Like a curious novel, Mara’s life has had many chapters – beginning with a childhood in Western Queensland spent alongside an unwavering Italian mother, a father deeply connected to the land and three adventurous brothers.

While the value of open, honest conversations was instilled in her family, this attitude was not necessarily shared within the broader rural community.

“When I was young, three community members died from suicide within a short period of time. The unspoken rule was to generally ‘toughen up’ and ‘get on with it’. I remember looking around after the funerals, at people dancing and drinking at the wake, feeling their inner pain and thinking to myself, “why aren’t we talking about this?”

After Mara finished school at Longreach School of the Air, she went onto work in a mixed bag of industries – each of them building on skills that led her to RFQ. She’s spent time as a camel tour guide near Alice Springs, jillaroo, assistant in nursing, welder in a coal mine, diversional therapist, teacher aide and office manager for a construction company. During this time, Mara met her husband, welcomed three children and settled into family life on a farm outside Childers.

Mara crossed paths with RFQ in 2017, feeling an alignment between the organisation’s values and her own. She started as a recovery support worker before moving into the Transition from Corrections program. It was here she gained valuable insights that would propel her into the next phase of her career.

“I learnt that most people in prison are just ordinary people, like you and me – people who need a person by their side and a guiding hand to the future.”

When Mara moved into the role of Team Leader of The Way Back Support Service, she embraced the opportunity to establish the service in the Fraser Coast, North Burnett, Discovery Coast and Bundaberg regions.

“The area we cover is over 35000 sq kilometres – half the size of Tasmania! I love being able to support my team, work alongside them on the frontline and show kindness to our communities. The whole team is exceptional; helping them find their confidence is very rewarding.”

Having just moved into the Assistant Area Manager role for Wide Bay, Mara is responsible for both the Transition from Corrections and The Way Back Support Service. She is excited for what is to come.

“Mental health is not this foreign object that some people carry, and some people don’t. We all experience ups and downs in life, and that’s perfectly OK. I’m excited to see how my next chapter unfolds.”