Kerrie Buhagiar— COO
I’m passionate about cultivating positive mental health in our schools, our workplaces and our communities – as well as ourselves. I’ve worked in mental health service delivery for 12+ years in Australia and the UK, completed a Masters in Positive Psychology in 2015, and am passionate about designing health systems and programs that are exceptional at meeting the needs of the people that use them.
The best thing about working at Smiling Mind…
Is working for an organisation that is making such a positive impact, alongside such a passionate, inspiring team of people.
The biggest challenge in my role:
Supporting Smiling Mind to deliver exceptional programs and projects that punch above their weight and that build positive mental health for as many people as possible.
If I wasn’t working at Smiling Mind I’d…
Be travelling the world and hiking in far-flung places.
What I do when I’m not at work:
Get as close to nature as possible – oceans, mountains, rivers, bush …anything goes.
On meditation:
I’ve been practicing meditation and mindfulness for over 10 years to help gain perspective and a sense of calm. It doesn’t always involve sitting on a cushion. In fact, my favourite mindful moments are usually when I’m outdoors in nature.
My favourite inspirational quote:
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall
Favourite meal…
Tiramisu – and if that’s not *actually* a meal, it should be.