Online event
Mental Health First Aid International is proud to celebrate 25 years of impact in 2025. We invite our community of MHFAiders, instructors, international partners, workplaces, stakeholders and staff to launch the milestone year with us.
You will hear from people who have made the Mental Health First Aid’s journey possible, from its early days as a grassroots idea in Canberra in 2000, to a global movement with more than 8 million trained across 30 countries today.
This is an opportunity for you to learn about our calendar of activities planned for the year ahead – and how you can get involved.
It’s also the official launch to our community of our new strategic plan, in which we have set an ambitious goal to reach 3 million Australians trained in MHFA – and 12 million globally – by 2030. We know we can’t do this alone – it will be with the passion, dedication and commitment of our MHFA community that we will get there, as well as partnerships, collaboration, targeted advocacy and innovation.
Hear from a lineup of presenters to help us celebrate the past 25 years, look ahead to the future of Mental Health First Aid, and understand the part you can play.
Time till Event
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Friday, 14 February, 2025
11:00AM to 12:15PM AEDT
Online
Fill out the below form to register
Our speakers
Professor Anthony Francis Jorm
Co-Founder, Mental Health First Aid International
Read bio
Anthony (Tony) Jorm co-founded MHFA training together with Betty Kitchener in 2000. They also set up Mental Health First Aid International in 2011 and Tony served as the inaugural Chair of the Board of Directors. Tony has been extensively involved in trials evaluating MHFA training, developing MHFA guidelines, and writing MHFA manuals (including the forthcoming 5th Edition Standard MHFA Manual).
In addition to his role with MHFA, Tony has held professorial positions at the Australian National University and the University of Melbourne, where he has specialised in research on empowering the public to take action for prevention and early intervention with mental health problems. He has also had numerous editorial roles, including Editor-in-Chief of Mental Health & Prevention and the Australasian Journal on Ageing, and Associate Editor of the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.
Tramaine El-Amin
Vice-President, MHFA USA, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Read bio
Tramaine EL-Amin is a mental health equity advocate and social impact executive currently serving as Vice President of Mental Health First Aid USA at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. In this role, she oversees the development and implementation of wellbeing programs for the public and private sectors while advancing mission-driven business growth.
As a skilled speaker and national trainer, Tramaine has contributed to more than 3 million individuals being equipped to recognise signs and symptoms related to mental health, substance use and suicide across the US.
Karen Bates
Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Programs
Read bio
Karen is a proud Barkindji woman originally from the far west of New South Wales along the Darling River and has strong connections in South Australia.
The Executive Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Program, Karen is passionate about and committed to improving the mental health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples now and for future generations.
Ebony Whitehouse
Executive Director, Australian Operations
Read bio
Ebony Whitehouse as the Executive Director, Australia Operations at Mental Health First Aid International, provides leadership to each of the teams that are responsible for developing, maintaining, and supporting quality standards for the delivery of the Mental Health First Aid Australia Program.
With over 15 years’ experience in leading both face to face and remote teams, Ebony uses clear and effective communication to build positive relationships and produce strong results. Passionate about education, Ebony is skilled in using feedback to innovate, coach staff, engage stakeholders and develop capacity within teams to ensure best practice delivery to meet learning outcomes. As a natural problem solver, Ebony thinks strategically, with empathy to ensure there is a key purpose behind all decision making.
Before commencing in her role at Mental Health First Aid in January 2022, Ebony led and directed the overall management, development, and direction of the National Education Portfolio at Swinburne Online, a partner for Online Education Services.
Ebony is passionate about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, to bridge the gaps in life outcomes, and more specifically mental health awareness and support.
Margaret Saunders (nee Grant)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA Instructor, National MHFA Instructor Reference Group
Read bio
Margaret identifies as a proud and respected descendant of the Wongaibon people of the Bogan River from the Wiradjuri Nation. Through her vast lived experience, she is able to effectively relate with her participants in ways that show cultural integrity, respect and understanding.
Being a Principal Master instructor and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MHFA (AMHFA) Instructor since 2017 has enabled her to deliver the AMHFA, Youth AMHFA, Talking about Suicide and Talking about Non-Suicidal Self-Injury courses, and pilot the Youth Yarns course, across Australia and in particular, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
Chris Jones
Chair, National MHFA Instructor Reference Group
Read bio
Chris is a highly experienced mental health professional with over 20 years of experience, including national-level policy, strategic thinking and planning, as well as leadership of high-performing teams across primary health, social services and mental health sectors.
Chris is a Master MHFA Instructor with 13 years’ experience in delivering this course. He has worked extensively with people with disabilities, carers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and organisations, and CALD individuals and organisations.
Maddy Murratt
MHFAider Advisory Group Member
Read bio
Maddy’s understanding of the importance of mental health support began early in life, growing up in a single-mum household where her mother struggled with mental illness. With the strength of her mum and the support network around them, they created a good life together.
Now, as part of the People Team at an IT company, Maddy has come to see how difficult mental health conversations can be, especially in a field where many work in a remote environment. As a member of the MHFAider Advisory Group, she is proud to foster meaningful connections, encourage essential conversations, and help bridge the gap in mental health support.
Krystian Seibert
Director and Chair of the Board
Read bio
Krystian Seibert is Chair of Mental Health First Aid International, having served on the Board since 2014.
Krystian has extensive experience shaping the policy and regulatory frameworks for Australia’s not-for-profit sector. As Executive Director – Policy, Government Relations and Research at Philanthropy Australia, he leads the policy advocacy work of Australia’s peak body for philanthropy.
He previously served as an Associate Commissioner at the Productivity Commission, appointed by the Australian Government to jointly lead a wide-ranging inquiry focused on philanthropy. Prior to this, Krystian was an Industry Fellow at the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University of Technology, where he maintains an appointment as an Adjunct Industry Fellow.
In his role as an adviser to a former Assistant Treasurer in the Australian Government, Krystian managed the delivery of major reforms focused on the not-for-profit sector, including the establishment of Australia’s charities regulator, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), and the passage of Australia’s first statutory definition of charity, the Charities Act 2013.
