The 2022 recipient of the eMental Health Implementation Leadership Award for Australia is Ashley de Silva, CEO of ReachOut. 

Ashley is a delightful and rare combination of a visionary and pragmatic leader. He’s also highly collaborative, driven by the mantra that if the sector comes together and pools our individual strengths, we can and will achieve better outcomes for people and communities.

He is not only technically brilliant and a thought leader in mental health and eMental health, he’s a highly-driven leader continually seeking to learn, innovate and evolve Australia’s leading online mental health service and community for young people. This was demonstrated most recently through his leadership and stewardship of Reachout’s new PeerChat service.

This service brings young people together with peer support workers in an online environment, allowing access to people with a lived or living experience, and all the benefits we know that experience brings.

Our referees couldn’t speak more highly of our recipient. They expressed that:

“He remains laser focused on giving voice to young people in his advocacy and ensuring his team’s work is co-designed with and reflects the realities and needs, and hopes and dreams, of young people in Australia.”

“Every time I connect with Ashley on digital and e-mental health, I learn something. He also has the best hair in the business.”

His referees cannot think of anyone who better encapsulates the spirit and criteria of this award. We wholeheartedly concur.

Congratulations Ashley and the team at ReachOut!