Our patrons
Gen. the Hon. David Hurley
AC CVO DSC (Retd)
Former Chief of Defence
38th Governor General of NSW
27th Governor-General of Australia
A distinguished leader with over four decades of service to Australia, General Hurley's contributions span military command, state and national vice-regal office, and community engagement. He began his career in the Australian Army in 1972 and graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, rising through the ranks to become Chief of the Defence Force in 2011.
Following his military career, he served as the 38th Governor of New South Wales (2014-2019) and subsequently as the 27th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia (2019-2024).
General Hurley served as Governor-General during the Black Summer bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic, witnessing firsthand the profound mental health impacts of these crises. He remains deeply committed to supporting veterans' wellbeing and continues to champion mental health initiatives across Australia.
As Patron of ASoP, General Hurley lends his distinguished legacy of service, integrity, and national leadership to our mission of advancing best-practice mental health care and supporting psychiatrists across Australia.
Prof. Allan Fels
AO
Former Chairs of the ACCC and National Mental Health Commission
Foundation Dean of ANZSOG
Professor Fels brings a distinguished career spanning law, economics, public service, and mental health advocacy.
He served as the inaugural Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) from 1995 to 2003, following his leadership of its predecessor agencies.
In academia, Professor Fels was Foundation Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) and is Professorial Fellow at both the University of Melbourne and Monash University.
His contributions to mental health policy are extensive: he chaired the National Mental Health Commission from 2012 to 2018 and has held numerous roles in sector reform and advocacy, including as Chair of the Haven Foundation which supports people with persistent mental illness.
Professor Fels' unique blend of regulatory, academic, and advocacy experience makes him a powerful champion for ASoP's mission — advocating for high-quality mental health care and the vital role of psychiatrists in Australia.
Our directors and executives
NSW
Dr Pramudie Gunaratne
CEO/Executive Director
Pramudie is a neuropsychiatrist and co-founder of Seriph Clinics, a specialist service caring for people with complex neuropsychiatric disorders.
She was awarded the Australian Medical Association's 2025 'Women in Medical Leadership Award' for spearheading efforts to strengthen the public mental health system and raise awareness about workforce shortages.
She is the NSW Chair of the RANZCP, has served on multiple not-for-profit boards, and worked as a consultant to the Brain Health Unit at the WHO in Geneva. Pramudie undertook public health training at the LSHTM and was awarded the University of London 150th Anniversary Prize for Academic Achievement.
NSW
A/Prof. Beth Kotzé
Director
Beth is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and medical administrator who has worked in public mental health services for over 35 years in a range of roles including clinical, policy, strategy, service development, and operations.
Beth is currently Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in metropolitan Sydney. She is passionate about influencing practice, strategy, and policy so that people impacted by mental health issues can fulfil their potential and goals in life.
Beth loves learning French, cooking for family and friends, and reading.
NSW/QLD
Dr Kathryn Drew
Director
Kathryn is a psychiatrist who has worked in public mental health for over 25 years. For the last 15 years, she has been a clinical director in a number of different health districts in NSW (metropolitan and regional).
Kathryn is passionate about improving service delivery to enhance the care of people with serious mental illness. She was the recipient of the 2025 RANZCP NSW Branch Meritorious Service Award.
Kathryn has had longstanding interests in medical leadership and training. She has held various roles, including Chair of the RANZCP NSW Branch Training Committee.
QLD
Prof. Steve Kisely
Director
Steve is a psychiatrist, addiction and public health physician, and Professor at the University of Queensland. He also holds an adjunct appointment in Psychiatry, Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University (Canada) and serves as Director of Research for Addiction and Mental Health Services, Metro South Health. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (ANZJP) and has authored over 500 peer-reviewed papers.
Steve has received numerous awards, including the RANZCP Senior Research Award, as well as the Alex Leighton Award and Distinguished Fellowship of the Canadian Psychiatric Association (DFCPA). He has held leadership roles within the BMA, RANZCP, RCPsych, and AMA, and has served as an advisor to the TGA.
QLD
Prof. James Scott
Director
James is the Professor of Child and Youth Psychiatry at The University of Queensland and Children's Health Queensland. He is also the Medical Director of Ramsay Health New Farm.
