2009 Consumer Advisor Training Programme Graduates

Barbara Georgeson

Winner of the programme
Leadership Award

Consumer Advisor
Nelson / Marlborough DHB

Barbara describes herself as a dynamic person with a strong sense of individual, yet she is keenly aware of community especially in regard to the ways in which mental health consumers are included and / or excluded.

Barbara has two daughters aged 11 and 17, whom she describes as wonderful. She likes reading and does some creative writing. Barbara despises jogging and gardening.

Barbara Georgeson (left)

Kelly Ware

Senior Consumer Relationship Advisor
Waikato DHB

Before starting in this role, Kelly worked for over 2 years at a Consumer-run and operated Service as a Peer Facilitator and Project Worker. Before this she completed a Bachelors degree in Social Sciences (Psychology) hoping that this would lead to working in the mental health sector. However it was the combination of an 11 year history as a service user that has driven her to where she is today.

Kelly feels humbled to be in this role at the age of 29. She has a great partner and an 18 month old who provide constant recognition of how far Kelly has come throughout the hard times of becoming unwell.

Kelly Ware (centre)

Mary Maringikura Campbell

Consumer Consultant, Te Korowai Whaariki (Forensic Services)
Capital and Coast DHB

Mary is of Polynesian and European ancestry and is a mother of three sons. Her parents are well known poets who like Mary have experienced mental illness.

Mary strives to offer hope to others who suffer from a mental illness and believes that friends, loving whanau and well trained staff can make an enormous difference to a person’s recovery. Mary gets involved in anything that means consumer participation and when that’s not happening, she looks to rectify and to formulate a plan to increase participation throughout the service.

Mary is of Cook Island Maori descent and is a musician and published writer with a Diploma in Social Work which she finds comes in handy from time to time.

Mary Maringikura Campbell (centre)

Paul Burns

Manager, Peer Support Service
Drugs and Health Development Project, Wairarapa

Paul has an entrenched history in the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol, starting at the age of 14. By the age of 23, he was addicted to opiates and decided to seek help from AOD services. Paul has used a range of treatment services and has chosen to promote and advocate for Harm Reduction rather than Abstinence as a result of his own experiences coupled with his observations of other tangata whaiora.

Paul has completed the National Certificate in Mental Health some time ago and has worked for both DHB and NGO mental health and addiction services ever since. Paul is currently the Branch Manager for DHDP Wairarapa which is a peer drive service concerned with the wellbeing and safety of the Intravenous Drug Using community.

Paul respects an individual’s path to recovery, believing that no two people are the same and different models work for different folks.

Paul Burns (second from right)

Hayley Theyers

Consumer Liaison, Community Alcohol and Drugs Service
Waitemata DHB

Hayley has worked for the CADS Auckland Consumer team for the past 5 years and enjoys her job immensely. She has a background of using both AOD and mental health services. She manages her wellness through the use of a good nutritional plan, supplements, counselling, exercise, relaxation and with the help of some good friends.

Hayley considers herself to be open-minded, non-judgemental, forward thinking, enthusiastic and likes to have fun, both within her work and in her personal life. Hayley lives on a mountain surrounded by bush, beside the sea. She enjoys swimming, bushwalks, reads voraciously, collects vinyl records and enjoys spending time with her family. She has two children aged 9 and 7.

Hayley Theyers (left)

Tara Trounson

Winner of the programme Encouragement Award

Youth Consumer Advisor
Southland DHB

Aged 23, Tara has been in the above role since November 2007. Prior to this, Tara completed her Diploma in Mental Health Support Work at SIT and volunteered in several mental health day centres and supported accommodation services.

When Tara was 14, she was diagnosed with a mental illness and used CAFS services to help her through it. Today Tara handles her illness herself and she believes she has learnt a lot from her experiences.

In the future she wants to work with children and youth going through mental health services, although she has yet to choose her field.

Tara Trounson (left)