Our Team

Adrian Sutter is the founder of proactive mental health organisations Swiss 8 and Recalibr8. 

Adrian is an Australian military Veteran, father of 2 sons, and sits on the boards of several Veteran, tech and mental health organisations.

Adrian joined the Army in 2006 as an Infantry Soldier. Deploying straight from initial employment training to East Timor in a peacekeeping role. Learning on the run, Adrian was involved in regular presence patrolling, local conflict resolution, and screening of local gangs.

In 2009, Adrian deployed to Afghanistan with mentoring and reconstruction task force 2. 

Adrian deployed with his home unit, The First Battalion Royal Australia Regiment (1RAR). His core role in Afghanistan was with a mortar detachment conducting vehicle-mounted patrols, deep into the Chora Valley.

This deployment exposed Adrian to the realities of third-world living conditions, war, and loss of life.

Though he wanted to be a soldier for life, Adrian left the military in 2012 after his sister lost her short battle with cancer.

Adrian transitioned out of the military with no training, no education on what was to come, no plan for the future and no reintegration into civilian life.

Adrian then spent 6 years launching and running successful health food businesses.

In 2017, Adrian lost his close mate and fellow Veteran, Jesse Bird, to suicide. This was the first in a string of suicides from Adrian's old unit.

The death of Jesse Bird opened Adrian’s, and his mates’, eyes to the reactive nature of the mental health system and the absurd amount of taxpayer money being spent on mental health and veteran wellbeing interventions with no measured success outcomes.

Through lived experience and lessons learned (the hard way), Adrian, and a team of combat veterans now run Swiss 8, delivering proactive mental health workshops and digital tools to the humans who need them most.

Anthony Meixner joined the Army in 2002 at the age of 17. In his 17 year career, he deployed to The Solomons, East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Anthony has experienced mental health deterioration first hand and has witnessed many brothers in arms spiral downhill, some to the point of suicide. He now has lived experienced and valuable life lessons to pass on to the next generation of veterans who are transitioning out of the military.

Ben Sutter is a software engineer with over 10 years of experience in technology and business management. 

Ben understands the need for innovation in both the mental health and veteran space. His ability to problem solve and create frictionless user pathways is instrumental to the success of Swiss 8 products.

Adam served in the Australian Regular Army as a combat engineer officer for over 20 years, from 1990 to 2012. He continues to serve with the Army Reserve. He deployed to the Middle East on three occasions and has also undertaken postings with U.S. and British military forces. Since leaving the army, Adam has worked in Australia’s Defence industry sector and overseas in the humanitarian sector, in project/programme management roles. He returned to Australia in 2021, after managing a humanitarian programme in the Middle East for three years. He is motivated to continue in the not-for-profit sector, working on initiatives supporting vulnerable communities and populations. He joined Swiss 8 in mid-2021 to work on the annual BBQ to Remember campaign. He lives in Canberra.

Jess is the Swiss 8 Community Manager, and has a passion for holistic health through positive psychology; her values align directly with Swiss 8.

Jess has completed a Bachelor of Social Science and is currently completing a Master of Social Work. Throughout her studies, Jess saw the need for a deeper model of mental health for veterans when they transition out of the Defence Force, which led her to Swiss 8 and the amazing work that they do for the veteran community.

Jane Burns is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. She is a health strategist passionate about mental health, wellbeing and innovation. She is Chair of Open Arms, Veterans Families Counselling Service and a Board Member of the National Disability Insurance Agency. She has over twenty years’ experience as a C-Suite Executive with high profile organisations, beyondblue: the national depression initiative and reachout.com and was the founder and CEO of the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre, raising over $100M in capital.

She is the Founder of InnoWell and a Non-Executive Director with the Applied Positive Psychology Learning Institute and Mind Medicines Australia. She was a Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy at the University of California, San Francisco, a VicHealth Fellow in Health Promotion at Orygen Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health and an NHMRC Fellow in Suicide Prevention at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, University of Melbourne. Professor Burns has a PhD in medicine from the University of Adelaide.

In recognition for her achievements in entrepreneurship she won the category of Social Enterprise for 2015’s Australian Financial Review and Westpac Group 100 Women of Influence, and was a Victorian Finalist in the 2017 Telstra Business Women’s Awards.

Professor Burns is currently the acting CEO of the Well and Productive CRC and an enterprise professorial fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Anna Lewis is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. She is an Air Force Reserve Physiotherapist with a strong research and clinical background. Her research experience includes a doctoral research study and an ongoing research study evaluating the effect of exercise participation on physical and mental health parameters. Anna has led production and development of health system reports in areas of access, safety and quality and efficiency of health services. She has proven experience in leading a team through scoping, research and literature reviews and analysis of data to report on appropriate health system utilisation to assist clinical practice improvements. In her clinical work, she has a strong interest in clinical pilates and rehabilitation utilising exercise. With her public health qualifications and experience, she has been deployed on COVID-19 taskings.

Thomas Sidney Hobday OAM is a retired RAAF Warrant Officer Engineer.

