The Lady Musgrave Trust 17th Annual Forum on Women and Homelessness
All ladders, no snakes
Transforming intergenerational disadvantage into multi-generational opportunity
- Thursday, 7 August, 9am-1:30pm
- Gardens Theatre, QUT Gardens Point Campus
The Lady Musgrave Trust 17th Annual Forum on Women and Homelessness
All ladders, no snakes
Transforming intergenerational disadvantage into multi-generational opportunity
- Thursday, 7 August, 9am-1:30pm
- Gardens Theatre, QUT Gardens Point Campus
Rachel Mealey
ABC Journalist & Presenter
Rachel Mealey is a Walkley-nominated ABC journalist and presenter with more than 25 years of experience reporting across Australia and internationally. She can be heard on the ABC’s flagship current affairs programs including AM, PM and The World Today, and regularly presents on ABC Brisbane. Rachel has worked as the ABC’s Tokyo Correspondent and Sydney Court Reporter, and brings a strong sense of integrity and insight to every story she tells.
Rachel Mealey, Journalist, ABC
Aimee McVeigh
CEO, QCOSS
Aimee McVeigh is the CEO of QCOSS and a leading advocate for equality, opportunity and wellbeing for all Queenslanders. Aimee is a community lawyer and human rights advocate who led the successful campaign for the introduction of Queensland’s Human Rights Act.
Her career spans law, policy and advocacy, with a focus on domestic violence, discrimination, guardianship, child protection and disability. Aimee has held senior roles across the legal and community sectors, including work with the Disability Royal Commission, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Legal and Advocacy Service, and as a gender advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples.
She holds a Master of Laws (International and Public Law) and has been recognised as a finalist for both the Australian of the Year Awards and the Human Rights Medal.
Caitlyn Wheatley
Youth Worker, Y School
Caitlyn Wheatley is a youth worker at Y School and a current resident of the Logan Youth Foyer. She is also a Youth Ambassador for the Foyer Foundation, using her lived experience to advocate for better housing and support systems for young people.
Caitlyn brings firsthand insight into the challenges young people face, having navigated homelessness, out-of-home care, mental health and addiction services. She is passionate about ensuring youth voices are heard in policy and program design, and has shared her story with ABC Radio, The Courier-Mail and directly with political leaders in Parliament House.
Currently completing her Certificate IV in Youth Work, Caitlyn is committed to driving change and supporting other young people to access the opportunities they deserve.
Carolyn Curry
Wellspring Children and Families Hub Coordinator, Micah Projects
Carolyn Curry coordinates the Wellspring Children and Families Hub at Micah Projects – a trauma-informed space supporting families experiencing homelessness and vulnerability. The hub takes a two-generation approach, offering early years programs, supported playgroups and perinatal mental health support for families with young children. Carolyn began her career in early childhood education before moving into the community sector, where she has worked across mental health, housing and family services. She has led multiple integrated family housing initiatives, with a focus on breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
Cindy Barden
Founder, Lil Bug Love
Cindy Barden is the founder of Lil Bug Love, a project born from her lived experience of fleeing domestic violence with her young daughter. After navigating police stations with no belongings or comfort for her child, Cindy created the Lil Bug Love kits – thoughtfully trauma-informed care packages designed to provide children with comfort, distraction and emotional support in crisis situations.
Each kit contains items like a soft toy, activity book and sensory tools to help children express themselves and begin healing. Cindy’s goal is to see these kits available in every police station in Australia – and beyond – so no child facing trauma feels as empty or unsupported as her daughter once did.
Corin Moffatt
Co-CEO, Foyer Foundation
Corin Moffatt is the CO-CEO of the Foyer Foundation, a national organisation working to break the cycle of youth homelessness by scaling the reach and impact of Accredited Youth Foyers across Australia. These foyers provide young people aged 16–24 with stable housing, education, employment pathways and life skills support for up to two years.
Corin brings over two decades of experience across government, consulting and the not-for-profit sector. Her background includes roles as a Senior Executive in government, Senior Advisor to two NSW Premiers, Partner at AlphaBeta, and most recently, Managing Director at Accenture Economic Insights. She is driven by a commitment to evidence-based change that improves long-term outcomes for young people.
Corinne Harper
Young Families Connect Program Manager, Ipswich State High School
Corinne Harper is the Program Manager of Young Families Connect at Ipswich State High School, where she supports pregnant and parenting students through flexible, inclusive education pathways. A teenage mother herself, Corinne brings powerful lived experience and over 30 years of professional expertise across education, community services and organisational leadership.
