Amelia Jarrett
Executive Director, Mental Health & Wellbeing Directorate, Wellbeing SA
Amelia is an occupational therapist with post graduate qualifications in adult mental health care, public sector management and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
She has worked in mental health for over 20 years in senior clinical, management and state-wide service development and implementation positions in NSW and SA.
Amelia was instrumental in developing the South Australian Mental Health Commission, created as an independent government department in late 2015. She served as its Executive Director from early 2016 until January 2020.
Now working as the Executive Director of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Directorate, Wellbeing SA, Amelia is grateful that she continues to manage the team of extraordinary staff who worked for the Commission who transitioned across to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Directorate, Wellbeing SA. She and her team work with the part-time Mental Health Commissioners in implementing the South Australian Strategic Mental Health Plan 2017 – 2022.
She directs her passion for equity for people with lived experience of mental illness, their families, loved ones and carers and her experience into her work.
Peta Towner
Executive Assistant
Peta has been an Executive Assistant for over four years with SA Health, most recently in Procurement. She joined the Commission in January 2016.
Peta enjoys working with the team as it reaches out to people with lived experience, the government, non-government and private sectors. “No two days are the same in my job so it’s always interesting and challenging.”
Julia McMillan
Associate Director – Community Engagement
Julia has a degree in Psychology and worked in the non-government mental health sector for 14 years before moving to the government sector in 2010 as a Carer Consultant – a lived experience position in the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist.
Julia is looking forward to having conversations with as many South Australians as possible to gather their thoughts, ideas and opinions which will shape South Australia’s next Mental Health Plan.
Rebecca Whellum
Associate Director – Strategy and Planning
Rebecca has 12 years’ experience in the human services sector, working across government and non-government organisations. This includes roles in project management, policy development and strategic planning, in service areas like child protection, community housing, migrant settlement and family and early childhood.
Rebecca’s passion is working collaboratively to improve service systems for individuals, families and carers. She enjoys building connections and helping to bring the SA Mental Health Strategic Plan to life.
Emma Willoughby
Principal Project Officer – Community Engagement
Emma’s 15-year career in mental health promotion and advocacy continues to help her learn to be a compassionate and kind member of this planet. Emma is a Trained Mindful Self Compassion teacher alongside holding formal qualifications in Social Work and Health Promotion.
She enjoys working with diverse community members to increase mental health literacy and human connection. Preferably over a cup of tea in the sunshine.
Joan Atkinson
Principal Advisor – Communications
Joan has a background as a journalist, editor, communications officer and speech writer in the private and government sectors.
She is passionate about great content, story-telling, sharing evidence-based information and ensuring messages connect with the community. She appreciates the creativity of social media and websites as well the importance of building relationships with traditional media.
Joan is enthusiastic about the Commission’s ability to make a difference to people with a lived experience of mental illness, their families, loved ones and supporters.
Brendan Kelly
Principal Project Officer – Strategy and Planning
Brendan has worked with vulnerable people in Ireland, the United States, South Africa and Australia, helping cultivate his deep appreciation of mental health and wellbeing across cultures.
Working in human services in both government and non-government organisations in Australia since 2008, Brendan has managed projects and developed and delivered training in the specialist areas of mental health, suicide intervention, trauma informed practice, family violence, disability advocacy and youth justice.
His formal qualifications are in Community Youth Work, Education and Project Management.
Dan Schmidt
Principal Project Officer – Community Engagement
Dan has 10 years’ experience in the human services sector across private, government and non-government organisations.
He is passionate about Community Engagement which he has undertaken in youth mental health services, law enforcement, media, and family work.
With formal qualifications in Social Science and Mental Health, Dan is driven by collaborating with and empowering communities to strengthen the mental wellbeing of South Australians.
Madeleine Bing-Fish
Principal Project Officer – Strategy and Planning
Madeleine has 11 years’ experience working across a broad range of health issues for the Federal Government including policy development and evaluation, project management and ministerial and parliamentary reporting.
Her most recent roles include development of health and mental health policies for people in immigration detention and mental health awareness raising.
Madeleine has a keen interest in health and mental health which is supported by her education, including a Master’s Degree in Public Health.
Madeleine hopes that her work has a positive impact upon the mental health of the South Australian community.