Kate is a passionate mental health advocate, qualified social worker, former Queensland police officer of 23 years, and a published author.

Kate’s goals include changing structural and attitudinal barriers to positive mental health outcomes, and reducing stigma and discrimination, with a focus on:

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• improving children’s mental health particularly teenage bullying and suicide prevention;

• addressing the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences particularly the effects of experiences of domestic and family violence;

• advocacy for victim/survivors of gender-based violence; and

• improving former Australian Defence Force member mental health and suicide prevention.

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Supported by growing academic literature, Kate has a strong belief that various martial arts can greatly contribute to not only improving physical fitness, but as an effective sports-based mental health intervention to improve wellbeing and reduce symptoms associated with internalising mental health. Martial arts typically contain varying internal philosophies including the values of honour, responsibility, sacrifice and pacifism through fostering non-violent conflict resolution and promoting respectful relationships.

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Both of Kate’s daughters commenced taekwondo at the age of 7 years with one attaining her Black Belt and the other Cho Dan Bo. She is very aware of the long-term family investment of time and energy involved in raising children who have thrived through learning martial arts.

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Kate’s policing experience as a detective in child protection and juvenile justice fields has led her to adopt beliefs that increasing childhood resilience and a sense of self-worth assists in trauma reduction, creates a sense of community and belonging, and creates a positive diversion from the criminal justice system.

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She has numerous university qualifications including a Master of Social Work, a Master of Suicidology (Suicide Prevention) and a Graduate Certificate in Domestic Violence Responses. Kate is near completion of her 350hr My Health yoga teacher training and is planning to undergo trauma-informed yoga teacher training to assist veterans who may be experiencing chronic stress, depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress. She is also planning to compete training in advanced kids yoga for teenage mindfulness and meditation.

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Being driven to improve her own mental and physical health, Kate is an avid high altitude trekker having completed a number of treks in the Himalayan Mountains (Nepal and Bhutan) and the Andes, Peru. She has also completed multi-week treks through Jordan and Atlas Mountains in Morocco, and the Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea.