Board & Governance
OzHelp Foundation Limited (OzHelp) is a public company limited by guarantee incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001. The organisation has a board of eight directors comprising lawyers, accountants, senior public servants and individuals with operational and academic experience related to suicide prevention. The OzHelp board of directors meet on a regular basis to ensure there is effective stewardship of the organisation, the strategic and business plans are being implemented and there is adequate review of the financial management, operations and risks for the organisation.
Ian Carter
Board Director

Ian is the Managing Director of PBS Property Group. Ian has overseen the growth of the company, from Prestige Building Services in the late 1980s, to an integrated property business. Ian is also actively involved in a number of national industry bodies that support community and skills training initiatives, and is also a Director of the MBA Skills Trust.
David Cosgrave
Board Director

Mr. Cosgrave has worked as a litigator, corporate adviser and general counsel with experience in legal risk management, legal project management and large transactions, contracts, insurance and corporate governance. His background includes investment banking, asset management, private equity, healthcare, information technology, security, intelligence and optical technology in both the private and public sectors.
Mr. Cosgrave is currently also a Director of the Darling Downs and West Morton Primary Health Network. He is a Teaching Fellow at the College of Law’s postgraduate program where he lectures on governance, project management, risk, and commercial law. He holds postgraduate qualifications in law and management and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michael Hopkins
Board Director

Michael is CEO of Master Builders ACT, Civil Contractors Federation ACT and MBA Group Training Ltd. Michael’s background combines local government and industry experience, most notably leading large-scale projects throughout Australia. Michael is also the director of MBA Insurance Services.
Peter Howman
Chair

Peter is an Executive Director and Chair, Non-Executive Director, National CEO of the Year, and Committee Member with over a decade of board level experience across the public, commercial and not for profit sectors.
Peter brings experience in all major disciplines including accounting, audit, finance, governance, high technology, legal, policy, strategy and property.
Peter has spent more than 20 years in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Post his ADF service, he was a senior executive in several multi-national companies delivering complex and leading-edge high technology solutions to the Commonwealth and State Governments. Peter is a Fellow of the AICD.
Robert Johnson
Finance Director

Robert has been a partner of Hardwickes Chartered Accountants since 1987. Robert is a registered company auditor, tax agent and financial planner. Robert is also a member of the Catholic Education Committee and Financial Committee, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Lyn O’Connell
Deputy Chair

Lyn is the deputy secretary of the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. Lyn is also a member of the Independent Advisory Group to Singapore Government on High Speed Rail, the advisory board of Deakin University Centre for Supply Chain and Logistics, the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Nicole Sadler AM CSC
Board Director and Clinical Advisory Committee Chair

Nicole Sadler AM CSC is the Head of Policy and Practice, Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and an Enterprise Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne. She is a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in evidence-based systems and services to support individuals working in high risk organisations, including military, police and emergency services. Prior to joining Phoenix Australia in 2017, she served in the full-time Army for 23 years and completed her career in the senior Army psychology position at the rank of Colonel. Nicole continues to serve in the Army Reserves.
Hamish Thomson
Board Director

Mr. Hamish Thomson is a seasoned global leadership executive. Across a 30-year career, he has been a successful CEO/Regional President and Global Brand head for Mars Incorporated (UK, Australia, and Chicago), a senior marketing and sales lead for Reebok International (England and the Netherlands), and a fresh-faced account executive in the London advertising scene.
Mr. Thomson is a board and start-up adviser, consultant, speaker, and investor, he is the author of the Wiley published leadership book, “It’s not always right to be right” – an autobiographical account of leadership and personal lessons relating to breakthrough and transformation. He currently resides in Sydney, Australia with his wife and three children.
Caroline Walsh
Board Director

Ms. Walsh joins the board with significant experience in policy, regulation, and program management covering service delivery, workforce capability, diversity and inclusion, workers’ compensation, safety, mental health, and wellbeing. She is passionate about public service and has had a 20-year career spanning the Commonwealth and state public sectors.
Ms. Walsh is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of Public Administration Australia – ACT, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She holds qualifications in Law and Government.
Leanne Wells
Board Director

Leanne is CEO of the Consumers Health Forum of Australia and a committed health advocate with executive experience across Australian government and non-government organisations. Leanne is a board director of Coordinare South East New South Wales PHN and the Australian Pharmacy Council. Leanne is the Independent Chair of Coordinare’s Community Advisory Committee.
Donna Hodgson
Clinical Advisory Committee Member

