A Global Online Event | November 10-14, 2025
What if the medicine and culture we’ve been missing isn’t found in a pharmacy or in a code of conduct – but in human connection?
Join healthcare professionals worldwide for an extraordinary week reimagining medicine through kindness, connection, and collaboration. When #KindnessWorksHere, everyone thrives.
This is a digital event so you can join online from anywhere you'd like
Click here for other ways you can participate
Daily presentations and reflective practice offerings between 10 - 14th November
Whether you’re a seasoned clinician, a healthcare leader, just beginning your healthcare career - or you’re a patient or patient advocate, your voice matters. The Gathering of Kindness is for anyone committed to shaping a healthcare system that is safer, kinder, and more connected.
This includes:
This isn’t just another healthcare conference – it is a movement that challenges the status quo, connects diverse voices, and aims to equip you with confidence and practical tools to create safer, kinder, and more resilient workplaces.
The Gathering of Kindness is your chance to connect with colleagues who see prescribing connection as essential to healthcare. Bring your team to share ideas and be part of a movement that aims to drive meaningful change.
Through interactive sessions, inspiring speakers, and real-world case studies, you will gain strategies to meet WHS obligations, strengthen staff wellbeing, and deliver outstanding quality of care.
Michael is a retired GP, researcher and medical educator at Deakin University. His career has had several inspiring influences, including patient values based medical care, narrative therapy and the Calgary Cambridge Communication Skills model, holistic, tribal, sustainable environmentally aware medicine, and Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs). He has dabbled in dietary manipulation for chronic disease since the 1980s, narrative therapy since the 1990s and maintains enthusiasm by facilitating SMAs to reverse metabolic conditions leveraging microbiome science, knowledge of lifestyle factors in metaflammation, and communication skills.
As a Mum and Nature Connection Mentor, Fay thought she had a pretty balanced life. A diagnosis of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease in 2023 and a year of medical leave turned that on its head. But amongst the fears of the new normal came an online support group, Dragon Claw, who threw her a lifeline. Now she facilitates their Australian Dragon Talks every week and travels the world advocating for people living with autoimmune conditions.
Professor Catherine Crock is a medical pioneer, producer of music and theatrics, humanitarian, mother, grandmother and advocate for change. A Physician at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Australia. Chair and Founder of The Hush Foundation, a registered charity organisation transforming health care by improving partnerships, culture and the environment supporting health and wellbeing. In 2015 Prof Crock became a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to medicine, to community healthcare standards and to the Arts. She also became a Monash Fellow in 2020.
Heather has been a Patient Partner in health system design and change as well as Patient Oriented Research for well over ten years, when her career as a Medical Laboratory Technologist was cut short with a diagnosis of MS to go along with inflammatory arthritis,
diagnosed at age nine. She was not adequately treated until her early 60’s when she was finally referred to rheumatology. Her interactions with the medical community and personal knowledge and experience with autoimmune diseases have grown to include multiple chronic conditions. Heather shares her time and limited energy between her family (including Nine fantastic grandchildren),and volunteer work with the Canadian Chronic Pain Network, Saskatchewan Center for Patient Oriented Research and the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Heather has a particular interest in Autoimmune Arthritis as her son and granddaughter also suffer with it, as did her mother and grandmother.
Dr Ramona Houmanfar is Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Behavior Analysis Program at the University of Nevada, Reno, USA. Her expertise and interests in behavioral systems analysis, cultural behavior analysis, and contextual behavioral science have guided her conceptual work plus research associated with the analysis of verbal behavior (e.g., symbolic language, leadership communication, team communication), rule governance, value- based governance, and wellbeing in cultural groups including organizations. She has published over 80 peer reviewed publications, and four co-edited books titled “Organizational Change” (Context Press), “Understanding Complexity in Organizations”, “Leadership & Cultural Change (Taylor & Francis Group), and “Applied Behavior Science in Organization” (Taylor & Francis Group).
Matthew is a Melbourne/Naarm–based music professional with over two decades of senior artistic and leadership experience across Australia’s creative, commercial and community sectors. He has held significant curatorial and programming roles with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Australian National Academy of Music and Melbourne Recital Centre, developing programs that expand audiences for original Australian music. His broad stylistic reach and commitment to Australian artists have led to award-winning commissions and collaborations with Paul Kelly, Paul Grabowsky, Eddie Perfect, William Barton, the late Uncle Archie Roach, Meow Meow, Electric Fields, The Bamboos and South Indian collective Sangam. He has also worked extensively with flagship presenters and commercial partners including Arts Centre Melbourne, MONA, NGV, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Nike, Sofitel, Footscray Arts, Multicultural Arts Victoria and Arts Access Victoria.
