The Griefline team
We are a team of socially conscious professionals dedicated to supporting the emotional wellbeing of people facing loss and grief.
Executive and leadership team
Chief Executive Officer
As the CEO of Griefline, Kate combines heart centred leadership with business acumen to deliver organisational change, business growth, innovation and operational improvements.
Previously Griefline’s Chief Operating Officer, Kate led the organisation to achieve accreditation to the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards, making Griefline the first dedicated grief support service to receive accreditation.
Kate joined Griefline in late 2020 following a 20-year career in operational leadership roles with Caltex. She was drawn to the role of COO as it combined her experience in operations and innovation with her desire for creating positive change in individual and community wellbeing.
In her role as COO, Kate collaborated with Louisa Smith (CMO) to transform Griefline from a primarily Victoria-centric support service to a national telephone and digital grief and loss support service. Between 2020 and 2024, under their leadership Griefline expanded from a helpline and a Victorian based counselling service to a a national service offering that includes a helpline and online peer support forums supported by volunteers from every state in Australia, support groups, VIC early bereavement support, NSW integrating grief program, online resources and grief education and training.
As CEO, Kate is dedicated to advancing Griefline’s mission by increasing access to free grief support services across Australia, strengthening partnerships, and solidifying the organisation’s position as a leader in the mental health eco-system. She empowers her team to have courageous conversations and support individuals and individuals and communities to navigate their grief, ensuring that no one has to face their journey alone.
Director of Strategic Innovation
Louisa is a dynamic and collaborative leader who has been instrumental in Griefline’s national growth since joining the leadership team in 2020. With over 20 years of experience in business strategy and stakeholder management, including running her own online reputation management business, Louisa brings a strategic mindset and a passion for social impact.
As Chief Marketing Officer, she led the development of Griefline’s marketing and communications strategy, forged key partnerships, and introduced a national grief literacy training program, contributing to a self-funded revenue stream.
Working in close partnership with Kate Cahill (COO), Louisa played a crucial role in transforming Griefline from a Victoria-based service into a national provider of telephone and digital grief support. Under their leadership from 2020 to 2024, Griefline expanded its programs, digital resources, and services, while launching a nationwide grief awareness campaign and workplace grief literacy training. Together with the dedication of the organisation’s volunteers, board, and counsellors, this transformation allowed Griefline to significantly broaden its impact.
As Director of Strategic Innovation, Louisa is focused on driving initiatives to improve the organisation’s financial sustainability while continuing to champion accessibility and grief literacy. Her contributions include launching the Recite Me accessibility toolbar and co-chairing the development of Griefline’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan, all in service of Griefline’s mission to normalise grief and support communities to grow from loss.
Clinical Services Manager / Grief Education Facilitator
Marianne came home to Australia and joined Griefline in 2021 after managing the East London Bereavement Service Covid19 response in the UK.
Her therapy career has been in the community sector providing free support to people who have not previously thought to access counselling, such as middle-aged and elderly men and individuals from black, Muslim and other global majority cultures.
Her core training is as a person-centred counsellor and she has a clinical focus on bereavement, attachment and loss. She is passionate about clinical supervision and supporting newly trained counsellors in their clinical and professional development. She also dedicates time to preventing suicide in the community as a LivingWorks trainer.
Operations Support Manager
After ten years of leadership in the healthcare industry, Nick joined Griefline as a helpline volunteer. In October 2021, he was offered the role of Volunteer Support Leader and in October 2023 was promoted to the role of Operations Support Manager.
Nick is passionate about empowering people to achieve their goals and pursue their passions. He is people-focused and collaborative in his approach to leadership and is proficient at navigating challenges and solving problems.
Nick is an advocate for grief literacy and education to normalise grief. He is committed to nurturing Griefline’s volunteers who are the organisation’s heart and soul, to provide invaluable emotional support to communities throughout Australia.
The Griefline team - counselling and support
We are a team of highly skilled, experienced, and competent professionals who provide grief and bereavement counselling, support and education to the Griefline community. We have diverse backgrounds and expertise in various fields and disciplines and are trained in trauma-informed care to meet the needs of the people we support.
Counsellor
Adrian joined Griefline in April 2024 as a Master of Counselling placement student and is now part of the counselling team. He works closely with clients in individual sessions and co-facilitates a support group.
