Mood Active’s Mission
To run exercise programs that empower people to better manage their mental health, and to get more General Practitioner’s & Psychologists prescribing exercise as treatment for depression/anxiety.
Our Background
In 2012, then psychology researcher Isabelle Granville-Smith and tennis coach Cameron Wilson met at Sydney’s Black Dog Institute. Both had long been advocates for the role exercise plays in boosting mental health, and both were convinced that more could be done to facilitate it for people who were struggling with depression or anxiety. After wading through the published research on exercise and mood disorders, and with input from clinicians at Sydney’s Black Dog Institute, they started a group exercise program intended to:
- address the barriers to exercise for people battling depression/anxiety
- utilise research-proven optimal exercise “dosage.”
- administer an assessment process & track measurable results
- help each participant build exercise into their mental health well-being strategy
In July 2013, Cam ran the program’s very first cardio tennis class at Eastcourts Tennis in Kingsford, and Isabelle its first group fitness circuit in Centennial Park. Mood Active was born.
Committee founders Tania Curley, Andrew Purll and Cameron Wilson, brought experience and skills in coaching psychology, finance and IT, communications, as well as combined decades of lived experience using exercise to boost mental health. In June 2017 Tania Curley was appointed Mood Active’s General Manager.
Our Committee
Cameron Wilson
President
As co-founder, Cameron has held this role since 2013. Cameron has battled bipolar depression since his late teens, and relies on exercise to boost his own mental health well-being. Cameron is also the Head Trainer for Mood Active as well as a qualified tennis coach and freelance journalist.
Craig Healey
Vice President
Craig joined Mood Active in August 2017. He will also be volunteering his time to assist with Mood Active funding and marketing activities. Craig works as a small business mentor with specific interest in strategy, technology and mental health. He holds a Masters in Business Administration, together with undergraduate qualifications in Law, Economics and Psychology.
Andy Hobbs
Treasurer
Andy is a finance professional who has worked in a variety of roles in the public sector. He currently works for NSW Treasury.
Tania Curley
General Manager
Tania has been with Mood Active since 2013 working as a volunteer Events and Marketing Manager and then Funding and Sponsorship Manager.
Tania is now the General Manager of Mood Active. Tania holds a Masters in Coaching Psychology, Masters in Strategy HRM, a BA in Tourism Management, and a Cert III in Fitness.
Tania is also a leadership facilitator and coach.
Our Operational Team
Anita Cheah
Graphic Designer
Anita is a current participant and volunteer in Mood Active with a background in engineering and project management.
Cathy Lloyd-Prowse
Program Manager
Cathy is an accredited personal trainer, group fitness instructor and coach. For the past 13 years Cathy owned and ran her own fitness business, Mums the Word Fitness.
In this role she helped many mums with post-natal depression by providing fun varied outdoor training sessions.
Cathy will also be running some of the group fitness classes for Mood Active.
David Gilfillan
Advising Psychologist
David was formerly Senior Clinical Psychologist at Sydney’s Black Dog Institute (2007-2012), David has over thirty years of international experience treating mood disorders. Now in private practice, David provides clinical advice to Mood Active in relation to the program and participants.
Grant Pillon
Finance Officer
Grant joined Mood Active in May of 2018. He has seen, first hand, the benefits of exercise for mental health. Grant likes to live by the motto "healthy body = healthy mind". Grant was moved by the vision of Mood Active and so began volunteering in a finance capacity.
Jack McLean
Social Group Coordinator
Jack has a lifelong passion for holistic health and wellbeing and believes that a significant factor in achieving this is regular physical activity. When he isn’t playing soccer or going for a run he is in the pool or on the bike. Jack recently graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Management and a Bachelor of Science majoring in Physiology and joined Mood Active as our social exercise group coordinator where he organises social group events.
Jodie Wills
Research Grants Writer
Jodie is passionate about fitness and exercise, and believes these are key components in empowering people to take control of their health and wellbeing.
She enjoys socialising with friends and plays roller derby in her spare time. Jodie holds a BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Science, Masters in Sports Science, and a PhD in Biomechanics.
Kim Mannering
HR Manager - Recruitment and Retention
Kim’s role at Mood Active combines her passion for mental health, exercise and a providing a great people experience.
Kim has supported organisation’s leaders to develop workforce engagement strategies and has provided specialist HR services in health, financial services, legal and professional services sectors.
Kim has a Bachelor of Business HRM and a Graduate Diploma of Management. Her previous volunteer experience includes roles at Australian HR Institute, Country Education Foundation, community sport and dance.
Kim enjoys physical activity to improve mood, keep healthy and stay connected with friends.
Leah Cohen
Events Manager
Leah is a dynamic individual with well rounded experience in marketing, management and business development.
She brings with her a cheerful nature, can-do attitude, and an eagerness to develop unique strategies. She has a passion for bringing people together through social engagement and engaging events, and believes that staying physically active and socially connected is an integral part of positive mental health and wellbeing.
Leah is highly capable to implement innovative ideas at Mood Active that fosters growth through organising and running key events.
Lorena Garmendia Flores
Human Resources Manager
Lorena is a Multi-Skilled Human Resource Professional with an extensive background in HR generalist affairs, including experience in employee recruitment and retention, post recruitment, induction, on-boarding, offer generation, compensation & benefits, salary negotiation, contracts & HR records management, HR policies development with a wealth of hands-on-experience working with Senior Stakeholders in diverse industries & corporate cultures.
Lorena is passionate about creating a collaborative environment that promotes engagement through learning, development, and embracing diversity.
Luke Hopkins
Website Manager
As Co-founder and CTO of The Protein Bread Co. – a leading provider of nutritionally enhanced foods – Luke brings to Mood Active a wealth of experience about how to effectively communicate the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle across both digital and traditional media platforms.
Luke’s personal mission is to help 5M Australians to live fitter, healthier and happier lives and is thrilled to be able to work with Mood Active to help achieve this.
Rajiv Bangalore
IT Manager
Rajiv has a Master’s degree in Computer Applications and comes with an IT background specializing in delivering digital/online initiatives & IT transitions/transformation programs. He brings his experience in Program Management, Governance and views technology as an enabler that supports and contributes to Mood Active’s strategic goals.
Having experienced physical and mental benefits of exercise, Rajiv relates to Mood Active’s vision and wants to spread the message around to guide other people.
Tania Curley
General Manager
Tania has been with Mood Active since 2013 working as a volunteer Events and Marketing Manager and then Funding and Sponsorship Manager.
Tania is now the General Manager of Mood Active. Tania holds a Masters in Coaching Psychology, Masters in Strategy HRM, a BA in Tourism Management, and a Cert III in Fitness.
Tania is also a leadership facilitator and coach.
Victor Leong
Human Resources Manager
Victor has over 25 years of HR experience predominantly in government appointments and 6 years with a not for profit aged care provider just prior to his retirement. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Employment Relations and a Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety Management.
As a HR professional, he believes in good HR practice to ensure that all levels of an organisation can work collaboratively in meeting its goals and objectives.
Yolanda Zhang
Program Coordinator & Data Analyst
Yolanda works as a volunteer data analyst in Mood Active. She is a Certified Practising Accountant with experience in data analysis, financial reporting and financial analysis.
With the variety of professional and life experiences, through happiness and those struggling times, Yolanda understands how important good mental health could be for an individual has his or her family. Now as Mood Activist, she is passionate about having an opportunity to help people stay happy and healthy.
If you or your business would like to sponsor Mood Active, please get in touch.
Accreditation
We’re not a registered NDIS provider ourselves, however we work with NDIS Providers.
Unfortunately we are not a Medicare funded.
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