Balancing an active life as a clinician, program developer, mother, partner, and long distance cyclist, Charmaine arrived at a well deserved break from work life in 2006. The tables turned in 2015 when she became a patient, with RA. Now a director of Dragon Claw Charity, she’s turned her medical and creative mind to advancing the patient voice within the autoimmunity community.
Maya is the Patient-Centred Research Lead at Community and Patient Preference Research (CaPPRe). In her role, she collaborates with patient organisations, healthcare providers and industry stakeholders to conduct research that explores patient preferences and experiences across a range of conditions. Maya is also the Technical Officer for a global working group dedicated to incorporating patient preferences into the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) process. Before moving to Australia, Maya worked in arthritis patient advocacy in Canada – she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 18.
Professorial Fellow in Medical Education, Melbourne Medical School
Professor of Marketing at Melbourne Business School
Jill Klein, Ph.D. (Social Psychology 1990) joined Melbourne Business School in 2009, and Melbourne Medical School in 2015.
Jill has expertise in clinical decision making, leadership and resilience. Her research interests are medical decision making and medical student, trainee and doctor wellbeing. She has published widely, including in the British Medical Journal and Harvard Business Review. She is currently writing Thriving in Medical School with her co-author Jordyn Feingold.
Zoe is a leading Australian cellist, chamber musician and Artistic Director of Flinders Quartet, which she co-founded in 2000. Renowned for her expressive musicianship and commitment to Australian composition, she has premiered and recorded numerous new works, helping establish Flinders Quartet as one of Australia’s most accomplished and adventurous ensembles. Zoe has released multiple critically acclaimed solo and chamber albums on ABC Classic and MOVE Records, and performs regularly at major venues and festivals across Australia. A passionate educator and mentor, she teaches cello and chamber music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and is a sought-after adjudicator and collaborator. With a career spanning performance, curation, and artistic leadership, Zoe Knighton continues to champion the role of music as a powerful medium for connection, creativity, and community engagement.
Lucy Mayes is Manager of Engagement for the Hush Foundation where she oversees strategic partnerships and programs. In her private consulting work she is a sought after facilitator, presenter, MC and host with experience spanning corporate, government, regional development, health, education, arts, community and not-for-profit sectors. Drawing on her diverse experience and training as a lawyer, social worker and company director, Lucy specialises in facilitating work and community based cultures – from small teams to multi-stakeholder partnerships – where people, purpose and planet thrive. She facilitates inclusive and transformative processes that advance equity, humanity, connection, wellbeing, collaboration and transparent governance. Lucy is author of ‘Beyond the Stethoscope: Doctors’ stories of reclaiming hope, heart and healing in medicine’ and has a particular passion for rehumanizing healthcare workplaces in support of workforce wellbeing, sustainability and safety. She is a long standing member of the Murray Primary Health Network Consumer Advisory Council, is a co-owner / co-director of Goldfields Medical Hub and was an active member of the Behavioural Expectations Advisory Group as part of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators A Better Culture Project.
Richard Mayes is a General Practitioner / Obstetrician in Castlemaine, Central Victoria. He is also a Medical Educator and the Clinical Hub Coordinator for Monash University Medical School for the Bendigo region, and is a national instructor for the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics and PROMPT training programs, for which he was awarded ‘Australian Trainer of the Year’ in 2016. He was awarded the prestigious RACGP Brian Williams Award in 2020 for services to education. He is also a dancer, dance instructor ‘in training’ and supports the Silvertops Dance Crew. Richard enjoys his role as ‘The Bird’ mascot for an annual local fun run which raises funds for the local hospital, is a regular Park Run volunteer and participant and loves kayaking.
