headspace announces new Board Chair

headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation today announces the appointment of Lisa Paul AO PSM as new Board Chair. Ms Paul succeeds Ian Marshman who has been in the position since 2016 and a Board member since 2009. 

To date Ms Paul has joined the Boards of a listed private company, Navitas and the Government's Naval Shipbuilding Advisory Board. She also sits on the Boards of several not-for-profit organisations including Social Ventures Australia.

In addition, Ms Paul has 32 years’ experience in the public sector including 12 years as Secretary of two federal government departments covering education, science, training and employment. Ms Paul was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2011 and was awarded a Public Service Medal for coordinating the federal government's domestic response to the Bali bombings.

Ms Paul said she was delighted to be working with headspace for its authentic and inclusive approach to young people, which makes it an innovator in the delivery of youth mental health services.

“Youth mental health is a critical issue for this country and I am proud to be in a position to help bring about positive change in my new role at headspace. With increasing rates of distress being reported by young people it has never been more important for us to ensure they have high quality, youth-friendly services that are tailored to their needs.” 

“With the recent boost to headspace funding, I look forward to working with Government, our mental health sector colleagues and the wider headspace network to continue to deliver services to all young Australians no matter where they live”, Ms Paul said.

Ms Paul also acknowledged the enormous contribution of current Board Chair Ian Marshman. “Ian has been a tireless and dedicated advocate for young people and their mental health. He served on the headspace Board for close to ten years and has seen headspace grow into the Government’s preferred youth mental health platform”, Ms Paul said.

Mr Marshman said he was proud to pass on this important mantle to Ms Paul. “I anticipate that her wealth of experience will help headspace continue to throw a spotlight on youth mental health as a fundamental priority for government and society as a whole.”

“I am proud to leave headspace in a strong, forward-looking position with close to 110 centres operating nationally and an integrated online and phone counselling service available 7 days a week. I am honoured that headspace has been able to help close to 450,000 young Australians.” 

“I also wish to thank my fellow Board members and CEO, Jason Trethowan for their contributions and to wish them well in future”, Mr Marshman said.

Ms Paul will officially transition into the role on 28 November at the headspace Annual General Meeting. Her appointment occurs alongside the appointment of two new youth advisors to the Board, as further demonstration of headspace’s commitment to putting youth participation at the very core of the organisation. 

For media enquiries please contact:

Suzanne La Fontaine, headspace Media & Communications Manager: slafontaine@headspace.org.au  0438 278 000

Stephanie Fonti, headspace Media & Communications Coordinator: sfonti@headspace.org.au 0431 167 636 

Lisa Paul – Additional Biography

Secretary of federal government departments between 2004 and 2016. First appointed Secretary of the Department of Education, Science and Training by Prime Minister John Howard. She was reappointed Secretary of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations by Prime Minister Rudd with further reappointments by Prime Ministers Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull.

Ms Paul wanted the next stage of her career to focus on her passions of leadership, digital disruption and continuing to make a positive difference in the private and not-for-profit sector which she has done with a number of Board appointments. She holds an Enterprise Professorship part-time at the University of Melbourne and is a Counsellor of Bond University.

Ms Paul is a National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, an Australian National University Policy Fellow, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a member of Chief Executive Women and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government.

She is a former director of the Programmed Group, former non-executive director of Advanced Personnel Management (APM) Group as well as a member of the Advisory Board to the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP) and Enterprise Professor-Public Policy at the University of Melbourne. In 2011 Ms Paul was awarded federal government leader of the year by the Institute to of Chartered Accountants. She grew up in Adelaide and moved to Canberra to attend the Australian National University.