Our Board and Governance

Paul has led substantial organisational transformations throughout his career, leading organisations to adapt to changes in their external environments, to build organisational cultures that enable them to improve performance, to enable them to effectively interact with complex groups of stakeholders, and to redesign the way in which they transact with and relate to their customers/students/members, particularly digitally. Paul was the CEO for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), non-executive director at Australian Medicines Handbook, Joint Colleges Training Services, and RACGP Training Services between 2021 – 2023. Paul was the non-Executive Chair of Berry Street, the largest child protection agency in Victoria, between 2010-2018, the Executive Chair of corporate training company e3 Learning between 2013-2016, and a non-Executive director of ed-tech start-up Aeyons Pty Ltd between 2016-2019. Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Bachelor of Laws, an MBA and is a Member and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Nicole is a Clinical Psychologist and the Chief Executive Officer/Director of Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health. For over three decades Nicole has worked with military members, veterans, emergency services workers, judiciary and frontline health care professionals, and communities impacted by disasters and large-scale events. She is an expert in trauma-related mental health and wellbeing, suicide, and disaster mental health. She has led major mental health strategic reviews, research, and policy and training development projects for organisations across Australia and internationally. Nicole also consults to a range of Government departments and industry partners on posttraumatic mental health-related issues, including Veterans’ Affairs, Defence, Health and Police and Emergency service agencies. Prior to joining Phoenix Australia in 2017, she served in the full-time Army for over 20 years and completed her career in the senior Army psychology position. She continues to serve in the Army Reserves at the rank of Brigadier as the Principal Consultant - Mental Health. She is also an Enterprise Professor within the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne. Nicole has a strong record of accomplishment in setting and implementing strategic direction in mental health and personnel management within the Australian Defence Force, which was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia in 2018 and a Conspicuous Service Cross in 2009.

Andrew brings over 20 years’ experience in the emergency management sector. His current role is as Head of Humanitarian Diplomacy, Emergency Services with Australian Red Cross. Andrew has played a pivotal role in coordinating the Red Cross response to a number of major emergencies and disasters, including Cyclone Larry (2006), the Black Saturday Victorian Bushfires (2009) and Queensland Floods and Cyclone Yasi (2011) and Black Summer Bushfires. He also led the development of Red Cross leadership role in long term, community-based recovery. Prior to joining Red Cross, Andrew was the National Recovery Consultant with Emergency Management Australia, providing advice to both State and Federal governments following a range of emergencies and playing a key role in coordinating recovery assistance to Australians impacted by events such as the Boxing Day 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. Andrew also draws on his experience to contribute to sector leadership, through extensive experience in government and not for profit sectors at operational, strategic and board level, and was a key contributor in the establishment of both the Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience and Australian Institute for Disaster.

Chris Davey was appointed as the Head of Department of Psychiatry at The University of Melbourne in early 2020. Prior to this he worked as a psychiatrist and researcher at Orygen and the Centre for Youth Mental Health, where he was the head of a clinic for young people with severe and complex mood disorders, and led the mood disorders research program. Chris completed his medical degree at the University of Western Australia. He trained in psychiatry in Sydney and Melbourne, and completed his PhD at The University of Melbourne. Chris’s research has focused on studying effective treatments for depression, and he has led large NHMRC-funded multicentre clinical trials. He is interested in using brain imaging to examine depression and social-affective processes. He has a particular interest in integrating clinical trials of antidepressant treatments with neuroscientifically informed investigation of their mechanisms of action.

Former Brigadier, Kahlil Fegan DSC AM was appointed as Australia’s Repatriation Commissioner on 15 September 2023. Kahlil followed his father into the Australian Army and served for almost 34 years, as an infantry soldier and soldier, leading and managing people and supporting families in Australia and on multiple operational deployments, serving in Afghanistan as the leader of the Mentoring Task Force – 4, where he led multinational teams. In Iraq, Kahlil was part of the Divisional Coalition Plans team that contributed to the successful recapture of Mosul in 2017. His other notable positions included commanding the 8/9th Battalion, serving as a senior instructor to the Canadian Military Forces, and holding senior staff roles such as the personal Policy Officer to the Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Staff to the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, and later as Chief of Staff to the Chief of Army. His last appointment was a three-year tenure as the Commander of the 3rd Combat Brigade in Townsville. Kahlil holds a Master’s Degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University (Washington DC) and a Master’s Degree in Management from the University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Newcastle, and he is a graduate of prestigious institutions such as the Royal Military College, the Australian Joint Command and Staff College, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. Kahlil was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his command and leadership during operations in Afghanistan (2012), as well as multiple commendations for his distinguished service in Iraq (2004 and 2017). In 2023, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for exceptional service to the Australian Army. Currently, Kahlil serves as the Repatriation Commissioner, an independent position from the DVA. In this role, he continues his commitment to ensuring the welfare of veterans and their families, leveraging his extensive experience in leadership, policy, and military operations.

