Associate Professor Christina Marel is Program Lead of Treatment and Translation in Complex Populations at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on improving our understanding of, and responses to, mental and substance use disorders in complex populations; and developing innovative, evidence-based resources to support the translation of research into clinical practice.

Kurt Simpson is a proud Gamilaraay man. Kurt has been working in the area of alcohol and drugs for about 9 years. He has worked at Riverina Medical & Dental Aboriginal Corporation (RivMed) in Wagga Wagga where he grew up, as well as at Katungul Aboriginal Medical Service in Bega. He has also managed Yitjawudik Men’s Recovery Unit, located in Shepparton VIC. Currently working at South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) as Aboriginal Program Coordinator for Drug Health Services and a current Board Member of Aboriginal Corporation Drug & Alcohol Network (ACDAN) Kurt is passionate about his work in the area of alcohol and drugs. Prior to working in this area, he was a qualified fine dining chef, which he was pretty good at. However, in his life experiences and his passion, his heart was somewhere else. He saw many of his Mob struggling with alcohol and drugs. He was driven by his own successful fight with addiction of alcohol and drugs. Kurt is now sober from both, alcohol going on 23 years and drugs 17 years. He felt his personal experiences and success meant he was well placed to understand and support others who wanted to take on the challenge to overcome their addictions. He obtained academic qualifications to support his known and lived experiences in alcohol and drugs. He loves his work, letting others know, there is light and success at the end of the tunnel. Being present with others when they achieve success for themselves, is the greatest reward.

Dr Robert Stirling is CEO of Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies (NADA) the NSW NGO AOD peak body. He supports members in AOD and public health policy, planning and funding, governance, sector and workforce development, as well as research and evaluation. Robert has worked in the AOD sector for almost 20 years in both government and the NGO sector, and holds qualifications in public health and community management. He is on the board of the Australian Alcohol and other Drugs Council and is an Adjunct Lecturer with the Drug Policy Modelling Program at UNSW.

Dr Suzie Hudson is an accredited mental health social worker with a PhD in public health and community medicine who has worked in the AOD, mental health and forensic mental health fields for over 25 years. A clinical leader and current Clinical Advisor at the Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs at NSW Health, her role is to provide AOD treatment policy advice and to support AOD treatment providers across NSW to deliver compassionate, trauma-informed and high-quality care. Suzie is an Adjunct Associate Lecturer at NDARC at UNSW, and also works as an accredited trainer, researcher and therapist in the community. Suzie is a passionate advocate for elevating Aboriginal voices, knowledge and wisdom in the AOD sector.

Michael Doyle is a Bardi Man and a research-focused academic at the University of Sydney. He has worked in Aboriginal health for over 20 years, commencing his career as an Aboriginal Health Worker at the Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service. Michael moved into Aboriginal health research in 2008 and utilises a mixed-methods approach in his work. Presently, Michael is the Head of the Aboriginal and Priority Populations team at the Edith Collins Centre for translational research in alcohol, drugs, and toxicology. His research aims to improve health service delivery for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use alcohol and/or other drugs. Michael’s research also has a focus on improving health service delivery for those in the criminal justice system. Michael is an active member of the Aboriginal community and has served on Aboriginal community-controlled organisation boards. He is also the co-chair of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW’s Human Research Ethics Committee.

…one of the first Indigenous addictions counsellors trained in British Columbia. In the mid 1990s, Gerry was hired by British Columbia Institute for Technology (BCIT) as the first Indigenous Cultural Advisor, helping to bring traditional counselling and healing practices to the BCIT community. Similarly, Gerry was hired as the first Traditional Practitioner permitted to practice traditional healing methods within the BC health care system at BC Women’s and Children’s Hospitals. Gerry has continued to work with various health care authorities to develop provincial and regional programs and policies to improve the health outcomes of Indigenous peoples. Gerry has worked extensively with a variety of post-secondary institutions as an Elder, guest lecturer, sweat lodge keeper, curriculum consultant, and advisor. He has several academic appointments as Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC), including in the School of Family Medicine and the School of Community and Regional Planning. He has lectured on diverse topics such as cultural and spiritual care in public health care settings, traditional healing and grieving practices, traditional medicines, ethnomusicology, forestry and traditional land use, traditional forms of justice and peacekeeping, historical impacts of colonization and residential schools, and Indigenous student success. In 2016, Gerry was awarded the R. Paul Kerston Award by UBC Health Sciences, established to honour outstanding community educators who have made a difference to student learning at UBC. He received this award in part due to his generosity and impact on students and UBC faculty members in medicine, dentistry, nursing, social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and pharmacy for over 15 years. A survivor of Kamloops Indian Residential School, Gerry facilitated UBC’s Truth and Reconciliation process at the UBC Longhouse. Gerry works with San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training Program and the Provincial Health Services Authority in BC. He is the host of Teachings In The Air, an Indigenous health and wellness podcast, and he currently resides in Manitoba.

