Dr Lucy Mercer-Mapstone
Executive Director
(she/they)
WHO AM I?
I bring my whole self to my work as a consultant leading Collective Voices Consulting. I have deep expertise in engagement, lived experience advocacy, human research, public speaking, facilitation, professional development, and in equity diversity, and inclusion. I am a queer, neurodivergent, disabled person, and a victim-survivor of sexual assault. I have a long history of research, teaching, facilitation, and advocacy around all these lived experiences driving social, cultural, organisational, and legislative reform for a more inclusive society. I integrate my first-hand navigation of systems of privilege and oppression into my engagements, making them authentic, inclusive, and accessible.
WHAT DRIVES ME?
My driving passion is for driving systemic change toward genuine equity. I have done this through a career shaped around amplifying the voices of those who experience oppression and supporting people to develop the skills for true inclusion. I bring a cross-sector perspective having worked and engaged across higher education, community, not-for-profit, corporate, and government sectors.
WHAT'S MY PHILOSOPHY?
My philosophy is founded on a deep respect for diverse knowledges. I apply intersectional and social justice approaches in my practice which centres compassion, empathy, reflection, and critical analysis of power across all relationships and engagements. I situate learning in individual's own experiences and expertise and take a trauma-informed approach to understanding how people see and navigate the world.
WHAT DO I DO?
Fundamentally, I curate processes which drive learning and innovative outcomes. I feel most alive when engaging with people—whether through unique co-design sessions, stakeholder workshops, interviews and focus groups, or when facilitating professional development opportunities. My knowledge and practices are diverse and transdisciplinary. I've never met a project, process, or project I couldn't take on, so if you've got something in mind - just ask!
WHAT'S MY EXPERTISE?
I have an extensive research and publication record for which I have been awarded three fellowships and multiple grants, awards, and scholarships. I have published widely across audiences, and genres. I've run, facilitated, and delivered hundreds of workshops, panels, and keynotes internationally. I have led numerous cross-sector and interorganisational collaborations and change processes. I have run consultations at state, national, and international levels.
QUALIFICATIONS
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Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors, Australian Institute of Company Directors
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Graduate Certificate (Tertiary Education),University of Sydney
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PhD (Stakeholder Engagement), University of Queensland
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Bachelor of Science (Honours), University of Queensland
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Bachelor of Journalism & Communications, University of Queensland
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Trauma-informed participatory community building
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Think on Your Feet
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Drivers of domestic and family violence
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Leading with Authenticity Program
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Women in STEM Leadership Summit
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Change Management for Projects
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Ally Training Program
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Ability Awareness
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Breaking the Binary
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Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
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Cultural Diversity in the Workplace
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Learning to Lead
SELECTED PAST ROLES
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Vice President, Equality Tasmania
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Stakeholder Engagement & Policy Officer / Lived experience program coordinator, TasCOSS
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Research Principal, University of Sydney
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Social impact & evaluation specialist, University of Technology Sydney
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Lecturer, University of Sydney & University of Technology Sydney
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Endeavour Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
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Student-Staff Partnership Project Lead, University of Queensland
OTHER CURRENT ROLES
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Policy, Advocacy, & Lived Experience Lead, Laurel House