Michael is the Deputy Commissioner – Victoria, Department of Veterans Affairs. Michael has over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service, having worked across a number of service delivery and human resources functions within Services Australia and the National Disability Insurance Agency. Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University and a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management from Flinders University. Michael was a member of the Australian Army Reserve, having joined his local Reserve Infantry Battalion in Geelong. He advanced through Non-Commissioned Officer ranks before undertaking officer training and receiving a commission to the Signals Corps.

Malcolm is the Ramsay Health Care Professor of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, based at the Albert Road Clinic in Melbourne. He specialises in clinical aspects of mood and anxiety disorders, psychopharmacology, and psychiatric aspects of acquired brain injury. Previously he led the Psychological Trauma Recovery Service, incorporating the Veterans Psychiatry Unit and the Victorian Brain Disorders Program, at Austin Health. He has held senior positions within the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists including past Chairmanships of the Victorian Branch and the Board of Research and was President of the College from 2015-2017. In 2019 Malcolm was installed as President-Elect of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations. He has recently been appointed Chair of the Interim Regional mental Health and Wellbeing Body for North East Melbourne. Malcolm is the Chair of the Phoenix Australia Clinical Governance Committee.

Rodney has more than 30 years’ experience with EY, a leading global professional services firm. Rodney is an Assurance Partner with extensive experience in finance, governance, and risk management. Rodney was formerly the Managing Partner of the EY Melbourne Office and also led the Digital Assurance team at EY, responsible for driving the use of a broad range of technology solutions by the Assurance practice in the Oceania region. Rodney holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Melbourne University and is a Chartered Accountant. He is currently a board member of the North Melbourne Football Club and is a former board member of the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board.

Nicole is a Clinical Psychologist and the Chief Executive Officer/Director of Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health. For over three decades Nicole has worked with military members, veterans, emergency services workers, judiciary and frontline health care professionals, and communities impacted by disasters and large-scale events. She is an expert in trauma-related mental health and wellbeing, suicide, and disaster mental health. She has led major mental health strategic reviews, research, and policy and training development projects for organisations across Australia and internationally. Nicole also consults to a range of Government departments and industry partners on posttraumatic mental health-related issues, including Veterans’ Affairs, Defence, Health and Police and Emergency service agencies. Prior to joining Phoenix Australia in 2017, she served in the full-time Army for over 20 years and completed her career in the senior Army psychology position. She continues to serve in the Army Reserves at the rank of Brigadier as the Principal Consultant - Mental Health. She is also an Enterprise Professor within the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne. Nicole has a strong record of accomplishment in setting and implementing strategic direction in mental health and personnel management within the Australian Defence Force, which was recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia in 2018 and a Conspicuous Service Cross in 2009.

Professor Andrea Phelps is the Deputy Director of Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health. She has over 25 years’ experience conducting research, providing clinical treatment and training mental health practitioners in the area of posttraumatic mental health. In her role as Deputy Director, Andrea plays a key role in strategic planning and setting future directions, and has responsibility for the knowledge mobilisation work of the Centre across policy, training and clinical programs of work. She leads a number of major projects including the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Complex PTSD. She also consults to a range of Government departments and industry partners on research, service development and policy issues regarding organisational responses to psychological trauma. In addition, Andrea has strong national and international links as President-Elect of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, a member of the Five Eyes Military and Veteran Mental Health Research and Innovation Collaborative and leading Australia’s contribution to international research studies in veteran mental health, moral injury and healthcare worker wellbeing. She has 150+ publications including peer-reviewed papers, book chapters and technical reports.

