Phoenix Australia is a legally independent not-for-profit organisation affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, the University of Melbourne.

Phoenix Australia is governed by a Board of Management that includes representatives of its key stakeholders, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Defence, and the University of Melbourne. Phoenix Australia is endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a Charitable Institution and has also received endorsement as a Deductible Gift Recipient.

Our Board

Mr Michael Strong (Chair)
Professor David Forbes

Mr Paul Dolan
Professor Ian Everall
Major General Mark Kelly AO DSC
Mr Greg Ridder

Rear Admiral Robyn Walker AM

Mr Michael Strong, Chair

Michael is a former solicitor, barrister, Prosecutor for the Queen, judge of the County Court of Victoria, Vice-President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Director of the Office of Police Integrity (Victoria). He has a current appointment to the Australian Crime Commission as an Examiner. Michael is a long-serving former director and President of Berry Street, Victoria’s largest independent child and family welfare agency and has served on boards and committees of numerous other organisations. Michael’s interest in posttraumatic mental health stems, in part, from the active military service of his forebears.

Professor David Forbes

David completed his clinical training and PhD at the University of Melbourne. He joined ACPMH in 1999 and was appointed Director in January 2012. He is a clinical psychologist with many years’ experience in the assessment and treatment of mental health problems following trauma. Professor Forbes was the Co-Chair of the Steering Group for the NHMRC approvedAustralian Guidelines for the Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and he sits on the editorial boards of key international journals and publishes widely in the international literature. Professor Forbes has a specialised interest in the assessment and treatment of traumatic stress and in veteran and military mental health.

Mr Paul Dolan 

Paul is Director, System Intelligence and Analytics Branch within the Health Strategy, Productivity and Analytics Division of the Department of Health, Victoria. Prior to joining the Department of Health, Paul was lead Director in Ernst & Young’s Healthcare Practice in Oceania. He has over 14 years’ management consulting experience in the public sector, with the past 12 years focussing on healthcare. Paul has international experience working with board and executive level stakeholders in health sector strategy, health reform and operational improvement, across a broad range of healthcare organisations including departments of health, health service providers, and NGOs. Paul was also previously a consultant within British Telecom’s Global Services division in the UK. Paul holds a BA (Hons) degree in Business and German from the University of Hull, and has also studied International Business at the University of Innsbruck in Austria.

Professor Ian Everall

Ian is the Cato Chair and Head of the University of Melbourne’s Department of Psychiatry. He is a prominent international psychiatrist and neuropathologist who trained in the UK, and has held research positions in the UK and the US. His experience includes directing a large clinical service and establishing a leading research training program for psychiatrists at early career stage. Ian has been at the forefront of research into cellular, molecular and genetic changes in the brain in major psychiatric disorders for over twenty years. Ian is a member of the Australian Advisory Council for Asia-Australia Mental Health and the Advisory Committee for the Melbourne Neuroscience Institute.

Major General Mark Kelly, AO, DSC

Mark is the Repatriation Commissioner in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Mark served in a number of senior command appointments during an Army career spanning over 35 years, including Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, Commander 3rd Brigade, Commander 1st Division, Land Commander Australia and Commander Joint Task Force 633 (CJTF 633). His operational experience includes service with the Commonwealth Monitoring Force in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia (1979-1980), Chief of Staff of the International Force in East Timor (1999-2000), with US CENTCOM in the Middle East, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and Iraq (2003-2004) and as CJTF 633 commanding all ADF elements in the Middle East Area of Operations, Iraq and Afghanistan (2009-10).

Mr Greg Ridder

Greg joined ACPMH in September 2012 as interim CEO. His role has evolved as ACPMH’s needs have changed, and he is currently Executive Manager, Business Planning and Strategy, and a Director of ACPMH. Greg is an experienced business and strategy advisor, with a strong business background in strategy, finance, and general management both in Australia and Asia, having previously been President of NYSE listed packaging company Owens Illinois’ Asia Pacific regional operations. He is an Associate Director at strategy consultants, Bevington Group; serves on the Business Advisory Councils of World Vision Australia and Greenfleet; and is a mentor at Kilfinan Australia. Greg is a past president of the Packaging Council of Australia, a Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a CPA.

Rear Admiral Robyn Walker, AM

Robyn is the Commander Joint Health and Surgeon General Australian Defence Force. She worked as a medical practitioner in the Queensland public health system for some years before joining the Royal Australian Navy. Her naval career has included coordination of health care to Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations in Iraq, the Solomon Islands and East Timor, as well as responsibility for Australia’s military medical response to the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. She led developments to ADF’s Mental Health Strategy from 2005-2008, and also led a $270m revamp of the ADF’s health capability. Robyn was named as the ACT Telstra White Pages Community and Government Business Woman and overall Telstra ACT Business Woman of the Year in September 2011. Robyn is a qualified medical practitioner, a specialist medical administrator, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.