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.
Kate Hawtin
National Policy Director
Kate has been actively involved in project management, policy development and social research activities across the government and community sectors for the past 30 years, and has established recognised health programs across Australia, including the Rural Doctor’s Workforce Agency Rural After Hours Triage Education Program, the Queensland Government Diabetes Collaborative Project, and the South Australian Government Rural Women’s Outreach Program, as well as leading the development of the Young Onset Parkinson’s Exchange.
