Founding Director & CEO

Tracey is a mother of three children aged 5, 7 and 9. With lived experience of postpartum depression, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts, Tracey is deeply committed to improving mental health outcomes for local families. Following her personal recovery, and with the encouragement of her perinatal psychologist, she became actively involved in peer support, volunteering with the Gidget Foundation, sharing her story publicly to raise awareness, and contributing to research and advocacy initiatives within the perinatal mental health sector.

With a background in accounting and auditing, Tracey founded Motherhood Village to create a safe, inclusive space for parents. She combines her lived experience and COPE/PANDA training to lead peer support groups and advocate for community-based care.

As a hands-on CEO, Tracey remains actively involved in the direct delivery of peer support programs while also leading the organisation’s strategic growth, partnerships, and advocacy efforts. She is passionate about breaking down barriers to care, fostering connection through community, and ensuring every parent has access to high-quality, specialised, and inclusive support.

Tracey, a member of AICD and FIA, and leads a growing team dedicated to accessible, compassionate, and community-driven perinatal mental health support.

Director

Teall is a Clinical Psychologist and Board Approved Clinical Supervisor with a special interest in Perinatal Psychology. Teall has over a decade of experience working with people from all ages and stages in both the public and private mental health sector.

Through having her own children, Teall developed a passion for birth, infants and Matresnce – the journey of becoming a mother. She believes that the transition to parenthood is a hard one – a time of significant change and adjustment. She appreciates the many challenges women and families can face and is passionate about supporting parents through a season of transition.

Director - Board Chair

Paula Holden is an experienced Chair and executive leader with a strong track record in building organisations that serve communities with purpose, care and impact.

With more than two decades of leadership and governance experience, Paula brings a people-centred approach to strengthening organisations — aligning vision, values and governance to ensure long-term sustainability and meaningful community outcomes. She is known for balancing compassion with accountability, and for supporting boards and leaders to steward organisations through growth and change.

Paula’s background spans senior executive roles across health, education and community services. Her leadership is grounded in strengthening culture and thriving organisations to better support mothers, parents, families and the communities they serve. 

Director - Board Deputy Chair

Ben has dedicated his career to changing the lives of others through his work in the not-for-profit sector. He has extensive experience in the sector having worked with the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Cerebral Palsy League, MS Queensland, Legacy, the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation and now as a Director of HomeMade.

Ben is a passionate advocate for the not for profit sector and is an experienced speaker and thinker on the design, delivery and value of effective impact delivery, fundraising, marketing and communications programs. Having been a non-profit CEO he is also a leader in the fields of governance, ethics, mentoring, leadership and perseverance. 

Ben currently is the Chair of the Fundraising Institute of Australia and serves on the Boards of Motherhood Village and Childhood Cancer Support. He has also been a Director of Variety QLD (Chair and Deputy Chair), a Director of Variety Australia, and a member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia’s Queensland State Committee. He also has served on the Bond University Healthcare Innovations Advisory Board and several Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service committees including research, arts and infrastructure.

Director

Joe brings deep experience in the commissioning, governance, and delivery of complex health programs and services. He is currently Chief Operating Officer at the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation where he provides executive leadership across the organisations strategic and operational philanthropic cycle.

Joe is a tactical thinker. Combined with his passion for the community Joe has executed significant partnerships and programs that better the lives of those facing health challenges. Coming from the private sector, Joes experience and skills across sports administration, transport, commercial development and large-scale events is a welcome and valuable addition to the executive team of Motherhood Village.

A Gold Coaster for more than 40 years, Joe brings a wealth of local knowledge and is well connected to community leaders and decision makers. His 10 years working in health will complement his contribution to deliver the Motherhood Village mission. 

Director

Siân Daniel is an experienced senior leader, with a background as a solicitor and a career spanning the legal, secondary and tertiary education, healthcare, research, and regulated sectors, with a strong focus on stakeholder engagement.

She is deeply committed to people and culture, and to creating environments where people feel genuinely supported to grow and thrive. She cares deeply about wellbeing, personal and professional development, and building strong, values-led organisations that invest in their people. She is energised by meaningful relationships, purpose-driven work, and the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than herself.

Across her career, Siân has worked in complex environments and brings strong experience in governance, risk, organisational leadership, and stakeholder engagement grounded in long-term, trusted relationships. She is known for her thoughtful approach, sound judgement, ability to build trusted relationships, and to help organisations and their teams navigate complexity with clarity and care.

Village Art & Neurodiverse Peer Leader

Renee is our wonderful Peer Leader, who leads our Perinatal Mental Health and Village Art Support Groups.

Renee pursued a career working in mental health after gaining experience by facilitating art programs for a community based mental health service. However after navigating her own perinatal mental health challenges after the birth of her first child, Renee developed a passion for wanting to support other mothers navigating similar struggles with their mental health.

After the birth of her third child, Renee became a medical mum overnight as her daughter faced significant health challenges, all while raising three children under four without the village she needed. This deepened her own mental health struggles and strengthened her resolve to support others. She became a certified Doula, working closely with at-risk and marginalised mums, drawing on her own experience to ensure others never felt alone. Now on the Gold Coast, Renee uses her lived and professional experience as a Peer Leader to support mothers at Motherhood Village.

