Dr Michelle Blanchard

Dr Michelle Blanchard is the Deputy CEO at SANE Australia, a national charity working to promote the wellbeing of people affected by complex mental illness. Michelle is also the founding Director of SANE’s Anne Deveson Research Centre which partners with people with mental illness and their family, friends and colleagues to drive policy and social change. The Anne Deveson Research Centre honours Anne’s legacy as co-founder of SANE and her tireless work in reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.

Michelle is also an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

Prior to joining SANE in 2017, Michelle held leadership roles at the Butterfly Foundation for Eating Disorders and the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre. From 2011 to 2016, Michelle was also an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne.
Michelle is a Non-Executive Director of youth mental health organisation batyr. She is Co-Chair of the Australian American Young Leadership Dialogue and a participant in the United States Government’s International Visitor Leadership Program.

Michelle holds a PhD in Youth Mental Health, a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Psychology and Political Science, a Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare and a Diploma in Leadership and Management.