Abbie is the CEO & Founder of Letters of Hope.

Abbie founded Letters of Hope in 2018, inspired by her love for sending and receiving letters and her own personal mental health journey. 

Abbie delivers workplace mental health services to generate funding for Letters of Hope, and her work has benefited a number of high-risk sectors. 

A staunch mental health advocate, she is an Ambassador for the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association, a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, and has featured in major Australian media outlets like Sunrise, ABC News, 7News, and HRD Magazine. Abbie was the finalist across 2 categories in the 2024 7News Young Achiever Awards.

Sarah Liddle (she/her) is a mental health professional and lived experience leader passionate about championing and delivering initiatives that embed well-being practices and improvement in organisational operations and communities.

She has a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Science (Psychology), and Masters of Applied Positive Psychology. Sarah resides in the Yuin Nation on Walbanga Country.

Sarah enjoys yoga, reading, and spending time outdoors in her spare time. 

Julie Gillespie is a passionate advocate for mental health in the workplace, leveraging her 25+ years of experience in operations and leadership to create positive change. As a Cosmetic Formulations Chemist, Facilitator, Speaker, and Licensed Principal Master Instructor for Mental Health First Aid Australia, Julie brings a unique blend of scientific expertise and lived experience with mental health challenges.

Driven by her commitment to building mentally healthy workplaces, Julie equips leaders with practical tools and strategies to cultivate compassion, resilience, and well-being within their teams. Her ability to translate complex concepts into actionable methodologies empowers individuals and nurtures a culture of open communication.

Inspired by the life-changing stories of those she has helped, Julie is dedicated to breaking down language barriers and redefining how we approach crucial conversations about mental health. With a focus on strategic connections and a commitment to disrupting the narrative, Julie's expertise inspires transformative change and shows leaders how to create thriving workplaces.

Gold Coast-based Simon Tufrey is a respected Human Resources leader, known for his innovative strategies and transformative leadership. He is Director & Principal Consultant of an advisory practice focused on strategic advisory, leadership development and professional coaching.

His approach has led to genuine transformation and measurable impact in a number of people and culture leadership roles with both a national and Asia-Pacific reach. He has garnered diverse experiences across development & construction, hospitality, insurance and technology sectors. He's mentored a significant number high-potential individuals, receiving industry recognition as an Excellence Awardee at the 2020 Australian HR Awards.

Simon's involvement extends to mentoring programs and advisory boards, showcasing his dedication to talent development and strategic growth. 

Currently pursuing an MBA, he's a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach and a sought-after speaker at industry conferences.

With a Bachelor of Laws, he brings a unique perspective to handling legal and compliance matters for clients. Described as selfless and future-oriented, Simon's dedication extends to his role as a father of two, driving his desire to leave a lasting impact.

Nathan is the General Manager Employment, Training and Innovation at IMPACT Community Services in Bundaberg; an organisation dedicated to creating opportunity and improving lives.

Nathan has over 25 years’ experience creating and implementing employment and training initiatives in different countries as well as tender writing across multiple industries.

What drives Nathan is a passion to create change within his community and the NFP and Social Enterprise sectors through trying innovative approaches to new and old problems. Nathan is a dad, partner, creator, puzzler, challenger, friend and a dreamer.

Katrina Reid is an Associate Director in the Strategy and Transactions team at EY. She works with government clients on international development projects in Southeast Asia, providing advice on stakeholder engagement and establishing partnerships. Katrina was previously Director of the International Education and Training Unit at Trade and Investment Queensland, and Head of Partnerships and Trade at Study Gold Coast.

In both roles, Katrina supported implementation of strategy and initiatives to grow and support the international student community. Her career establishing international partnerships started at the Australia-Indonesia Centre connecting members of Australia and Indonesia’s academic community through research projects.

Katrina holds a Masters of Tertiary Education Management from the University of Melbourne, and undergraduate degrees in Commerce and Asia Pacific Studies (Indonesian). She is a proud Canberran and enjoys painting (trying to!) with watercolour in her spare time.

Simone has over 20 years' experience as a strategic marketer, building and positioning brands for growth. She has held senior leadership and strategy roles for several leading companies across a variety of industries, previously working at Suncorp Bank and Canstar.

Simone has also held volunteer and advisory roles within a number of not-for-profit groups and charities, managing strategic partnerships and overseeing fundraising. A passionate mental health advocate, Simone is dedicated to reducing the stigma around mental illness and driving change in the community.

She has extensive lived experience in mental illness and is a Mental Health First Aider. Simone currently holds the position of Head of Digital Marketing at the Entertainment Group.