2025 National First Nations Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Conference

Dr. Joseph B. Stone, PhD is an Anasaki-pikuni ceremonialist and traditionalist and member of the OKKAN (Sundance), the Last Star Thunder Medicine Pipe and Beaver Lodge. Dr. Stone works at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga – a Kaupapa Māori Health Provider; Awhina Whanu Family Services, and the Napier Family Centre all located in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. He has clinical experience with adult prisoners & corrections and juvenile justice in both New Zealand and USA. He is affiliated with the National Centre on Trauma and Project Making Medicine – Indian Health Service Assessment and Treatment of Child Abuse at Oklahoma State University. He has presented to, and served as consultant to, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs of Native Youth Suicide. Dr. Stone’s publications include articles on trauma, suicide, and other cultural & behavioural issues.

Mark Robertson is a highly acclaimed and talented musician, MC, producer and secondary school teacher. Mark has built a solid reputation with his teaching methods. Mark’s achievements in this field were recognised when he was awarded the 2009 Young Social Pioneer of the Year Award for Innovative projects toward social and educational change, and his work with Indigenous youth earned him national recognition by being one of 20 Australians invited to meet His Royal Highness Prince Harry at Kirrabilli house in 2013. Mark was also a final nominee for 2011 Australian of Year Award and 2014 finalist for New York global citizens award.

Adrian Salliego is an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe. His Maternal clan is Bitterwater and born for the Deerspring Clan. His Mother is from Tuba City, AZ and Father from Cedar Ridge, AZ. Adrian grew up on the Navajo Reservation his whole life. He was raised with the Traditional way of the Navajo people. Adrian surrendered to the disease of addiction on November 3, 2004. He started a new way of life in a 12-step fellowship. Today, Adrian is a productive member of society currently working for Beechtree Diagnostics. He is also a trainer for Generation Red Road working with Carlos Rivera. Adrian has traveled across Turtle Island meeting with many Tribal members to help the people seeking recovery. Adrian lives in Tempe, AZ and continues to work with a sponsor in the fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous. Helping the fellow addict seeking recovery has become a service commitment for Adrian Salliego.

Renee Tocco is a dynamic entrepreneur, award-winning broker, and respected business strategist. As the founder of Loanezi—a disruptive finance broking business she sold to ASX-listed fintech Prospa and later reacquired—Renee combines sharp commercial insight with a deep commitment to holistic wellbeing.

A qualified naturopath and passionate yoga instructor, she brings a unique blend of business acumen and wellness expertise to every stage she steps on. Renee believes true wealth begins with health, and that mental and physical wellbeing are inseparable. Her success in business is rooted in her dedication to caring for the body and mind through natural medicine, movement, and mindfulness.

In her keynote, Renee will share simple, actionable strategies for improving wellness and creating sustainable balance—highlighting how feeling well gives professionals more energy to serve others. Her session will conclude with a rejuvenating yoga and meditation practice to inspire calm, clarity, and connection.

Jackson Long is an award-winning Australian creative director and the founder of the Change Direction initiative a groundbreaking campaign confronting the Aboriginal suicide crisis through art, storytelling, and cultural collaboration. With a career spanning global agencies and brands including Microsoft, Google, and Adidas, Jackson brings a rare blend of strategic vision and emotional depth to his work.

He led the development of Change Direction in close partnership with Aboriginal creatives, ensuring the campaign was not only culturally safe but community-led. The initiative’s centerpiece, a haunting palindrome poem and short film directed by Warwick Thornton, has been recognized for its raw power and moral urgency.

Jackson recently stepped away from his role at Apparent to focus fully on social impact projects, including new creative ventures and ongoing consultation with Indigenous communities. His work continues to challenge the boundaries of commercial creativity, centering truth-telling, healing, and justice.

(As part of our conference program, we are proud to present a screening of the Change Direction film, followed by a conversation with Jackson Long. This session offers a powerful opportunity to reflect on Aboriginal mental health, cultural resilience, and the role of creative storytelling in driving change.)

Dr. Amber R. Logan is a traditional Kahungunu Māori wahine, a New Zealand Health Psychologist and Doctoral Fellow in Public Health at Otago University. She teaches health psychology course work at the University of Auckland & Otago University and is well-known in New Zealand for her work in methamphetamine education and community activism. She is a consummate grant writer, health services evaluator and health services program designer. She has presented extensively in Australia, Canada, and the USA at Harvard University, the University of Washington, and to the US Federal Government.

Bernard "BJ" Sabadi is an experienced Transition Coordinator with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organization management industry. BJ completed his Diploma in Community Services from Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE. As the School To Jobs Coordinator, he is responsible for providing students with mentoring and support into career pathways/employment and coordinating and documenting the process as well as maintaining positive relationship with Employers to create employment pathways. Bernard also serves as the Club President for Brothers Rugby League Football Club in Cairns where he oversees the management and administrative operation of the club and provide leadership and support to all its members. Furthermore, BJ founded the Kunjur Men's Collective after the heartbreaking unfortunate loss of a strong brother to suicide. BJ repeatedly asked himself, ‘What could I have done? What could I have said?.’ This incident prompted BJ to action and established KMC that serves as a place for Men to talk, to be heard and to support each other. Kunjur is building up itself to be a forever support and space for First Nations men to be the leaders, providers and protector they have been for thousands of years!