Member bios

Alice works as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for Children’s Health Queensland, with her current area of practice being focused on extended recovery-oriented treatment. She has a Bachelor of Medical Science, a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery, a Masters in International Public Health, is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry and has an Advanced Certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Alice has worked across several mental health services in a variety of psychiatric settings, such as inpatient, outpatient, and forensic. She has worked in both public and private settings and has experience working with children and adults. Outside of her professional role, Alice enjoys time with her pets, going to the beach and foodie adventures.

Prior to commencing her registrar training in 2007, Andrea worked for 3 years in the UK in psychiatry.  After gaining fellowship in 2012, Andrea has worked at TPCH part time.  Currently her role at TPCH is outpatient based.  She also works in private practice in Bardon and admits to Toowong Private Hospital.  Her interest is in general adult psychiatry.  Over her medical career, she has worked at Nambour Hospital, RBWH, TPCH, Maryborough Hospital, Toowong Private Hospital and two trusts in the UK.  Her work at TPCH included over 3 years at TPCH SMHRU (Secure Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit).  She has been a member of the MHRT since 2018.

Dr Motamarri has more than 25 years' experience in psychiatry including 15 years' experience of senior medical managerial roles both in South Australia and in Queensland since acquiring fellowship in India and in Australia. He is currently the Director Medical Services, MSAMHS, Queensland and holds the clinical title Associate Professor at Griffith University in Queensland. As a senior administrator, he is involved in state-wide mental health committees in Australia and has been an IHCA accreditor for mental health services within Australia. He is actively involved in research and with the College of Psychiatrists as a member in various college committees. His passion lies in safe and appropriate implementation of the Mental Health Act 2016 as the Administrator for the Act for MSAMHS. He is very passionate about inculcating respect and promoting recovery-orientated consumer care for mental health consumers and is the recipient of an MSAMHS Board Chair Value Excellence Award 2020 in the category of Excellence in Respect.

Caroline is a Consultant Psychiatrist working in part-time private practice in a small suburban clinic in Brisbane. Prior to launching into private practice in January 2022, Caroline worked as a Staff Specialist for over eight years with Gold Coast Health where she was probably well known to a great number of MHRT Members over the years, presenting oral evidence from the other side of the table.  Prior to gaining Fellowship with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 2013, Caroline trained in a wide variety of mental health settings across metropolitan Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as a short stint in regional Victoria. Caroline dedicated a large portion of her public sector service to clinical leadership roles in mobile intensive rehabilitation services providing multi-disciplinary care to people living with severe and enduring mental illness associated with significant psychosocial disability. Caroline is passionate about recovery-oriented mental health care and advocates for a holistic approach to treatment. She has always had a keen interest in the training and wellbeing of our future Psychiatrists, having held positions as Chief Training Supervisor and Welfare Officer for her previous place of service. In 2019-2020, Caroline collaborated with registrar and consultant colleagues on an original research project into the principles of effective feedback in post-graduate medical training that was published in the BMJ Postgraduate Medical Journal in 2021. A proud kiwi by birth, Caroline gained her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) in 2005 at the University of Otago, Dunedin. Her extended family are scattered across the length and breadth of her home country, and she tries her best to get back there to visit as often as she can. When not at work, Caroline devotes her time to her small family, including an ageing moggy cat who has moved with her no less than eight times as she has ventured across Australia, and a newer addition – a mischievous (and very barky) young dachshund.

