SANE Board
Chair
Lucy Myer BComm MAICD
Chair – SANE and The Dax Centre
Lucy Myer was appointed as Chair of SANE and The Dax Centre in 2020 and has been a member of the Board for the past seven years. Following her appointment as Chair of SANE, Lucy has overseen the development of SANE’s new 10-year vision and five-year strategic plan in 2021. Passionate about increasing awareness and funding for complex mental health issues Lucy brings her professional expertise to SANE from her background in commerce, marketing, and management. As a member of the Myer family, which has a long tradition of philanthropic giving, Lucy is committed to giving back and addressing some of the world’s key challenges, like mental health. Lucy has held key roles on the Education and Youth Committees of the Myer Foundation. Lucy holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Management) from the University of Melbourne
Lucy is a mother of two young children and in her professional role she is the Go To Market manager at SEEK. A passionate advocate for mental health and physical wellbeing, Lucy is driven by a desire to make a significant impact. Lucy has a personal commitment to SANE’s vision as someone with a lived experience of managing challenges with her own mental health and physical wellbeing, and provides support for others close to her who live with mental health difficulties.
Directors
Genevieve Collins BA (Hnrs), LLB, GAICD
Deputy Chair
Genevieve has been the Chief Executive Partner (managing partner) of law firm Lander & Rogers since 1 July 2018. Prior to this, Genevieve was Chair of Lander & Rogers' national Board for 4 years, and Practice Group leader of the Compensation Law team for over a decade. As a practising litigator , and as Chief Executive Partner, Genevieve has driven the firm's Wellness and Innovation agendas. This has resulted in the firm being recognised within the legal industry for its various Wellness initiatives and for establishing Australia's first dedicated LawTech Hubs for legal start-ups and scaleups in Melbourne and Sydney. As a partner, Genevieve initiated the firm's Wellness Committee in 2004, after witnessing the pressures of professional life. She completed an Executive Certificate in Positive Psychology at UTS in 2011. As CEP, Genevieve has driven the firm's many Wellness initiatives, including the Wellness@Landers initiative which focused on resilience, empathy and gratitude. During lockdown, Genevieve continues to prioritise wellbeing and the firm received the highest 'Gold' Mental Health First Aid workplace accreditation. Lander & Rogers is the first Australian law firm to do so. This certification is testament to the Genevieve's belief in the power of de-stigmatizing mental illness. In 2021, Genevieve was awarded winner of Law Firm Leader of the Year (for firms > 200 employees) in the Australasian Law Awards and named Australasian Lawyer's Most Influential Lawyer in the category 'Changemakers'. Genevieve is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Legal Innovation (Australia, New Zealand & Asia).
Mr Ewan Barron CA, RCA
Treasurer
RMAC Committee Chair
Ewan Barron is the Honorary Treasurer of SANE, the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and has been a member of the Board for the past five years. As the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Ewan has overseen the development of SANE's approach to Risk Management and Financial Management and his background as a Chartered Accountant and Public Company auditor means that he brings his significant professional experience in governance and financial management to SANE. Ewan has been a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for over 17 years and is a Registered Company Auditor with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). Ewan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Business Studies from The Robert Gordon University in the UK and is also a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Ewan was a member of PwC's Assurance Leadership Team for nine years and held a variety of positions including Chief Operating Officer, Financial Services Leader and Chief Culture Leader. Ewan is a passionate advocate for Wellbeing at PwC where he was one of the inaugural "Green Light to Talk" Partner advocates who were trained in Mental Health First Aid and who shared their own experiences with Mental Health to give "the green light" to staff to talk to them about Mental Health challenges. Ewan also leads PwC's Wellbeing employee network which raises awareness of Mental Health and Wellbeing issues and promotes a culture where support is available.