Natalie is a Sydney-based composer, researcher, and lecturer whose emotionally charged music explores calm, catharsis, and connection. Holding a PhD and Master of Music (Composition) from the Sydney Conservatorium, her works have been commissioned by the Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, the Australian String Quartet, and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. Her piece We Won’t Let You Down (ACO Collective / Hush Foundation) featured on an ARIA-nominated album in 2019. Nicolas’s music has been performed internationally and broadcast on ABC Classic, including its Best of Australian Classical Music playlists. Recent projects include Sydney Dreaming (Omega Ensemble), By the Tide of the Moon (Flinders Quartet), and Something from Nothing (Ensemble Apex). She is the 2025 Layton Fellow with Australia Ensemble and winner of the Australian Composition Competition with guitarist Matt Withers.
Benjamin is one of Australia’s foremost conductors, currently Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor & Artistic Advisor (Learning and Engagement) of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 2025 he became Conductor in Residence with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Director of the Australian Conducting Academy, and Professor of Conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. A graduate of the Sibelius Academy and Stockholm Royal College of Music, Northey has guest conducted all major Australian orchestras and appeared internationally with ensembles including the London Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic and Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. Equally at home across classical, opera, and contemporary genres, he has collaborated with artists from Anne Sofie von Otter to Ben Folds. An ARIA, APRA/AMCOS, and Melbourne Prize winner, Northey is a passionate advocate for Australian music and arts education
Joscelin is a respected healthcare leader with more than twelve years of experience driving strategic, operational, and system-wide improvements across complex health services. In mid-2025, she commenced her role as Director, Operations Improvement at the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN), leading initiatives focused on service transformation, system optimisation, and performance excellence.
Her career spans clinical and leadership roles across health strategy, service planning, redevelopment and commissioning, rural and remote health, and digital innovation—within both the public and private sectors. Known for her transformational, action-oriented leadership style, Joscelin excels at navigating ambiguity, engaging stakeholders, and translating strategic vision into sustainable outcomes. Guided by strong values and a relationship-centred approach, she fosters positive, empowered, and high-performing teams.
Margaret is currently Group Director of Identity & Mission, joining Cabrini in April 2024 following almost six years with St Vincent’s Public Hospital, where she led significant transformation of mission strategy and integration. For Cabrini, Margaret will consolidate and amplify the work already undertaken to establish Cabrini’s identity and culture – shaped by the impact of our mission and heritage. With a background in assisting large Catholic organisations with strategy and governance, Margaret is dedicated to advancing person-centred care and health equity, striving to address disparities in marginalised communities. Her qualifications include teaching, a Bachelor of Theology, a Masters in Management, and certification from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr Heinrich C. Volmink, MBChB, MPA, MMed, FCPHM(SA)
Heinrich is a public health physician and former Member of Parliament passionate about innovation and transformational leadership. He is Senior Lecturer Extraordinary in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University. Heinrich previously served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the National Assembly of South Africa, where he sat on the Portfolio Committee on Health. He has also been active in civil society (with a focus on anti-corruption work). Heinrich has had experience in the private sector, previously consulting as Public Health Specialist Advisor to Anglo American plc. He has also co-founded two start-ups related to healthcare and technology. For several years, Heinrich has been part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers initiative which aims to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Additionally, he is an Associate Fellow of the Ubuntu Global Network and a Board Member of ProSocial World.
Heinrich holds his medical degree from the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine. He also has master’s degrees in public administration (University of Warwick, United Kingdom) and medicine (University of the Witwatersrand), both earned with distinction. He is a Fellow of the College of Public Health Medicine of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, from which he was awarded the Henry Gluckman Medal.
, MBChB, MPA, MMed, FCPHM(SA)
Heinrich is a public health physician and former Member of Parliament passionate about innovation and transformational leadership. He is Senior Lecturer Extraordinary in the Department of Global Health at Stellenbosch University. Heinrich previously served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the National Assembly of South Africa, where he sat on the Portfolio Committee on Health. He has also been active in civil society (with a focus on anti-corruption work). Heinrich has had experience in the private sector, previously consulting as Public Health Specialist Advisor to Anglo American plc. He has also co-founded two start-ups related to healthcare and technology. For several years, Heinrich has been part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers initiative which aims to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Additionally, he is an Associate Fellow of the Ubuntu Global Network and a Board Member of ProSocial World.
Heinrich holds his medical degree from the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine. He also has master’s degrees in public administration (University of Warwick, United Kingdom) and medicine (University of the Witwatersrand), both earned with distinction. He is a Fellow of the College of Public Health Medicine of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, from which he was awarded the Henry Gluckman Medal.
