Learn more about our team
Learn more about our team
Dr Louise Byrne is a leading international expert on Lived and Living Experience, acknowledged as a thought-leader in workforce development and the change management strategies required to build authentic, effective and impactful Lived Experience (Peer) workforces. Louise’s name is synonymous with highest quality, evidence-informed work, setting benchmarks for best practice, and enhancing understanding of authentic Lived Experience principles and practice.Â
Louise’s work is informed by her personal (consumer) Lived and Living Expertise and her experience in a diverse range of designated work roles across sectors and settings since 2005.
Louise held one of the earliest full-time Lived Experience academic positions in Australia and for seven years led the co-ordination, design and teaching of an online Lived Experience led course – teaching personal recovery concepts to thousands of undergraduate and post-graduate nursing students. Significant empirical research found the training had transformative impacts on the attitudes of students towards people with lived experience.
Louise trained in Intentional Peer Support, and since 2010 has led an internationally ground-breaking body of research on Lived Experience workforce development, culminating in numerous frameworks, policies and models including the Australian ‘National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines’. Louise is a Fulbright alumni, has been awarded multiple research fellowships, and holds an Associate Professor Adjunct position at Yale University.
Louise’s program of research has created a theory of change for how to advance understanding, respect and leadership opportunities for the Lived and Living Experience workforces.
Dr Melissa Chapman is a Family/Carer Lived Experience Researcher with a PhD in Industrial and Organisational Psychology. She currently uses her knowledge and skills across broad areas, such as: inclusion and diversity, mental health/wellbeing and the changing nature of work.
Melissa has worked collaboratively with private, not-for-profit, university and government organisations and since 2019 has been contributing significantly to the Lived-Living Experience evidence base, including being a core team member on the Australian ‘National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines’, the ‘Queensland Framework for the Development of the Mental Health Lived Experience Workforce’, and the ‘Victorian Mental Health Consumer Discipline Framework’, amongst others.
Puneet is a Lived Experience Researcher. He holds academic roles at University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and at RMIT University as a Consumer Academic and a Research Assistant. Puneet is also a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel at the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing. Puneet gained experience as a consumer peer support worker and a consumer consultant within Victoria’s public mental health system, developing relationships with fellow community members with lived and living experience of mental health distress. Puneet has a passion for contributing to systemic and policy change by advocating for consumer rights in the decisions related to consumer care and having Lived-Lived Experience roles and perspectives embedded into every part of the consumers’ journey. Puneet is a recent graduate from Victoria University, gaining a master’s degree by research, exploring workplace stress and staff wellbeing and is currently contributing to research led by Dr Louise Byrne and Dr Melissa Chapman on peer roles in the Department of Veteran Affairs. Puneet is committed to advocating for reduced workplace stress across all sectors and for work culture that is supportive of positive mental health in workplaces.
Shem is an experienced Virtual Assistant with over 10 years of supporting entrepreneurs and organisations to deliver high-quality, well-organised work. She plays an important role in supporting the delivery of Lived Experience Training, helping to coordinate courses, maintain systems, and ensure a smooth and accessible learning experience for participants.
She also supports internal processes and documentation, helping the team stay organised as workflows evolve. She is committed to providing reliable, thoughtful support that enables the team to focus on meaningful work and lasting impact.
Sean has a focus on discerning the pivotal role technology plays in fostering self-empowerment. With a diverse background spanning media production, branding, and online payment technology, Sean seamlessly navigates the realms of innovation and creativity. His keen insights into the intersection of technology and human potential drive him to constantly explore ways to dismantle barriers obstructing individual growth and autonomy.
Through his multifaceted expertise, Sean is dedicated to crafting narratives that inspire, empower, and pave the way for a future where everyone can harness the transformative power of technology to lead fulfilling and self-directed lives.
Helena recently completed her PhD on experiences of mental health crises and crisis care. She has qualifications in Social Work, Suicide Prevention, Forensic Mental Health, and Mental Health Practice. Helena has a background in lived experience work and has lately had the honour of doing more independent consultancy work with incredible organisations such as Lived Experience Training.
Her work is deeply informed by her experiences of trauma, including psychiatric trauma from multiple involuntary admissions and periods of seclusion. She loves peer support, yoga, somatic practices, sound healing, and community building. She believes in the transformative power of the heart and the alchemy that comes with truly ‘being with’. Helena also lives on an island with five ducks, four chickens and one cat, Millie.
Simon Katterl (he/him) is a mental health and human rights advocate with lived experience of mental health and using public community and private mental health services. He runs a consultancy advising government, mental health and legal bodies, on consumer leadership, human rights and governance. Katterl’s work includes advising the Victorian Minister for Mental Health, various government departments, and providing consumer perspective supervision. He also undertakes public advocacy in favour of human rights and has written for academic and news outlets https://www.simonkatterlconsulting.com/contact
Amie Davis (she/her) is a lived/living experience consultant specialising in projects and programs that advance LLE workforces and peer-led services. She holds a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Engineering and brings professional experience as a former software engineer, contributing skills across project management, research, evaluation, analysis, and technology-enabled solutions.
