Mental Health Champions Network
Mental Health Champions are trained UQ staff members who can provide support and referral information about mental health and wellbeing.
Mental Health Champions lead the creation of a culture that promotes and encourages a respectful, destigmatising and supportive approach to the proactive management of mental health and wellbeing. They are staff who have:
- an interest in promoting early identification, referral and help-seeking behaviour for mental health concerns
- a commitment to increasing awareness of UQ and external mental health services
- a desire to get involved with mental health and wellbeing events and initiatives
- the ability to listen with sensitivity and without judgment.
You can ask Mental Health Champions about:
- support services provided by UQ and external organisations
- events and initiatives
- ways to promote mental health and wellbeing.
Mental Health Champions will:
- keep up to date with UQ and external mental health support services
- refer staff and students to mental health support services as needed
- be discreet and respect the privacy of people seeking support and information
- maintain a commitment to understanding and promoting mental health and wellbeing
- update the University about potential barriers or ways to benefit mental health and wellbeing
- participate in regular Community of Practice sessions for networking and training
- raise awareness on campus about initiatives, events, services and ways to promote mental health
- act as a role model by encouraging a culture that respects diversity, values inclusiveness and reduces stigma and discrimination.
Mental Health Champions will not:
- act as a counsellor or emergency service
- engage in advocacy on behalf of an individual
- undertake mediation or investigation.
Applying to be a staff champion
Before you apply
To be eligible to become a Mental Health Champion, you need to:
- have current Mental Health First Aid Training accreditation,
- attend a 1-hour Mental Health Champions Introduction Session -Staff Online
- speak to your supervisor or manager and obtain their endorsement for you to become a Champion. This is a voluntary role that's performed in addition to your regular duties.
To enrol in the pre-requisite training, register through Learning on Workday.
Apply to become a Mental Health Champion
If you meet the eligibility criteria, email the Mental Health Champion Network coordination team at staffmentalhealthchampions@uq.edu.au to apply.
Include the following information in your email:
your area of work
- primary campus
- the date you completed the Mental Health Champions Network introductory session
- a copy of your mental health first aid training certificate.
- an email with your manager's endorsement for you to become a Champion.
You will be advised once your application has been successful, and your name, campus and email address will be added to the list of Mental Health Champions on the Mental Health Champions Network website.
If you have any questions about the Mental Health Champions Network or how to apply, email staffmentalhealthchampions@uq.edu.au.
Mental health first aid training
Free mental health first aid training is available at all UQ campuses for staff and students interested in becoming a Mental Health Champion. A two-day in-person workshop must be attended over consecurtive or non-consecutive days. For more information, including available dates and times, please take a look at the applicable links below:
Search our network of Champions to find a contact that can answer your questions.
Faculty of Business, Economics and Law (BEL)
St Lucia campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Barry Oliver | School of Business | b.oliver@business.uq.edu.au |
| Navvitha Lingam | School of Business | n.lingam@uq.edu.au |
| Oliver Canfell | School of Business | o.canfell@uq.edu.au |
| Richard Buning | School of Business | r.buning@business.uq.edu.au |
| Nadia Bello-Rinaudo | School of Business | n.bellorinaudo@uq.edu.au |
| Carol Bell | School of Economics | carol.bell@uq.edu.au |