Her work integrates childcare and education to support the wellbeing of young families, breaking down barriers to learning and opportunity. Through a holistic, trauma-informed approach, Corinne helps young parents rewrite their futures with resilience, empowerment and connection.
Fiona Caniglia
CEO, Q Shelter
Fiona Caniglia is the CEO of Q Shelter, a peak body committed to housing solutions for all Queenslanders. A long-time advocate for housing and homelessness services, Fiona has been connected to Q Shelter since the 1990s and was appointed Executive Director in 2018. She brings extensive experience across government, community services and the private sector, with qualifications in social work and social planning. Fiona was recently selected for the 2-24–2025 Social Impact Leadership Australia Program, and continues to lead Q Shelter with a clear vision: a home for every Queenslander.
Julie Saunders
CEO, Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) Queensland
Julie Saunders is the CEO of CHIA QLD and a passionate advocate for inclusive communities and housing justice. A qualified urban planner and property specialist, she brings more than 30 years of experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
Julie has led major planning, policy and infrastructure reforms, including contributions to national planning frameworks and social housing supply strategies. She has served on the Housing Supply Expert Panel, the Queensland First Nations Housing and Homelessness Partnership, and the Expert Disability Housing Advisory Panel. A former Chair of BRIC Housing, Julie is a leader in systems change – committed to ensuring every person has a safe and secure place to call home.
Dr Kate Raynor
Director, Centre for Equitable Housing, Per Capita Victoria
Dr Kate Raynor is the Director of Per Capita’s Centre for Equitable Housing and a leading voice on housing justice and equity in Australia. With a background that spans academia, consulting, not-for-profits and tech start-ups, Kate is a social researcher committed to systems change. Originally from Far North Queensland, she completed her PhD at QUT before joining the University of Melbourne, and now works closely with Australians Investing in Women to advance gender equity in housing. Her work has been featured across media, conferences, academic journals and industry reports.
Katie McDonald
Evaluation, Implementation and Innovation Manager, YFS
Katie McDonald leads evaluation and innovation at YFS in Logan, where she has played a key role in shaping the organisation’s outcomes-focused approach over the past eight years. Her work includes the design and delivery of YFS’s monitoring, evaluation and learning framework – helping to strengthen the organisation’s evidence base, drive innovation and demonstrate impact. Katie brings a strong background in research, evaluation and organisational development to her role, with a focus on continuous improvement in community services.
Kim McAlonan
Acting Area Manager – Cairns Housing Service Centre, Department of Housing and Public Works
With nearly 30 years of experience in government, Kim McAlonan is a long-serving advocate for housing stability and homelessness solutions in Far North Queensland. Based at the Cairns Housing Service Centre, she has spent 25 years supporting local communities and now serves as Acting Area Manager.
Kim plays a key leadership role in the region, chairing the Cairns Place-Based Response Team and contributing to initiatives like the Cairns Youth Homelessness Network and Multi-agency Coordination Panels. She is the driving force behind the Young Parent Coordinated Care Project, a collaborative initiative supporting young parents through wraparound services. Kim’s work is defined by a commitment to integrated, community-led responses that create sustainable pathways out of homelessness.
Laura Mahoney
Acting CEO, Launch Housing Victoria
Laura Mahoney is the Acting CEO of Launch Housing, one of Melbourne’s largest providers of housing and specialist homelessness support. Each year, Launch Housing supports more than 1500 people across Metropolitan Melbourne. Laura joined the organisation in 2020, bringing a strong commitment to social justice and gender equity, particularly for women, families and First Nations peoples. She has a background in government and public value consulting, and is passionate about evidence-based, cross-sector solutions to homelessness. Laura holds a Masters of Social Science, a Bachelor of Public Policy and Management (Hons), a Bachelor of Arts, and is a graduate of the AICD.
Lou Baker
Senior Manager, Young Women, Families and Safe Relationships, Brisbane Youth Service
Lou Baker leads the Young Women, Families and Safe Relationships team at Brisbane Youth Service, overseeing a suite of programs supporting young people facing homelessness, family violence, and complex life challenges.
Her portfolio includes the Young Women’s Program, Young Families Program, Young Dads Program, Immediate Housing Response, and the Safe Young Mums and Bubs residential service. Lou also guides the organisation’s Safe Relationships stream, which includes DFSV advocacy, the K.I.N.D. program for young people using violence, and group programs supporting recovery and prevention. Lou brings strategic vision and frontline insight to her work supporting safety, connection and long-term outcomes for young people.
