I’m Nina Cook (pronounced 9A), and I’m a long‑time advocate for the lived experience workforce. I care deeply about making sure lived experience values—authenticity, transparency, mutuality, and human rights—aren’t just ideas on paper but actually shape how our systems work every day.

In my current role as Acting Carer Manager, Lived Experience Carer Workforce at Eastern Health, I focus on consumer‑led change, trauma‑informed practice, and co‑production with consumers, carers, and families. At the heart of my work is a simple belief: people with lived experience, and the people who support them, should be leading the conversations and decisions that affect their lives.

I’ve seen firsthand how lived experience can shift old ways of thinking and help build services that are more inclusive, healing, and fair.

My career in the lived experience space has been broad and very hands‑on. I started as a Carer Consultant in Older Adult services in 2013, moved into the Senior Carer Peer role, became Carer Team Leader in 2017, and most recently stepped into the Acting Carer Manager, Lived Experience role in 2023.

My own lived experience as a carer spans depression, autism, and dementia, across all age groups. I bring 20+ years of lived and living experience, alongside extensive professional experience within one of the largest mental health service organisations.

A little extra about me: I’m passionate about animal therapy, I love camping, I enjoy riding my horse, and I get genuine joy from watching chickens dust bathe.

I have a strong foundation in lived experience supervision, underpinned by Intentional Peer Support (IPS) training, and I also hold a Certificate of Health Counselling. My approach is relational, values‑driven, and grounded in mutual learning. I focus on creating safe, reflective spaces that honour lived experience wisdom.

My supervision style is shaped by trauma‑aware, recovery‑focused, and rights‑based approaches. I aim to create a space where supervisees can talk openly about their practice, unpack tricky system issues, and build confidence in their own leadership. I also bring strong knowledge of workforce development and governance, helping supervisees connect their lived experience practice with broader organisational and system goals.