and many members for a number of years as both a clinician and leader, I am committed to supporting the mental health and well-being of very vulnerable communities. Access and equity have driven my clinical and management career as I have supported those who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse, homeless, LGBTIQA+ and Aboriginal to access quality no-cost services and worked collaboratively to ensure their journey through the health system was a positive one.

My experience as a highly regarded leader in the PHN sector was founded on a commitment to drive Commonwealth and State investment to integrated and coordinated services that perform accountably and drive system evolution. This, and my passion for clinical governance, has resulted in my ‘seat’ at many Commonwealth and State advisory committees that have driven reform agenda(s) for our community.

I am most proud of being a for-purpose leader responsible for bringing consumers and carers to the commissioning and design panels of PHNs, whereby they led decisions made on how taxpayers’ money was invested. My ability to think strategically and creatively place me in an ideal position to consider, collaborate and innovate to ensure we are not replicating and duplicating, but instead complimenting all we advocate for and create for our community."

Qualifications

Masters Applied Psychology (Clinical), Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours),
Bachelor Visual Arts

 

Tom Dalton

CEO, NEAMI National

Tom Dalton "I am committed to being part of the reform of the mental health system in Victoria, in which Mental Health Victoria plays a vital role. I have a strong understanding of the mental health sector, having been CEO of a complex clinical service for 10 years and a community mental health organisation for three years. I have extensive legal and governance experience, having worked with and on boards for the last 22 years."

Qualifications

BA/LLB, EMPA

 

Teresa Jayet

CEO, Mallee Family Care

Teresa Jayet "Victoria has experienced significant reforms across the social services sector in the past ten years, notwithstanding the current reform agenda as it relates to the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System. Through every reform agenda, I have witnessed and experienced the impact this has had on rural, regional and remote communities; not all regions across our State are created equal and this has significant impact on service delivery within a clinical and community model, workforce, access to service provision when and where people need them and the further impacts and strain this places upon communities, especially those communities with poor social indicators.

Living and working in one of the largest regional communities within the State, I understand that the success of improving our systems requires stakeholder engagement and collaborative partnerships to improve outcomes for all seeking mental health care.

As a CEO of a regional and rural organisation that has delivered community mental health programs for more than 30 years, and as a carer, my professional and personal experience underpins my focus to ensure that the universal systems of support work together and that the voice of adults, children and carers in regional and rural communities are not lost.

I hold Governance and Board membership experience in roles of Deputy Chair, Treasurer and Chair of sub committees (Audit, Finance and Risk, Research and Policy and Reconciliation Action Plan). I am a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)."

Qualifications

Master of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma Family Dispute Resolution, Bachelor Social Work, Diploma Financial Counselling, Bachelor Education.

 

Karenza Louis-Smith

CEO, ermha365

Karenza Louis-Smith "Tertiary qualified with a BA (Hons) in Youth and Community work, I have over 25 years' industry experience working in the UK and Australia. This includes 16 years as CEO of leading, award winning for-purpose organisations including my current role as CEO at ermha365.

My areas of expertise include designing and leading services that respond to mental illness, psychiatric disability and offending as well as drug treatment and homelessness.

My unique perspective as a sector leader and innovator includes my own lived experience and mental health journey as a young person. Married when the laws changed in Victoria, I proudly identify as a member of the LGBTIQA+ community.

Passionate about changing the world, I have participated in intensive leadership development with the Global Leadership Foundation and Leadership Victoria and is a current Board Director at Mental Health Victoria and chair of the marketing and fundraising committee."

Qualifications

BA(Hons) Youth and Community Work

Graduate Diploma in Youth Work

Member of the Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers

Leadership Victorian Folio Community Leadership 2019 graduate

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