James is a clinician researcher who has established a programme of clinical and epidemiological research whilst continuing to deliver care to children and adolescents living with severe and complex mental illness. He has authored in excess of 370 peer-reviewed publications.
In 2025, James was the inaugural recipient of the RANZCP Section of Youth Mental Health Excellence Award presented for outstanding contributions to the advancement of Youth Mental Health within Australia.
SA
Prof. Tarun Bastiampillai
Director
Tarun has worked as a psychiatrist in both the UK and Australia. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Flinders University and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Monash University. He was appointed the South Australian Health Executive Director of Mental Health Strategy between 2015 and 2018 and was Clinical Director between 2010 and 2014.
Tarun was the recipient of the RANZCP Margaret Tobin Award in 2020 for his contributions to administrative psychiatry. He is the Deputy Editor of Australasian Psychiatry. He has utilised an evidence-based approach to policy and strategy, integrating research and informatics with his executive leadership roles.
VIC
A/Prof. Andrew Carroll
Director
Andrew has worked as a forensic psychiatrist in public mental health services in Australia since the 1990s. He is currently Deputy Chief Psychiatrist (Forensic Mental Health) at the Department of Health in Victoria. He has a private practice conducting medicolegal assessments, with expertise in both serious crime and in psychiatric injury.
Andrew has published widely on matters relevant to forensic psychiatry and is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Swinburne University of Technology. He is also a Director of 'Our Curious Minds', a mental health training and consultancy company.
VIC
Prof. Christopher Davey
Director
Chris is the Cato Chair and Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne and a psychiatrist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Chris' main clinical and research focus is on severe mood disorders, and he has led major multi-centre clinical trials investigating innovative treatments encompassing psychotherapy, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, and ketamine.
Chris has previously held roles as the Editor of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry (ANZJP) and as a psychiatrist and research lead at Orygen, a youth mental health clinical and research programme in Melbourne.
WA/Regional
Dr Deepika Yerrakalva
Director
Deepika is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who has worked in the regional areas of four different states of Australia. She is currently based in Western Australia but has previously primarily worked in regional NSW as a full-time staff specialist. She has held various training and medical leadership roles.
Deepika is UK-trained, studying medicine at the University of Cambridge including Ethics and Law, as well as child and adolescent psychiatry training at the Tavistock Clinic in London. She has a special interest and training in systemic work, family therapy, and organisational dynamics.
Trainee
Dr Amy Corderoy
Director
Amy is a trainee psychiatrist currently working in NSW. As well as practising full-time as a doctor, she is undertaking a PhD at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) examining the use of involuntary inpatient psychiatric treatment. Her research interests include medical ethics and the interaction between psychiatry and the law. In 2025, she was awarded the UNSW HDR Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health Best Paper Award.
Prior to medicine, Amy was an award-winning journalist who worked for a number of publications, including in the role of Health Editor for the Sydney Morning Herald. She has received the National Press Club's Excellence in Health Journalism Award, the Public Health Association of Australia's President's Award, and the National Prescribing Service Media Award.
Lived Experience
Sarah Logan
Director
Sarah is the Chief Marketing Officer for a group of technology companies transforming Australia's cybersecurity landscape. She leads with creativity and heart, believing cybersecurity is fundamentally about people — protecting them, empowering them, and helping them remain resilient in a rapidly changing world.
Beyond technology, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health reform in Australia. Drawing from her lived experience with complex mental health challenges, she champions systemic change to ensure that people with severe and complex needs — and their families — receive accessible, compassionate and evidence-based care. Most recently, she led a public petition calling on the NSW Government to strengthen the state's mental health system and support the professionals who sustain it.
Media
David Faktor
Public Affairs Executive
David is the principal of Faktor Advisory, a communications, public affairs, and advocacy agency. He has a reputation for shifting behaviour, amplifying awareness, and influencing policy through impactful and authentic communications.
For 23 years, David served as the key spokesperson for St Vincent's facilities across NSW, where he was regarded as a leading public affairs and communications specialist within the healthcare and biomedical research sectors.
David's primary role over the past two decades has been in both internal and external stakeholder engagement, promoting key organisational strategic objectives while overseeing risk-mitigation strategies. Prior to working at St Vincent's, David was the Manager of Public Affairs at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne (1998-2001).