Danielle Manton is a proud Barunggam woman, grown by the Dharug community, and is widely respected for her expertise in Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD), Indigenous health education, and healing-informed care. As Director of Indigenous Health Education, she combines academic rigour with deep community engagement to promote culturally safe practices that support and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She serves as Chairperson of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Network (ADARRN), where she facilitates national dialogue on ethical research, community-driven practice, and health equity. Danielle has contributed to key sector resources, including the ADARRN Model of Care and Language Matters documents, which have informed best practice across AOD services in Australia. Danielle works in close collaboration with Michael Doyle and other respected colleagues to advance evidence-based, culturally grounded approaches in AOD services Her collaboration with The Glen for Women, a culturally grounded residential rehabilitation service, led to the development of the Empowering Women in Recovery project. This initiative centres the voices of Aboriginal women, promoting strength-based, culturally affirming pathways to healing and self-determination. With a PhD focused on Indigenous health and education, Danielle continues to shape policy, curriculum, and service design, ensuring Indigenous knowledge and lived experience remain central to health reform.

Kurt Simpson is a proud Gamilaraay man. Kurt has been working in the area of alcohol and drugs for about 9 years. He has worked at Riverina Medical & Dental Aboriginal Corporation (RivMed) in Wagga Wagga where he grew up, as well as at Katungul Aboriginal Medical Service in Bega. He has also managed Yitjawudik Men’s Recovery Unit, located in Shepparton VIC. Currently working at South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) as Aboriginal Program Coordinator for Drug Health Services and a current Board Member of Aboriginal Corporation Drug & Alcohol Network (ACDAN) Kurt is passionate about his work in the area of alcohol and drugs. Prior to working in this area, he was a qualified fine dining chef, which he was pretty good at. However, in his life experiences and his passion, his heart was somewhere else. He saw many of his Mob struggling with alcohol and drugs. He was driven by his own successful fight with addiction of alcohol and drugs. Kurt is now sober from both, alcohol going on 23 years and drugs 17 years. He felt his personal experiences and success meant he was well placed to understand and support others who wanted to take on the challenge to overcome their addictions. He obtained academic qualifications to support his known and lived experiences in alcohol and drugs. He loves his work, letting others know, there is light and success at the end of the tunnel. Being present with others when they achieve success for themselves, is the greatest reward.

My name is Dion Wait, I’m a proud Ngiyampaa/Wiradjuri man from Wagga Wagga New South Wales. I have been clean and sober for over 8 years now, which has been a journey that has connected me with true healing through culture. I have faced my challenges and through my connection with my culture I have been able to defeat adversity with resilience and strength. With the tools from my own personal experience and cultural knowledge I strive to empower and lead other Aboriginal people on their healing journey as well as our youth, our future. I’m proud to walk a path that my ancestors have paved for me to be the person I am today.

Raymond is a cultural representative of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council presenting acknowledgments to country and smoking ceremonies. Due to his connection to Country and his knowledge of culture, he has been given permission from Elders in many communities to perform ceremony and use his ability to read the landscape and apply his knowledge in heritage consultancy to assist in protecting their Country and culture. Raymond 'Bubbly' Weatherall is a Gomeroi man from Northwest New South Wales. He's an activist, social justice advocate and land defender. Bubbly strives to strengthen knowledge and life through cultural learning and understanding to assist and empower people and community. Maintaining language and cultural practices instil strength and pride in future generations for a stronger community. Learn More about Raymond