Board

Chairperson

Pat O’Leary BA, MPubPol&Mgt, Grad Dip Sport Bus, is a mental health operations and service development professional with over three decades experience in the primary and specialist mental health sectors. Pat is currently the Deputy CEO at the Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS).

Pat has previously worked extensively in service development roles beginning in the 1990’s with the decommissioning and rebuilding of the Victorian Mental Health Service System; for five years on building the National headspace network including the commissioning of over 60 centres; and most recently with Beyond Blue on the National rollout of ‘The Way Back’, an aftercare service for people who have attempted suicide.

Operationally, Pat has previously managed the Child and Youth Mental Health Service at Austin Health, the Community Mental Health Service at the RCH. Pat also had significant early career experience in the Youth Justice and Homeless service systems, and for three years managed the Community Infrastructure Unit at Sport and Recreation Victoria.

Pat understands the impact that mental health conditions have on people’s lives, and can see the enormous potential that effective prevention strategies can have on reducing distress and hardship. He looks forward to contributing to the Prevention United mission.

Directors

Dr Stephen Carbone is the Founder and CEO of Prevention United. Stephen has extensive clinical experience in mental health having worked as a general practitioner in Melbourne’s west and northwest suburbs and as a medical officer in Victoria’s specialist mental health services. Stephen also has experience in mental health policy and program and service development having held senior roles in the Victorian Department of Health, headspace, and Beyond Blue.

Stephen is keen to promote the importance of combining a focus on mental health promotion efforts that promote mental wellbeing and prevent mental health conditions, with efforts to enhance mental healthcare services for people living with these conditions.

Stephen will draw on his extensive personal and professional experience in mental health to guide the vision of Prevention United.

Mrs Carolyn Nikoloski BPsycSci (Hons), MPH, MPubPol&Mgt, is a mental health policy specialist, who is committed to improving mental health and reducing social disadvantage.

Carolyn has extensive experience working across government and non-government organisations, including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Australian General Practice Network, Beyond Blue and Good Shepherd Microfinance. Carolyn led Beyond Blue’s policy reform agenda, which influenced the establishment of low intensity mental health services across the country, and the routine provision of follow-up care for people who have attempted suicide.

Carolyn hopes Prevention United will shift the environments that we live in, to better promote mental health and prevent mental health conditions.

Devin O’Keefe BCom; Corp.Fin, Fin.P & S.C.M. CertIV Fin is a financial services professional with a passion for improving mental health conditions within the community. He has worked in roles from private wealth management, through to fund-raising for boutique ethical investment opportunities. He has worked with not-for-profits his whole career, provided pro-bono financial services to terminally ill cancer patients and currently works with an ethical investment group which is seeking to provide better cancer and diabetic treatments for sufferers.

Devin will be utilising his financial service skills to help improve and grow the organisation’s financial position and brand power to ensure that we can continue to expand our reach and output. Having seen the impacts of negative mental health conditions first-hand, Devin wants to ensure that through the mission of Prevention United that we continue to assist those in need and help reduce their suffering and difficulties. He is grateful and excited to be on this journey with Prevention United and the rest of the Board.