Charlotte Finlayson

Covers: Hunter/New England and Murrumbidgee Local Health Districts

Email: Charlotte.Finlayson@theperegrinecentre.com.au

Charlotte is a current PhD candidate at the University of Sydney School of Education and Social Work. She has a Bachelor of Social Work (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Sociology and Socio-legal Studies) from the University of Sydney. Charlotte is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with experience working in community mental health, suicide prevention and counselling settings. 

Charlotte has a special interest rural and remote mental health and in incorporating lived experience approaches into services responses to social and emotional distress. Her current research is focused on exploring experiences help-seeking for suicidal distress in rural and remote NSW. 

Kylie Willows

Covers: Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District

Email: Kylie.Willows@theperegrinecentre.com.au

Kylie is a registered psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar who provides online mental health support to adolescents and adults across NSW in addition to her work at The Peregrine Centre.

She holds a Master of Clinical Psychology from the University of Sydney and First Class Honours in psychology from the University of New England. Her research has focused on the psychological impacts of climate change.

Kylie has worked in NGOs such as headspace and Head to Health, supporting young people and adults with diverse mental health challenges. She also has experience as a Behaviour Support Practitioner, assisting individuals with disabilities.

Beyond clinical work, Kylie contributed to IT system development at the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and held various roles at the Australian Bureau of Statistics gaining expertise in survey design, data collection, and analysis. She is committed to improving access to psychological support in regional communities.

Jennifer (Jenn) Melsness

Covers Mid North Coast ,Northern NSW & Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health Districts

Email Jennifer.Melsness@theperegrinecentre.com.au

Jenn, with her foundational background in general nursing, discovered her passion within Child & Adolescent Mental Health settings. Having provided clinical care to children, youth, and families across Vancouver, Canada, her expertise took her across the globe, from America to New Zealand, and finally to Australia.

In Western Australia, Jenn transitioned into Clinical Education and project roles, where she supported research, governance, risk management, and training initiatives across metropolitan Perth.  Her relocation to Coffs Harbour, NSW, gives her real time insight to the challenges faced by regional communities and practitioners.

With clinical and research experience spanning numerous Primary Mental Health Care settings and a master’s degree in Public Health, Jenn is deeply committed to translating innovative practices and evidence into real-world applications. Her interests include digital mental health modalities, early intervention and prevention of mental illness, and empowering clinicians to deliver safe and effective clinical care.

Michelle Bonner

Covers Southern NSW Local Health District

Michelle.Bonner@theperegrinecentre.com.au

Michelle Bonner is currently a generalist social worker in Community Health in the Eurobodalla region. Previously she was a case manager with the Eurobodalla Bushfire Recovery Support Service working with individuals impacted by the Black Summer Bushfires 2019/2020. She has also worked at the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in their policy and community engagement teams.

In her role at Dress for Success Sydney she was a member of the CQU Regional Engagement Committee (NSW Region) and managed Success Works, a program focused on supporting women with a criminal history into employment.

Michelle is a social worker by background having worked in the government, non-government, charitable and academic sectors in NSW and Northern Territory. Michelle has worked in the complex and sensitive areas of domestic violence, grief and loss, elder abuse, sexual health, child sexual abuse and women in the criminal justice system, managing several challenging projects. She has an ongoing commitment and passion for human rights and social justice in Australia aiming to bridge the gap between the advantaged and less advantaged in society.

Dayle Raftery 

Research Associate – Rural Mental Health Partnership

Covers Illawarra / Shoalhaven Local Health Districts

Email: dayle.raftery@theperegrinecentre.com.au

Dayle is a clinical psychologist and holds a PhD (Clinical Psychology). Alongside her role within The Peregrine Centre, Dayle currently practices as a psychologist working with adolescents and their families. Dayle is a strong advocate for mental health education and access. 

Dayle has worked within mental health research for over a decade, with a particular focus on people from marginalised groups. She has experience working on a range of projects, including delivery of online programs, telephone care, clinical trials, and collaborating with peer workers to deliver care. 

 Having grown up in the New England area, Dayle understands the difficulties for regional and rural populations to access care. Dayle is passionate about the delivery of timely and appropriate mental health care to all people, no matter personal circumstance. 

Lauren Fanning

Covers Far West and Western NSW Local Health Districts.

Email: Lauren.Fanning@theperegrinecentre.com.au

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Advanced), with First Class Honours equivalent.

For nearly 20 years her career has centred on supporting children, young people, families and carers in child welfare, early intervention and out-of-home care within the government and non-government sector. She has worked in frontline casework, leadership, advocacy, policy, project management and systems reform. Much of her work has been focused on translating research into practice and delivering evidence-based initiatives across New South Wales and Queensland.

Lauren grew up in the Far West and Central West of NSW. She has seen firsthand the strength of rural communities, but also the inequities they can face in accessing mental health care. She is passionate about improving mental health services in rural and remote communities.