Kamalini is a seasoned finance and corporate governance leader specialising in providing stability during transformational periods, streamlining processes, implementing systems and fostering financial understanding within teams. With a resilient and adaptable approach, she excels in building high-performing teams and driving outcomes through expertise in compliance, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and internal controls. Kamalini’s track record of developing and streamlining processes to support organisational growth is evident in her executive roles and board positions, where she contributes strategic insights and risk management expertise. Her ability to facilitate change and achieve results underscores her impactful contributions to the not-for-profit sector.

Professor Meaghan O’Donnell is the Head of Research at the Phoenix Australia, Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne. She has published widely in the area of posttraumatic mental health and frequently works with government, industry and organisations. She is the Research Director of the Phoenix Australia Traumatic Research Clinic, which tests new and emerging treatments to promote recovery following trauma exposure. She is on a number of scientific advisory committees including the Australian Veteran Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council (Department of Veterans’ Affairs). She holds a number of highly competitive grants from NHMRC (Australia), Wellcome Trust (UK) and the US Department of Defence. She leads a number of international collaborations including Chairing the International Collaboration of Co-occurring Chronic Pain and PTSD, and an international collaboration examining ways to prevent the development of PTSD through attention training. She is a member of the international Five-Eyes Military and Veteran Mental Health Research and Innovation Collaborative. She is Past President of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies and is on the editorial board for the European Journal of Traumatic Stress Studies.

Sir Angus was awarded the Knight of the Order of Australia in January 2015 for extraordinary and pre-eminent achievement and merit in service to Australia. The knighthood recognised his distinguished service in the Australian Defence Force, continued commitment to serve the nation in leadership roles - particularly the national responses to the MH370 and MH17 disasters, and other roles in the community. Sir Angus retired from the military in July 2011 after serving for 41 years. He was Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 2005-2011 and prior to that was Chief of Air Force for four years. He was Chair of the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board from 2011-2013 which provided strategic advice to the Australian Government in relation to the planning and implementation of the Anzac Centenary. Sir Angus chairs a number of boards and also serves as a board member for numerous organisations. He is a visiting fellow of the Australian National University National Security College and the South Australian Special Envoy for International Trade and Investment. In addition, he is the Ambassador/Patron of a number of charitable organisations. Sir Angus has been awarded four honorary doctorate degrees from the University of South Australia, the Australian National University, the University of New South Wales and Griffith University.

Sharon is a keynote speaker and award-winning author. In her book, she highlights the strategies that enabled her to change the narrative of her life from a broken veteran that was severely injured in a helicopter crash in East Timor, to a respected leader commanding a critical care team in Afghanistan. She’s a powerful veterans’ advocate as a Member of the Council of the Australian War Memorial and Phoenix Australia Ambassador. As a Returned Service Nurse, Sharon cared for people amidst war, peacekeeping, and humanitarian aid operations across the world. She harnesses the lessons and strategies of her unique experiences to empower individuals, communities and organisations to maximise their leadership and resilience, and to discover the great opportunities for growth in adversity.

David was made a Member of the Order of Australia in June 2018 for significant service to the community of Victoria, particularly through emergency services, entertainment, education, heritage and charitable organisations. He has worked for more than thirty years in an operational capacity with emergency services including Victoria Police, Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade, and Ambulance Victoria. David is a roving reporter for 3AW 693, promoting the successes and achievements of Victorian businesses and organisations. He runs a marketing and public relations company, and consults to many companies and not-for-profit organisations around Australia. He is Chairman of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation and Entertainment Assist, and sits on a number of other boards including the Chisholm Institute and The Production Company.

Magda Szubanski AO is one of Australia’s best known and loved performer/writers. She helped create international hit shows and films including D Generation, Babe, Kath and Kim, Fast Forward, and Big Girl’s Blouse. Her 2015 memoir, Reckoning - which deals with intergenerational trauma - won a slew of awards including: Book of the Year; Biography of the Year; NSW Premier’s Literary Award; The Victorian Community History Award – among others. Her efforts during the Marriage Equality survey made her 2017’s most talked about person. She was nominated for Australian of the Year and made an Officer of the Order of Australia. She was awarded the 2017 Liberty Victoria Voltaire Award for Free Speech. In the course of her career Magda has helped raise millions of dollars for charity. She is an Ambassador for Phoenix Australia, is on the Advisory Board of the Human Rights Institute, and is Patron of Twenty/10.