Plenary Speakers

Professor Laurence Kirmayer
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Professor Katherine Iverson
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Professor Heidi Ellis
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Professor Nicholas Procter
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Associate Professor John Torous
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Professor Bob Ursano
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Professor Tim Dalgleish
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Christine Morgan
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Prior to joining the Commission, Ms Morgan was CEO of the Butterfly Foundation for eating disorders and Director of the National Eating Disorders Collaboration. As former CEO of the Butterfly Foundation, she led a collaborative advocacy strategy that included amplification of eating disorders as a serious mental and physical health issue. This is now being replicated internationally. In the not for profit sector, Ms Morgan was General Manager at Wesley Mission, over the areas of Corporate Services; and Community & Family Development. Prior to joining Wesley Mission, Ms Morgan was Executive General Manager responsible for managing the strategic direction and business unit effectiveness of the Wholesale, Broadband & Media Business Unit at Telstra.
Ms Morgan brings connection and passion to mental health reform, built on the networks she established in the corporate world, her broad legal expertise, her extensive not-for-profit experience and her strong ability to demonstrate to people how their contribution can make a real difference.

Fiona Cornforth
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Clinical Speakers

Jorge Aroche
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Jorge G. Aroche is a clinical psychologist and the Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS). Jorge has worked with migrants and refugee survivors of torture and organized violence since before 1989, when he joined STARTTS. He has led the organization since March 1997, through some of the most challenging times for refugee services in Australia, helping STARTTS grow from a dozen staff to more than 200, assuming a truly state wide role and becoming a world leader in this field in the process.
Since its inception in 1988, STARTTS has assisted over 70,000 individual clients from over 100 nationalities in the context of a systemic and integrative model of service provision that includes cutting edge clinical programs informed by the latest developments in neuroscience alongside community development and group intervention streams. Jorge’s leadership has been characterised by its commitment to consultation, ongoing organisational learning, development and innovation, ensuring STARTTS continues to learn from its clients, from its culturally diverse staff and from the latest scientific advances in trauma and related fields.
Jorge is a member of the Executive Committee of the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), and was President of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) between 2016 and 2020’. Previous posts include that of Secretary General of the International Society for Health and Human Rights (ISHHR) (until 2012), and Vice President of the IRCT (until 2012). He has also been appointed to a number of positions in government advisory bodies and NGO boards.
In addition to his executive role Jorge continues to be actively involved in clinical and research activities at STARTTS and has presented widely on clinical and settlement issues for traumatised refugees on national and international platforms. He has also authored and co-authored several articles and book chapters on these topics.

Sarah Bendall
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Joel Hoffman
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Gina Howland
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Leanne Humphreys
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Dr Jon Lane
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Dr Winnie Lau
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Associate Professor Chris Lee
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Professor Angela Nickerson
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Professor Meaghan O'Donnell
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Amanda Pearce
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Larissa Roberts
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Dr Tetyana Rocks
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Philippa Specker
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Avalon Tissue
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Lee Valentine
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Dr Karen Williams
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BMedSci MBBS MPH FRANZCP
Dr. Karen Williams is a Consultant Psychiatrist who specializes in PTSD and other trauma syndromes. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. She obtained her undergraduate and medical training at the University of Sydney, NSW. She went on to complete Masters in Public Health and obtained specialty qualifications in Psychiatry. She completed additional training in Traumatic Stress Disorders through the Trauma Centre (Justice Resource Institute, MA).
Dr. Williams is a member of Family Violence Network Committee in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. She is the Special Advisor on Mental Health at the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre. She is also a member of the Professional Advisory Group for The Trauma Recovery Centre being developed on New South Wale’s South Coast.
Dr. Williams is the founder of Doctors Against Violence Towards Women, an advocacy group aimed at promoting the mental and physical safety of women who are survivors of Family Violence and sexual assault.
Dr. Williams has recently provided evidence at the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into Family, Sexual and Domestic Violence, as well as the Joint Select Committee on Coercive Control in NSW, and is frequently invited to speak on the issue of violence against women in Australia.

Sejla Murdoch
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Joshua Hall
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Final Session Speakers

Ruth Wraith

Mark Creamer

Louise Newman
