MEET OUR TEAM
Emma
CEO
Certificate IV Business and Workplace Coaching
Advanced Diploma of Management
Masters Health Promotion
Grad Dip Health Promotion
Bachelor Psychology
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Finalist Telstra Business Women's Award:
White Pages Community and Government Award
Marie Claire Young Business Women's Award
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Australian Institute of Management - Fellow.
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Emma has worked at WHWS in a number of roles since 2003 and has been in her current role since 2008.
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Emma is a passionate advocate for women in business, women's wellness, mental health, leadership and balance. As well as being CEO of WHWS Emma is an author, speaker, business, NPO and life coach, wife and mother.
Specialises in:
Coaching
Business coaching
Marina
Operations & Finance
Finance & Operations Manager
Master of Business Economics (Adv)
Diploma of Accounting
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Marina has joined WHWS in 2015 in a capacity of a bookkeeper.
Wearing two hats now of Operations Manager and the Official “Number Cruncher”, Marina contributes to the success of WHWS behind the scenes looking after finances, logistics, HR, compliance and generally ensuring a “smooth sailing” of the organisation.
Cindy
Therapeutic Manager & Senior Therapist
Therapeutic Manager and Clinical Counsellor
BA Applied Psychology & BA Counselling
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Cindy has worked with Women, couples and their families, as well as managed the therapeutic team for ten years. She has specialised in supporting parents and their children in developing secure relationships. She brings compassion and warmth in her work in helping individuals and families develop an understanding of their emotional world and successfully navigate their struggles using a wide range of evidence-based interventions to enable them to enjoy connection and life.
Hannah
Administration Coordinator
Hannah has been working at WHWS since 2010 in full time role as administration coordinator. Together with Jo and Karla, Hannah is the face of our organization. Hannah is the welcoming smile at reception, and she specializes in making our clients feel relaxed and welcome. Hannah’s interests are spending time with her dogs, playing softball and travelling.
Karla
Administration and Triage
Karla initially joined WHWS in 2016 and, after a short hiatus, rejoins the team in 2021. When she is not at the front desk welcoming our clients, Karla conducts triages to ensure our clients are supported and their needs appropriately met.
Outside of work, Karla is studying to obtain a Bachelor of Psychology degree. When she has spare time, Karla enjoys watercolour painting, cooking and gaming with her family.
Joanna
Administration Assistant
Jo joined the WHWS Admin team in 2021. She is currently studying a bachelor of psychology and hopes to one day work with children.
She is passionate about building a supportive WHWS community and making sure clients feel welcome, informed, and empowered. From the South West originally, she has family spread out from Perth to the Great Southern region and likes to travel and visit friends and family’s farms in her spare time. She also likes to go for walks in nature and read or listen to a podcast with a good coffee.
Katrina
Administration Assistant
Kate
Community Engagement & Online Learning Coordinator
Kate has been working with WHWS since 2016 and loves getting involved with the community.
Kate is a parent of 2 primary school aged kids, so has a real passion for supporting parents in the early stages of the parenthood ride and remembers clearly what sleep deprivation is like!
Through our online learning programs and events, Kate aims to introduce the community to the great information available through WHWS, that can support people in many aspects of their life.
Tara
Community Engagement Officer
LLB, Grad Dip in Legal Practice, Grad Dip in Family Dispute Resolution, Dip of Holistic Counselling, Cert in Artistic Therapies, Cert in Children Adolescent and Family Studies.
Tara is passionate about empowering women through knowledge, career development and relationship skills. She has a background working as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Lawyer advocating for women in family law, child support and tenancy matters. Outside of work Tara dedicates a large portion of time to taking pictures of her cat and is a travel-oholic. She has been to 44 countries and hopes to eat her way through Vietnam post COVID.
Bree
Psychologist
Psychologist
B.Psych., PostGradDip. Forensic Sexology, M. Psych
Bree is a registered psychologist who enjoys working with adults and children.
She has a special interest in working with couples and individuals regarding relationship issues and sexuality.
Other interests include helping people incorporate mindfulness creativity and self-compassion in their everyday life.
In her spare time Bree enjoys recharging in nature, making music and attempting to stay balanced by practicing what she preaches
Sakina
Psychologist
Psychologist
BPsych, GradDipEd
Sakina is a registered psychologist who enjoys working with people to promote self-awareness and gain insight into their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Sakina values a collaborative therapeutic approach, providing clients with the space to explore possibilities and ideas through non-judgmental dialogue.
In her spare time, she enjoys picking up new hobbies. Along with macrame and rock climbing, Sakina is also learning to play the ukulele and can perform one song on request.
Michael
Psychologist
BSocSc, BSocSc (Hons), BA (Hons) in Psychology
Mike is a registered psychologist with experience in running therapeutic groups, and one on one therapy. He is trained in Schema therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Strengths based approaches, and has some experience in EMDR. Mike considers his style integrative; melding multiple traditional approaches with metaphor and analogies, and a touch of irreverence.