Drawing on her own lived experiences of distress and hospitalisation, Amie is deeply committed to grassroots peer initiatives. Her work includes helping to establish Canberra’s first Alternatives to Suicide (Alt2Su) peer support group, as well as speaking and writing about lived experience through the Big Feels Club.
More recently, Amie has been engaged in a range of projects in Victoria aligned with the Royal Commission reform agenda, working across the mental health, alcohol and other drug, and harm reduction sectors.
Lived Experience Training acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the unceded lands upon which we live and work. We are grateful to past and present Elders for their cultural knowledge and deep connection to land, sea and community. We pay our deep and heartfelt respects to these essential leaders and thank them for their guidance. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.
For a definition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived-Living Experience, please go to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre
Dr Louise Byrne is a leading international expert on Lived and Living Experience, acknowledged as a thought-leader in workforce development and the change management strategies required to build authentic, effective and impactful Lived Experience (Peer) workforces. Louise’s name is synonymous with highest quality, evidence-informed work, setting benchmarks for best practice, and enhancing understanding of authentic Lived Experience principles and practice.
Louise’s work is informed by her personal (consumer) Lived and Living Expertise and her experience in a diverse range of designated work roles across sectors and settings since 2005.
Louise held one of the earliest full-time Lived Experience academic positions in Australia and for seven years led the co-ordination, design and teaching of an online Lived Experience led course – teaching personal recovery concepts to thousands of undergraduate and post-graduate nursing students. Significant empirical research found the training had transformative impacts on the attitudes of students towards people with lived experience.
Louise trained in Intentional Peer Support, and since 2010 has led an internationally ground-breaking body of research on Lived Experience workforce development, culminating in numerous frameworks, policies and models including the Australian ‘National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines’. Louise is a Fulbright alumni, has been awarded multiple research fellowships, and holds an Associate Professor Adjunct position at Yale University.
Louise’s program of research has created a theory of change for how to advance understanding, respect and leadership opportunities for the Lived and Living Experience workforces.
Dr Melissa Chapman is a Family/Carer Lived Experience Researcher with a PhD in Industrial and Organisational Psychology. She currently uses her knowledge and skills across broad areas, such as: inclusion and diversity, mental health/wellbeing and the changing nature of work.
Melissa has worked collaboratively with private, not-for-profit, university and government organisations and since 2019 has been contributing significantly to the Lived-Living Experience evidence base, including being a core team member on the Australian ‘National Lived Experience (Peer) Workforce Development Guidelines’, the ‘Queensland Framework for the Development of the Mental Health Lived Experience Workforce’, and the ‘Victorian Mental Health Consumer Discipline Framework’, amongst others.
Shem is an experienced Administration Assistant with over 10 years of supporting entrepreneurs and organisations to deliver high-quality, well-organised work. Shem plays an important role in supporting the delivery of Lived Experience Training, helping to coordinate courses, maintain systems, and ensure a smooth and accessible learning experience for participants.
Shem also supports internal processes and documentation, helping the team stay organised as workflows evolve. Shem is committed to providing reliable, thoughtful support that enables the team to focus on meaningful work and lasting impact.
Puneet is a Lived Experience Researcher. He holds academic roles at University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and at RMIT University as a Consumer Academic and a Research Assistant. Puneet is also a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel at the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Puneet gained experience as a consumer peer support worker and a consumer consultant within Victoria’s public mental health system, developing relationships with fellow community members with lived and living experience of mental health distress.
Puneet has a passion for contributing to systemic and policy change by advocating for consumer rights in the decisions related to consumer care and having Lived-Lived Experience roles and perspectives embedded into every part of the consumers’ journey.
Puneet is a recent graduate from Victoria University, gaining a master’s degree by research, exploring workplace stress and staff wellbeing and is currently contributing to research led by Dr Louise Byrne and Dr Melissa Chapman on peer roles in the Department of Veteran Affairs. Puneet is committed to advocating for reduced workplace stress across all sectors and for work culture that is supportive of positive mental health in workplaces.
Sean Clarke is the Managing Director of Lived Experience Training, where he leads the organisation’s strategic direction and technology integration. With a background in media production, branding, and online systems, Sean specialises in building scalable digital infrastructure that enhances learning, access, and impact.
He has a strong focus on how technology can support self-empowerment and autonomy, both for individuals and organisations. At LET, Sean oversees the development of platforms, systems, and delivery models that ensure training is accessible, efficient, and aligned with real-world outcomes.
Sean is passionate about removing barriers through practical innovation, enabling people to engage with knowledge, develop capability, and create meaningful change in their work and lives.
