Ken is a small business proprietor in the retail furniture industry and is an advocate for the special interests of people with a mental illness. Ken’s daughter Joanne was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1995. After her death in 2000 Ken became a member of MIFQ and was elected to the Executive Board. He has been President of MIFQ since September 2006.  Ken also served as President of the Queensland Division of the Royal Commonwealth Society of Australia for three years and as President of The Brisbane Eisteddfod for 11 years.

Bob has over ten years of experience in the mental health sector, having served on the Stepping Stone Clubhouse Management Committee from 2001 and 2009. He served as General Committee Member, Vice President and Treasurer and was the President between 2005 and 2009. He joined the Executive Board of MIFQ in 2009. Bob is a member of the State Council for the Queensland Alliance for Mental Health and is involved with the Finance Sub-Committee. Prior to his involvement in the not-for-profit sector, Bob worked in the banking and finance industry for 33 years.

Cameron is a Partner in Grant Thornton's Audit and Assurance practice in Brisbane.  He has more than 17 years audit experience including five years working in London. Cameron has worked with many large corporate and fast growing entrepreneurial clients, particularly in the travel, transportation, tourism and resource sectors. Cameron is a Chartered Accountant and Registered Company Auditor.

Charles is a computer programmer with the Australian Taxation Office and has been an employee of the ATO for 20 years. Charles has the neurological condition epilepsy and although he has not had a seizure in 30 years, it is a lifelong condition. He was on the Board of the Epilepsy Association of Queensland in the early 1990s. Charles also has some experience as a carer, having supported his elderly mother until she died in 2006.

Phil Abernethy [BE (Chem) (Hons) MBA]

Phil is the founder and Director of an environmental product and training company.  This company is the leading environmental vocational training company in Australia.  Phil has also worked with a range of community organisations in the past.  His experience with family members who suffer from mental illness underpins his commitment to MIFQ.  

Coby joined MIFQ in 1996 as a volunteer for the monthly barbeques in Southport and has been a member of the Gold Coast Branch Committee since 1997. Coby was employed by Landmark BoysTown for two years as a consumer support worker and was the consumer representative of Integrated Mental Health Services Gold Coast for three years. Coby is an active member of the Gold Coast Consumer and Carer Advisory Group and is a current member of the General Practice Gold Coast Mental Health Advisory Committee. Coby experienced a major psychosis in 1987/88 and has been successfully treated for her bipolar disorder.

Trish Nolan [PhD in Psychology, MAppPsych, Grad Dip Psych, BA]

Trish is Deputy Director of Research (previously Research Manager) at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research. In this role Trish supports QCMHR’s vision of discovering the genetic and environmental causes of mental illnesses, particularly schizophrenia.  She also supports QCMHR's research on developing better policies and services for affected people and their families, assisting the mentally ill to find and keep employment, and treatments for early psychosis. Prior to this, Trish worked in the field of mental health as a private practitioner and in the public system, both in Australia and the United States of America.

Ryan Bryer

Ryan was elected to the MIFQ Executive Board in September 2012. During his final year of high school, Ryan was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Since his diagnosis, Ryan has managed his illness without receiving Government funding through self-awareness and support from health professionals, family, friends and colleagues. Ryan’s recovery has been very successful and he has excelled in all areas of his life.

Ryan volunteered as a Teacher Aide for St Williams Grovely Catholic Primary School in North Brisbane for five years. Following this, Ryan was employed as the first ever paid Trainee with Mamre Association Inc, a community organisation that supports families who have a family member with a disability. Due to his work ethic, dedication and ability to learn skills quickly, Mamre recognised Ryan as an asset when his traineeship ended, and he has been employed full-time for the past five years. Ryan has gained Tertiary qualifications in Education Support, Theology, Christian Ministry and Business. He has taken on a leadership role with several projects within Mamre and plans on expanding his role further in the future.