Andrew Crisp is a senior public servant and former police officer in Australia who has provided active service to United Nations, Victoria Police and Emergency Management Victoria. He has served as the Emergency Management Commissioner for Victoria since August 2018.

Crisp previously held the position of Deputy Commissioner of Regional Operations of Victoria Police, appointed to this position by Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton in November 2015, after having served Victoria Police for 37 years. Prior to serving as Deputy Commissioner, Crisp served as Assistant Commissioner of State Emergencies and Security Command.

Crisp is a Returned Peacekeeping Veteran, having served in East Timor with the Australian Federal Police. He also served in a capacity building mission to PNG.

On 30th October 2019, Carlene was appointed NSW SES Commissioner. She leads the combat agency with legislated responsibility for storms, floods and tsunamis. It is also the largest volunteer provider of rescue services in NSW and supports communities through capabilities in urban search and rescue, vertical rescue, road-crash rescue, land search, community first responders, swift water rescue, community engagement, flood planning and preparedness activities.

Commissioner Carlene York joined the NSW Police Force in 1980 and held various roles during this time including the position of Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources. Her career covered several areas including forensic services, operational policing, prosecuting matters of complex and sensitive nature; strategic review of diverse and complex issues within field and specialist operational at an executive level. Carlene also led several critical commands as Commander in the Forensic Services Group, Northern Region and Human Resources, providing strategic leadership and direction in the areas of human capital, forensics, policy development, operational planning, emergency management response and delivery of frontline police responses.

Carlene was awarded the Australian Police Medal in 2014, is a recipient of the Australasian Council of Women & Policing’s highest honour – The Audrey Fagan Memorial Award and the Australian HR Director of the Year in 2017.

Mark has 35 years of experience in crisis, national security, and emergency management, leading major strategic reform in governance, strategy, policy, operations, and capability. Over the past 8 years Mark was responsible for briefing the Prime Minister and Cabinet on disaster management and providing strategic policy advice on climate and disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Mark is now the Founder and Director of Ethical Intelligence and Senior Advisor to KPMG advising on climate, disaster risk and leadership ethics. He is currently finalising his PhD research on the ethical premise of leading people through the adversity and loss of disasters.

After gaining her nursing registration in 1997 Katie specialised in emergency and trauma nursing, where she found her passion for walking alongside and caring for others during their worst days. Since 2009, she has taught in undergraduate and postgraduate nursing degrees, specialising in: critical care, understanding the illness experience, and the social determinants of health.

In 2018 Katie also became a Volunteer Chaplain for the New South Wales Ambulance Service where she provides pastoral and spiritual care to paramedics. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Technology Sydney with her research exploring the role and value of chaplains in the ambulance service.

Shane Fitzsimmons was appointed as the inaugural Commissioner for Resilience NSW and Deputy Secretary, Emergency Management with the Department of Premier and Cabinet from 1 May 2020.

He is currently the chair of the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC), the State Recovery Committee (SRC), Board of Commissioners (BOC) and the National Emergency Medal Committee (NEMC).

Commissioner Fitzsimmons has been awarded the Rural Fire Service Long-Service Medal for more than 30 years, the National Medal in recognition of more than 35 years, and the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM).

He has also been acknowledged with a Paul Harris Fellow and a Paul Harris Fellow Sapphire through Rotary Clubs of Berowra and Sydney.

Commissioner Fitzsimmons was the Australian Father of the Year 2020 through The Shepherd Centre and the 2021 NSW Australian of the Year.

Kerry Howard is a best-selling author and psychologist specialising in trauma prevention and treatment. Kerry has won two international awards for her commitment to treating PTSD and improving mental health in Australia.

Since 2010, Kerry has presented at a variety of international conferences including the USA, Europe and Australia. She developed professional development training in the promotion, prevention and early intervention of traumatic injury. Kerry is a former executive level public servant who developed policy and programs in a variety of health focussed areas.

Kerry’s new book, ‘The Trouble with Trauma’ provides clear guidance about how to resolve traumatic experience.

Garry Sims joined the NSW Police in 1976 graduating from the Redfern Academy and commenced at Burwood (No 9 Division) before a career in criminal investigation until 1988. Garry re-joined the police in 1998 and became Inspector at Rosehill in 2006. He’s worked at Penrith, Education Command, Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains since 2021.

Garry has been a R U OK? Community Ambassador for several years. He has a keen interest in improving men’s mental health and breaking the male stereotyping that prevents many men from seeking assistance.

