Better recovery pathways for young adults with challenging mental illness and addiction

Our Team

Image of Professor Brett Heyward

Professor Brett Heyward (B Bus, M Admin, PhD) – Graduate School of Business QUT – Chair, MindFx Limited Board

Brett is a former Director-General of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines and CEO of a number of Queensland Government agencies, including the CEO of Health Reform. His policy interests include health, community services, resources and energy, and industrial relations. Brett lectures, researches and consults in the fields of leadership, strategy, NFP governance and employee engagement.

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Dr Frances Hughes (RN, DNurs, CNZM)

Director and Co-Founder of MindFx Limited. Frances has a strong mental health background and has held executive roles internationally, leading the implementation of best practice nursing and health care in Queensland Health, the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the International Council of Nurses, Switzerland.   Frances facilitated the Pacific Island Mental Health network for WHO in the pacific for 7 Years – working with 16 countries. Frances has a passion for supporting people with a lived experience of mental health to stay well in the community, through education and providing world-class, evidence-based therapeutic programs that are continually improved through implementing the latest research.  Frances and her husband (who also has a strong  mental health background) have significant experience in establishing and running a very successful community-based mental health facility in New Zealand. Frances is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Pennsylvania and was a Fulbright Scholar (2013) and Harkness Fellow (2001/2002).

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Alicia Eugene (B Justice with Distinction (Law and Public Policy), Hons 1st class, Grad B Ed, Prince2 Practitioner)

A sought-after strategist and highly regarded sector innovator, Alicia has held a number of senior management and C-suite executive roles across government, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has led high performing teams, overseen complex change management, and delivered award winning projects. Alicia is currently the Managing Director of a boutique human services consulting group with a particular focus on innovation, project management and applied industry-research partnerships.
Throughout her career, Alicia has developed a reputation for innovation and a passionate commitment to social justice for vulnerable populations. This has included work in mental health services, addiction services, the justice system, aged care, and disability services. Alicia established Australia’s first pay-it-forward social impact investment residential rehabilitation retreat program for people in recovery from mood disorders, addiction, and trauma. She has demonstrated experience in business development, change management, procurement, and evidence-based program design and implementation. Alicia has been an advisor to state and Federal governments in diverse policy areas including First Nations negotiations, multiculturalism, and homelessness; and received an Australia Day medallion for public service in 2007

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Jane McDonald (MA, CA, GAICD) 

Director and Co-Founder of MindFx Limited. Jane is a Chartered Accountant by profession and has a strong commercial and program management background.  Over the past 16 years, she has held executive roles and has played a lead role in transforming service delivery in a wide range of entities, including utilities (energy and water), Queensland Health, Queensland Government Procurement and Care services. Jane has strong personal interest in delivering better recovery pathways for young people with mental health and addiction challenges, having recent personal experience in navigating the mental health system with a family member. Jane is currently Executive Director, Corporate Services for integratedliving Australia, a leading provider of quality in-home health and wellbeing services in regional, rural, and remote Australia.

Jeffery Smith

Dr Jeffery Smith (BSc, PhD, MBA)

Director and Co-Founder of MindFx Limited. Jeffery started his career as a biomedical researcher. His research was in the fields of lipid metabolism and its relationship to cholesterol gallstones and cardiovascular diseases. He has diverse experience in biomedical R&D (discovery, preclinical and first in human and investigator-driven clinical studies), consulting, biotechnology start-ups and founder of BioAssayLINK - an online linking service for discovery and preclinical research services. His experience spans both the public and private sectors (universities, mostly biotechnology companies and BioAssayLINK) within Australia, US, and France. He has presented and published more than 30 scientific research articles and business material to national and international audiences. In 2014, Jeffery switched careers to sell real estate at one of the top real estate businesses in Brisbane, Ray White Paddington. Jeffery has strong personal interest in delivering better recovery pathways for young people with mental health and addiction challenges, having personal experience in navigating the mental health system with a family member.