Mike believes in breaking stereotypes as much as possible. He is a father, husband, son, and grandson; is a member of a social motorcycle group dedicated to putting a smile on children’s faces; and is a self-described “geek”. This geekery has been applied to psychological principles, his environment, and makes up a large proportion of his downtime.
Claire
Psychologist
BPsych, Grad Cert Forensic Psych
Claire is a registered psychologist who has been working in the trauma field for the last seven years. Her area of expertise is teaching others to regulate and develop a language regarding their internal experiences using bottom-up processes that increases capacity to cope. Claire likes to work within a strengths-based model using a client’s innate strengths to increase their resilience and engagement.
Claire loves reading, podcasts, crochet, and has a large array of animals including geese, alpacas, emus, horses and chooks to name a few.
Jess
Counsellor
Cert IV & V in Youth Work and Protective Practices
Diploma in Community Work
Bachelor of Counselling
Post Graduate Diploma in Systemic Family Therapy
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Jessica has acted in numerous roles across the Community Sector in Youth Work between 2004 and 2012. In 2012 Jess has transitioned to counselling and worked with a vast array of clientele, both in therapy and Community Outreach and Education.
Jessica joined WHWS team in May 2021. Her primary role is Children’s and Family Counselling. She also provides regular individual counselling session for clients that are presenting with issues in a broader context of the WHWS services.
Jessica is a passionate Counsellor, whose roots in youth work and hands on community services have fostered a Person-Centered approach to her work. She maintains strong advocacy for her clients.
Working with Children, Young People and Families is a combination of all the avenues of work Jessica has done previously; hence is a very enthusiastic team member and great believer in the ethos of the work done at WHWS
Evyn
Social Worker
Bachelor of Applied Science (Social Work)
Graduate Diploma in Human Rights (Curtin)
Evyn has a long history working in medical, defence, education, child development and family settings and for the past twenty years focussed extensively on parenting and fatherhood. During his eight years with WHWS he has co-facilitated Perinatal Anxiety and Depression workshops, offered Couple counselling and worked as a Circle of Security - Group Facilitator
Evyn's personal mantra is ’To create safe, caring, respectful places for children to grow’.
Belinda
CPPS Developer and Research
PhD, BSc (Occupational Therapy, hons)
Belinda is an occupational therapist and postdoctoral research fellow with a passion for helping new parents navigate the foreign lands of life with a new baby. Belinda takes her lens of the occupational therapy domain and process and applies it to the meaningful and necessary activities of our daily lives.
Belinda is passionate about helping new parents navigate care for self and care for the newest members of their families and is a champion for the role of OT in the perinatal space.
Belinda develops content and service offerings for our Centre for Perinatal Mental Health and Parenting Skills and coordinates our research program.
Belinda is a mum to three young children, a 4yo and 2 yo twins and has a firm appreciation for the challenges and joys parents experience first and next times around!
Jane
Fundraising Officer
Margaret
Group Facilitator
BPsych (Sc)
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Margaret is a recent Psychology graduate with a wealth of diverse experience working with children and families to build strong relationships. Margaret enthusiastically shares scientific knowledge about development across the lifespan in an easy to understand and interesting way. She is passionate about using evidence-based practice to approach challenges from a strength-based perspective to teach others practical solutions to empower them, in a non-judgemental manner.
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Margaret embraces being fierce and compassionate and has been described as radically different in the best possible way. Margaret is a wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, and friend who cherishes the relationships with the important people in her life. She enjoys travelling and the adventures that new experiences bring. Margaret values creativity, being inventive and learning new techniques to indulge her creative outlets.
Emma
Parenting Group Facilitator
Bsc hons Occupational therapy, Bsc Midwifery, Post graduate diploma community mental health, Masters women's health
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I am a new member of the team here. I was an Occupational Therapist and am a Midwife with a Masters in Women’s Health. I am developing a 4th trimester, preparation for parenthood course for the service. My passion is women’s mental health especially around the perinatal period. In my spare time I enjoy music, reading and hanging out with my kids.
Meghann
Business Development Officer
BOARD MEMBERS 2020-2021
Kim
Chairperson
Kim is mental health nurse with 30 years’ experience and is passionate about women’s health; specialities include Perinatal Mental Health; Suicide Intervention and Early intervention and Education in Mental health.
Kim has been a member of the board since 2014 she has worked in the not for profit, government and university settings, she is currently works in the government health sector.
BSc (Nursing); Hospital Based Dip (Mental Health Nursing); Cert IV in Frontline Management; Cert IV in Project Management; Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
Primary and Community Nurse of the Year Award 2011
Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards
Finalist Mental Health Good Outcomes Award 2011
Early Intervention and Prevention category
Mental Health Good Outcomes Award 2009
Mental Health Research and Education category
Nadia
Board Member
Nadia has over 25 years executive level administration experience within the safety, real estate franchising and contract mining industries.
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The past 15 years has seen Nadia move from the commercial space into the not for profit aged care sector. This has generated a passion for the health, wellbeing, governance and integrity of service delivery to the elderly. This interest aligns with women’s health, LGBTIQ and aboriginal health issues and how society manages their welfare and at the same time continues to value them as they age.
Jaimee
Secretary
Jaimee's background involves working clinically as a registered nurse within the public sector and as a research assistant in public and community child health with the Telethon Kids Institute. She also has experience working clinically and researching within the community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health spaces in partnership with W.A. Country Health Service and the Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service.
She regularly volunteers with other not-for-profit organisations that aim to improve health service delivery and health outcomes within Aboriginal communities and amongst rural and remote populations in W.A. She is passionate about promoting and facilitating access to appropriate services that improve health outcomes for vulnerable women and their families.
Jaimee joined the WHWS board in 2019 with the aim to represent the younger generation of women in the community, as well as learn from the extensive knowledge and expertise of fellow members and employees in the successful operation of WHWS.
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Amanda
Board Member
Quals - GAICD, MBA (with distinction), M.Sports Physio, BSc (Physio)
Amanda is a risk professional working as a Manager in Risk Advisory and Internal Audit (Operational Risk) at Deloitte. She has over 20 years industry experience spanning public, private and not-for-profit healthcare organisations. In addition to her clinical experience as a Physiotherapist, Amanda has held Management roles encompassing: contract and tender bid management, health, safety and wellness management, stakeholder management, quality assurance, risk management, and marketing and brand management.
Amanda joined the WHWS Board in 2016 with an interest in Mental Health Service awareness, and accessibility, in WA.
Courtney
Board Member
Following undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Curtin University in the fields of Health Sciences and Public Health, Courtney was accepted into the WA Department of Health Graduate Development Program. This provided Courtney with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the Public Health system and enhance her leadership skills through the completion of a Diploma of Management and continued participation as a peer mentor.
Courtney worked for the South Metropolitan Health Service for five years in a range of project management positions which further developed her skills in project management, stakeholder relationships and strengthened the importance of teamwork and partnerships with the community. Courtney recently joined the Women and Newborn Health Service within Corporate and Executive Services as a Senior Project Officer.
Courtney has a strong interest in Women’s health across the spectrum from primary health through to acute care services and is an active volunteer within the NFP sector focusing on the health and wellbeing of women.
Nadia
Board Member
Nadia has over 25 years executive level administration experience within the safety, real estate franchising and contract mining industries.
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The past 15 years has seen Nadia move from the commercial space into the not for profit aged care sector. This has generated a passion for the health, wellbeing, governance and integrity of service delivery to the elderly. This interest aligns with women’s health, LGBTIQ and aboriginal health issues and how society manages their welfare and at the same time continues to value them as they age.
Melissa
Board Member
Melissa brings extensive community and family experience from her background as a teacher in the public education system. Within the public education sector she has taken on numerous social and community well being roles as well as training to support and understand the hardships faced by families from low socio economic backgrounds. Melissa is passionate about breaking cycles of generational poverty and applying research backed programs within a sustainable framework.Having been a Gosnells resident for almost a decade, she is excited to be supporting her community through her work with WHWS.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Education (Primary)
Certificate II in Auslan
Leanne
Board Member
Leanne is a proud Nyoongar yorga from Binjarep country in the south west of Western Australia. She and her husband have a large family sharing six children and 19 grandchildren – so far. Coming from a long line of strong Aboriginal women, family and culture are important to her and one of her greatest joys is teaching her grandchildren Nyoongar ways of being and seeing her children pass down knowledge and practices which they learned from their parents and Elders. Leanne’s Mother is her greatest role-model.
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Leanne has a Bachelor of Social Science and has worked in Health, Education and Aged Care for over 25 years, 13 of them as Aboriginal Program Officer at BreastScreen WA focussing on Aboriginal breast cancer and screening. Currently working as Senior Program Officer with Aboriginal Health Strategy at South Metropolitan Health Service, she is passionate about Aboriginal health, especially Aboriginal women’s health and all cancers. She is the current Chair of the WA Cancer Council’s Aboriginal Advisory Group.
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Leanne has presented at many conferences and delivered cross-cultural awareness training to health services. She was won several awards but her most important one is written on her coffee cups – “World’s Best Nanna”.
Marta
Client Rep
Marta has completed a bachelor in psychology and criminology and is currently completing her Diploma in Counselling while working as a Mental health support worker.
Marta's has valuable experience in assisting youth overcome adversities as well as the unemployed. She has experience managing a team, providing training, support and crisis intervention.
Marta also has valuable personal experience with many issues confronting women today including returning to work, managing a disability and being a single parent.
Marta's aim is to continue the great work at the organisation and create further opportunities for women to grow, be heard and overcome their challenges.