8 Mental Health Speakers who can bring lived experience to your event

Norliza Pavlakos is an international keynote speaker, entrepreneur and author who turns extraordinary adversity into a blueprint for resilience. By 21, she had survived homelessness, facial reconstruction, a kidnapping and domestic violence, and emerged a single mother determined to rebuild from nothing. She went on to build five businesses and speak across five continents. A Toastmasters Golden Gavel Honouree, Norliza gives audiences the frameworks to turn adversity into clarity, uncertainty into decisive action, and setbacks into lasting momentum.

Mitch Wallis is one of the world's leading voices in applied psychology, on a mission to change the way the world feels. With a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Columbia and 20+ years of lived experience with anxiety, depression, and OCD, he left Microsoft to found Heart On My Sleeve - a movement reaching millions - and Real Conversations, a framework delivered to 10,000+ people across four continents and trusted by Fortune 500 leaders including American Express, KPMG, Allianz, and Google. His belief: real connection begins when we go toward the pain.

Psychiatrist Dr Jo Prendergast delivers entertaining and informative talks shaped by 30 years of clinical mental health experience, with the delivery of an award-winning stand-up comedian.

Dr Jo is passionate about building high performance on human foundations. This approach sustains a resilient, productive workforce. Her rare blend of medical expertise, lived experience, and fearless humour allows her to connect deeply with audiences while challenging them to think differently.

Audiences laugh hard, think harder, and walk out with something they will actually use.

Mark Robertson is the founder of One Vision Productions and creator of MPOWER - Australia's evidence-based youth mental wellbeing platform. A Churchill Fellow and Westpac Social Changemaker of Australia, Mark draws on lived experience and 15+ years on the frontline to deliver one of Australia's most resonant keynotes on resilience, youth mental health, and creative empowerment.

Kim Huckerby is a trusted leader in building leadership capability in mental health and wellbeing, working with companies like Mastercard, Thales, Ralph Lauren and Ray White. With a career spanning 24 years, Kim's depth of experience ensures every time she steps in front of an audience, leaders walk away more capable, confident and ready to act. Kim's grounded and capability-focused approach makes her an invaluable partner to organisations looking to strengthen leadership, performance, and culture. With her guidance and expertise, you can feel confident that you are in good hands hands

An internationally sought after speaker and author, Kath has worked with and consulted to some of the biggest and most well-known companies and brands in the world to help them achieve perspective, resilience, good culture, wellbeing and of course, kindness. Through her company Kind GroupTM she has built and designed tools that assist organisations and individuals to capture and understand their personal and collective strengths. Kath develops custom keynote messages, programs, and coaching programs to inspire your organisation and create lasting impact. 

Leanne Faulkner is a small business and mental health advocate, and founder of Billie Goat Soap, which she grew into a multi-million-dollar brand. Today, she supports small business wellbeing, lectures at the University of Newcastle and researches the mental health needs of small business owners.

Roni Millard is a Health & Wellness Consultant, Keynote Speaker, NLP Life Coach and Founder of The Wellbeing Edge. A former Top 50 Australian CMO with 30 years' executive leadership experience, she helps organisations build psychologically safe, high-performing cultures. Featured in the Australian Financial Review, Roni combines deep corporate expertise with lived experience of burnout, fertility issues, osteoporosis, breast cancer and unsafe workplaces to deliver practical, inspiring insights on wellbeing, leadership, psychological safety and sustainable performance.