Speakers

Ali Lloyd

Ali Lloyd has spent 30+yrs working in the health industry primarily in New Zealand before moving to Australia in 2018. Having worked in Primary Health Organisations in New Zealand, Ali has a wealth of experience supporting the delivery of primary health care services so that people experience their best health and wellbeing. Ali is responsible for leading our strategy and planning functions and has executive oversight of all commissioning activities at NT PHN. Ali is a strong advocate for health provision in the Northern Territory and for addressing health inequity, and often represents NT PHN in various regional and national forums to ensure we are participating in the collective voice for all people in the NT.

James Ward



Professor James Ward, is a respected Pitjantjatjara and Narungga man, renowned for his leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research. With a strong background as an infectious diseases epidemiologist, he has made significant contributions to the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. As the Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at The University of Queensland, Professor Ward leads innovative research aimed at addressing health disparities and improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians. His work continues to shape national health policies and advance the knowledge and understanding of Indigenous health challenges.



 Rebecca Lang

Rebecca Lang (she/her) is the CEO of the Qld Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies (QNADA), the peak organisation for the non-government alcohol and other drug treatment and harm reduction sector in Qld. QNADA’s vision is for a system that values the social and cultural determinants of health. Rebecca has been a member of principal expert advisory body to the Australian Government, the Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and other Drugs (ANACAD) since 2017. Rebecca is also the Chair of the Australian Alcohol and other Drugs Council (AADC) and a member of the advisory board of the National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research (NCYSUR).

 Dan Wilson

Dan Wilson, trained as a general practitioner and addiction medicine specialist. He has lived, trained and worked in urban, regional and remote areas of South Australia and the Northern Territory. Dan has worked as an addiction medicine specialist in Alice Springs since 2018 and is the clinical director for Alcohol and Other Drug Services in Central Australia. Dan is an advocate for health-resource equity and for evidence-based health and social policies that aim to promote community wellbeing. He believes that community-led strategies to address harmful alcohol and other substance use are essential to support individually-focused treatment models of care. Outside of work, you will find him trail-running or digging out buffel grass to rejuvenate native habitats.

 Ingrid Wilson

Ingrid Wilson, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology in the Health and Social Sciences Cluster, and Adjunct Research Fellow with La Trobe University. She has a PhD in Mother and Child Health from La Trobe University, a first-class Honours degree in Criminology (University of Melbourne), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (UK). Her research focuses on alcohol-related intimate partner violence and the gendered nature of drinking and harm. A qualitative researcher, she is passionate to ensure the voices and experiences of disadvantaged populations are illuminated in health research and social policy. Ingrid has a background in alcohol policy development as a former advisor for the Victorian State Government, public health advocacy in the not-for-profit sector, and leadership experience as Board Chair of a women’s charity in Melbourne.



 Will Tregoning  

Will Tregoning is the visionary founder and Chief Executive Officer of Unharm, a leading drug law reform campaigning organization headquartered in New South Wales (NSW). Under his dynamic leadership, Unharm has established itself as a pivotal force in advocating for comprehensive changes to existing drug policies, aiming to create a more equitable and health-oriented approach to drug use and regulation. Will’s commitment to fostering a just society is evident in the strategic initiatives and campaigns that Unharm spearheads, which seek to address the multifaceted issues surrounding drug laws and their impact on communities.

 Adrian Farrugia 



Adrian Farrugia is an ARC DECRA senior research fellow and Program Lead of the Drugs, Gender and Sexuality program at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University. He specialises in the sociological analysis of alcohol and other drugs and related responses like drug education for young people and take-home naloxone for opioid overdose. Committed to countering misconceptions about controversial health issues, Adrian has developed several public and sector-focussed resources such as websites about lived experiences of overdose (Overdoselifesavers.org), hepatitis C treatment and cure (VitalvoicesonhepC.org) and a stigma-reduction toolkit for services providing care to people affected by blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections.   

 Joe Coyte

Joe Coyte is well known and respected in the Drug and Alcohol sector in NSW, Australia and Internationally. He is a strong advocate of good governance and has had numerous roles in the sector including sitting on the board of NADA (peak body for Non-Government Drug and Alcohol services), being a foundation board member and driving force behind the establishment of ADARRN (Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Network), and sitting on the board of ATCA (Australasian Therapeutic Community Association) and sitting as an advisor to the Federal Health Minister in his role on ANACAD. Mr Coyte is currently employed as Executive Director at The Glen Group that runs Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centres in NSW.   

Scott Wilson



Scott Wilson is a well-respected Aboriginal leader and CEO of the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (South Australia) (ADAC) for over 30 years. He is also a Professor in Public Health at the School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University

Scott’s personal and professional experience in substance misuse has made him a valued member of nearly every major governmental and non-governmental committee in Australia for more than 30 years. He has received several awards including the Australian Centenary Medal. Scott was the 2013 recipient of the Sydney University Graduate Medal the “Sister Alison Bush Medal” (Indigenous achievement).

In 2017, Scott was awarded the APSAD (Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs) First Peoples Award ‘for Excellence in Science, Research and Practice”. His other past leadership roles include being Deputy Chair of both the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee and the Alcohol Education Rehabilitation Foundation (FARE).

Christine Watson

Dr. Christine Watson has been living and working as a doctor in the Northern Territory for the past 23 years. She began her career as a District Medical Officer before pursuing specialist training in Psychiatry, followed by a focus on Addiction Medicine. Currently, Dr. Watson serves as the Director of Addiction Medical Services for Top End Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Services. Over the past 7 years, her primary role has been leading the Acute Withdrawal Services Inpatient Unit, where she treats patients with complex, long-term substance use disorders. She is deeply committed to supporting the transition of these patients into longer-term treatment programs.