Donna Hodgson is a Registered Nurse who holds a Credential for Practice with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses. Donna is passionate about professional development activities, and ensuring a connection exists between evidence-based theory and the practice of mental health nursing. Donna has a long history of educating and mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate nurses in the field of mental health.
Since commencing work in the mental health setting in 1991 with the ACT Health Directorate, Donna has worked in numerous roles, and holds the honour of being the first Nurse in Australia to be appointed as a Clozapine Co-ordinator under the First National Mental Health Plan. Additionally, Donna worked for several years as the Clinical Nurse Consultant in the acute adult inpatient unit, and as a clinical manager in the community. In recent years, Donna has enjoyed participating with like-minded colleagues on research and practice projects, and is the co-author of a successful Australian text, targeted at undergraduate health professionals.
Donna has worked as the Co-ordinator of Mental Health Nursing Education Programs for the past twenty years. She has additionally spent one year as an academic teaching Mental Health Units at the University of Canberra.
Dr Coralie Wilson
Clinical Advisory Committee Member

Dr Coralie Wilson trained as a primary and secondary school teacher with endorsements in special education, mathematics and music. Later, she completed post-graduate training in music performance and theory, together with organisational, developmental, educational, and abnormal psychology, including an honours degree and PhD in clinical psychology subjects and research.
Coralie is currently the Foundation Academic Leader (Head) of Personal and Professional Development (PPD) in the Graduate School of Medicine (GSM) at the University of Wollongong, and was the Foundation Leader of the GSM Behavioural Health Sciences curriculum when the School commenced in January 2007.
Dr Lara Bishop
Clinical Advisory Committee Member

Dr Lara Bishop has a PhD in psychology and degrees in applied science and arts. Her doctoral dissertation explored the mental health literacy of Australian print media journalists and compared this to the mental health literacy of a sample of the Australian general public. Lara is the lead author for several Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) discussion papers that present evidence regarding the health disparities impacting rural and remote Australians serviced by the RFDS. She manages a number of research projects, including projects around stroke, children’s health, hearing screening and mental health literacy. Lara is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Australian National University and is currently working on projects related to epidemiology and population health.
Alan Woodward
Clinical Advisory Committee Member

Alan Woodward has worked in the fields of mental health, crisis support and suicide prevention for 20 years as an executive leader, a service and program developer, an evaluator and researcher. He has also acted as an expert advisor to governments and peak bodies.
Alan has contributed to suicide prevention policy and program development nationally as a Board Director for nine years, and more recently as a strategic advisor on quality and innovation with Suicide Prevention Australia. Mr Woodward worked for Lifeline Australia in various executive roles for 14 years until 2018, including the Lifeline Research Foundation. Mr Woodward holds a Master’s Degree in Social Science and Policy, a Business Degree in Public Administration and a Diploma in Arts/Communication. He is a Fellow of the Australian Evaluation Society.
Darren Black
Chief Executive Officer

Darren is a former army officer and UN Peacekeeper who, since leaving the military, has transitioned to community sector leadership. Darren has been the CEO of National and State community organisations for more than a decade, including the CEO of Outward Bound Australia and the NSW Police Citizens Youth Club. Darren has an MBA from Melbourne Business School and is a graduate of the Harvard Strategic Perspectives in NFP Management Program.
Louise Gilmour
Chief Operating Officer

Louise has over 21 years’ experience in variety of roles across organisational and corporate governance and compliance, operational and program management within the health sector. In the past, Louise has delivered a range of health-related programs in government and non-government organisations, with a focus on mental health and chronic disease.
Louise holds a Graduate Certificate in Management and Diploma in Project Management and is currently completing a Masters of Business Administration at the University of New England. Louise is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has recently completed the Company Directors course and has a passion for the for-purpose sector and making a difference to people’s lives.
Rebecca McHarg
Marketing and Communications Manager

Rebecca has over a decade of experience in marketing and communications with in-depth experience in strategic marketing, branding, content strategy and digital outreach channels. She has worked across healthcare, essential services, higher education and has a special interest in digital design and campaign management.
Jenny Permezel
Service Delivery Director

Jenny started her career in health as a registered nurse clinician, working for 20 years in a variety of hospital settings. This was followed by a move to the primary health sector in senior management and leadership roles for over 13 years. In addition to her current role as service delivery director with OzHelp, she is a volunteer crisis supporter with Lifeline and is passionate about making a difference in suicide prevention.
Carolyn Parish
Director of Workplace Wellbeing – Planning and Advisory Services

Carolyn joins the team with an extensive career in driving improvements in the health and wellbeing sector, particularly in mining. Her experience includes 10 years working for Rio Tinto, Yancoal, and Glencore in Occupational Health and the last 2 years at Ampcontrol as their Health and Wellbeing Specialist.
Carolyn holds qualifications in Occupational Health & Safety, Mental Health Intervention, Incident Investigation, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Health & Safety. She is also a current finalist in the 2020 Hunter Safety Awards for WHS Champion of the Year and Best Health & Wellbeing Program.
Her extensive 17-year career within male-dominated high-risk industries has seen her become a leader in contributing to the increasing importance and focus of workplace wellbeing.