Rob Gerrand – BA, FAMI, FAICD
GNC Committee Chair
Rob Gerrand heads the marketing and communication consultancy Gerrand & Associates. He has worked in government, transport, telecommunications, finance, agriculture and the arts, and has won the Golden World and Golden Quill international public relations awards. He is a former general manager, group public affairs at ANZ, and a former director of the marketing and communications consultancy Turnbull Fox Phillips. He was appointed Adjunct Professor by Deakin University. His books Rewrite Your Life! and Rewrite Your Relationships!, co-written with Eve Ash and published by Penguin, show how individuals and organisations can change and entrench new behaviours. Rob is also a director of North Western Melbourne PHN and chairs The Weights Guru Pty Ltd and Director Next, a peer-to-peer professional development forum for company directors. His extensive governance experience includes chairing Parks Victoria, Healthy Parks Healthy People Global and Theatreworks, and directorships of Alfred Health, the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, MHRI, the Financial Planning Association of Australia and the Koorie Heritage Trust. Rob says, “I joined the board of SANE following the merger with the Dax Centre. I want to help SANE entrench its position as Australia’s leading organisation advocating for and supporting people with complex mental health issues.”
Mr Ewan Barron CA, RCA
Treasurer
RMAC Committee Chair
Ewan Barron is the Honorary Treasurer of SANE, the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee and has been a member of the Board for the past five years. As the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Ewan has overseen the development of SANE's approach to Risk Management and Financial Management and his background as a Chartered Accountant and Public Company auditor means that he brings his significant professional experience in governance and financial management to SANE. Ewan has been a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for over 17 years and is a Registered Company Auditor with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). Ewan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree in Business Studies from The Robert Gordon University in the UK and is also a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. Ewan was a member of PwC's Assurance Leadership Team for nine years and held a variety of positions including Chief Operating Officer, Financial Services Leader and Chief Culture Leader. Ewan is a passionate advocate for Wellbeing at PwC where he was one of the inaugural "Green Light to Talk" Partner advocates who were trained in Mental Health First Aid and who shared their own experiences with Mental Health to give "the green light" to staff to talk to them about Mental Health challenges. Ewan also leads PwC's Wellbeing employee network which raises awareness of Mental Health and Wellbeing issues and promotes a culture where support is available.
Cameron Solnordal
Cameron has lived and worked with the diagnosis of schizophrenia since 2001 as a widely respected advocate, speaker and SANE Peer Ambassador as well as a Director on the SANE Board. Cameron engages with the corporate sector, working with senior management, human resources, corporate staff and the wider community about the experience of living with mental illness and how to become diversity ready. Cameron participates in the artds and media through his advocacy with including the "How 'Mad' Are You?" TV Series on SBS Australia / Blackfella Films. Cameron is also an Everymind/Life In Mind. National Communications Charter Champion. He assisted in the development of the "National Communications Charter : A unified approach to mental health and suicide prevention". Cameron’s previous achievements include working as a Social Firms Australia (SoFa) / Seek Trainer and Consultant delivering Mental Heath In The Workplace. Partnering with Seek, SoFa and The Melbourne Business School, Cameron co-presented a 12 month pilot program that trained 165 Seek employees in being diversity ready and understanding their own mental health awareness in the workplace.
Dr Lynne Coulson Barr OAM
QLD Health Ombudsman
Dr Lynne Coulson Barr OAM has had a long association with SANE and the DAX Centre, through her roles as Victoria's inaugural Mental Health Complaints Commissioner and as a longtime member of the Mental Health Review Board in Victoria. Her career has been dedicated to safeguarding the rights of people with complex mental health issues and disabilities, and driving reform and cultural change in services. In 2020, she was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her significant service to community mental health and her roles in disability, dispute resolution and tribunals. Dr Coulson Barr was formerly the acting Complaints Commissioner with the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission. She brings to the Board diverse and extensive experience from a long career in the mental health and disability sectors and leadership roles in statutory complaint, oversight and regulatory bodies. She is committed to addressing issues of human rights, stigma and discrimination and the importance of people's lived experience driving approaches to service design and delivery.