| Cassie Hughes | School of Economics | c.hughes6@uq.edu.au |
| Elcin Tuzel | School of Economics | e.tuzel@uq.edu.au |
| Rain Livoja | School of Law | r.liivoja@uq.edu.au |
| Simon McKenzie | School of Law | s.mckenzie@uq.edu.au |
| Judith Mair | Tourism, School of Business | j.mair@business.uq.edu.au |
| George Jansen van Vuuren | Student & Academic Administration team | g.jansen@uq.edu.au |
| Leanne Carlton | Faculty of Business, Economics and Law | l.carlton@uq.edu.au |
| Megan Sharp | Student administration and advice | megan.sharp@uq.edu.au |
| Susan Reilly | Student & Academic Administration team | sreilly@bel.uq.edu.au |
| Gabriella Mitchell-Smith | Career Services Team | g.mitchellsmith@uq.edu.au |
Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology (EAIT)
St Lucia campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Lorna Hernandez-Santin | Centre for Mine and Land Rehabilitation | l.hernandezsantin@uq.edu.au |
| Elizabeth Delgado Alcantarino | Gas & Energy Transition Research Centre | e.alcantarino@uq.edu.au |
| Ryan Anderson | Health, Safety and Wellness and Facilities | ryan.anderson@uq.edu.au |
| Karen Roper | Human Resources | karen.roper@uq.edu.au |
| Danish Kazmi | School of Civil Engineering | d.kazmi@uq.edu.au |
| Katie Blanch | School of Civil Engineering | katie.blanch@uq.edu.au |
| John Williams | School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science | j.williams1@uq.edu.au |
| Sarah Flett | EAIT Faculty office | s.flett@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Anshu Raghuwanshi | School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability (AGFS) | a.raghuwanshi@uq.edu.au |
| Sophie Dutton | Student and Academic Administration | s.dutton@uq.edu.au |
| Sharon Cunnington | Faculty of Engineering, Architecture & Information Technology (EAIT) | s.cunnington@uq.edu.au |
| Danielle Greenwood | School of Architecture, Design and Planning | d.greenwood@uq.edu.au |
| Nicole Leiva | Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB) | n.leiva@uq.edu.au |
Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences (HMBS)
St Lucia campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Laura Seidl | Gross Anatomy Facility | uqlseidl@uq.edu.au |
| Erica Mu | School of Biomedical Sciences | e.mu@uq.edu.au |
| Kendra Dewar | School of Biomedical Sciences | kendra.dewar@uq.edu.au |
| Michael (Mike) Piper | School of Biomedical Sciences | m.piper@uq.edu.au |
| Aimee Paxton | Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences | a.paxton@uq.edu.au |
| Selina Blyton | HABS- Student and Academic Administration Team | s.blyton@uq.edu.au |
| Jo Williams | HABS- School of Pharmacy - Dutton Park | jo.williams@uq.edu.au |
| Ee Ting Ng | HABS- School of Pharmacy - Dutton Park | e.ng1@uq.edu.au |
| Emma Schimke | School of Health & Rehab Sciences | e.schimke@uq.edu.au |
| Drew Ashton | School of Health & Rehab Sciences | a.ashton@uq.edu.au |
| Georgina Clutterbuck | School of Health & Rehab Sciences | g.clutterbuck@uq.edu.au |
| Nicholas Bland | School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences | n.bland@uq.edu.au |
| Kirsten Adlard | School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences | k.adlard@uq.edu.au |
| Codi Howell | School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences | codi.horton@uq.edu.au |
| Dimity Glasby-Shaw | School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences | d.glasby@uq.edu.au |
| Julie Lenihan | Work Integrated Learning | j.lenihan@uq.edu.au |
| Tania Brooks | School of Dentistry & School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work | t.brooks1@uq.edu.au |
| Elise Cardamone | School of Psychology | e.cardamone@uq.edu.au |
| Lena Oestreich | School of Psychology | l.oestreich@uq.edu.au |
| Michael Noetel | School of Psychology | m.noetel@uq.edu.au |
| Taryn Farago | School of Psychology | t.krynauw@uq.edu.au |
| Josephine Ocampo | Student Experience team (HMBS) | j.ocampo@uq.edu.au |
| Brittany Williams | School of Health & Rehab Sciences | brittany.williams@uq.edu.au |
