Dr barbara disley has an extensive career working in the areas of mental health and education. She was the chief executive of the mental health foundation where she conducted research and community education programmes with a particular interest in youth mental health, suicide prevention, violence prevention, refugee mental health, problem gambling and patient advocacy. In 1996, barbara was appointed by the minister of health, as the inaugural chair of the mental health commission where she was responsible to the minister for providing advice and monitoring on the provision of mental health services. In this role she provided leadership to the mental health sector and was the driving force behind the blueprint for mental health services which set the framework for future mental health funding and service delivery in new zealand. From 2002 till 2007 barbara was deputy secretary ministry of education where she had responsibility for the integration of the special education service into the ministry and for the overall leadership, funding and provision of special education services for children and young people. Barbara now works as an independent consultant. She has recently completed an evaluation of the licencing of teachers and school leaders initiative in qatar which involved over 500 participants in key sector stakeholder surveys. She has also completed a review of the felix donnelly college. Barbara has a doctorate in education and has completed leadership programmes at both harvard university and henley school of management. In 2004 she received the british foreign and commonwealth office - aotearoa scholarship to study in the united kingdom. She was awarded life membership of the new zealand association of adolescent health and development for outstanding contribution to the promotion of healthy development of rangatahi/young new zealanders and in 2005, the mental health services (themhs) individual award for exception contribution to mental health services in new zealand. She is also a churchill fellow and a fellow of the new zealand institute of management.