I am a social worker in a mental health setting. I have an extensive and varied professional background, which includes working as a lawyer and governance specialist in private practice and the corporate sector, as a diversity and inclusion adviser and consultant for a range of organisations, and in public health and emergency management for the Victorian Department of Health.

I joined the DWDV Board in 2022 and am currently DWDV’s Secretary. I bring to DWDV my lived experience of supporting a family member who chose voluntary assisted dying (VAD) to end the suffering caused by a rare neurodegenerative condition. Choosing VAD restored my mother-in-law’s sense of agency and control, which had been stripped away by her condition. Thanks to VAD, she died a good death: calm and peaceful, with loved ones by her side. However, the process to get there was unnecessarily difficult. I wanted to contribute in some way to making the process easier for those who would come after my mother-in-law.

I am honoured to be part of DWDV and proud to support our ongoing work to promote genuine end-of-life choices and equitable access to VAD for all Victorians. I am passionate about ensuring grief and bereavement support is available for the families, carers and friends of people who use VAD. I draw on my lived experience as a co-facilitator for the VAD support group program that is delivered in partnership between Griefline and DWDV and to provide 1:1 peer support.