| Emily McCann | School of Psychology | e.mccann@uq.edu.au |
Dutton Park campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Katie Rablin | School of Pharmacy | k.rablin@uq.edu.au |
| Will Olsen | School of Pharmacy | william.olsen@uq.edu.au |
Herston campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Jo Cherriman | Advancement | j.cherriman@uq.edu.au |
| Aakanksha Dixit | Centre for Clinical Research | a.dixit@uq.edu.au |
| Kate Beecher-Matthews | Centre for Clinical Research | kate.matthews@uq.edu.au |
| Lisa Dingwall | Centre for Clinical Research | l.dingwall@uq.edu.au |
| Sarah Reed | Centre for Clinical Research | sj.reed@uq.edu.au |
| Oliver Canfell | Centre for Health Services Research | o.canfell@uq.edu.au |
| Jeb Brady | Health, Safety and Wellbeing | jenyl.brady@uq.edu.au |
| Charlotte Comben | Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research | c.woody@uq.edu.au |
| Rebecca Lush | School of Biomedical Sciences | r.lush@uq.edu.au |
| Lucinda Coalter | Infrastructure and Research Operations | l.coalter@uq.edu.au |
Translational Research Institute (TRI), Woolloongabba
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Ruth Stastny | Centre for Health Services Research | r.stastny@uq.edu.au |
Other locations
| Name | Centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Flora Rolf | Southern Qld Rural Health, Charleville | f.rolf@uq.edu.au |
| Dayle Osborn | Southern Qld Rural Health, Toowoomba | d.osborn@uq.edu.au |
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS)
St Lucia campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
| Heather Zwicker | Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences | h.zwicker@uq.edu.au |
| Liisa Partanen | Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences | l.partanen@uq.edu.au |
| Elizabeth Altoft | Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences | e.altoft@uq.edu.au |
| Chelse Dunne | Human Resources Client Partnering | chelse.dunne@uq.edu.au |
| Amelia Barikin | School of Communication and Arts | a.barikin@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Alex Bevan | School of Communication and Arts | a.bevan@uq.edu.au |
| Evangelene Dickson | School of Communication and Arts | e.dickson@uq.edu.au |
| Dolores Element | School of Communication and Arts | d.element@uq.edu.au |
| Katie Makar | School of Education | k.makar@uq.edu.au |
| Madeleine Hopper | School of Education | madeleine.hopper@uq.edu.au |
| Marisa Cordella | School of Languages and Cultures, Spanish and Latin American Studies | m.cordella@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Natsuko Akagawa | School of Languages and Culture | n.akagawa@uq.edu.au |
| Diana McCluskey | School of Political Science and International Studies | d.mccluskey@uq.edu.au |
| Lynda Shevellar | School of Social Sciences | l.shevellar@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Beth Spacey | School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry | b.spacey@uq.edu.au |
| Bianca Reynolds | School of Music | bianca.reynolds@uq.edu.au |
Faculty of Science
St Lucia campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Foley | School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences | g.foley@uq.edu.au |
| Coen Hird | School of the Environment | c.hird@uq.edu.au |
| Dina Nistha | School of the Environment | d.nisthar@uq.edu.au |
| Eve McDonald-Madden | School of the Environment | e.mcdonaldmadden@uq.edu.au |
| Joe Grotowski | School of Mathematics and Physics | j.grotowski@uq.edu.au |
| Lara Atzeni | School of Mathematics and Physics | l.atzeni@uq.edu.au |
| Sarah Wainwright | Faculty of Science | s.wainwright@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Matheus Carpinelli de Jesus | School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences (SCMB) | m.carpinellidejesus@uq.edu.au |
Gatton campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Rebekah Scotney | School of Veterinary Science | rebekah.scotney@uq.edu.au |
| Debra Laws | UQ Vets, Clinical Studies Centre | d.laws@uq.edu.au |
