Our Board

Board member since 23 November 2021.

Ben is a senior-level professional with twenty years of corporate strategy, strategy execution and transformation experience.

In his corporate career and as a consultant, Ben has worked throughout Asia (China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Japan), the US and UK, primarily in the areas of growth strategy, mergers and acquisitions strategy, commercial & operational due diligence and strategy execution and organisational transformation.

In his community role, Ben is a passionate believer in the importance of empowering young people to reach their potential and is a Board member of PCYC NSW and an active coach of youth athletics, cricket, AFL for more than a decade.

He is a highly analytical decision-maker with extensive experience in building, turning around, and operating companies, along with proven history of commercialising new ideas and leading in dynamic and diverse circumstances.

Ben has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

• Board member since 30 August 2016.
  
  
• MBBS (Honours), FRACGP, FAICD, GradDipAppFin, TAASFA.
  
  
• Annette has had a diverse and successful career in the health industry across a number of clinical and preventative areas in both the private and public sector.
  
  
• Annette is an experienced non-executive director in financial services and infrastructure, health and aged care.
  
  
• She is a current board member of Calvary Health Care Ltd and Cater Care Pty Ltd. She is a consumer panel member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
  
  
• Annette’s passion is for the provision of high-quality health care that meets the needs of the community.

• Board member since 26 November 2019.

• Ms Robbie Sefton AM is a respected leader and influencer in regional and rural Australia and possesses a wealth of experience in stakeholder engagement, strategic planning and communications. Ms Sefton is currently the Managing Director of Seftons, a national communications and marketing company in business for more than 25 years, and is also a partner in a New South Wales farming enterprise.

• Ms Sefton is a strategic adviser and non-executive director within the government, corporate, education and not-for-profit sectors, with a range of experience in business management and cultural change. She has successfully managed and implemented major economic, social, cultural and environmental projects and campaigns that have contributed substantially to Australia’s rural and regional communities.

• Recognised as a well informed and knowledgeable rural leader and advocate, Ms Sefton is consulted by a range of sectors wishing to utilise her extensive knowledge of and involvement in regional community issues and priorities, agriculture and the nation’s unique economic, social and cultural assets. Her expert advice and opinions are sought by federal and state government agencies, and corporates in Australia. Ms Sefton is regularly approached by print and broadcast media for comment, or for appearances on national radio and television panel programs. 

• In January 2023, Robbie received an Australia Day honour (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for her contribution to agriculture.

Professor Andrew Chanen is Chief of Clinical Practice and Head of Personality Disorder Research at Orygen in Melbourne, Australia. He is also a Professorial Fellow at the Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne.

Andrew established and directs an internationally recognised program of research, treatment innovation, and service development in youth mental health and early intervention for severe mental disorders in young people. Andrew established the field of early intervention for personality disorder and is a leading global advocate for effective, evidence-based policy. He has produced over 220 scientific publications in high-impact international journals and has received over $30 million in competitive grant funding.

Andrew serves on the Editorial Boards of several journals, and expert national and international groups. He is a Past President of the International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders. His work has been recognised with several awards for advancing healthcare, including the 2023 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists’ Ian Simpson Award and the 2017 Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Severe Personality Disorders from the Borderline Personality Disorder Resource Centre and Personality Disorder Institute, New York.

• Appointed as inaugural Patron of headspace in 2023.
  
  
• Board member between 2009 - 2023. 
  
  
• AO, MD, BS, PhD, FRCP, FRANZCP, Australian of the Year 2010.
  
  
• Patrick is Executive Director of Orygen and Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. He is a world-leading researcher in the area of early psychosis and youth mental health. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Wiley journal "Early Intervention in Psychiatry".
  
  
• Patrick has also played a major role in mental health reform in Australia and many other countries. He led the successful consortium bid to the Department of Health and Ageing, on behalf of Orygen, University of Melbourne, APS and BMRI/University of Sydney, to design and implement headspace from 2006-2009, prior to it forming an independent company in 2009. Patrick is President of the Society for Mental Health Research 2013-2015; acting Chair of the Steering Committee of the International Association for Youth Mental Health. He is a former Director of Headstrong, Ireland's National Youth Mental Health Foundation; past-president and treasurer of the International Early Psychosis Association; a former member of the National Mental Health Advisory Committee; and a former member of the Victorian Government's Mental Health Reform Council.

Sarthak Gandhi is a junior doctor, researcher, and national youth mental health advocate who works at the intersection of clinical care, research, and governance, driven by a passion for creating systems that better support every child and young person to live well. His journey in mental health began through his own experiences navigating care as a young person, inspiring a commitment to prevention, early intervention, and more compassionate, responsive health systems.

Now commencing paediatric training, Sarthak brings a child- and family-centred approach to his clinical care, grounded in empathy, curiosity, and equity. He is particularly interested how healthcare teams can respond earlier and more effectively to the wellbeing needs of children and adolescents. Alongside his clinical work, Sarthak is a researcher at the Centre for Community Child Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, where he focuses on strengthening mental health support in community and primary care settings and translating evidence into practice and policy. His research explores how schools, GPs, and families can work together to recognise and respond early to changes in children’s wellbeing.

Sarthak’s involvement with headspace reflects his deep interest in youth participation and lived experience leadership in mental health systems. He previously served as a member of hY NRG (the headspace National Youth Reference Group), contributing to national campaigns and programs that embed young people’s voices in service design and policy.

Guided by a belief in collaboration and the power of young voices to drive meaningful change, Sarthak is committed to helping build a health system that listens with empathy, acts early, and values the whole wellbeing of every child and young person. Beyond his work, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, exploring night markets, and cheering on the Geelong Cats!