Board of Directors

Kirsten is a Corporate Governance Professional, bringing a wealth of expertise in governance, risk management, and strategic oversight to the board. She has cultivated a profound understanding of the intricacies of corporate governance across a spectrum of industries, including non-profit entities, corporate organisations, and trade unions. Previously, Kirsten has served as the secretariat at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, where she sharpened her expertise in non-profit governance. Her years of governance consultancy roles have been marked by her adeptness at delivering customised governance solutions, reflecting the unique challenges and aspirations of each organisation she partners with.

At the helm of her own governance consultancy firm, Kirsten offers tailored advisory services, empowering organisations to navigate complex regulatory environments with robust governance structures and strategic risk mitigation practices. Her consultancy is a testament to her commitment to excellence and her capacity to drive transformational change in governance practices. Her background includes roles that have seen her drive the development of ethical governance cultures, ensuring compliance, and promoting transparency. Kirsten’s experience is further distinguished by her dedication to integrating socialist principles into organisational governance, aligning operational practices with equitable and socially responsible values.

Kirsten also sits on the board of West Welcome Wagon.

Lisa Abbott is a senior leader in the Victorian alcohol and other drug sector with expertise in partner engagement, government relations, business development, advocacy, and strategic planning.

Coming from a foundation of direct practice in youth justice and over 20 years working across the justice and health sectors in various roles, Lisa has established a diverse skill set that has been strengthened by a passion for learning, something she has shared with others through a decade in vocational teaching. As a caregiver of five adolescents, Lisa sees first hand the importance of mobilising young people through education and opportunities for them to contribute to discourse around decisions impacting them and their future.

With harm reduction a central philosophy, and collaboration and inclusivity as foundational values, Lisa is an advocate for creating platforms and opportunities for those with lived and living experience to have a voice, and seat at the table, fostering collective voices for policy reform and authentic social change.

Braden Spencer, is an accomplished senior leader, brings a wealth of experience, notably as the General Manager of Individual Giving at Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. With a focus on fundraising, strategic planning and performance leadership, he has elevated revenue streams, overseeing diverse channels and achieving a notable improvement in client retention rates during his career. Braden has also provided strategic guidance to global not-for-profits, leaving an indelible mark on organizations like Save the Children Canada.

Throughout his career, Braden's leadership has been marked by transformative achievements, revenue growth, and successful implementations of new business structures and Leadership Development programs. His dynamic approach to performance management, strategic planning, and dedication to diversity and inclusion make him an influential leader. 

Beyond his professional roles, Braden actively contributes to the community, serving as a Youth Mentor at Raise Foundation and volunteering with the Fundraising Institute of Australia. 

Julia has been a passionate coordinator and advocate within the Alcohol and other Drugs (AOD) fields in Australia and overseas for 10 years. She identifies as having a lived experience of substance use both personally and in friends, family and parents. She is passionate about challenging stigma and ensuring human rights for people who use drugs.

Currently, Julia works as a Project Officer with the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA), leading their statewide youth AOD network, sector data collaboration, service provider’s conferences and MurrayPHN Workforce development. She also sits on an advisory group for Volunteering Victoria and holds current membership with the Institute of Community Directors Australia and Women in . Julia’s background spans the corporate business and AOD sectors, holding a Bachelor of Business Management and Diploma of Leadership and Management.

Preceding her VAADA tenure, she held vital roles in successful state campaigns to legalise Cannabis in the United States and with Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) Australia. She was on the executive team of SSDP La Trobe when the La Trobe Student Union awarded them with Club of The Year and Event of the Year, for a fully subscribed Psychedelic Mushroom Event. 

Dr Stephen Bright has worked as a psychologist within the Mental Health & Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) field for the past 20 years. He is currently Senior Lecturer of Drug Studies at Edith Cowan University.

Stephen is an advocate of harm reduction and an evidence-based approach to AOD legislation.His PhD related to the public perceptions and media portrayal of AOD use and the implications of this for drug-related harm, including the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances. This has led to the development of a project that aims to make the Australian media more accountable when reporting on AOD issues: www.aodmediawatch.com.au

Stephen is also a Co-founder of Psychedelic Research in Science & Medicine Ltd. (PRISM), an Australian non-profit research association that develops, initiates, coordinates and supports formal research into mainstream medical applications of psychoactive compounds, known as psychedelics. He is the principal investigator and co-therapist for Australia’s first clinical trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. He is also an associate investigator and lead therapist on a trial of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for treatment resistant depression that is being funded by Reset Mind Sciences Pty Ltd.

Nick Kent is an educator and advocate working in harm reduction and drug policy reform. Nick is a secondary teacher by trade, has published research on school drug education policy and practice, and worked on various drug education projects in both formal and peer-to-peer settings, with a focus on building drug literacy capabilities in the social sciences. Nick’s research and education work around drugs have been heavily informed by his experiences helping establish Students for Sensible Drug Policy in Australia, where he also led the establishment of our second Campus Team at the University of Melbourne in 2016.

Nick currently holds the position of Co-National Director of SSDP Australia, which includes the leadership of SSDP’s National Executive Committee, which itself oversees a range of teams working on advocacy projects around Australia. Nick’s role also includes high-level representation at United Nations and national events, coordination with the SSDP International network and global Paradigma Coalition, and working closely with SSDP Australia’s Board of Directors and partner organisations to advance youth participation in Australian drug policy reform. 

Nick also works as the Policy Lead at Harm Reduction Victoria, helping to establish a strategic advocacy program for Victorian people who use drugs, as well as a Sessional Tutor in Addiction Studies at La Trobe University. 

Joe holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Addiction Studies and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Psychology. He is also a sessional academic, lecturing in Drug Studies at Edith Cowan University, and a part-time mechanic.

Joe began his path in the Alcohol and Other Drugs fields in 2018, initiating the first SSDP Campus Team in Western Australia. Beyond organising panels and facilitating harm reduction workshops, the team’s submission to a parliamentary inquiry culminated in Joe's verbal testimony being included in the landmark report "Help, Not Handcuffs." As the SSDP WA State Coordinator, he also supported student advocacy efforts at university campuses.

Over the years, Joe has emerged as a voice for the perspectives of young people on drug policy, presenting at conferences and participating in working groups and student-led projects, such as the Safer Partying Initiative.

In his role as an academic, Joe is dedicated to guide students to move away from stigmatising approaches and language concerning drug use and encourages the exploration of evidence-based perspectives. This passion is reflected in his current role at SSDP, where he focuses on improving the organisation's digital communication, administrative, and executive systems to boost volunteer capacity and develop the resources necessary for the organisation's growth and sustainability.