Craig Connelly FCA F FIN
Craig joined the Board of SANE to apply his professional skills to an organisation working to assist vulnerable community members and their families. Having experienced first-hand the challenges of supporting loved ones dealing with complex mental health issues, Craig is keen to work to amplify SANE’s impact for the benefit of many Australians. Craig commenced as CEO of The Ian Potter Foundation in December 2015. Craig is an accomplished financier and businessman, now dedicated to contributing to the community sector. He spent 25 years working in a variety of roles in the Australian financial services sector, initially with respected chartered accounting firm, Price Waterhouse, followed by 11 years as a leading Australian equities analyst and partner with JB Were. In 2004, Craig successfully established his own Australian Equities long/short fund before selling his interest in the fund in late 2011. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, Craig is an experienced business analyst and successful manager whose professional strengths lie in his research innovation, industry analysis, technical expertise and strong communication skills. Craig has also been an effective mentor to many young professionals throughout his business career.
Dr Mark Cross MBChB, MRCPsych(UK), FRANZCP
Dr Mark Cross is a psychiatrist and author with clinical experience over 3 decades. He graduated as a doctor in Cape Town, specialised in the UK, and has worked as a specialist in Sydney since 2005. He holds senior conjoint lecturer positions at the Universities of NSW and Western Sydney. In 2013 he received a teaching award from UNSW and in 2015 a NSW premier’s award for services to public health. Mark has special interests in sexuality issues, Mental Health in the workplace, anxiety and improving the care and quality of life of people with lived experience, and carers. In 2015, he received the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists NSW Branch Meritorious Award for his “significant contribution” to psychiatry. Mark is the author of ‘Anxiety’ and co-author of ‘Changing Minds,’ both published by ABC Books/Harper Collins, and was the Lead Psychiatrist in the ABC TV series ‘Changing Minds.’ He is a well-respected speaker on Mental Health issues, prior to SANE he was a board member of BGF, the HIV charity based in Sydney. He is a passionate advocate on the importance of preventative mental health and supporting service delivery with strong consumer and carer input. He is married to John, they have 2 children Clem and Arlo, and a cat.
Dr Rod Farmer BA/BSc (Hons), Masters (Sociology), PhD Engineering (Human-Computer Interaction)
Rod leads customer experience and design in APAC for McKinsey Digital. He is a recognized thought leader in human-centered design, customer experience, and digital transformation. Rod helps clients build new businesses and capabilities, deliver new products and services, establish new ways of working, and drive design-led transformations. He also possesses deep expertise in multichannel digital marketing, product design, and organizational capability development. Prior to joining McKinsey, Rod was APAC executive strategic design director for Isobar (part of Dentsu Aegis), leading over 400 digital specialists and accountable for over $20 million in direct profit-and-loss contributions. He has successfully advised many of Australia’s largest organizations at strategic and executional levels on digital and customer-centred transformations. As a successful entrepreneur, Rod founded an award-winning digital agency that specialized in mobile strategy and design.
Ms Rachel Green BAS MAICD (Hons), Grad Cert Management
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director – SANE and The Dax Centre
Rachel Green commenced as SANE’s CEO in 2021. Rachel is driven by her passion for pursuing big impact, community-focused interventions designed with the lived experiences of individuals and families at the forefront. Rachel brings a wealth of experience and expertise across the mental health, not for profit and government sectors, and the fields of implementation science and public policy, and is passionate about championing the diverse voices of lived experience. As Director of Policy, Rachel led the establishment of the National Mental Health Commission in 2011 where she joined with SANE Patron Janet Meagher AM to develop the Contributing Life Framework. She was the author of Australia’s first national consumer paid participation policy, and produced the first National Report Card on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in 2012. Prior to joining SANE, Rachel was CEO of a medium sized mental health and disability NGO. She also designed and led large scale community suicide prevention implementation efforts around Australia in her role at the Black Dog Institute, including LifeSpan – the systems approach to suicide prevention. Rachel has also held senior roles in mental health, business development and public health policy with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Health and Care Connect. Rachel holds academic qualifications in human geography, political economics, leadership and management, and has held non-executive director roles with Being, the Institute of Analytics Professionals Australia, Sands Australia, Red Nose and the NSW Cycling Women’s Commission.
SANE Patrons
Patron-in-Chief
The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD, CVO
Patrons
Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC
Professor Allan Fels AO
Professor John Funder AC
Mr Charles B Goode AC
Mr Osher Günsberg
Dr Margaret Leggatt AM
Ms Janet Meagher AM
Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE
Mr Stan Wallis AC
Mr Peter Wills AC
