At the heart of the Collaborative Centre is a diverse and dedicated team united by a shared vision: better mental health and wellbeing for all Victorians through collaborating and learning together.
Our team brings together a wide range of backgrounds, disciplines, and lived experiences – including people with consumer and carer lived and living experience, researchers, and practitioners working across the mental health and wellbeing landscape.
Together, we’re building a culture ingrained with respect and inclusion, where different perspectives are valued and every voice matters. We’re excited to share more about the people behind our work.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing you to the individuals who are helping bring our vision to life.
Meet our CEO
Professor Sarah Wilson, CEO, PhD, FAMHS, FASSA, GAICD (she/her)
Sarah is a leading international researcher in brain and mental health with a sustained track record in research translation embedded in co-design with people with lived experience.
She is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with more than 30 years of experience in the Victorian public and private health sectors and has more than 15 years of executive and senior leadership.

Professor Sarah Wilson (she/her)
How we operate
The Collaborative Centre is a public sector agency, funded by the Victorian Government. We were established under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (Vic), and we work closely with the Victorian Department of Health towards our shared goal of transforming Victoria’s Mental Health and Wellbeing system.
We have a skills-based Board, who are is accountable to the Minister for Mental Health, and our team is led by our Co-CEOs in partnership with lived expertise.
We have a Board-appointed Lived Experiences Advisory Panel (LEAP), who provides expert advice to the Board and our team.
The work of the Collaborative Centre is driven by our Board, which is made up of twelve members with a diverse range of skills and perspectives.
Our Board members bring lived and living experience leadership, research excellence and clinical expertise to their roles in leading transformative change across Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system.
Our Board
The work of the Collaborative Centre is strategically guided by our Board, consisting of twelve members with a diverse range of skills and perspectives.
No one organisation can achieve what needs to be done alone. One of the primary reasons we exist is to collaborate with organisations and individuals to improve care, treatment and support for people living with mental ill-health or psychological distress, and their carers, families, supporters and kin.
Meet our Board members
Terry Laidler, Chair
Maria Katsonis, Deputy Chair
Professor Lisa Brophy, Member
Gill Callister, Member

Dr David Fenn, Member

Associate Professor Bridget Hamilton, Member
Sheree Lowe, Member
Professor Steve Moylan, Member
Dr Gerard Naughtin, Member
Phong Nguyen, Member
Fionn Skiotis, Member

Amelia Walters, Member
Our Finance, Audit and Risk (FAR) committee
We have a Board-appointed Finance, Audit and Risk (FAR) sub-committee.
FAR is directly responsible to the Board and oversees the Centre’s risk and financial management and compliance with relevant laws and policies.
Our current FAR committee members
- Suzie Thoraval (Chair)
- Associate Professor Bridget Hamilton
- Dr Gerard Naughtin
- Lesley Ber
- Professor Lisa Brophy
- Roger Chao