Roses in the Ocean Speakers Hub

It’s incredible how a lived experience of suicide can continue to impact your life at all different stages and in different ways, and as it does the depth of your insight and the breadth of your perspective grows. Whilst Brony has channeled her lived experience into founding, developing and leading Roses in the Ocean, she is always first and foremost a person with lived experience driven to ensure that suicide prevention is designed and delivered by the people who have walked in those shoes.

“Connecting with others through our own stories and experiences is a privilege, and knowing that sometimes that saves a life, is the only reason I need to keep sharing”

Brony has extensive public speaking experience nationally and internationally and is just as comfortable chatting around the table in a Men’s Shed, at a cattle sale out west, or in a large conference venue. What matters is being able to be part of the movement changing the way we collectively support people through life’s challenging times.

Darlia is bereaved by her partner (and 8 friends).

She has been in the lived experience space for 2 years now in different roles, and her current role is with Jesuit Social Services as the Regional Coordinator for the StandBy Support After Suicide program in North West and South East Melbourne. She is very passionate about this space, that we respectively share with honour, to support those who have lost someone to Suicide.

Her favourite thing to do on the weekend is spending time with her dog, spending time with friends and family, listening to live music, eating yummy food whether cooked together or out at an amazing Melbourne restaurant.

Salam! I am Rahim, an embodiment of my name which means merciful in Arabic. I am a relentless advocate for change and am determined to positively impact the world around me. I bring enthusiasm and energy to every endeavour I make, and I hope we can all work together to create a brighter, more inclusive future for all. I believe in the sanctity and value of life, and I do everything I can to improve people’s lives.

I am a Psychology graduate from QUT who utilises my lived experience and expertise of suicide and mental health to drive systemic change. I am actively involved with over 15 organisations via their advocacy and advisory groups locally in QLD and federally. Through these organisations, I devote my time to important issues such as mental health and suicidality, CALD representation, youth representation, refugee and disability rights, child and family safety, and youth justice. I am committed to enacting change by engaging with local parliament members, government departments, and other key stakeholders. I am constantly expanding my horizons through new perspectives on topics while adjusting my values and beliefs.

When I’m not advocating for change, you can find me indulging in my creative side by writing poetry, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, catching up on movies and TV shows, being active through sports, or being lazy by playing video games.

“Things must change and I want to help change”

Jon’s lived experience has given him an incredible drive and passion for reform within suicide prevention in WA, where he works tirelessly as an ambassador and peer support worker for various organisations in the sector.

Jon has extensive speaking experience both publicly and, in the media, (journals, radio and television). He has also worked in the political arena and was involved in the state election campaign Prevent, Support, Heal.

A true visionary, Jon has organised and run large events in his region, raising over $50,000.

This year, Jon was nominated for, and won, the Busselton community citizen of the year award.

Rhett is a builder, a father of 3, a husband, a volunteer Lifesaver and someone who wants to make a difference.

His Lived Experience of suicide has made him work hard to help make life better for others in similar situations – both by putting himself forward to speak and also to help improve health services via Lived Experience input.

He has spent 4 years attending monthly meetings as part of the QLD Suicide Prevention Taskforce and assists with LEAG groups when asked to be involved.

“What does this mean for the patient” is his most asked question when attending Executive-type meetings with Health services.

“What can I do best to help” is the question he asks himself often.

He often looks back to see how much progress has been made in the Lived Experience arena, while he finds the summit ahead of him obscured with swirling snow.

Michael is a suicide bereavement survivor, counsellor, Accredited Social Worker (AASW), and PhD candidate researching lived experience leadership in mental health. Of Egyptian heritage, his experience as a young carer, migrant, and son of a mother who died by suicide profoundly shapes his work.

Now based in WA, Michael is the founder of Lived Experience Solutions (LEXs), an independent practice offering culturally responsive counselling, peer supervision, and consultancy. He is a state and national advisor on multiple suicide prevention and mental health panels, including Suicide Prevention Australia, the WA Mental Health Commission, and the Multicultural Mental Health Expert Group under the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance.

Michael holds extensive qualifications including an MBA (Distinction), Master of Social Work, Diploma in Psychology, and two MicroMasters. He is the current National Writer-in-Residence for the ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research Translation. A regular speaker at national conferences, he was a finalist for the Sir Ronald Wilson Leadership Award and nominated for the Suicide Prevention Australia LiFE Award for Innovative Practice & Research.

Michael’s work is grounded in lived truth, cultural humility, and systems transformation- with a belief that healing begins when stories are held with care, and systems start listening.

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.

A youth focused speaker with a keen interest in community engagement, Julia moved into the NFP sector to utilise her lived experience of suicide attempts and bereavement in a positive and meaningful way.

She is a passionate suicide prevention advocate and is dedicated to amplifying the voice of lived experience of suicide from grassroots level upwards.

Julia is the Lived Experience Engagement and Co-Design Coordinator at Roses in the Ocean.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two cats, gardening, listening to live music and getting stuck into a good book.

Tynan’s belief is that everyone can play a part in preventing suicide. He has a passion and gift for advocating and speaking on the topic of suicide and mental health. He strives for change and bringing them both out of the shadows and into the forefront of conversations which can ultimately give people the chance he was blessed with; more time to live and experience life.

