Board members

Harry Wilsdon, Chairman

 Due to a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis Harry retired in 1998 from a 38 year career with the Education Department, starting as a part-time science teacher and ending as Director of Human and Personnel Services.  He has had membership of a number of national bodies, both in 'education and the community' and the 'health not for profit' arenas.

Since retirement he has been a Director and Chairman of the Board of the MS Society of Tasmania and Director of the Board of both MS Australia and The Hobart District Nurses.  He is currently Chair of the Board of Carers Tasmania, Director of the Board of Parkinson's Australia and a member of the Premiers Disability Advisory Council.

Keith Bailey, Vice-Chairman

Keith qualified in Medicine in 1965 at Sheffield University in UK.

He decided on a career in General Practice and tried the British National Health Service version until 1974. Keith migrated to Hobart and worked in Sandy Bay until 2000 developing an interest in Mental Health along the way. He joined the Rural Health Division and worked as a State -wide Locum for 8 years before retirement.

 Patrick Carlisle

Patrick moved to Tasmania in 2005 and took up the role of CEO of Richmond Fellowship of Tasmania and over the last five years has expanded the service by fourfold and increased to a Statewide presence.  During this time Patrick has been involved in the transformation of the mental health arena via his involvement in setting the State Mental Health Strategic Plan, participating in the Legislative Council's review of mental health, member of the Mental health Council of Tasmania's Board of Management and TasCOSS's 'Community Services Industry Plan 2009-2012.'

Previousy he has been a Board member of numerous community service organisations including ARAFMI WA (the peak MH carer organisation).  For nearly five years Patrick was the Business Manager for Fremantle Hospital Mental Health Clinical Diretorate which covered inpatient, outpatient, community teams for CAMHS, Adult and Psycho-geriatric.

Michael Davie

Michael is a Consultant Psychiatrist trained in Melbourne and U.K. He is a Fellow of the College of Psychiatrists. He moved to Tasmania with his family for a change from inner city Melbourne life and joined the Hobart Clinic in 2005 as a psychiatrist. Michael was appointed to the Board in 2008.

Anna Housego

 Anna provides support to two loved ones with a mental illness.  She has been a member of The Hobart Clinic's Consumer and Carer Advisory Committee since mid 2009 and has supported development of the Clinic's information for consumers and carers.  She worked as a communications consultant during the past decade in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania and is currently Strategic Communications Manager with the Tasmanian Integrity Commission.  She was appointed to the Board in 2010.

Dean Johnson, Treasurer

Dean is a Chartered Accountant with more than 15 years experience including a short period working at contract assignments in the UK and Europe. He is a partner with Wise Lord & Ferguson Chartered Accountants in Hobart specialising in the provision of accounting, financial forecasting, financial modelling, taxation, financial services and strategic advice to prominent Hobart business.

He holds a B.Com; Diploma of Financial Services; is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a registered tax agent. Dean was appointed to the board during May 2010.

Debra Rigby

Debra Rigby was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 1982. From 1984 to 1997 she was employed as Criminal Counsel for the Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania and from 1991 was Deputy Director of that organisation. From 1997 until 1999 she was a Principal Legal Officer with the Legislation, Policy and Strategic Direction Division of the Department of Justice and Industrial Relations. In 1999 she was appointed President of the Mental Health Tribunal, a role she holds concurrently with her appointment as Commissioner for Criminal Injuries Compensation and Chair of the Forensic Tribunal.

In 2008 she completed a joint Masters of Laws thesis with Anita Smith in which they questioned, the need for separate mental health laws, which by their very nature are discriminatory, and the continued use of ‘risk’ and ‘dangerousness’ as appropriate criteria for placing people with a mental illness on orders for involuntary detention.

Leonie Young

BHSc & MAICD. NGO & Public Sector Consultant, Director.

Leonie returned to live in Tasmania in December 2010.  Independent health sector and NGO consultant, drawing on professional skills and extensive experience in health, e-health and primary care reform as a successful CEO, board director and public sector executive.

Leonie was previously the CEO and Board Director of beyondblue, the national depression initiative and led and assisted the fledgling company to develop and play a strong role in Australia's mental health reforms, including improving community awareness, consumer and carer participation, promotion, prevention and early intervention strategies, strengthening evidence based research and developing successful national e-mental health strategies.  She built a successful community mental health partnership model in NGO/prublic sector engagement with all Australian governments signing consecutive 5 year funding agreements with beyondblue to 2015.

Leonie has extensive community health, policy and service development experience as a senior executive with the Australian government, Department of Health and Ageing, State Manager, Northern Territory 2000 - 2003, DoHA's Mental Health Branch 1995 - 2000.