Chris holds qualifications in science, nursing, midwifery, neonatal intensive care and law. He worked in government in Canberra for a number of years, predominantly for the Department of Health in the areas of drug dependence, and nutrition and dietetics. A desire to provide more practical assistance to people led Chris to study nursing, which he undertook at St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst and the University of Sydney.  He practiced for over 15 years in acute care and community settings, with a focus on infectious diseases / HIV/AIDS, neonatal intensive care, and administration, and a 2 year study and work stint in London.  He was fortunate to travel all around Queensland and NSW as a part of the aeromedical retrieval service for unwell newborns; an extremely challenging and rewarding time in his life.  Chris was admitted as a solicitor in 2001, and has worked for large national firms, boutique firms and medical defence organisations.  He has worked exclusively as a health lawyer, and his areas of practice include professional regulation, coronial investigations and inquests, administrative law, risk management, and litigated and unlitigated medical negligence claims.  Chris has acted for public and private hospitals, health services, medical and allied health practitioners, and universities.  Despite his devotion to the law, budgets and time sheets, Chris finds time to read (a few favourite authors, including Inga Simpson), walk (favourite destination Tasmania), go to the movies, watch his children play sport, and listen to music.  He was appointed to the Mental Health Review Tribunal in February 2023.  Hints for life – never be frightened to re-invent yourself.  ‘We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.’  

Cristelle is Forensic Social Worker with a background in Forensic Disability and Mental Health.  She has a Bachelor of Social Work (First Class Honours) from UQ and a Masters of Social Work (Forensics) from Monash University.  She has worked in a variety of roles in mental health and disability, including the initial project for the Forensic Disability Service; as a Principal Clinician for the Director of Forensic Disability; as a mental health clinician in Court Liaison; Acute Care; and Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMHS) in an Aboriginal Community.  Alongside her role on the Tribunal as a Community Member, she is also currently the Service Integration Coordinator with West Moreton Mental Health, where a major part of her role is to transition West Moreton consumers to the NDIS; link non-government agencies with the Mental Health Service; educate clinical staff on working with people with a disability; and setting up clinical, forensic  programs for people with a disability who offend.   In her spare time she plays netball and AFL and barracks for the mighty Brisbane Lions!  Cristelle is a proud Gunai Kurnai and Boonwurrung woman, lives in the Ipswich Region with her husband, 2 children (both rambunctious boys) and a very spoilt cat called Brandy.

After being admitted as a solicitor in 1996, Deborah helped establish the NQ Women’s Legal Service where she worked for over ten years.  Her main areas of practice have been in the areas of family law, domestic violence and immigration.  She has served two terms as an official visitor to the local prison.  Deborah has held numerous voluntary positions in the community, including five years as a committee member of the Women’s Centre and the NQWLS.  She holds life membership of the NQWLS for her contributions as an employee and a volunteer.  Deborah was appointed to the Mental Health Review Tribunal in 2008.  She is a keen bushwalker who particularly loves Tasmania.

Emma was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court (Qld) in 2011 and was entered on the High Court register in 2018.  Emma has practised extensively and exclusively in the areas of criminal, administrative and regulatory law in specialist law firms throughout Queensland.  In 2018, Emma was recognised by the Queensland Law Society as an Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law.  Emma has served as a Professional Board Member, Queensland Parole Board and as a Member of the Councillor Conduct Tribunal. In addition to these statutory appointments, Emma also holds Board positions in the private and not for profit sector as a Board Member on the Australian Board in General Surgery and as a Board Member for Blush Cancer Care Inc.  Emma holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice and is currently completing a Master of Laws with a special interest in Public Law.

Inspired by the lead set by her relative, Nicholas Ridley, English Bishop of London who was burned at the stake in 1555, along with Hugh Latimer and, a few days later, Thomas Cranmer (the Oxford Martyrs) as ordered by Mary 1 of England, she graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Social Work. The nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice is about Ridley, Latimer and Cranmer. "Blind" reportedly refers to blind faith in their cause. The Farmer's wife, is Mary 1 of England and refers to massive estates which she ("Bloody Mary") and her husband, King Phillip of Spain, possessed. Helen's family has a theory that the last words spoke by Nicholas Ridley were "I am smoking more and more and enjoying it less". To this end, I have throughout my life remained a non-smoker. Helen has had extensive clinical experience as a Social Worker and Senior Social Worker in mental health (inpatient and community) and domestic and family violence. The latter included after hours child protection investigations and crisis intervention on the 24/7 Women's Domestic Violence Line. She has been a community member on the Mental Health Review Tribunal since 2002.