Professionally he has spent the last 10 years working within the health sector in various roles delivering community development projects, advocating for reform within the public and private sector and delivering psycho-education sessions online and face-to-face. With tertiary qualifications in Social Work, Health Promotion and Counselling, he combines his lived experience of suicide with the knowledge acquired from his formal studies and world experience engaging with people from all walks of life.

Watch Tynan’s Thomson Reuters WSPD speaking engagement

Sam Phipps is a Roses in the Ocean Facilitator and the Peer CARE Companion Coordinator in WA. She is Chair of Roses in the Ocean’s Lived Experience Advisory Group and a Lived Experience Educator with Curtin University’s Valuing Lived Experience Project.

Sam loves to connect with people and is a passionate suicide prevention advocate who is dedicated to supporting people impacted by suicide within her community. She uses her experiences to drive systemic reform and hold compassionate, courageous conversations around mental health and suicide.

When Sam is not working in suicide prevention, she loves to read, grow flowers and spend her time connecting with family and friends.

David has been a passionate suicide prevention and postvention community advocate and educator, since the death of his 20-year-old son Guy to suicide in 2007 and is absolutely focused on ensuring the voice of lived experience is heard and valued.

Prior to the loss of Guy, David worked for more than 20 years in public service, including senior roles in the provision of social and community housing, emergency and crisis accommodation and in improving remote Indigenous environmental health.

Since 2009, David has volunteered and worked with a range of organisations across Australia, dedicated to preventing suicide and to supporting those impacted by suicide attempts or loss, including Lifeline WA, Livingworks Australia, Suicide Prevention Australia, Anglicare WA, ARBOR Suicide Bereavement Support, Roses in the Ocean and StandBy Suicide Bereavement Support Service.

David’s contributions to both suicide prevention and postvention were acknowledged in 2014, as a national finalist in the Suicide Prevention Australia LIFE Awards – recognising excellence in suicide prevention; and in 2019 as the Anglicare Australia National Volunteer of the Year, for his leadership and services to suicide bereavement support.

David remains dedicated to addressing the prevalence and impact of suicide and continues to serve as an accomplished public speaker, community educator and advocate for the voice of lived experience, in all aspects of suicide prevention and postvention. He currently works with his wife Susie as a Contracted Program Facilitator and Peer Mentor for Roses in the Ocean.

Currently working as a suicide prevention researcher and mental health advocate, Erin strongly believes that most people will step in and offer help if they see someone struggling — if only they knew HOW.

Erin also believes in the power of sharing stories, including her own personal lived experience with family, friends and kin, to help reduce the stigma around mental health and suicide, especially in male-dominated industries.

Having worked on the tools as a shotfirer and in health and safety on construction sites and coal mines in regional Queensland for almost 15 years, Erin lost far too many workmates to suicide. 

In 2010, Erin became a volunteer suicide first aider with MATES in Construction and learnt how to connect people doing it tough or thinking about suicide with the help that they need. She later spent 5 years at MATES as a full-time Field Officer, teaching others in the construction, mining, and energy sectors how to do the same.

Di has a lived experience of suicide and distress in the workplace. She has experienced the unrelenting pressure that comes from managing projects, running her own business, financial unpredictability, and raising her family solo.

For most of her career, Di worked in professional services as a Chartered Accountant, finance manager, management consultant, project manager and business analyst. She can relate to the pressure cooker environments of corporates, government and large not-for-profits and the impact that pressure can have on your wellbeing, relationships, and work. And the emotional distress that can lead to suicidality.

Several years ago, Di decided to step away from high-pressure projects and draw upon her lived experience to inspire leaders to create workplaces that are safe from psychological harm, prioritise wellbeing, and don’t cause their people distress that is completely avoidable.

In addition to her leadership and lived experience consultancy, Di is a staunch advocate for people with a lived experience of suicide at the regional, state, and national level, sitting on several steering committees, advisory groups and lived experience panels. Di also works with Roses in the Ocean as a lived experience mentor and readiness caller – supporting people on their journey to using their voice in suicide prevention.

Hope has a lived experience of suicide, having lost her father Frank in 2014 and her brother Andrew in 2021. She is passionate about sharing the story of her men to help others see the value of speaking up and reaching out, both for themselves if needed or for others to help. The best way Hope can honour her men is to help other families not live through this pain themselves.

Mark volunteers with Roses in the Ocean. He is part of their Mentoring Program, as well as undertaking readiness screening calls for their programs. He is also a speaker telling his story as well as a past Facilitator of their programs.

Mark sat on the Program Committee for SuperFriend as the Lived Experience representative. SuperFriend partners with superannuation funds and group life insurers (all profit to member) as a national mental health foundation focused on creating positive, healthy and safe working environments where every employee can be well and thrive.

Mark has a lived experience of suicide through the death of his partner 17 years ago as well as his own suicidality. This experience has shaped Mark’s desire to prevent as many people as he can from experiencing what he went through.

Mark presented his story at the National conference on Suicide Prevention Conference in Hobart in 2015.

Mark has formal qualifications in Risk and Business Management and is a qualified Internal Quality Systems Auditor. He has held senior management roles in a range of organisations spanning across different industries from Defence, Casinos, Federal/State and Local Government, Health and Hospitality.

Mark now runs a consultancy on Risk Governance and Assurance.