Keynote Speakers
University of Limerick, Ireland
University of Queensland, Australia
University College London, UK
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Aboriginal Mental Health, NSW Mental Health Branch, Australia
Nunukul Quandamooka woman, Australia
Clinical Psychologist, Australia
Director of the Matilda Centre, Australia
Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the Black Dog Institute, Australia
Director of the InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders, Australia
Pepijn Van de Ven
Pepijn van de Ven is a professor in Machine Learning, founding director of the Data-Driven Computer Engineering (D2iCE) research centre and course director of the National MSc in AI at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Pep, who is also a former president of the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, specialises in the application of machine learning in mental health. He has been involved in various ground-breaking international projects making use of advanced ICT and data analytics in mental health interventions. Currently, he is the data analytics lead on two international projects: Personae funded by the Innovation Fund Denmark and COLMA funded by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Professor Catherine Haslam
Catherine Haslam is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Queensland
and the Director of SIGNify; a Centre that aims to translate the research of the
Social Identity Groups Network to practice. She is a clinical academic whose work
focuses on the social and cognitive impacts of identity-changing life transitions
across the lifespan (associated with trauma, illness and recovery, transitions to
study, workforce and sport retirement, and aging) and interventions that can be used
to manage these. In particular, her research on social connectedness, health and
well-being has contributed to a body of work on the social cure that has been
published in two volumes — Social Cure: Identity, Health and Well-being (2012) and
The New Psychology of Health: Unlocking the social cure (2018). This work has
informed the Groups 4 Health program, a manualised social identity intervention that
supports people to manage life change and its potential impact on both identity and
health, and that will soon be published in the Oxford University Press Treatments
that Work series.
Catherine Haslam is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Queensland
and a clinical academic whose work focuses on the social and cognitive impacts of
identity-changing life transitions and interventions to manage these. Her research
on social connectedness, health and well-being has contributed to a body of work on
the social cure published in two volumes — Social Cure: Identity, Health and
Well-being (2012) and The New Psychology of Health: Unlocking the social cure
(2018). This work has informed the Groups 4 Health program, a manualised social
identity intervention supporting people to manage their social connectedness to
support health.
Professor Praveetha Patalay
Praveetha Patalay is Professor of Population Health and Wellbeing at University College London in the UK. Her research focuses on mental health through the lifecourse and drivers of health inequalities, with an interest in examining these across different contexts including time and place. She is interested in how we can achieve better health and wellbeing through our lives and the preventive measures and structural changes that might be needed to support this. She leads a multidisciplinary research group at UCL, and is working towards improving the diversity of disciplines, individuals and countries represented in mental health science with the goal to accelerate progress in improving population mental health.
Dr Paul Liknaitzky
Dr Paul Liknaitzky is Head of the Clinical Psychedelic Lab, and Senior Research
Fellow within the Dept of Psychiatry at Monash University. He has played a central
role in establishing the field of clinical psychedelic research in Australia, and is
the Principal Investigator on a program of psychedelic trials. Liknaitzky leads the
country’s largest and most experienced group of psychedelic researchers and
clinicians, and collaborates with numerous psychedelic groups nationally and
internationally.
In Australia, Paul established the first psychedelic lab, coordinated the first
applied psychedelic therapist training program, obtained the first industry funding
for psychedelic research, and co-convenes the Australasian Research Group on
Psychedelic Science. Together with clinical and industry colleagues, he co-founded
Australia’s first purpose-built psychedelic-assisted therapy clinic.
Paul’s work is focused on investigating novel applications for psychedelic
therapies, translating evidence into best clinical practice, exploring
under-examined risks, delivering next-generation therapist training, and improving
access and affordability.
Matthew Trindall
Matthew Trindall is the Director Aboriginal Mental Health, NSW Mental Health Branch. He started his career in mental health in 2009 as a mental health trainee with Hunter New England Local Health District in NSW. His previous role was the Director Aboriginal Strategy and Culture at Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network. Matthew has a strong passion for population health, advocacy, policy reform, governance and accountability.
Leilani Darwin
Leilani Darwin is a Nunukul Quandamooka woman from Stradbroke Island based in Meeanjin, Brisbane. Leilaniis renowned for her impactful work in suicide prevention and mental health. Her leadership is deeply rooted in her own lived and living experiences with mental illness and the profound losses of loved ones she has endured. Her extensive experiences and knowledge have forged her reputation as a leader in the mental health sector in Australia.
Tanja Hirovenen
A proud Jaru, Bunuba, and Wakaya woman born and raised on the lands of the Kalkadoon people – Mount Isa, Queensland. Tanja is a clinical psychologist and mid-career researcher with expertise in mental health, social and emotional wellbeing, suicide prevention, and working with persons impacted by trauma and workplaces that are bringing cultural and clinical knowledge together. She brings a combination of academic research, corporate expertise, and clinical experience working with remote, regional communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being, and doing to her Board roles at Thirrili, the Australian Indigenous Psychologist Association, and the Black Dog Institute. She advocates for increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing practitioners in Australia and for upskilling mainstream organisations with an understanding of how to provide culturally appropriate social and emotional wellbeing care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and individuals.
Professor Maree Teesson AC
Distinguished Professor Maree Teesson AC is Director of the Matilda Centre and an NHMRC Leadership Fellow at the University of Sydney. Maree is Chair of Australia's Mental Health Think Tank and Chair of the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission Expert Advisory Panel. Maree is a Former National Mental Health Commissioner (2018-2021), an Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Fellow, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. Maree was awarded the Faculty of Medicine and Health's inaugural Distinguished Professor Award in 2023. Maree was announced as a Companion of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day 2018 Honours List, awarded a Westpac/Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence (Innovation), and awarded an Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers. Maree has made a major contribution to Australia’s health and medical research effort in the field of mental health and substance use. In particular, she is known nationally and internationally for her research on the comorbidity between mental health and substance use disorders.
Professor Sam Harvey
Professor Sam Harvey is the of Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the Black Dog Institute. Originally from Adelaide (and a diehard Port Adelaide supporter), Sam initially trained and worked as a GP, before pursuing his passion for mental health through training as a psychiatrist at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. Since returning to Australia in 2012, Sam has established new programs of research focused on workplace mental health, new treatments for depression, and the overlap between physical and mental health. His research is internationally recognised, with agencies such as the World Health Organisation looking to him for advice on how to create more mentally healthy workplaces. In addition to his research, Sam continues to work clinically as a psychiatrist. He led the establishment of a specialist mental health service for Emergency Service workers who responded to the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bush Fires and healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Professor Sarah Maguire
Prof Sarah Maguire is director of the InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders. She is a clinical psychologist, researcher, educator, and policy maker with 20 years’ experience in the field of eating disorders. Professor Maguire has worked in hospital and community settings, supervised clinical teams and trainees, is a specialist clinical trainer and board approved supervisor. She is a senior advisor to NSW Ministry of Health and her institute leads the implementation of NSW Health Policy as it relates to eating disorders across the state including large scale health system reform under the NSW Service Plan for Eating Disorders 2021-2025. She leads a research team with a broad research agenda, including biological, health systems, health economics, prevention, public health promotion, clinical intervention, and translational research. Prof Sarah Maguire and her team are passionate about changing the way treating disorders are perceived and treated within the health system and our community, driving for clinical excellence, providing policy leadership, research translation, and research that changes practice and outcomes.
SMHR Conference 2024 is organised with the support of the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, Inside Out Institute and the Black Dog Institute
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