With a background in Counselling and Clinical Psychology, Adrian specializes in helping adults and older adults through grief and loss, using a person-centred and solution-focused approach. He has experience supporting CALD communities and individuals with disabilities through his roles as an in-home and disability support worker. Adrian is passionate about helping disadvantaged individuals rebuild hope and navigate life’s challenges.
He believes grief, while filled with sorrow, is also a reminder of the cherished journey shared. Outside of work, Adrian enjoys discussing space and cooking while sipping his coffee.
Counselling Administrator
As an enthusiastic and empathetic trained social worker, Alpa eagerly embarks on her professional journey with Griefline. After finishing her social work placement with the organisation, she joined the counseling team as a Counselling Administrator in September 2023. Her academic foundation, combined with a deep commitment to helping individuals and families cope with the complexities of grief and loss, drives her aspiration to make a meaningful difference in this vital field.
Academic coursework has equipped her with a solid understanding of the psychological, emotional, and sociological aspects of grief, as well as various therapeutic approaches and interventions. Alpa brings a natural ability to empathise with the pain and struggles of those experiencing grief and loss and firmly believes in the power of compassionate listening and providing a safe, non-judgmental space for individuals to express their emotions. She is eager to work alongside experienced professionals, contributing her enthusiasm and fresh perspective to the team. Her personal and professional philosophy is centered on the belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to heal and find hope in the wake of loss.
Training Coordinator
As Training Coordinator for Griefline, Amanda drives the expansion of Griefline Knowledge, the organisation’s suite of grief literacy and education courses, workshops, webinars and masterclasses. A qualified counsellor with a special interest in grief and loss, Amanda merges her clinical expertise with three decades of experience in content development and delivery as a former Executive Producer of high-end television and events.
Amanda is passionate about her role in developing a more grief-informed community who are better equipped to support each other through the very human and universal experience of grief and loss.
She has represented Griefline across multiple programs and campaigns including the Mamamia Quicky podcast episode “We’re All Going To Die, So Why Can’t We Talk About It?” (2021), Batyr’s ‘Conversation Lab’ YouTube special episode on the grief experience (2021) and an R U OK? Day Instagram Q&A session (2021). Amanda is Co-Host of Griefline’s Life After Loss podcast and hosts the ‘In Conversation with the Experts’ YouTube series.
Counsellor I Group Facilitator / Grief Education Facilitator
Bryan has been with Griefline since early in 2021 when he started volunteering. He worked across the Helpline and Policeline programs before joining the counselling team early in 2022. He now works across both the Policeline and Integrating Grief Programs as well as facilitating support groups.
Bryan has a longstanding interest in working in the grief and loss space and views sharing in the stories of our clients as a genuine honour and privilege. He approaches his work in this space from a person-centred perspective meaning that the client is the centre of all that we do. In addition to the person-centred way of working, Bryan is interested in a range of counselling modalities and how these might be applied and be effective with clients in grief. He is particularly interested in how our thoughts, beliefs and behaviours influence our lives. Bryan is committed to life-long learning and is currently studying cognitive behavioural approaches to counselling.
When not working alongside clients, Bryan can be found on the beach with two large dogs, exploring the outdoors and spending time with family.
Counsellor | Group Facilitator / Grief Education Facilitator
Candice started with Griefline in 2019 as a volunteer and moved to the counselling team in 2021. Her lived experiences with grief generated an interest in clinical psychology and grief, loss and trauma and she is passionate about working with people presenting with prolonged grief disorder, complex grief (traumatic grief), pet loss and other disenfranchised grief.
Her counselling style is gentle and collaborative with an intention to create a safe, supportive and affirming place where the grief work is empowering and enriching.
Candice uses person centred and trauma informed cognitive behavioural approaches in her work including acceptance and commitment and schema therapies.
Candice feels honoured to walk beside her clients who have been affected by grief, and really values the time she can spend with her clients as they explore the grief experience together.
Shift Supervisor
Denisse Schweinsberg has joined our team as the new Help In-Shift Supervisor for the Griefline Volunteer Support Team. She began her journey with Griefline as a volunteer in February 2024 and brings a strong background in social work, having earned her Master of Social Work in 2022 along with a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health.
With nearly three years of experience as a volunteer crisis support worker at Lifeline, Denisse has shown a deep commitment to supporting individuals facing mental health challenges, especially during times of grief and loss.
