After more than a decade on the Board and almost five years at the helm, Lucy Myer has stepped down from her role as Chair of SANE. SANE is delighted to officially welcome Caroline Aebersold as our new Chair.
At a farewell celebration event last week, SANE donors and supporters, partners and industry sector colleagues joined our past and current board members and Executive to reflect on Lucy’s outstanding contribution.
Lucy first joined SANE as a board member in 2014 before serving as Chair from 2020 to June 2025. We are incredibly grateful for Lucy’s leadership in helping us champion the voice of lived experience, courageously fighting for equal rights for people living with complex mental health conditions and improving their quality of life through dedicated services and support.
Lucy leaves an impressive legacy at SANE, particularly through the visionary leadership she provided as we navigated the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her strategic mindset and innovative approach helped SANE not only maintain our services during this period, it positioned us for further growth.
Since then, we’ve transformed our service offering from grassroots place-based support to become pioneers in digital mental health for the complex mental health community. Our guided recovery program – offering peer support, counselling and community – were among Australia’s first digital psychosocial services.
The recent Government investment in this program to roll it out nationally is the first of its kind globally and an enormous step forward when it comes to accessibility of mental health services for those living with severe mental health conditions.
‘I’m deeply proud of the foundations I’ve laid down during my time as SANE Chair,’ said Lucy. ‘SANE’s accreditation to the National Safety and Quality in Digital Mental Health Standards is an achievement I’m particularly proud of, making us the first organisation in Australia to gain this important certification.
‘Back when I joined the SANE Board, digital mental health services worldwide were very limited. I’m honoured to have had the chance to oversee SANE’s ambitious evolution of digital programs to help bridge the gap in service delivery for people who have historically slipped through the cracks.’
Lucy’s tenure will also be remembered for her tireless championing of lived experience into every aspect of SANE’s work, with lived experience a cause close to her heart.
‘Knowing I’ve been part of creating a vibrant online community for people living with complex mental health as well as their families and carers is an something I’ll always be proud of,’ she said.
‘With more than 1.2 million posts on our SANE Community Forums and our guided recovery services led by peer support, I’m confident SANE will continue to fight stigma and provide the tools for every person to lead a full and contributing life.’
SANE’s new Chair, Caroline Aebersold, brings a wealth of clinical and executive experience to the appointment and has served on SANE’s board for the past eighteen months.
‘Lucy has been an outstanding Chair in her many years with SANE and she’ll be greatly missed by us all,’ said Dr Aebersold.
‘I’m honoured to be taking on the Board chair role and am excited to continue my work in the mental health sector that I’ve been a part of for more than 30 years.
‘We’ve moved the dial in the right direction during this time, but there’s still much more work to do, particularly in further reducing stigma and ensuring lived experience voices are the cornerstone of future mental health solutions.
‘I’m passionate about the importance of providing accessible, responsive and effective support to people who need it most, no matter their circumstance or complexity.
‘As we look ahead to SANE’s fortieth birthday celebrations next year, there’s a huge opportunity ahead to harness new digital technologies to help people living with complex mental health. I’m committed to helping SANE deliver high quality, safe and effective digital mental health services at scale.
‘I’m thrilled to have been given this platform to drive further change, building on past experience in major reforms such as the Victorian Royal Commission to help us better meet the needs of people with complex mental health needs and their families and carers.’
Learn more about SANE’s Board members and patrons.