Claire Diffey
President

Claire is a credentialed mental health nurse (ACMHN) and Clinical Family Therapist (AAFT) with over 40 years of experience within the Victorian Mental Health service system. She is recognised for her expertise in the Child and Youth Mental Health and her work and research in Single Session Intervention (SSI) in CAMHS was able to inform practice change in CAMHS services in Victoria.

Her expertise in Eating Disorders led to her position of Manager of the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders (CEED) for 12 years where she led the development and expansion of the service until she retired in June 2019. Claire also established in 2007 a therapy practice specialising in eating disorders,  where she provides services to individuals, parents and families.

Claire joined the board in Jan 2020.

Richard Matotek
Board member

Richard has over 30 years of experience in the Telecommunications sector, during which time he founded and operated 4 start-ups.

The last 20 years were focused on providing mobile payments and mobile financial services to the un-banked and under-banked populations in un-developed and emerging countries.  Having founded Utiba in 2000, Richard’s role as Chief Executive Officer was responsible for driving strategy and execution of all parts of the business, culminating in establishing and operating offices in 9 countries and servicing over 35 customers in 20 countries across SE Asia, Africa, Latin America & Eastern Europe.  Utiba was acquired by Amdocs Ltd, a global NASDAQ listed software and services provider to communications and media companies, with over 25,000 employees serving customers in over 85 countries.

Prior to Utiba, Richard was a founder and Technology Director at Total Tel International, Australia’s first prepaid mobile operator and electronic recharge service provider.  Richard was responsible developing the core technology and initiated and led the marketing of TTI’s prepaid products internationally, primarily to SE Asia, Africa and Canada.

Richard also acts as an advisor to several startups in Australia and India, supporting the CEO’s and / or Boards with go to market / product strategy, operations and fundraising.

Richard is based in Melbourne Australia, and has a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) degree from Melbourne University.

Richard joined the Board of EDV in May 2018, driving the Digital Transformation Strategy and performing the role of Chair of the Strategy, Stakeholder & Revenue committee.  Richard and his family have lived experience with eating disorders.

Janet Lowndes
Board member

Janet Lowndes is the Founding Director and Principal Psychologist at Mind Body Well, a private clinic in Melbourne providing outpatient therapies for people with Eating Disorders and concerns about weight and wellbeing – from a Non-Diet, Health at Every Size® perspective.

Janet has over 25 years experience in therapeutic practice, inspired by neuropsychotherapy, embodiment, and social justice perspectives which empower those seeking treatment, and aim to address systemic inequalities and barriers to care.

Janet’s interest in the psychology of food, eating and body image began early in her career while working in the youth health field, where she learned about eating disorders from many of her clients. This led her to develop her practice with a focus in this area, and to support other health professionals working with people with eating disorders in a non-judgemental, size inclusive way.

Janet is an experienced trainer and supervisor, providing professional support to many professionals working in the Eating Disorder field.

Janet joined the board in July 2021.

Johanna Wicks
Board member

Johanna brings 20 years of health policy and advocacy experience to the Board. She has worked with global and national not-for-profit organisations, as well as with the federal government.

Her recent roles have focussed on advocacy to improve health policy for sexual and reproductive health, preterm infant access to human milk and raising awareness and funding for the expansion of gut microbiome theraputics. In her current role she leads external engagement for Besins Healthcare, a small family-owned pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and delivers healthcare solutions to help women successfully manage the often-unexpected issues related to pregnancy, infertility, and menopause.

Johanna joined the board in 2021.

Jo Farmer
Board member

Jo (she/they) is an experienced evaluator and policymaker, who has worked in the Victorian health and social services sector for over 10 years. Having previously held roles in consulting, government and not-for-profits, she currently runs her own evaluation practice focused on improving the mental health sector by strengthening the voice of lived experience in policy design and evaluation. During their career, they have supported several not-for-profits to build robust impact measurement systems, and has a focus on organisational governance and accountability, particularly from a lived experience perspective. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, focusing on improving research practice with young people who have experienced trauma.

In addition to her professional experience, Jo’s personal lived experience of eating disorders drives their work. Jo has provided lived experience advisory to organisations including the National Eating Disorders Collaboration and Mental Health First Aid, with a focus on building understanding of eating disorders among people living at higher weight. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Jo is particularly passionate about identifying and challenging stereotypes about eating disorders and who experiences them.

Belinda Caldwell
EDV CEO

Belinda brings to her role a lived experience of caring for her daughter with anorexia nervosa and professional experience in health policy, program management and NFP management.

Since joining EDV in 2019, Belinda has led a significant expansion in services and support for Victorians impacted by eating disorders, with EDV now providing a wide ranging suite of lived experience led and delivered programs.

Prior to joining EDV in 2019, Belinda was working at the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders as a Carer Consultant and Project Manager, developing new strategies and resources for effecting greater and more effective carer inclusion in ED treatment models. And before that, Belinda’s role as CEO of Australian Practice Nurses Association was driven by the goal of improving health outcomes for primary care consumers through access to a better care nurses in general practice medical centres.

Belinda was a founding board member and Vice-Chair of Eating Disorders Families Australia until 2019. Belinda was also Vice-Chair of the global not for profit Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders (FEAST).