Our Staff
Kerry Hawkins
Chief Executive Officer, Community Mental Health Australia
Kerry Hawkins is the Chief Executive Officer of Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA), bringing extensive leadership experience across community, government, and lived experience sectors.
Appointed in 2025, Kerry leads CMHA’s national efforts to strengthen the community-managed mental health sector, grounded in human rights, co-leadership, and system transformation.
Kerry’s career includes senior roles in the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and the Western Australian Mental Health Commission. In the community managed sector, she has held leadership positions including President of the Western Australian Association for Mental Health (WAAMH), Vice President of Helping Minds, and as the WA Director for Emerging Minds. She served three terms as a Commissioner for the National Mental Health Commission. Her lived experience as a family member informs her commitment to embedding lived experience expertise in mental health systems.
Kerry is a Churchill Scholarship recipient, a graduate of Boston University’s Global Leadership Institute’s Recovery Class of 2013, and an alumna of Harvard Kennedy School’s Implementing Public Policy program.
As CEO of CMHA, Kerry provides leadership for both the organisation and the broader community-managed mental health sector. She plays a key role in bringing CMHA’s vision and strategic goals to life, ensuring the work is grounded in human rights, co-leadership, and meaningful system transformation.
Charlie Fox
Project, Policy and Communications Officer
Charlie Fox is the Project, Policy and Communications Officer at Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA), bringing extensive experience in communications, administration, and stakeholder engagement within the non-government sector. She specialises in building strong relationships with partners and collaborators, and has worked across multiple non-profit and development agencies to support impactful initiatives.
Charlie holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Humanities and Critical Studies, and a Master’s degree in International Security. Her academic background complements her professional expertise, enabling her to effectively manage projects and communications strategies that advance CMHA’s mission.
With a strong passion for enhancing community mental health support, Charlie is dedicated to facilitating meaningful change and promoting wellbeing across communities.