| Oriana Marchetti | UQ Vets, Clinical Studies Centre | o.marchetti@uq.edu.au |
| Courtney Stewart | UQ Vets, Veterinary Teaching Hospital | c.stewart5@uq.edu.au |
| Sandra Strenzel | UQ Skills | s.strenzel@uq.edu.au |
Student Affairs
St Lucia campus
| Name | School/Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Carrie Beddis | Career Development, Student Employability Centre | c.beddis@uq.edu.au |
| Clare Tarlington | Service Support Coordinator, Student Services | c.tarlington2@uq.edu.au |
| Jackie Fuller | Sexual Assault Response and Prevention, Student Services | j.fuller@uq.edu.au |
| Clare Scoble | Student Enrichment and Employability Development | c.scoble@uq.edu.au |
| Krystie McGregor | Student Services - Student Enrichment and Success | k.mcgregor1@uq.edu.au |
| Margaret Dunn | Student Services | margaret.dunn@uq.edu.au |
| Selina Lucy | Student Services | s.lucy@uq.edu.au |
| Tina Hsieh | Student Services | tina.hsieh@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Kevan Walter Jones | Student Services Directorate | kevan.jones@uq.edu.au |
Central services
St Lucia campus
| Name | Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Nicole McArthur | COO, Finance and Business Services | n.mcarthur@uq.edu.au |
| Kristina Carmody | COO, Finance and Business Services | k.carmody@uq.edu.au |
| Jade Vermaak | COO, Human Resources | j.vermaak@uq.edu.au |
| Amit Dhania | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS) | a.dhania@uq.edu.au |
| Larry Auld | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS) | l.auld@library.uq.edu.au |
| Karl Blakeney | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS) | k.blakeney@uq.edu.au |
| Ian Duncan | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS) | i.duncan@uq.edu.au |
| Olivia Thompson | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS) | o.thompson@uq.edu.au |
| Carolyn Riemann | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS)-Cyber Security | carolyn.riemann@uq.edu.au |
| Gabrielle Trubshaw | COO, Property and Facilities | g.trubshaw@uq.edu.au |
| Jared Grant | COO, Property and Facilities | jared.grant@uq.edu.au |
| Lisa Filmalter | COO, Property and Facilities | lisa.filmalter@uq.edu.au |
| Amy Thompson | COO, Property and Facilities | a.thompson1@uq.edu.au |
| Adelina Apruzzese | Office of Marketing and Communication | a.apruzzese@uq.edu.au |
| Christine Perrett | Office of Marketing and Communication | c.perrett@uq.edu.au |
| Ailsa Taylor | COO,Governance and Risk | ailsa.taylor@uq.edu.au |
| Claudia Simpson | Integrity Unit | claudia.simpson@uq.edu.au |
Gatton campus
| Name | Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Lennon | COO, Property and Facilities | s.lennon@uq.edu.au |
Long Pocket campus
| Name | Division | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Bek Cheb | COO, Information Technology Services (ITS) | r.cheb@uq.edu.au |
| Lily Whelehan | Centre for Horticultural Scienece | l.whelehan@uq.edu.au |
Research Institutes, Centres and Units
St Lucia campus
| Name | Centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Druce | AIBN | a.druce@uq.edu.au |
| Kyra Cottrell | AIBN | k.cottrell@uq.edu.au |
| Sophie O'Neill | AIBN, Health Safety Wellness | sophie.oneill@uq.edu.au |
| Siobhan Remy | AIBN | s.remy@uq.edu.au |
| Dr Shona Osborne | AIBN | s.osborne@uq.edu.au |
| Malcolm Lim | AIBN | malcolm.lim@uq.edu.au |
| Lena Oestreich | School of Psychology | l.oestreich@uq.edu.au |
| Sara Khalife | School of Psychology | s.khalife@uq.edu.au |
| Daniel Edge-Garza | QAAFI, Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences | d.edgegarza@uq.edu.au |
| Saffron Riyat | Graduate School | s.riyat@uq.edu.au |
| Lara Neureiter | QAAFI, ARC Hub for Sustainable Crop Protection | l.neureiter@uq.edu.au |
| Andrew Thompson | QBI | a.thompson4@uq.edu.au |
| Loren Skudder-Hill | QBI | l.skudderhill@uq.edu.au |
| Eugene Cho | QBI | e.cho@uq.edu.au |
| Mohsen Yahyaei | SMI, Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre | m.yahyaei@uq.edu.au |
| Kristina Carmody | Finance Professional Services - Institutes | k.carmody@uq.edu.au |
