CEO, Bronwen Edwards founded Roses in the Ocean in 2011 following the suicide of her brother Mark a few years earlier.
A fierce advocate for the development of lived experience designed and led, non-clinical alternatives to care, Bronwen is passionate about empowering others with a lived experience of suicide to contribute their unique insights to its prevention. She strives to keep her feet in the grassroots, her head in the strategic influencing space, and her heart very much on her sleeve.
Bronwen is a personal trainer in the wee hours of some mornings, just for fun, and loves escaping to her favourite beach and travelling to interesting places.
After a career in education administration and working with young people with learning, physical and socio-emotional needs, Kathy Poulton joined Roses in the Ocean in January 2018.
As our National Program Manager Kathy is passionate about reducing the stigma around suicide and talking openly and often about suicide prevention. Her commitment to helping others is what drives all that she does.
To keep herself grounded Kathy connects regularly with nature, dabbles in aromatherapy and studies theology, just for fun.
Shannon Howat worked in senior administration roles in TV production and advertisement before joining Roses in the Ocean as National Operations Coordinator earlier this year.
After producing ad campaigns for several not-for-profits, Shannon was inspired to leave ‘show biz’ and work in a more meaningful role directly connected to helping people in need.
Shannon contributes to the daily office sugar-high by bringing in pastries from her housemate’s fancy bakery.
Stefan Treyvaud recently joined Roses in the Ocean as National Communications Manager following a 20-year career in senior marketing communications roles within the arts, education, cultural and lifestyle sectors.
Stefan is passionate about helping those less fortunate and is a strong advocate of the pay-it-forward principle. He is particularly empathetic towards young members of the LGBT community, or those struggling with being ‘the other’ in a world of diminishing tolerance and kindness.
Stefan stays out of the naughty corner by treating the team with cakes and brownies.
Jenny Roberts recently joined the Roses in the Ocean team as Communications and Workforce Officer, with a focus on Lived Experience Collective engagement.
Jenny has worked in the mental health and suicide prevention space for 10 years. Prior to that she worked in politics, but don’t hold that against her. Jenny believes in social justice and will fight to the bitter end for those being treated unfairly.
Jenny wants to give up sugar but with the cakes and brownies always in the office, this is proving harder than originally thought.
A commitment to positive change has brought Andrea Reed to Roses in the Ocean as Program Administrator.
Andrea’s 14 years in the medical, health and human services industries has provided a wealth of knowledge, compassion and understanding and helped to support a very healthy stationery obsession.
Andrea is grateful to be able to help in a hundred small ways and strongly believes the secret to having it all is believing you already do.
Martina McGrath is the National Research and Evaluation Officer.
Martina has worked in Occupational Health and Safety and Human Resource Management and is now undertaking a PhD at the University of Queensland, with a research focussing on lived experience of suicide.
In her spare time, Martina loves music, good food, great conversation and spontaneous road trips (maps and pre-planning optional) heading off with her camera gear to enjoy nature and capture life’s moments.
Layne Stretton is the Workshop Developer and Lead Facilitator for Roses in the Ocean, with a self driven mandate to create workshop experiences for people that change the way that they view their story and themselves in the process.
Each Lived Experience story is rich with knowledge, insight and wisdom, that can assist others to navigate the complexities of their experiences, with more personal empathy, compassion and self love.
Layne is passionate about advocating for change across communities, particularly communities that might be marginalised or unable to connect with the current systems.
A book reader, gym goer and sometimes lycra wearer, Layne can be found balancing his self care with outdoor pursuits and a passion for understanding how human beings can better work together.
Healing with humour and the love of a good fur-person is how Joanna Worthington describes the most important factors in her recovery journey.
After 7 years as a Peer Support Worker in mental health recovery, Joanna easily transitioned into a Lived Experience Coordinator for Suicide Prevention in Perth South and Midwest in Western Australia. Joanna has also worked in politics and journalism and has clocked up 25 years as a professional fairy.
Creativity is key to Joanna’s extreme self-care routine and this includes writing, painting, hula-hooping and dance-walking. And science fiction…. Watching lots of science fiction.
Melissa Newman is the Lived Experience Coordinator for the Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast region.
Melissa is at her best when empowering individuals within our diverse community to break down barriers. For the past 20 years, Melissa has used her skills as an Adventure Leader in outdoor pursuits and personal training to achieve this.
Melissa’s passion is to empower people particularly those with a lived experience of suicide to have a voice. By sharing her story and lived experience of suicide, Melissa is excited to be working towards making greater community connections in the Central Queensland, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast region.
Christian Graham is the Lived Experience Coordinator for the Brisbane North Suicide Prevention Network after working in the youth and community sector and hospitality.
