Anita Brooker

Anita joined the Australian Regular Army in July 1988 and served in the Australian Army Psychology Corps as a Psychological Examiner and a General Service Officer in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps for 29 years.

Anita has been heavily involved in the veteran community in Townsville as a volunteer. She was a founding Director, Company Secretary, and Wellbeing Officer of The Oasis Townsville Limited, and a Director and Company Secretary of Defence Holidays North Queensland.

Anita was a member of the Queensland Government’s North and North West Queensland Regional Community Forum. She is currently a member of the Veterans’ Reference Group for Queensland. Anita is enthusiastic about how GMR’s research can improve the lives of veterans and their families.

Angela Crichton CSM

Angela is a wife to an amazing husband and a mother to two beautiful and active boys. She proudly served in the Royal Australian Air Force as a Signals Operator (Technical) – Electronic Intelligence Analyst.

Beyond her service, Angela played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Defence’s electronic warfare education and training, and now uses her lived experience to support Defence families in her role as a Defence School Mentor.

Angela’s career highlights include an operational tour to the Middle East and earning several commendations, including the Conspicuous Service Medal. She is passionate about honouring the physical, mental, and emotional toll that service can take on our veterans.

She joined the Veteran Impact Group to actively address these challenges and seek to improve the lives of veterans in meaningful ways.

Travis Crichton

Travis is a passionate and dedicated Exercise Physiologist with a strong commitment to promoting health and wellness through physical activity and exercise. With a background in exercise science and personal, group and military combat fitness, Travis is well-equipped to design and implement customised exercise programs that cater to the unique needs and goals of his clients.

Travis has worked with clients through the DVA, Medicare, NDIS, Workcover, Comcare and private sectors to deliver individual and group sessions. These sessions involved hydrotherapy, gym, telehealth and home-based interventions

Travis is married with two active children and loves everything outdoors including camping, water sports, triathlon, golf, snowboarding and AFL.

John Hardgrave

With more than 20 years’ service in the Infantry, John Hardgrave has seen operational service in the Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Afghanistan, as well as deployment in domestic operations such as Queensland Flood Assist.

After leaving the Regular Army, John went on to gain formal qualifications and experience in the private sector and continues to serve on Boards, and within consultative forums and steering committees for state and federal government. John also continues to serve as an Officer in the Army Reserve and is currently employed as the Head of League Development for RSL Queensland.

John is honoured to be part of the Veteran Impact Group and the opportunity to represent his fellow veterans.

Julia Michel

Julia Michel is the founder of The Home Post and the Defence and Veteran Carer Support Network. These are both dedicated online resources for Defence and veteran families and carers and provide invaluable support, information and advocacy.

Julia’s journey through life has been marked by transformation and an unwavering commitment to making a difference. Starting out as a law school student, she then became a Defence partner and spouse, only to find herself at a young age in the vital role of a caregiver for a veteran.

Julia’s personal journey has also been marked by significant challenges such as enduring her own chronic injuries and mental health issues, including depression and suicidal ideation. However, her resilience and determination have led her on a journey back from the pits of despair and burnout, making her passionate about capacity and education.

Today, she stands as a prominent veteran spouse, campaigner, and advocate. Her advocacy work and motivational speaking spans the areas of veteran and caregiver perspectives and support (with a focus on burnout), military culture, education, and transformation.

Rach Ranton

Rach Ranton is an Australian Army veteran of East Timor and Afghanistan. As an Electronic Warfare operator, she was embedded in frontline patrols to provide battlefield warning and advice.

Post-service, Rach carved out a corporate career, leading large teams at St.George Bank and Westpac Bank, before moving into people and culture projects. These included the design and delivery of world-leading Neurodiversity and Veteran Hiring programs, and bank-wide cultural change and leadership programs.

Rach is a keen veteran advocate, with broad and varied connections across the veteran community. She holds current positions on advisory and research committees for the ADF, DVA, and Women Veterans Australia and she previously served on the board of the Veteran Surf Project. Rach brings both her military and cultural change experiences to the Veteran Impact Group.

Daniel Spain

Daniel is a Social Worker with Queensland Health working at hospitals on the Fraser Coast, and in Hervey Bay and Maryborough. He is employed as the Renal and Kidney Supportive Care Social Worker and substantively within the Emergency Department at Hervey Bay Hospital.

After deployment to Afghanistan and discharge from the Army, Daniel noticed the ever-increasing number of younger veterans and their families returning to the Fraser Coast region and the limited availability of appropriate support services. He started an informal support group for younger veterans and in 2014 he formalised and inaugurated the Veterans of Australia Association Inc (VOA). Daniel is trained as a Level 3 Compensation Advocate.

Daniel continues to represent veterans in a limited volunteer capacity. He completed a Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) at Griffith University and was awarded the Lesley Chenoweth Award for Social Justice and Equity for his work within the veteran community.

Daniel has a passion for working with communities impacted by the burden of chronic disease and/or illness and maximising quality of life and wellbeing.

Dr Kirsten Wells

Kirsten is a proud Indigenous Palawa woman, a mother to two children, Rori and Brody, and a proud wife to Heather.

She served as an Australian Army Medic and went on to specialise in forensic and indigenous health and research.

Kirsten is a Senior Research Manager at RSL Queensland and her leadership and management capabilities, interdisciplinary skills, and commitment to improving health and wellbeing make her an asset to the Veteran Impact Group.