Luke Baker
Manager, FamilyLinQ
Luke Baker is the Manager of FamilyLinQ, a new integrated school initiative for Queensland that brings together education, health, early childhood, family support and employment services through purpose-built community hubs.
With more than 25 years’ experience in social planning, policy and community development, Luke has had roles with QCOSS, Logan City Council, Logan Together, Queensland Health and The Bryan Foundation. He now leads FamilyLinQ as a collaborative initiative between the Queensland Government and The Bryan Foundation, focused on improving outcomes for children and families through place-based, wraparound support.
Dr Lyra L’Estrange
Senior Lecturer, QUT School of Education
Dr Lyra L’Estrange is a Senior Lecturer at the QUT School of Education, with a research and teaching focus on trauma-aware education. She works with educators across early learning and school settings to embed trauma-informed practice, grounded in neuroscience and an understanding of how adversity impacts learning and development.
Lyra is a passionate advocate for education as a pathway to social justice and healing. She plays a key role in shaping national trauma-informed education guidelines and services on the international organising committee for the Trauma-Aware Education Conference.
Dr Michael Fotheringham
Managing Director, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)
Dr Michael Fotheringham is the Managing Director of AHURI, where he leads Australia’s national housing and urban research agenda. Since 2014, he has overseen the development of a globally respected evidence base on housing, homelessness and urban policy, and provides expert advice to governments across all levels.
Michael is a trusted voice in media, government and research circles – regularly briefing ministers, appearing in national and international forums, and contributing to a range of expert panels and advisory groups. He currently sits on the Australian Government’s Urban Policy Forum, the Ministerial Homelessness Reform Advisory Group, and the ANZSOG Research Council, and is a board member of National Shelter.
Paulina Tapia
Coordinator, Brisbane Zero
Paulina Tapia is the Brisbane Zero Coordinator at Micah Projects, where she works to end homelessness through collaboration, data and system reform. Brisbane Zero is a collective impact initiative uniting 18 organisations, with Micah Projects as the backbone organisation.
In her role, Paulina coordinates stakeholders across the homelessness sector to maintain alignment with the Advance to Zero framework and support broader connections with Zero communities in Queensland. With qualifications in sociology and public policy, she is passionate about building a system that is coordinated, responsive and driven by real-time data and lived experience.
Rebecca Roberts
Lead Partner, Strategy and Business Design, Deloitte Queensland
Rebecca Roberts leads Deloitte’s Strategy and Business Design Practice in Queensland and plays a key role in the firm’s Public Sector Practice. With more than 20 years of experience across public and private sectors, Bec specialises in complex strategy, transformation and data-informed decision-making – from policy development to large-scale organisational change.
Her work spans ASX-listed companies, major public sector departments and mission-driven organisations. She is particularly passionate about community impact, having partnered with organisations such as Common Ground Queensland to develop strategic cases for change in the housing and homelessness space.
Stephanie Blunt
Head of Wellbeing, Y School
Stephanie Blunt is Head of Wellbeing at Y School and a passionate advocate for young people navigating complex life challenges. With over 20 years’ experience in education, youth work and community development, Stephanie has led youth wellbeing at the Y Queensland for more than a decade.
She has been instrumental in the development of the Y’s trauma-aware education model, Thrive, and oversees a multidisciplinary team of counsellors, youth workers and case managers. Stephanie’s leadership is grounded in compassion, inclusion and care – creating school environments where students feel safe, supported and empowered to succeed.
Sue Pope
CEO, Common Ground
Sue Pope is the CEO of Common Ground Queensland, a Tier 2 community housing provider delivering supportive housing solutions for Queensland’s most vulnerable communities. With more than 20 years of executive leadership across the housing, health and community sectors, Sue has led major policy, advocacy and service delivery reforms.
Her experience spans mental health, substance use, family support and community capacity building, underpinned by a commitment to person-centred, trauma-informed and co-designed approaches. Under Sue’s leadership, Common Ground Queensland continues to drive innovation in inclusive, compassionate housing models.
Tamika Bennett
Youth Advocate, Youth Advocacy Centre
Tamika Bennett is a youth advocate at the Youth Advocacy Centre, where she works to amplify the voices of young people navigating housing instability. Drawing on her own lived experience of homelessness and service gaps, Tamika is passionate about co-designing trauma-informed, culturally safe responses that meet the real needs of young people.
Her work focuses on breaking intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and building meaningful pathways to stability, self-determination and opportunity.