Jane was admitted as a solicitor in Queensland in 1996 before heading to London to work at an international family law firm. Upon her return, she took up a role with the Office of the Director of Prosecutions where she developed an interest in law reform. This led to her role in legal policy with the Department of Justice in Victoria and a stint with the justice department within the United Nations Mission in Kosovo in 2005. More recently, Jane has been an Assessor with the Professional Standards Office (Catholic Church), an independent reviewer with the Immigration Assessment Authority (AAT), a panel member with QCAT and amember of the Councillor Conduct Tribunal. In her spare time, Jane embraces the joys and challenges of raising her three children.

Judith’s experience in Queensland covers four decades and multiple settings including acute, stand-alone mental health and forensic hospitals as well as the community-based services. Her roles have ranged from Registered Nurse in 1975 to Executive Director of district mental health services on her departure in 2007. Judith’s areas of experience included child and youth, adult, rehabilitation, forensic and older person’s mental health. Academically, she has gained a Bachelor in Nursing Science, an MBA and a Masters in Community Mental Health to underpin her practice. Judith commenced her involvement in mental health service delivery during the era of institutionalisation when persons with mental illness and intellectual disability were co-located in large stand-alone institutions. Her career has involved the evolution of non-hospitalisation, the separation of persons with disability from mental health and the growth of community-based care with less restrictions on the freedoms of the individual. She moved to Canberra as the contracted Director of Service Reform (Mental Health) for the period 2008-2010, with her role being to support the practice and process changes needed to deliver recovery-focused mental health care. The emphasis was on the provision of training and development in evidenced-based interventions for all clinical staff. Training was multi-disciplinary to reflect the service delivery model and linked to reviewing practices for compliance with the National Standards for Australian Mental Health Services. 2010-2011, she continued with ACT Health as the Operational Director of the community-based teams. Her focus was the consolidation of the practice changes within mental health and to better develop the linkages with GPs and the non-government service sector. As an extension of Judith’s developing awareness of the non-government sector and the opportunities for enhancing the quality of life for persons with mental illness, she accepted a CEO role of a medium-sized organisation that provided Children's Services, Mental Health, Disability and Aged Person’s Services. The breadth of the role provided the framework to work with people across the lifespan and in their differing personal circumstances. It was a turbulent time in the sector and to manage the challenges of the NDIS and My Aged care reforms, she led the merger with a larger NGO to ensure sustainability in 2013. Judith’s role as Executive Director of Lifestyle Services of the merged entity managed the organisational and operational adaptions needed to comply with the requirements of these reforms. This period was the transition from block funding to individualised funding with the full implementation of the NDIS over several years. This transition required supporting all staff to embrace this paradigm shift towards person-centred service delivery. Judith left full-time work in 2016. After several years reconnecting with extended family and travelling, she applied for a MHRT community member role and commenced in August 2018.

Laura is a consultant psychiatrist with advanced training in both child and adolescent psychiatry and consultation liaison psychiatry. She is the director of Thoughtful Health, a community mental health clinic where she consults with children and adolescents. She also works with the Princess Alexandra hospital chronic pain clinic. Laura won't admit to loving trashy reality television - she only watches it so that she can seem relatable to her young patients.

Laura is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with a special interest in addiction medicine dual diagnosis. She has worked across several mental health services during her time as a psychiatry registrar and subsequently as a psychiatrist, including The Prince Charles Hospital, The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, The Mater Hospital and Children’s Health Queensland. In addition to her role on the Tribunal as a Medical Member, she is also a staff specialist with the Children’s Health Queensland Child and Youth Mental Health Service and the Mater Young Adult Health Centre’s Clarence Street, a service that supports young people to make positive changes to their alcohol and other drug use. Outside work, she loves sewing, photography and going on bushwalking adventures with her husband and son.

