Hygeia: A Conference on Mental Wellness at the Workplace

Speakers

Meet our speakers

Hon. Jo Etienne Abela - Minister for Health & Active Ageing

Jo Etienne is a Maltese surgeon and politician. He studied medicine at the University of Malta, furthered his studies in Scotland, and specialised in oesophageal and pancreatic surgery. In 2022, he was elected to Malta's parliament and appointed Minister for Health and Active Ageing.

https://health.gov.mt/minister/

Prof Andrew Azzopardi - Associate Professor, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta

Andrew Azzopardi is an Associate Professor and and former Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing and former Head of the Department of Youth and Community Studies. He was also formerly the Chair of the Platform for Migration and Chair of the Cottonera Resource Centre. His lecturing and research focus on inclusive education, sociology, critical pedagogy, disability politics, youth studies and community development. He has contributed extensively in a number of other lauded journals, and has published various texts on disability politics, young people, and inclusive education. He is a Member of the Editorial Panel of the highly acclaimed International Journal of Inclusive Education, and co-editor of Inclusive communities: A Critical Reader (2012). Azzopardi has also edited Youth: Responding to Lives – An International Reader (2013), co-edited Perspectives on wellbeing – a reader (2019) and also edited societas.expert, amongst others. He is an established broadcaster anchoring a current affairs program on 103 Malta's Heart/newsbook.com.mt

https://www.um.edu.mt/profile/andrewazzopardi

Karl Bennett - Chair at EAPA, UK

Karl is the Chair of EAPA UK and the Wellbeing Director of Vivup. Karl is well-known and highly respected as an expert within the Employee Assistance sector. Advisingon mental health and wellbeing strategies within the public, private and charity sectors, including the BBC and Great Ormond Street Hospital

https://www.eapa.org.uk/

Dr Ann Bugeja - Partner at GVZH Associates

Ann heads the employment and private client practices within the firm. She has advised a number of large companies in Malta on non-litigious employment law arising from day-to-day matters and more specific issues such as collective redundancies and protection of employees under the TUPE regulations.

https://gvzh.mt/team/ann-bugeja/

Ray Debattista - Chief People & Change Officer at Bank of Valletta

Ray, with a career at the Bank since 1984, has held key roles in recruitment,employee engagement, and talent management. As CPCO, he develops HR strategies, oversees succession planning, and manages employee relations.

https://www.bov.com/ray-debattista

Kate Hull Rodgers - Managing Director at HumourUs

Kate is a leading specialist on the subject of humour and how it impacts the workplace. She is an international speaker and pioneer in the field of humour and health. Her work focuses on teams and leaders where enjoyment in employment is encouraged. For over 30 years she has advised governments, health professionals and businesses in 29 countries on 5 continents. Kate is also associate creative director of Stepping Stone Theatre for Mental Health – a multi award winning company which uses theatre and literacy to help destigmatize mental illness. She has been a BBC radio presenter, business journalist, member of the Professional Speakers Association, an award winning comedienne and subject of the television documentary “Laughter is the Best Medicine”. Kate is author of two books, 'Pearls of Bizdom' and 'Pull Your Socks Up' (co-written with her husband), a memoir of her time in mental institutions. Kate is also recipient of the prestigious national title at the UK Mental Health and Well Being awards for The Most Inspirational Story.

http://www.humourus.co.uk/about/index.php

Philip Ingram MBE - Founder at Grey Hare Media and former Commander of the 1 Military Intelligence Battalion

Slightly tongue in cheek, Philip refers to himself as an, “Ex spymaster, specialised in taking over countries, now writes and broadcasts about things intelligence, security, cyber, geopolitics, terror and more. He is a widely published journalist, specialising in the security and intelligence arenas, who has built on a long and senior career in British Military Intelligence, with years of experience in all aspects of intelligence and security as well as strategic planning. He maintains a close interest in global events. Philip now runs his own media company, Grey Hare Media, that specialises in delivering informed content. He keynote speaks across the globe on Terrorism, Cyber Security, Information and Disinformation, leadership and mental health, as well as global security issues. From a broadcast perspective he has experience with live radio, live TV, as well as green screen studio experience. Philip writes for many security related publications, he is a keynote speaker on security, terrorism, cyber, intelligence, the power of information and mental health resilience, and he hosts his own podcast 'Chatting with Ingram'.

https://greyharemedia.com/philip-ingram-mbe-bio

Godfrey Kenely - Consultant at the Richmond Foundation

Godfrey is an experienced business management and digital marketing consultant with a diverse skill set in training, research, software solutions, and digital marketing.He has successfully led multiple projects at Richmond Foundation, focusing on research, training, education, and awareness initiatives. His comprehensive expertise enables him to drive organisational growth and foster digital innovation effectively

http://gkconsultancy.eu/about

Dr Natalie Kenely - Senior Lecturer, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta

Natalie is a social worker by profession, and worked for a number of years with children and youth in different settings. She is a resident senior lecturer in the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta and served as Head of the Department of Social Policy and Social Work between 2016 and 2020.Natalie has collaborated with Richmond Foundation on research into youth mental health.She has presented her research in conferences both locally and abroad, and has published on topics such as loneliness, resilience, leadership and management, reflective practice and gender equity.

https://www.um.edu.mt/profile/nataliekenely

Trudy Kerr - Founder, Host and Producer of The SHE Word Ultra Runner, Traveler and Author

Trudy has extensive experience in communications, media, strategy and marketing, having worked in a number of leadership roles within these areas. She is well versed in all things iGaming, while her previous role saw her occupying the same post, Head of Strategy and Marketing, at iGEN- the iGaming European Network. She also hosts a popular podcast called The Interviewer, where she invites a diverse range of guests who are leaders in their respective fields.

https://www.youtube.com/@theinterviewer_thesheword