Chief Executive Officer

The organisation

Mental Health Victoria (MHV) is the peak body for mental health in Victoria.  MHV’s members include consumer and carer groups, community health and mental health services, hospitals, medical associations and colleges, police and emergency services associations, professional associations, unions, local governments, and other bodies across the health and related sectors. MHV’s aim is to ensure that people living with mental illness can access the care they need, when and where they need it.

The brief

In February 2022 Brooker Consulting was invited by the Chair of Mental Health Victoria (MHV) to submit a proposal for the provision of executive search and selection services for the position of Chief Executive Officer.  After successfully recruiting a Director Policy and Advocacy in 2021, our expertise was well known to the organisation, and we were again successful in this competitive proposal process.  

Brooker is recognised for its involvement with membership-based organisations and peak bodies, and our list of relevant experience demonstrates the extent of familiarity that the firm has accumulated in the field of mental health in Victoria, and further afield. While the majority of this body of work has been the identification of CEOs and senior executives, there has been a recent trend for some associations to seek Brooker’s advice on more general Human Resources issues. This additional work has strengthened Brooker’s understanding of the mental health arena in general and increased the firm’s prominence among stakeholders who interact in various ways with Mental Health Victoria.

The Board sought a candidate with a proven ability to:

• Lead and support the mental health sector on a journey of Federal and State system reform
• Encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing and leadership across the mental health sector and intersecting sectors
• Influence federal and state decision makers to invest in mental health
• Build MHV’s profile (including media presence) and be strategic, confident, and prominent in public debate
• Ensure that MHV is recognised as the principal voice for Victoria’s mental health sector
• Offer member services that deliver real value
• Build a strong and sustainable organisation that is recognised as an employer of choice

The process

Brooker Consulting undertook a targeted search process, combined with a print and online media campaign, that was finalised just as Victoria was emerging from Covid-19-related restrictions. 

The outcome

After two rounds of panel interviews, Marcelle Mogg was confirmed by the Board as the successful candidate.  

Marcelle has over 25 years’ professional leadership and management experience of large-scale health and social service organisations in the not-for-profit sector. As former CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia, she brings strengths in peak body leadership, government relations and advocacy.

In her most recent role as Group Director, Mission Integration, Marcelle has had responsibility for embedding the vision, mission and values of St John of God Health Care throughout the organisation, advising the Board and Executive on organisational culture, identity, strategy and decision making.

St John of God Health Care is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit providers of private hospital, public hospital, disability and community services serving communities in WA, Victoria, NSW, New Zealand and Timor Leste.

Marcelle’s previous roles include Acting Director Mission St Vincent’s Health Australia, Director Mission St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Editor Eureka Street magazine. She is a Board member of Mercy Community Services Australia Ltd, Sacred Heart Mission, and the Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat.

Marcelle took up her role as CEO of MHV on July 4 2022.