Klaus Martin Beckmann ( Martin)  undertook his undergraduate medical degree in Germany. Martin then completed basic physician training in the British Isles. He undertook postgraduate studies in Psychiatry at South East Scotland Deanery and advanced training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at South East Anglia Deanery. In 2008 Martin migrated to Queensland and in 2011 also in Australia gained recognised specialisation in Psychiatry, with sub-specialisation in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He has the qualifications of MRCPsych, FRANZCP , CCST in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and accredited member with the Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of RANZCP and the Faculty of Adult Psychiatry of RANZCP . Martin since 2015 holds the title of Associate Professor with the School of Medicine, Griffith University at Logan Hospital campus.

Matt is a barrister in Mackay. He was admitted in 2011 and began as a prosecutor. He later practiced as a lawyer for LAQ. His call to the bar was in 2017. As a prosecutor, Matt appeared in specialist courts such as the Murri Court. At LAQ Matt represented children, persons with a mental condition, drug dependent persons, Indigenous persons and non-English speaking clients. At the bar Matt is briefed in criminal and family law matters all over Qld. He is on the complex criminal case panel for LAQ and has appeared as junior counsel in serious matters including attempted murder and murder. He appeared in the MHC before his appointment. He has appeared as junior counsel before the QCA. Matt is also an Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme tutor for CQU. Matt and his wife Natalia (a paediatric OT) have two young children.

Noela has over thirty years experience working within and for human service organisations. She has worked as Chief of Staff for a Queensland Government Minister and provided oversight on multiple Cabinet submissions, including those relating to the Youth Justice Amendment Regulation 2018, the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse Bill 2018, and the impact of the introduction of the Human Rights Bill 2018 on the Youth Justice Act. Noela has also been employed as the National Manager of a highly scrutinised and politically sensitive portfolio and worked at Executive level in the Commonwealth Government for almost two decades. She has extensive experience in implementing and evaluating complex reforms and providing advice on the impact of Government policies on service delivery and business outcomes. Noela has been commissioned by Government, Corporate and NGO sectors for her specialist skills in the conduct of organisational and program evaluations, strategic planning and performance management. She is passionate about empowering the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community and balancing human rights with civic responsibility. She was an authorised person under the Mental Health Act 1974 and has qualifications in social work, small business and workplace assessment and training.

Some 15 Ministers of Heath ago, around the time the Mental Health Act 1974 was being introduced, Pam van de Hoef graduated as a doctor from UQ. She worked in hospitals and general practice in a number of rural, remote and regional centres and had almost settling on a career in family planning when she had another idea and began specialising in psychiatry. She was admitted to the College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) in 1997, not long before the Mental Health Act 2000 was introduced. She fell into forensic psychiatry - and has not falled out yet - working in prisons and High Secure for over 7 years, an for the last nearly 24 years doing psychiatric assessments for the Mental Health Court and other courts. By another happy detour, she got another idea to work in psychogeriatrics, for nearly 13 years, and emcompassing the time of the introduction of the Mental Health Act 2016. She has been a medical member of the MHRT for 12 years. She has loved it all. She hopes to keep having ideas - like taking up quilting - and keeping active, though not simultaneously.

Rowan was educated in Rockhampton before joining  Queensland Police in 1974. He served in a number of  locations before retiring as a Superintendent in 2013.  Rowan initially specialised in traffic enforcement, road safety and crash investigation before being selected to co-ordinate the Fitzgerald reforms in Central Queensland.  He then served in various roles including coordination of traffic management and criminal intelligence.  He finalised his police service as District Officer at Gladstone, Mackay and finally, Bundaberg.  Rowan specialised in crisis and disaster management as part of his district role including command of some notorious transport incidents and weather events.  Rowan has significant experience dealing with forensic matters and crisis situations involving mentally ill persons.  He was also a trained conciliator and mediator and had 25 years experience in those conflict resolution roles.  Rowan is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Police Management campus of Charles Sturt University.  Rowan served on the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service Board and continues to serve on a number of health related committees.  He has been a community member of MHRT since 2014.  Rowan is a passionate restorer of vehicles and has a collection of classic motorcycles.  He  recently also completed restoration of a classic 1949 MG.

