International Keynote Speakers(confirmed to date)

Martin Knapp -Neasa Martin

Australian Keynote Speakers(confirmed to date)

Deanne Hellsten -Leonie Young

Martin Knapp is Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Personal Social Services Research Unit at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom. He is also Professor of Health Economics and Director of the Centre for the Economics of Mental Health at King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry.

Martin’s work has evaluated the economic benefits of different models of social care including early intervention and prevention services in mental health, cost savings from anti-discrimination campaigns and the efficiencies related to direct payments.

He was a key researcher in the production of UK Government’s Foresight Project, for Mental Capital and Wellbeing and an author of the evaluation of the Individual Budgets Pilot Project, the IBSEN report.

In 2009, he was appointed the inaugural Director of the NIHR School for Social Care Research in England.

He is a key advisor on mental health economics to the UK government, the European Commission and World Health Organization.

Neasa Martin has a multifaceted view on mental illness: as a family member, mental health professional and as a person who has had direct experience living with mental illness.

She has over twenty-five years of clinical, program management and consulting experience in the area of mental health and addictions.

As an Advisor for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Ms Martin has recently co-authored “A time for action: Tackling Stigma & Discrimination” for the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

She has coordinated a national stigma and discrimination research plenary session and an international research plenary forum on problem gambling and mood disorders.

Ms Martin has undertaken research for the Schizophrenia Society of Canada, to develop a Quality of Life Tool as defined by people living with schizophrenia and their families.

Ms Martin has a life-long interest in improving the delivery of mental health services and the importance of consumer-driven health promotion efforts. This increases personal responsibility and empower consumers in making informed health choices.

Throughout her life she has seen the harm inflicted by the stigma attached to mental illness and addictions and the value of timely intervention and effective treatment.

Deanne Hellsten is a Registered Nurse and endorsed and credentialled Mental Health Nurse. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing and an Masters in Mental Health Nursing. Deanne is currently undertaking research as a Masters of Health student. Of Indigenous heritage, Deanne has an intrinsic interest in the health of this population group. She also worked for four years on the predominately Indigenous community of Northern Queensland's Palm Island. Here, Deanne was the team leader of the mental health team, providing an important service to this remote community.

Deanne is a part time lecturer with the University of Southern Queensland in Indigenous mental health. She has also worked in the private sector, with Australia's youth mental health awareness project, Headspace.

Now employed in public mental health services, Deanne's interest areas are Indigenous mental health and general community care. Deanne is passionate about the provision of community care and the relationship between good community care and consequentially, improved outcomes for individuals and acute services.

Leonie Young, BHS, MAICD
Health Education, University of Canberra
CEO beyondblue: the national depression initiative

Leonie joined beyondblue as CEO in July 2003 with the responsibility of consolidating its development and leading the national, independent organisation through a successful evaluation to achieve a second funded term, to 2010.

Leonie was previously State Manager of the Northern Territory Office of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing and has a background in the public sector.

As CEO, Leonie has been instrumental in assisting beyondblue to expand its community activities and collaborations, across states, Governments and sectors, drawing on her considerable experience in population health, health service reform and community partnerships. With the goal of improving knowledge of depression and reaching people, however remote their base, Leonie is looking to build upon beyondblue’s considerable achievements in depression awareness, prevention and early intervention within the health, education and employment sectors.

Leonie aims to strengthen beyondblue’s national leadership, to increase the capacity of the community to prevent depression and respond effectively - opening eyes to depression across Australia.