Empowering Workplaces: Managing psychosocial risk in the Victorian Public Sector

Kerry is a senior member of the Occupational Health and Safety Practice within the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office. She has over 20 years’ experience in the Victorian public sector, having worked as a prosecutor within the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) and as a legal education co-ordinator with the Judicial College of Victoria. As part of her role at the OPP, Kerry had responsibility for advice work and indictable prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004.

Kerry brings to her role at the VGSO significant experience and specialised knowledge in criminal law, evidence and procedure. She has a deep understanding of the written and unwritten rules applicable to proceedings in both the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and in higher Victorian Courts. This understanding has been developed through appearance work at procedural and interlocutory hearings in Victorian Courts and through having instructed counsel in a large number of matters including in complex interlocutory applications, plea hearings, committal proceedings, trials and appeals.

In advising her Victorian Public Sector clients, Kerry is able to draw on her extensive experience in managing complex litigation and dealing sensitively with witnesses. She understands how to maintain effective witness engagement throughout the life of a matter and how to support witnesses who may be reluctant or who have undergone significant trauma, which sets her apart from other practitioners in the area. Kerry has a keen interest in contributing to policy development both in relation to the internal workings of government and best practice in investigations and legal proceedings. She has previously been invited to develop and deliver training programs for clients within government and regulatory settings, including for organisations such as Victoria Police. Kerry provides targeted, strategic legal advice and assistance in relation to occupational health and safety issues, prosecutions, administrative law, statutory interpretation and the law and best practice concerning effective and efficient investigations.

Katherine has worked in the Victorian Public Service for almost 20 years and has extensive experience leading social and economic policy reform.

Immediately prior to her appointment as Deputy Secretary Mental Health, Katherine had been supporting the Department of Health and Human Services’ response to the pandemic as the Deputy Secretary of COVID-19 Policy and Strategy. Prior to this, Katherine was a Deputy Secretary at the Department of Education and Training.

Katherine has a long history of supporting IPAA Victoria and its values and has participated in IPAA Victoria events including being a panel speaker for “Strategic Communications: Getting a seat at the table (not just polishing the silverware!)”.

Katherine was recognised as a champion of women in the public sector as one of IPAA Victoria’s Top 50 Public Sector Women in 2018.

She completed IPAA’s Senior Executive Integrity and Ethical Leadership Program in 2019.

She is passionate about achieving public value, with demonstrated experience in service reform, contributing towards better public interest outcomes through fostering information sharing and awareness-raising of best practice approaches to policy, strategy, issues management and organisational practice.

Katherine has a strong commitment to leading a safe, equitable and engaging workplace.

Kimberley leads the Behavioural Risk practice at Scyne Advisory focusing on best practice Governance, Risk, Culture, and Wellbeing practices. Kim joined Scyne after seven years working in Human Resources, Risk Management and Internal Audit functions in the Financial Services Industry pre and post the Royal Commission into Banking and Financial Services, the Sedgwick Review and the Prudential Inquiry into CBA. Two years ago Kim joined Professional Services to support the Public Sector and not-for-profit organisations in the assessment and management of workforce and people related risks, including Psychosocial Risk. 

John Moran joined WorkSafe as the Director, Mental Health Strategy and Coordination in May 2022.  

In November 2021, WorkSafe had launched its WorkSafe 2021-2024 Mental Health Strategy with a focus on preventing mental injury in the workplace, ensuring that all Victorian workers with a mental injury are protected and have access to support, and improving capability to have positive, mentally healthy workplaces. The Director, Mental Health Strategy and Coordination role was subsequently established to provide oversight, coordination and integration of mental health reform activities across WorkSafe. 

John is passionate about driving change that improves the mental health of the community. Prior to joining WorkSafe, John worked in senior executive positions in mental health for 20 years supporting the development, implementation and operation of services to increase treatment availability, and improvement of mental health treatments underpinned by research. John was one of the founding members of the headspace youth mental health initiative, which now provides services across Australia. This work has provided John with an extensive knowledge of the mental health sector. 

Margo has influenced real-world reform in mental health and suicide prevention for over two decades, with a particular focus on workplace mental health, safety and wellbeing.  

Margo works with the Wellbeing Outfit as their Chief Mental Health & Wellbeing Advisor. Her work focuses on partnering with industry, organisations, and governments to help them navigate and respond to the complexity of workplace mental health, psychosocial safety, and wellbeing, delivering positive impact for people and business.  

Previously, Margo was the CEO of SuperFriend for 12 years – a national workplace mental health and wellbeing organisation. 

Margo is the independent Chair of the National Mental Health Commission’s Mentally Healthy Workplace Alliance – an Alliance of national organisations from the business, union, community, and government sectors. 

Margo is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne. She is also a non-executive director on the Shared Value Project Australia Board, and Sector Advisor for Roses in the Ocean and the Corporate Mental Health Alliance Australia. 

Margo holds a Master of Science, Positive Organization Development and Change, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio, and a Bachelor of Business Degree from the University of Queensland.