Shaan Ross-Smith is a passionate advocate for human kindness and empowering positive change. With vast expertise in equality, inclusion, diversity, and violence prevention, she has led cultural change strategies and conducted workshops across diverse business areas. Shaan’s career spanned 15 years within Queensland Corrective Services and the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre in senior leadership positions. As Director of the MATE program at Griffith University, Shaan leads a team of passionate change-makers delivering the MATE suite of programs across the globe. Shaan’s impactful contributions extend to her previous role as Chair on the Board of Directors with DVConnect, receiving recognition as one of Queensland’s Female Leaders in 2021 and her inclusion in the Queensland Domestic Violence Prevention Honour Roll in 2022. Currently, she serves on the Queensland Parole Board, the QMusic Safety and Diversity Group and is the Co-Chair of the Kelly Wilkinson Foundation.

Mon Rappell is the General Manager of Customer Experience at Relationships Australia NSW. Leading a multi-disciplinary division of designers, researchers, practice leaders and communication professionals, they are a passionate advocate for Lean Human Centred Design to uncover and solve previously intractable problems and new challenges. Having started out as an academic and furniture designer, Mon has been at the forefront of service design in Australia, leading purpose-driven organisations including the ABC and TAFE NSW through transformations in their approach to customer experience.

Shannon Harvey is Head of Research & Impact at Relationships Australia NSW, where their team conducts research to improve design and delivery of family and relationship services. Shannon has spent their career as a social researcher in the not-for-profit sector in the UK, USA and Australia, primarily focused on gender-based violence, homelessness, substance use and mental health. They are passionate about participatory research methods and using research to shift power to the people we are designing services for. Shannon is also a PhD student at UNSW Sydney, researching non-binary people’s experiences of family violence services.

Biljana Milosevic is a bi-cultural Social Worker and currently employed as the Director of Jannawi Family Centre- a NSW Government funded specialist and unique tertiary prevention service in South West Sydney. Jannawi is a Dharug word meaning ‘with me, with you’ and works with families with children aged 0-12 years at significant risk of all types of interpersonal violence and harm. It offers therapeutic interventions to adults and children, in addition to complex case management, parent education, risk assessment, child development interventions, home visiting, practical and court support. The Jannawi model utilises an ecological and feminist approach to address risk and safety concerns. Biljana has over 22 years experience working directly with children and families at significant risk, experiencing violence, abuse (including sexual abuse) and neglect. She holds a Social Work degree with Honours and an Executive Masters in Arts & Social Sciences. As a Social Worker, she believes in promoting social justice and the need to work holistically with individuals to understand the way violence impacts their lives and how to promote safety. She believes strongly in the human right of women and children to live in homes that are safe and for them to know about decisions being made about and for them.

Lyndal is a family lawyer with a Masters in Family Law and she specialises in advocating for women and children’s rights in the family law jurisdiction. Lyndal has a deep understanding of the complexities of domestic abuse and she is a passionate advocate for domestic abuse survivors. By Lyndal’s strategic advocacy and casework, Lyndal has made a positive impact on the family law and legal systems, with Landmark cases and law reform submissions. Lyndal is the Founder of the Gowland Family Lawyers Against Domestic Abuse Awards. Each year these Awards recognise the strength of survivors of domestic abuse, commends the front-line workers/advocates and calls out domestic abuse deniers.

Larisa Freiverts is Team Leader and Senior Family Therapist of the Meridian Youth and Family Therapy Team, Anglicare Victoria. Larisa is an experienced therapist, trainer and groupwork facilitator who has worked in the community sector for 20+ years. Larisa holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Family Therapy and is the lead author of ‘Breaking the Cycle’ Facilitator and Resource Manual, 2nd edition. Anglicare Victoria 2017.