He is a regular panellist on the Men’s Mental Health Show on Radio Blue Mountains where he promotes men taking positive action to engage in conversation, recognise signs and confront the risk of suicide.

Garry brings >36 years policing. He is an advocate for improved men’s mental health, reminding people that a conversation could change a life.

Marie Ball is a highly experienced HR specialist who has worked as a trusted Manager and Human Resource Advisor for over 25 years across governments and the Not for Profit Sector. Marie is an adjunct lecturer at Charles Sturt University in Human Resource Management and has a special interest in the wellbeing of managers and employees.

Marie has a strong interest in how awareness and action create resilience enabling individuals and organisations to assess and respond to data around personal, team or organisational motivation. She will has extensive experience with Resilience@Work and Motivational Maps to quantify wellbeing in a solution based approach.

Mark is a former police officer and firefighter, who has served an ambulance chaplain for 9 years, now with his therapy dog Wallace. He also brings 20 years of pastoral experience with children, families and the elderly as an ordained pastor. His lived experience, along with past research interests in how moral compasses and made, manipulated and broken sits behind his current research.

Whilst continuing as a chaplain with the NSW Ambulance Aeromedical Unit, he is conducting doctoral research at Charles Sturt University in partnership with the CWHS. The aim is to define the moral contours of trauma exposure and develop a holistic biopsychosocial-spiritual model that prevents harm from morally loaded trauma exposure in first responders.

In his spare time Mark enjoys triathlon, exploring the moral ambiguities of parenting three teenagers and the violence of middle-aged water polo.

Inspector Allyson Fenwick is leading her organisations commitment to support transitioning police with access to innovative and meaningful career transition programs. Ally has dedicated 26 years to policing and personally demonstrates her ability to use transferrable skills working across front line operations, criminal investigations and corporate services. She is a passionate about the welfare of police officers and helping others see the value of the policing skillset.

Graeme is an ex-British Paratrooper who not only served in Northern Ireland and the Gulf, but also spent four years in Bosnia during the war, as an Aid Worker. Here, he also co-filmed the award-winning documentary, ‘Miss Sarajevo’, with his good friend Bill Carter. After working in Africa as an Overland Expedition Leader, he then spent five years as a Paramedic on the streets of Britain.

Since immigrating to Australia and volunteering as a Lifeline counsellor, he presently lives in Cairns where he now works in the Mental Health and disability sector, along with running his own video production company.

Having lived experience of PTSD, including full recovery, Graeme’s passion now lies in raising awareness and teaching PTSD recovery.

Trina Schmidt joined the NSW Rural Fire Service in March 2019 and is the Executive Director People and Strategy. Prior to joining the Service, Ms Schmidt had extensive senior management experience in the public sector in NSW and Queensland, largely in transport and logistics and most recently in education. Ms Schmidt’s experience is in human resource management, employee relations, transformational change and strategic planning and risk management. Ms Schmidt holds tertiary qualifications in applied psychology from Griffith University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of New England.

As Regional Emergency Management Officer with NSW Police Force, Paul works under the NSW Emergency Management Arrangements with key focus on community and stakeholder engagement which is a critical aspect of emergency management across the full spectrum of prevention, preparation, response and recovery. Working alongside Agencies who engage with the community and stakeholders which aim to improve community understanding of these arrangements and promote disaster resilience. Believing in the importance and value of all, he has a calm and compassionate way in which he brings people together and resolves issues. Paul’s network spans a range of fields and facilities resolution, innovation and inspiration.

A grounded and collaborative professional, he describes himself as “your average guy working with exceptionally dedicated people at Local, Region, State levels keeping our communities safe”.

Desleigh is the managing consultant at peoplematter and has been partnering with businesses – national, international and local industries for over 20 years. She has applied her skills in integrating targeted human resources solutions in a wide variety of industries which include: for purpose, engineering, pharmaceutical, FMCG, insurance, financial services, administration, health, business process outsourcing, and customer service.

Desleigh has lived experience of an incomplete spinal cord injury as well as two family members suiciding within 8 months of each other, one of which was her partner who likely had undiagnosed PTSD due to childhood sexual abuse and AFP for 30 years.

She worked at RSPCA where psychological ill health affected ~90% of employees. She made a career move after being bullied at work, including about her perceived mental health following her mothers suicide / voluntary euthanasia.