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.
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.
Jenny Roberts recently joined the Roses in the Ocean team as Communications 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.
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.
Martina McGrath is the Lived Experience Coordinator for the Brisbane North Suicide Prevention Network and works in the mental health and suicide prevention sectors as a lived experience consultant.
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.
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.
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.
