Lucy has a strong commitment to helping others.  Her primary areas of focus are issues facing Women and Girls and Mental Health and Wellbeing particularly in the workplace.  She takes an evidenced based approach to problem solving and social investment.   

Lucy has more than 25 years’ experience commercial experience with companies including Macquarie Group and Ernst & Young working in accounting, finance and organisational psychology. Specifically, Lucy has worked in trusted advisory roles with some of Australia’s leading CEO’s, Managing Partners, Ministers and Chairs. 

Samantha Taylor commenced in the role of Registrar with the NDIS Commission in March 2018. Prior to this, Ms Taylor was Executive Director of NDIS Implementation in the NSW Department of Family and Community Services. In this role, she led NSW negotiations on the NSW NDIS agreement, and managed all facets of the NSW transition to the NDIS, giving effect to the $6 billion agreement with the Australian Government. She also advised on the transfer of NSW Government-operated specialist disability services to the non- government sector. Ms Taylor held senior executive roles for over 15 years in the NSW public service working in human and social services portfolios.

In 2017, Ms Taylor was awarded a Public Service Medal for her leadership in disability reform in NSW.

Ivan was appointed Commissioner from 1 July 2017 and brings substantial policy, academic and patient-centred experience to the role.

He was Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Operations for Aftercare, one of Australia’s oldest non-government mental health organisations. His responsibilities included leading Aftercare’s national operations and overseeing the development and implementation of new programs and services.

Prior to his five years with Aftercare, Ivan held senior government positions including as Director, Mental Health Programs and Reforms in the Department of Communities, where he was responsible for policy development, funding and reform of the non-government mental health sector in Queensland.

Ivan has worked extensively within the mental health system in Queensland for some 20 years, holding a number of senior positions across Government. He was also a director within the Mental Health Branch of Queensland Health where he led the Queensland Mental Health Commission Transition Team, which supported the establishment of the Commission.

NDS members in Queensland might have already engaged with Ian in his previous role as Senior Sector Support Officer - managing the successful Information, Linkages and Capacity-building program on behalf of NDS for more than 12 months.

Prior to that, Ian gained extensive experience as an Industry Skills Advisor, the Principal Consultant for his own consulting firm, and the Director for the Centre for Managed Strategies at the Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE.

In addition, Ian has been a Director and Chair of the board for an innovative not-for-profit organisation supporting children, which dramatically expanded its reach and funding base during his 10-year stewardship.

Extremely well-qualified, Ian has a Masters in Business Administration and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Currently Strategic Advisor, Mental Health and Psychosocial Disability in the Policy, Advice and Research Division of the NDIA, Gerry has extensive experience in the community mental health sector.  Prior to taking up his position with the Agency, Gerry spent nine years as the Chief Executive of Mind Australia.  He was also a member of the Independent Advisory Council to the NDIA and, along with Janet Meagher, led the IAC’s work on mental health and the NDIS.  He has been a member of the Expert Advisory Group to the Mental Health Service Planning Group and was a member of the VICSERV Board for five years.  

Gerry is Chair of the National Mental Health Sector Reference Group and a member of the Expert Advisory Committee for the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.  Gerry has an extensive career in human services in the disability and aged care sectors and has a strong history of engagement on consumer and carer participation.

Passionate about ensuring that mental health and disability support services are inclusive and diverse, as CEO Paula will drive a far-reaching new strategic direction for Open Minds, focused on expanding our high-quality services and securing growth opportunities.

Paula is a business leader with a strong foundation in Operations, Commercial Management, Human Resources, External Relations and Communications. She is a commercial, customer focused Executive with experience in the development and implementation of enterprise and functional business strategy. 

Paula has spent twenty years in Australia, Asia, North America, and Europe working in leadership roles with medium to large multi-national publicly listed and For Purpose organisations across multiple sectors. She most recently was the Executive Lead of the Better Together program at Diabetes QLD and NSW/ACT and prior to this was Chief Operating Officer at Endeavour Foundation.   

She holds a Masters of Management, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Science and an Arts Degree (Double Major Psychology). She is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Her passions are increasing the reach of for purpose organisations, change leadership; inclusion and diversity and of course her family. Paula is married and has three children.