| Bogi Crilly-Toth | Finance Professional Services - Institutes | b.toth@uq.edu.au |
| Julita Greda-Tomaszewska | Sustainable Minerals Institute | j.greda@uq.edu.au |
| Liza Forbes | Sustainable Minerals Institute | l.forbes@uq.edu.au |
| Lynda Lawson | Sustainable Minerals Institute | l.lawson1@uq.edu.au |
Gatton campus
| Name | Centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Armstrong | QAAFI, Centre of Crop Science | r.armstrong1@uq.edu.au |
| Andries Potgieter | QAAFI, Centre of Crop Science | a.potgieter@uq.edu.au |
Other locations
| Name | Centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Vivian Rincon-Florez | QAAFI, Ecosciences Precinct, Dutton Park | v.rinconflorez@uq.edu.au |
| Jessica Ineson | TRI | j.ineson@uq.edu.au |
| Sam Kahler | Frazer Institute | s.kahler@uq.edu.au |
| Celeste Alcaraz | ISSR | c.alcaraz@uq.edu.au |
| Robert Jones | ISSR | robert.jones1@uq.edu.au |
UQ Affiliates
St Lucia campus
| Name | Centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Donna Schafer-McVey | UniQuest | d.schafer-mcvey@uniquest.com.au |
| Roxana Paterson | UQ Colleges – Grace College | r.paterson@grace.uq.edu.au |
| Jackie Gonzalez | UQ Union | jackie.gonzalez@uqu.com.au |
| Kristian Wheelehen | UQ Union | kristian.wheelehen@uqu.com.au |
Gatton campus
| Name | Centre | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Vacent | UQ Residences |
DVC Offices
St Lucia campus
| Name | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Megan Alexander | DVC-A | megan.alexander@uq.edu.au |
| Jess Perrin | DVC-A, Academic Services Directorate | jess.perrin@uq.edu.au |
| Lachlan Macintosh | DVC-A, Academic Services Directorate | l.macintosh@uq.edu.au |
| Kia Owens | DVC-A, Library | k.owens@library.uq.edu.au |
| Russell Spooner | DVC-A, Library | r.spooner@library.uq.edu.au |
| Brylee Tudge | DVC-A, Library | b.tudge@library.uq.edu.au |
| Kate Rowe | Research Outputs Librarian team (UQ Library) | k.rowe@library.uq.edu.au |
| Melinda Browning | DVC-A, Library - Health Safety Wellness | m.browning@library.uq.edu.au |
| Jesica Hampel | DVC-A - ITaLI | j.hampel@uq.edu.au |
| Amy Chan | DVC-A - ITaLI | amy.chan@imb.uq.edu.au |
| Christine Neville | DVC-A - ITaLI | c.neville@uq.edu.au |
| Timothy Rankin | DVC-A - ITaLI | t.rankin@uq.edu.au |
| Mark Witham | DVCRI | m.witham1@uq.edu.au |
| Candice Goodwin | DVCRI, Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis | candice.goodwin@uq.edu.au |
| Brad Ryan | DVCRI, Health, Safety and Wellness | b.ryan1@uq.edu.au |
| Megan Craig | DVCRI, PVC (Research) | m.craig2@uq.edu.au |
| Christine Edward | DVCRI , PVC (Research) | c.edward@uq.edu.au |
| Karen Hendrickson | DVCRI, Research Infrastructure | k.hendrickson@uq.edu.au |
| Melissa Lyons | DVCRI, Research Ethics and Integrity | melissa.lyons@uq.edu.au |
| Jasmine Roberts | DVCRI, Research Infrastructure | jasmine.roberts@uq.edu.au |
| Sue Weir | DVCRI, Research Infrastructure | s.weir@uq.edu.au |
| Tayla Lawrie | DVCRI Threatened Species Index | t.lawrie@uq.edu.au |
Herston campus
| Name | Office | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Adrienne Tetteroo | DVCRI, Research Commercial Management Unit | a.tetteroo@uq.edu.au |
Community of Practice for staff
All Mental Health Champions are invited to join the Community of Practice Program. This provides you with opportunities to further develop your knowledge and skills in mental health support through monthly learning and networking sessions.
Each session will focus on building competency and confidence, with guest speakers on topics relevant to mental health. The aim is to provide a safe and supportive space to:
- share tips and evidence-based best practice
- lead the implementation of mental health initiatives
- share experiences and wisdom
- discuss information gathering and UQ trends
Supporting Students' Mental Health and Wellbeing
Complete the new online module designed by Student Services to build staff awareness of how to best support students' mental health and wellbeing while studying at university.