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This panel discussion, titled Addressing the Current Gaps in Student Wellbeing, will focus on the urgent need for proactive, data-driven approaches to supporting student mental health and emotional wellbeing in schools. The session will bring together thought leaders from government and the health sector to explore key challenges faced by schools, including the lack of real-time data on student wellbeing, inequities in access to support, and the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
Panellists will delve into how current practices often react to wellbeing issues only after they have escalated, and will highlight the necessity of moving from a reactive to a preventative model. The discussion will address the role of real-time data in enabling early intervention, explore the importance of equitable access to wellbeing support, and examine how schools can implement continuous improvements to their wellbeing programs. Additionally, the conversation will include the critical role of technology and family involvement in supporting the mental and emotional health of students.
The panel aims to inspire action, urging participants to work collaboratively toward creating an inclusive, supportive school environment that fosters both emotional resilience and academic success. This session is an essential opportunity for senior executives in the government and health sectors to engage in meaningful conversations about shaping the future of student wellbeing.
Nikki Bonus, CEO & Founder of Life Skills GO, brings over 20 years of experience in social-emotional literacy programs and real-time wellbeing data solutions. Life Skills GO platform helps schools detect patterns, deploy interventions, and enhance student wellbeing.
Sally Webster is Head of K12 Schools Industry, Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) at Amazon Web Services (AWS). Sally has over 15 years’ experience in the K-12 education sector both in the classroom and leading statewide programs.
Dr Paula Barrett is a clinician, scholar and researcher in the field of child psychology. She has been recognised as being amongst the top 1 percent of publishers within the field of Psychology and Psychiatry at an international level. Dr Barrett received the Highly Commended Certificate in the Human Rights Medal of the Australian Human Rights Commission (2009) for her contribution to the wellbeing of children, youth and
the wider community.
Dr Barrett is the author of the globally acclaimed FRIENDS Programs, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based programs, acknowledged by the World Health Organisation, as best practice for the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression, promoting resilience in families, schools and communities. Training in the FRIENDS Programs is delivered worldwide to individuals, charities, organisations, schools and governments.
Dr Barrett is the director of Friends Resilience Pty Ltd and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Psychology at Edith Cowan University.
Doctor of Philosophy (UQ)
Master of Clinical Psychology (UQ)
Director Friends Resilience Pty Ltd
Author of the FRIENDS Programs
Daniel Payne, Assistant Principal at Shortland Public School, has nearly 20 years of experience in public education and is dedicated to fostering supportive school environments. At Shortland, he has championed the integration of Life Skills GO into the school’s wellbeing strategy, using it to enhance emotional intelligence, resilience, and student voice. This tool has reshaped the school’s vision for student development and aligns with its holistic approach to nurturing the whole child. Daniel’s leadership has empowered staff and students alike, contributing to a more inclusive, mindful, and well-rounded school community.
Gayle Walters has a background of over 25 years in the Queensland Public Sector and the Not-for-Profit space and is currently the Executive Director Strategy and Communications for PeakCare the preeminent peak body for the child and family sector in Queensland. Gayle has also previously held the position of Chief of Staff to a Queensland Government Minister for the Education, Youth Justice and Training and Skills portfolios and a Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister for Child Safety Youth and Women and the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence. Gayle has a strong background in social justice and human services working with and to improve the lives of children and families in Queensland, knowing the importance of early intervention programs and supports that keep families together and children in education so that they are on a pathway to prosperity.
Gayle has also held the position of President and Chair of P&Cs Qld, representing 1260 Parent and Citizens Associations across Queensland and advocating for the best possible educational outcomes for all students. Gayle has been acknowledged and recognised for her long-term commitment to ensuring every child has every chance in education across Queensland.
Gems McLean is a passionate advocate for student wellbeing, equity, and the power of technology in education. As the Regional Director for K-12 across APAC at Instructure, she is dedicated to ensuring no learner is left behind.
Her journey has been anything but traditional. Despite being told she would never amount to anything and facing significant challenges in her school years—including an undiagnosed neurodivergence and growing up in a household affected by mental health struggles—she has built a career that proves otherwise. Without finishing high school or attending university, she has navigated a path that led her from the world of EdTech to Amazon Web Services and back to Instructure, where she now champions the role of technology in shaping better educational outcomes.
More than just a leader in edtech, she is a mentor, a champion for diversity and inclusion, and someone who deeply believes in the power of kindness and community. She sees people for who they are and strives to elevate, encourage, and empower them to recognise their own strengths. Her personal story fuels her mission: to ensure that no student slips through the cracks and that every young person is seen, supported, and given the opportunities they deserve.
Her superpower? Using her lived experience to help others uncover theirs.
Gavin McCormack is a Montessori educator, author, and co-founder of Upschool.co – a platform delivering free, purposeful education to children worldwide. Recognised globally for his work in education reform, Gavin has built schools, trained teachers, and developed impactful courses rooted in values-based, real-world learning. His latest book, Raising Resilient Children: 7 Steps to Raising Lifelong Learners, is a powerful guide for parents and educators navigating the modern world of childhood, resilience, and education with purpose.
Dianne Giblin AM MICDA – CEO, Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO)
Dianne has worked in education in both paid and unpaid capacity for the past 32 years.
Di has a passion for education, in particular public education, and the opportunities it affords young people. She has led the ACSSO secretariat since 2011 but has been a significant player in parent activism since 1984 when her eldest child commenced school. She is proud of her four children’s achievements – all successes of public education.
She has held various volunteer roles in the parent movement finishing her P&C career as President of the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW.
Di was a founding Director of Public Education Foundation whose board position she held for six years; a founding Director of Primary Ethics Board and also a founding Director of The Parenthood board.
She worked in a paid capacity for the NSW education department in a number of roles across a large area of Sydney. Her roles were all in the area of parent engagement and home-school partnerships including school based community officer, across district Community Development Officer and regional Partnership Officer – all through the Priority Schools Program.
Recognition of her work saw her commended for Meritorious Service to Public Education and Training in 2010. In 2012 Dianne was admitted as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for her service to public education and the community.
