Turning struggle into strength. Pain into purpose. Wounds into wisdom.

I am a researcher, storyteller and former firefighter specialising in trauma, suicide and post-traumatic growth particularly in first responders. I translate lived experience into research and practice that drives meaningful change for individuals, organisations and communities.

The motivation and passion for my work grew directly from the tragedy of my past. I was seventeen when my brother took his own life. That loss — and the long, painful journey toward making sense of it — became the foundation for the work I now do. It led me to write Standing on My Brother’s Shoulders, an internationally published memoir about finding growth through grief, and to spend two decades as an operational firefighter and peer support officer working alongside the people I now dedicate my research to. My PhD, awarded the Chancellor’s Medal at the University of New England, explored the impact of suicide on firefighters — work that sits at the heart of what I do today. I now lead emergency services mental health and suicide prevention at the Black Dog Institute, translating research into culturally responsive practice. My lived experience is not separate from my professional work — it is integral to it.