Using a person-centred and a holistic approach, he likes to empower each individual to achieve a reduction in emotional pain strengthen resilience.
Growing up on the Sunshine Coast, Christian has always been into camping and fishing but living in the suburbs now he enjoys the nature of a bushwalk.
Bec Sallit is the NSW Lived Experience Program Administrator
Bec worked in State Government Administration for nearly 14 years and has recently graduated with a Bachelor degree in Psychology.
Even after all that study, Bec is heading back for more to become a registered Psychologist.
Bec fits in really well with the Roses in the Ocean team as she is a mad lover of all things dog and of course loves cake!
Bridget Betzold is the NSW Lived Experience Project Coordinator.
Bridget has worked in mental health, youth work, community development, and peer work roles for the past 5 years and has recently completed a master’s degree in social work.
Bridget previously worked as a florist and while she loves roses, sunflowers are her absolute favourite. Bridget is incredibly passionate about systemic change and believes that grass roots and community-led initiatives are the cornerstone of making the world a better place.
Hailing originally from Detroit, USA, Bridget loves Motown music, anything to do with sci-fi, being in nature as much as possible, cooking up vegetarian feasts, yoga, and cuddling her two cats. She is also a published poet and has experienced firsthand how powerful storytelling can be in giving someone the opportunity to be heard in a genuine and impactful way.
James Gallacher is an engaging leader who brings exceptionally well-developed relationship-building, coaching, mentoring, facilitation and consultative skills to his role as Facilitator with Roses in the Ocean.
James has a passion for supporting people to break through with new ways of thinking and working, and an emphasis on building connectivity, confidence, positive self-concepts and awareness.
James is an incredible husband, awesome father of twins and devoted dad to the family dog. He’s also a passionate Collingwood AFL supporter, anxiously awaiting that next premiership flag.
Roma Aloisi brings to her role as Facilitator an extensive career in education as: Leader, Consultant, Researcher and Teacher.
Roma is passionate about equity and loves to learn. Roma seeks to understand how societies, systems and people operate. She promotes reform and social justice. She believes we can work together to make the world a fairer, kinder and better place.
Impassioned to explore how othering, identity and shame interact as contributors to mental ill-health, suicide and complex bereavement, Roma hopes that by shining a light on difficult and silenced arenas, communities can face uncomfortable truths and be transformed by them.
As a creative, Roma enjoys pursuits that nurture her spirit: writing, drama, design, film, music, singing, crafts and cooking. Nature replenishes her: gardening, at the beach, camping out bush and she finds AFL footy especially cathartic!
Sam Fewings brings lived experience, change management and a deep caring to his role as Facilitator for Roses in the Ocean.
Sam has 20 years experience as a Senior Executive in Insurance and Human Resources. His second job is as a married father of two and working on his tennis game.
Sam is a member of the lived experience panel for the Black Dog Institute and the Ministry of Health Zero Suicide initiative and is passionate about helping those struggling with mental health issues.
Susie Biggin is a Roses in the Ocean Facilitator helping to deliver the Voices of Insight and Peer Care Companion workshops.
Susie began volunteering for Lifeline WA as a Telephone Crisis Supporter in 2012 after losing her son to suicide in 2007. With a background in education and about 20 years delivering adult learning, Susie took on the role of Training Co-ordinator at Lifeline WA in 2014.
Although she resigned from Lifeline earlier this year (to spend more time in her garden and with her family), Susie continues to volunteer as a Telephone Crisis Supporter with Lifeline WA, and is a Master Trainer, delivering ASIST workshops within the community.
Susie enjoys spending time in the garden and can get lost in there for weeks. She also (very strangely) enjoys delivering workshops with her husband, David. ‘After 37 years of marriage I guess you could say we work well together.’
Over the years, David Kelly has supported Roses in the Ocean in a number of roles and currently serves as Lead Facilitator and as a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Committee.
He has been a passionate suicide prevention community advocate, educator and leader, since the death of his 20-year-old son Guy to suicide in 2007 and is focused on ensuring the voice of lived experience is heard and valued.
David has previously served as Chair of Lived Experience Leadership Group at Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) and has enjoyed a long association with Lifeline WA, retiring in 2016 as Manager of Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention. He has also volunteered for many years as a volunteer suicide bereavement peer supporter with the ARBOR Postvention Service at Anglicare WA. David was recently recognised in the Anglicare Australia National Awards for Innovation and Excellence as the national winner in the category of Volunteer Achievement for his work with ARBOR.
David is an accomplished storyteller and public speaker and writes fiction and poetry in his spare time, when not spending time with his darling wife Susie (and fellow Roses in the Ocean Facilitator) at the beach or in the garden.