Counsellor I Case Coordinator I Group Facilitator
Loss is something that binds us together as human beings and grief is a part of life that all of us will experience when we suffer loss. It is Kerrie’s lived experience that steered her to work in the grief and loss space which helped her gain a deeper understanding of grief and the unique challenges that can come with loss.
Kerrie is moved by the stories people tell about their lives and how these stories shape their experiences. It is through these stories that she values exploring their thoughts and feelings and support the person to find their own meaning and purpose in the loss. Kerrie attaches significant importance to the fundamental worth of each person she works with and maintains that people are the experts in their own life and have the ability to heal themselves, given the right conditions.
Kerrie is passionate about community development and group work. She is a big believer in the emotional benefits that peer support offers and likes creating spaces for people to connect, share their experiences; and as a collective find ways to cope, reduce feelings of isolation with the hope of minimising the stigma that can be associated with grief.
Marketing Coordinator
Lainie joined Greifline in early 2024, bringing with her vast experience in marketing for the not-for-profit sector.
Lainie began her career in the sports and racing industries before taking on a role with Fitness Professionals in the UK.
Lainie has a strong passion for small business and NFPs, seeking roles that support a community need or cause.
Lainie worked for the Law Institute Victoria, Optometry Australia, and the Victorian Farmer’s Federation before stepping away to start a family. While at home with her wonderful daughters, Lainie has run the marketing and administrative functions for her family business.
Lainie openly shares her experience with infant loss and the grief she felt during the early years of supporting her daughter through multiple heart surgeries and a hearing loss diagnosis. Lainie has deep compassion for those on similar journeys and knows first-hand that support can come in many shapes and forms, including strangers.
Volunteer Coordinator
Myrto initially joined Griefline as an administration support volunteer and is now a part of the volunteer support team where she coordinates the onboarding, training and support provided to Griefline’s volunteers.
Myrto is passionate about helping others and has a strong interest in community health which has led her to pursue this role to support people in the community experiencing grief and loss. She has completed a Bachelor of Health Science and majored in psychology and nutrition.
Shift Supervisor
Richard began working with Griefline as a member of the Service Support team in December, 2021, after having commenced volunteering with Griefline in July 2021. Richard is very interested in the area of grief and loss, and has worked to develop his skills by completing Griefline’s training, and related academic coursework. Richard has previously completed an Honours Degree in Psychology and recently completed a Diploma of Counselling. Richard believes strongly in being present and listening attentively to callers who use Griefline’s services.
Richard now works as a Helpline Shift Supervisor with Griefline. Richard is committed to providing assistance to people who contact Griefline seeking grief and loss support, or support related to social isolation and loneliness. As a Helpline Shift Supervisor, Richard works across both our Helpline and G’day Line programs, providing support to callers, and to Griefline’s volunteers.
Counsellor I Group Facilitator I Trainer
Shelley brings a compassionate and down-to-earth approach to the counselling sessions, creating a safe and non-judgmental space for clients to share their thoughts and feelings.
In recognising that everyone’s experience of grief is deeply personal, Shelley is passionate about supporting people in finding their own path to healing.
Shelley has developed and currently facilitates grief groups, finding it a genuine honour to foster a healing environment through the connection of people and shared experiences.
Shift Supervisor
Sona relocated to Australia from the U.K. in 2014. She has a legal background and an extensive career in public service, both in the U.K and Australia.
She spent many years observing gaps in mental health and wellbeing support offered to individuals not just in her industry, but beyond. When she realised the impact that a good counsellor could have on an individual’s mental health and general outlook on life, she chose to embark on a career in mental health, determined to help others struggling through difficult moments in their life, and navigate their problems with the support and guidance of a trained professional.
Sona uses integrative therapy, combining different therapeutic tools and approaches to fit the needs of the individual client. Her approach is largely person focused as she believes the client is the expert in their own life, and that counselling merely helps them find the answers that are already within them.
Sona joined Griefline in 2021 as a Helpline volunteer, wanting to help normalise grief and encourage people to have courageous conversations about the loss they experienced and the resulting grief, particularly around grief that results from a non-bereavement related loss e.g., loss of home, relationship, job, self-identity. Since then, she has volunteered in various other roles including as a Peer Debriefer, Training Co-Facilitator and is now a part of the Griefline staff as a Helpline and Counselling Shift Supervisor.