Donna West is a senior PhD student advised by Dr. Ramona Houmanfar in the University of Nevada Reno’s (UNR) Behavior Analysis Program. She has an MS in behavior analysis with a concentration in Culturo-Behavior Science. Her research focuses on supporting prosocial development in organized groups through evidence-based practices. She is part of an interdisciplinary research team at UNR Med called PROACTIVE (Promoting Research, Outreach, Acceptance and Commitment Training, Interdisciplinary-collaboration, and Values- driven Education), where she brings her expertise in behavior analysis on the longitudinal assessments and curriculum design supporting medical students’ well-being, burnout resiliency, interprofessional communication, and patient care. She enjoys bringing her values of communication, compassion, community, and science into her professional and personal life.
Join online and create your own Gathering of Kindness wherever you are, whoever you are - for conversation, celebration, and inspiration.
4:30 PM to 5:30 PM AEDT
Join pioneering South African medical doctor, academic, entrepreneur and former Member of Parliament, Dr Heinrich Volmink as he shares how ancient philosophies such as Ubuntu (humanity to others), shared story and social connection create measurable and lasting health impacts.
8:30 AM to 9:30 AM AEDT
Join behavioral systems analyst Professor Ramona Houmanfar and her team as they share groundbreaking research on preventing healthcare burnout before it starts.
Discover evidence-based strategies that build psychological flexibility in medical students, promote values-based leadership, and create sustainable kindness practices throughout healthcare organizations. Learn how targeted interventions at both student and leadership levels create positive ripple effects that improve professional satisfaction, patient outcomes, and organizational culture.
This session offers practical, research-backed approaches to cultivating mindful leadership habits and resilient healthcare careers—addressing burnout prevention rather than just treatment.
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM AEDT
Discover how patients with autoimmune inflammatory diseases are transforming their lives and the lives of many living with chronic pain through global connection, collaboration and patient led research and advocacy.
Learn about groundbreaking patient-led innovations including the 'Know Your Numbers' blood test interpretation tool and new pain assessment resources developed by and for the community. Hear how this self-organizing network is partnering with major medical and research organisations to help patients regain control over their symptoms, reduce disability reliance, and rebuild pathways to work and wellbeing.
Experience the power of peer support that spans continents and transforms lives—from sharing practical resources to providing the community connection that improves lives for those living with chronic illness.
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM AEDT
Discover how arts-based experiences deepen connection, enhance collaboration, and transform healthcare workplaces and healing spaces. Join us in celebrating World Kindness Day and 25 years of the Hush Foundation's impact, with a particular focus on its music legacy. This session features the exclusive digital release of Peaceful Moments, the Hush 2025 Album composed by Natalie Nicolas.
Gather your community or team for our online presentation, then celebrate your kindness champions with cake, music, and creativity. Celebration kits available with activity ideas, promotions, and signage to help you create your own World Kindness Day event.
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM AEDT
60-minute interactive workshop on how generational dynamics affect safety and care quality
Do nurses still eat their young? Are the next generation really “marshmallows”? When junior clinicians aren't heard, patients suffer. When age assumptions drive communication, dignity and outcomes suffer. These problems share the same root: whose voice gets valued.
Hear real stories from clinicians, patients, and leaders about generational bias in healthcare. Through guided discussion, explore how "eating our young" culture or “marshmallow” narratives affect workplace safety, the parallels between dismissing colleagues and making assumptions about patients, and practical steps toward change.
Whether you're a provider, leader, patient advocate, or care recipient—your perspective matters. This isn't about blame; it's about building safer, more respectful healthcare for everyone.
Get support from our digital kit which includes activity ideas, conversation starters, community engagement, communications and signage, or our physical kit which includes cards, posters, signs and bunting.
Join our special Gathering of Kindness celebration including exclusive digital release of Hush’s latest album, “Peaceful Moments”. (let us know if you’d like to be considered for inclusion in this exclusive event - numbers will be strictly limited).
The Hush Foundation
PO Box 1385
Camberwell, VIC, 3124
A Deductible Gift Recipient 1 charity
Make a tax deductible donation
ABN 751 380 88972
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Incorporating the Australian Institute of Patient and Family Centred Care. To read more about our merger, please CLICK HERE.
We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which we live and work and pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging.
© 2025 The Hush Foundation