‘Lavender/Acute Perinatal Mental Health’ Peer Leader

Sophie is a mum to two beautiful girls and is a amazing addition to the Motherhood Village team.

‘I experienced perinatal mental health challenges with my first daughter and spent the first 6 weeks of her life in a mother baby unit.

As part of my recovery, I had a deep desire to help other mum’s going through similar challenges and wanted to advocate and raise awareness for perinatal mental health. I did this through volunteering for PANDA and sharing my story to help others feel less alone.

I am a primary school teacher with a passion for the social emotional development and mental wellbeing of children, and in order to foster this, I believe we need to look after and support the mental health of parents. I am a registered Circle of Security Parenting and Classroom Facilitator and love leading these groups to support and foster a secure attachment between parents and their children, all while honouring the mental wellbeing of both. 

Peer Leader

With the lived experience of being a mother of three, Bernie draws both deep personal insight and professional expertise into the journey of motherhood. After the birth of her second child, Bernie navigated postnatal anxiety for many years and knows firsthand what it is like to feel isolated, unheard, or without a safe space to simply talk. She was driven by the belief that no mother should ever feel alone and began finding ways to support mothers with similar experiences.

After almost 20 years as an educator, Bernie retrained in life coaching and completed the Mama Rising matrescence training, focusing on the profound transformation — emotional, psychological and relational — that motherhood brings. Through this work, she has developed special expertise in group facilitation, trauma-informed listening and supporting women through adjustment, overwhelm and loss of identity.

At Motherhood Village, Bernie holds space with compassion, curiosity and integrity—creating inclusive environments where mothers feel validated, connected and empowered.

CALD Peer Leader

Aline is a first time expat mum to a sweet little girl and a Dietitian by trade with a background in mental health, emotional regulation, and trauma-informed care. Throughout her career, she's supported women in nurturing a healthier relationship with food, body, and emotions through mindfulness and compassionate self-awareness. 

After becoming a mum while living abroad, her professional path became deeply personal. Navigating early motherhood without nearby family or community support was an incredibly challenging experience, especially while facing postnatal anxiety and the emotional ups and downs of adjusting to a new identity as a mother far from home.

Through her own healing journey, she discovered the power of shared experiences, emotional regulation tools, and community connection in supporting mothers’ wellbeing. This lived experience ignited her passion for perinatal mental health and inspired her to walk alongside other mums, offering understanding, empathy, and practical tools to help them navigate this season with greater ease.

As a peer leader, her mission is to create safe, supportive spaces where mothers feel seen, heard, and understood—reminding them they are not alone in their journey and that there is a village away from the village.

Red Nose Grief & Loss Peer Leaders

Meet Hannah and Tessa - our beautiful mums who lead our Grief and Loss Bereavement Support Group for Red Nose at Motherhood Village.

Hannah - has volunteered within the loss community after losing her daughter Imrie in 2022. She volunteers for Red Nose, Heartfelt and Precious Wings. In her spare time, you will find her adventuring outdoors and making memories with her beautiful family.

Tessa - I have been volunteering in the pregnancy and child loss community since the start of 2024 when we lost our beautiful son Noah, who was stillborn at 32 weeks.

I split my time during the week between working as a Conveyancer, volunteering with Red Nose and fundraising to support families who face to same heartbreak we did. We currently support families in over 10 hospitals around Australia.

On the weekends you’ll find me loving life with my husband, Greg and beautiful daughter, Iluka

‘Resident Grandma’ Volunteer

Robyn is a favourite with many of our mothers and their babies attending our Village Art support groups. You will find her regularly at our Miami Village Art location, and we love having her as one of our ‘Resident Grandma’s!

Hi I’m Robyn, mum, grandmother, foster carer. I’ve always loved being with my babies even when I wasn’t much more than a baby myself.

Professionally I’ve worked with children with disability, early childhood, teacher with all age groups, case worker in Foster Care and various others.

‘Resident Grandma’ Volunteer

Another crowd favourite with our mums and their babies - You will find this beautiful soul helping volunteer as our Resident Grandma at our Miami Village Art support groups.

Kaitlan is a mum who loves deep chats, salty air, and spending time with her family.

A mum who once longed for a village, Kaitlan brings her lived experience of perinatal mental health to this space, gently soothing the littlest ones so their mama’s can breathe, create, and connect.

‘Resident Grandma’ Volunteer

Julia is a mum to a lively toddler and one of our Resident Grandmas at our Isle of Capri location. She brings warmth, care and a nurturing presence to every child she supports.

As a parent with lived experience of perinatal mental health, she understands how important it is for caregivers to have time for themselves - and she’s here to offer exactly that: a safe, loving space where little ones feel safe, cared for and connected.

‘Resident Grandma’ Volunteer

Hi I’m Maryann, mum to Tracey and her brother Leigh, and Gigi (grandmother) to five special little ones in my life. My support for Tracey (as her mum) when she experienced perinatal mental health has provided me insight and greater compassion to provide the practical and nurturing support for Motherhood Village community and the mothers needing our support.

Professionally, I am a registered nurse having worked in the health care setting from working on the wards to executive leadership roles. Currently I continue to support health care facility staff to ensure they have a great place to provide safe care and to work within.