Mx Frances Mulcahy (she/her) is an out and proud trans woman. She is a retired general practitioner, current researcher, educator, poet, and performer. Fran is very active in the role of educator/advocate at the interface of health providers and gender diverse health consumers. Her medical practice life included a stint in full-time hospice work. She was the guest facilitator for a community bereavement group for several years. Her transition has included plenty of loss and grief, some expected, some surprising. The grief of a 67 year long life, both quite ordinary and somewhat less ordinary, combined with a great deal of listening in a therapeutic role inform Fran’s compassion for, and understanding of, loss and grief.

Ricki Spencer (they/her) M.Ed. GDCD, BSW. BA B.Ed. is a qualified teacher, social worker, and Health Sociologist. They are currently completing Public Health at Federation University. They are a public advocate for people living with a disability, transgender, queerly ageing, mental health stigmatization and forced adoption (stolen gen) who are important identities lived.

She is the current Convenor for Sociology of Teaching in Australia of the Australian Sociological Association, Consumer Advisory Member for CHF Australia, Consumer Panel Member for Royal Melbourne Hospital and Diabetes Victoria. Executive Advisory Committee Member for Breast Screening Victoria St Vincent’s Hospital, Clinical Governance Committee Member and First Nations Health Advisory Committee Member for LGBTQA Health Australia. Consumer Advisory Board Member at Doherty Institute & NCRIS and VMIAC Mental Health Advisory Steering Committee member. Ricki has over 25 years’ experience working in welfare provision as a social worker, teacher, and health promotions facilitator.

Ricki is the current chair for the policy steering committee for AusPATH and Educational mentor for the Pinnacle Foundation. She sits on the Board of Lance TV (regional public media broadcasting) and has been appointed to the Health and Wellbeing Working Group of Department of Equity Victoria, LGBTQA Taskforce Term 5 and 2024 LGBTIQA+ Victoria Leadership program. Ricki is also a member of the Silver Pride Advocacy Network, Living Experience Advocacy Panel.

Abraham Polatkesen (he/him) is the Project Officer at the Support After Suicide Hub (SASH). He lives and works on Wurundjeri Country. Abraham is a proud advocate for LGBTIQ+ lived experience voices in suicide prevention, with the aim of highlighting the importance of those voices to organisations who work with community. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Psychological Science at Swinburne University.