Meet our Charity Pledge Night speakers

Melissa is a Practice Supervisor with Act for Kids and has a background in child protection and domestic and family violence. She has worked in residential care facilities for youth, with statutory Child Safety Services and in private practice as a therapist, before joining Act for Kids in their Intensive Family Support Program in 2016. Melissa has provided specialist consultation on domestic and family violence cases, facilitated a local women’s support group, run youth healthy relationships courses and was involved in developing the Brisbane North Intensive Family Support Dad’s Group. She now oversees a team of practitioners supporting families with complex issues who are likely to come to the attention of child protection services without the specialist intervention of Act for Kids.

Simon has worked in the out-of-home residential care, mental health and disability sectors for over 16 years. He has a great deal of experience working with children, young people and their families from backgrounds of complex trauma and has worked in a number of therapeutic settings, including the Mulberry Bush School in the United Kingdom, a specialist therapeutic community and a recognised international leader in the field.

Jason is a senior business executive with a strong background in corporate and for-purpose leadership. He is a passionate advocate for supporting homeless and at-risk youth, and a regular contributor to The CEO Magazine and Open Forum about strategies for reducing youth homelessness and the importance of corporate social responsibility. Jason is currently Chair of Homestretch.