Shannon has 20 years experience as a child and family therapist working across child and youth mental health, private practice, family law and educational systems. Shannon is Director of Counselling and Engagement at a Brisbane hish school. Her areas of interest include adolescent mental health, child protection, school refusal and the interactions of medical/legal/educational systems in the support of child/family mental wellbeing. She has a Bachelor of Music (Therapy), Master of Social Work (Family Therapy) and Doctor of Philosophy (Social Work) and is published in a range of academic journals.

Sharon is a clinical social worker with over 35 years experience in mental health, disability (including intellectual disability) and rehabilitation. She is a Qualified Justice of the Peace and has post graduate qualifications in training and development (adult education) and vocational education for people with a disability. She is currently enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Mental Health. Sharon has worked primarily in the Central Queensland region with stints in Townsville and Mt Isa. Her interest areas are intellectual disability and criminality and mental illness in the elderly. She currently operates her own consultancy providing policy writing and quality audit support to not for profit organisations.

Simon has a background in education, social work and law. He has worked as a legal practitioner in private practice, community legal and advocacy services, as well as government and non-government sectors. Before coming to the law, Simon worked as a social worker in community and hospital settings throughout rural and metropolitan Queensland. He has held positions as lecturer and tutor in the former School of Social Work & Human Services at the University of Queensland. Simon was part of the Senior Management Team at the Office of the Adult Guardian, Office of the Public Guardian and Endeavour Foundation. Over the last ten years, he has sat on a number of Queensland Government reference committees and is the past Chair of the Queensland Law Society's Health & Disability Law Committee. From 2013 to 2015, Simon was the legal member of the University of Queensland's Human Experimental Ethical Review Committee. Simon was admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and High Court of Australia in 2007. He is a member of the Queensland Law Society and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and a past member of the Bar Association of Queensland.

Tania is a psychiatrist working in a multidisciplinary team caring for adults with mental health conditions in the centre of Cairns.  She is originally from Tully in North Queensland and completed a Bachelor of Science with first class honours, followed by a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, all at the University of Queensland.  Tania has worked in Cairns and Brisbane during her training years in psychiatry, which was an extended period due to the arrival of her two sons during her time as a registrar.  She particularly enjoys assisting people with social and intellectual challenges.  Tania appreciates the privilege of assisting people through difficult times and with difficult decisions.  She also appreciates the rich experience of working within a team environment to assist those in need.  Tania attained Fellowship with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in 2016.  She supports junior registrars through the training process and enjoys assisting the Cairns and Hinterland Mental Health and ATOD Service in service development opportunities.  Tania enjoys time with her sons and although she has spent a large part of her life studying, she has learned the most from being a mother.  Tania enjoys reading and most creative activities, although she would love more time to do them!  She is very enthusiastic about joining the Mental Health Review Tribunal, as she will have the opportunity to assist more Queenslanders who are experiencing mental health conditions and she will have a new means of participating in the work she enjoys.

Tarun Sehgal is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Divisional Director, Division of Mental Health in the public health service at Bayside. Tarun achieved psychiatrist post graduation qualifications from Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), UK and Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), Australia. Tarun accomplishd a Masters of Science in Neuroscience from Kings College, London. Tarun holds membership with RCPych, UK and fellowship with RANZCP, Australia. Tarun attained certificate training in General Adult Psychiatry, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry and Rehabilitation Psychiatry. Besides clinical interest in management of psychosis and affective disorder, Tarun has a special interest in service development and legal aspects.