Tom's service history reads as follows:

• 1992 -1995 Management of C130 operational and deeper maintenance management

• 1990 -1992 Management of B707 VIP and Tanker aircraft operational and deeper maintenance management

• 1987 – 1990 Management of C130 operational and deeper maintenance management

• 1986 – 1987 Defence Co-Operation C130 Engines (Indonesia)

• 1980 – 1986 Maintenance of C130 aircraft

• 1977 – 1980 Headquarters Support Command, Technical Spares Assessor

• 1975 – 1977 Maintenance of Mirage III Jet Fighter (Malaysia)

• 1972 – 1975 Maintenance of C130 aircraft

• 1967 – 1972 Apprentice Engine Fitter, RAAF

Post military, Tom worked with RUAG Australia as a company Quality Manager, Site Manager and Defence Contract Manager. 

Following this, he worked with Logistic Solutions Australasia as a Technical Writer for the Australian Army.

Tom is now retired and volunteers as treasurer for Cooroy Pomona RSL Sub-Branch and is a board member for Cooroy RSL and Citizens Club.

Tim Owen is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. He had a 32-year Air Force career, retiring in 2009 at the rank of Air Commodore. He was the key commander for the Australian military’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Airborne/Space Reconnaissance assets in the latter part of his career. He was also the head strategic planner for the RAAF in 2005 through 2007, where he also was responsible for international military engagement and interagency coordination. Tim was assigned as the Deputy Commander of Australian forces in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008/2009. He also had the privilege of successfully leading the RAAF’s largest and most diverse Force Element Group (Surveillance and Response Group) - over 2,000 personnel.

Following his RAAF career, Tim had a brief time in the NSW Parliament as the Member for Newcastle. During his time in this role, he initiated and was credited for the Newcastle CBD renewal program that has changed the face of the city. Post politics, he runs his own consultancy business and operates as an independent consultant and strategist for a number of key Australian and international businesses and is on the board of several companies. He works closely with Australian and Asian business entities and government agencies, in the promotion of trade and Defence business to business opportunities between Australia and Southeast Asia.

Barry Zworestine is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. He is a registered psychologist with 16 years experience providing compassionate and relevant support to Australian veterans and their families impacted by military service. He also volunteers his services to international veteran organisations and freely supports veterans around the world who have no access to appropriate help. As a combat veteran with the Rhodesian military, he uses his operational experience to provide tools and insights to military veterans transitioning into civilian life. He is the author of two books on transitioning challenges that are available at no cost to military members, families and professionals.

Phillip is the Federal Member for Herbert in North Queensland, elected in 2019. He served as a soldier with the Townsville-based First Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, deploying on operations to East Timor and Afghanistan. While serving in Afghanistan in 2009 he was wounded in action when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated within one metre of him. The blast resulted in Phillip sustaining severe injuries and he was medically evacuated back to Australia. As well as obvious physical injuries from the blast, Phillip suffered from traumatic brain injury and several other life changing conditions.

Phillip spent the next several years putting all of his efforts into recovery and coming out the other side stronger than ever before. Today, he is passionate about helping others overcome adversity to become the best versions of themselves.

Since leaving the Defence Force, Phillip has worked in mental well-being and suicide prevention organisations. In 2018 he was named the Queensland Young Australian of the Year, for his work in mental illness and suicide prevention. He was then awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for significant service to the welfare of war veterans in 2018.

Shaun (Kobes) is a former Australian Army soldier and was part of a small sniper team that was deployed to war-torn and third world countries. He understands the importance of preparing the mind and the body for anything that life throws at you. He was awarded a “Commendation for Gallantry” for actions under fire in Afghanistan. 

Shaun has worked with high-level athletes and general population clients alike. The Australian Army Rugby Team, individual national representatives in the fields of rugby and hockey, soldiers preparing for war, bodybuilders pre and post contest, the weekend warrior, and leisure lifters are just a snapshot of the experience Shaun has gathered over the years. 

Shaun is currently the head strength and conditioning coach at the world-renowned MMA and Muay Thai camp, Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand. Due to this highly regarded position, he has more recently been focussed on preparing high-level fighters for bouts in the UFC, Bellator, ONE Championship, and other world class combat-based organisations. Petr Yan, Antonina Shevchenko, Yana Kunitskaya, Danyelle Wolf, Damir Ismagulov, Movsar Evloev, and Aussie boxer Tim Tszyu, are a crop of recent athletes that Shaun has worked closely with. 

He has represented Australia in a Defence Force Rugby World Cup, along with many other representative duties, including Captaining both the Northern Territory and Tasmanian rugby teams at National and International tournaments. Kobes still plays rugby, but due to living in Thailand, it is more of a competitive/social dabble in weekend 7's and 10's tournaments, as there is no regular season in the region. 

“Mindset, attitude, nutrition, and smart planning/programming are the building blocks for achieving success!” 

Qualifications: 

• ASCA Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Training for Warriors Level 1 and 2 
• Coach Complete Personal Trainer certification 
• CrossFit Level 1 
• Coach Nutritional Therapist
•  NLP Master Practitioner 
• AMN Level 1 Practitioner
• 200hr Yoga Teacher

Instagram: @kobes_pft Facebook: Performance Functional Training Email: pftenquiries@gmail.com Website: https://www.tigermuaythai.com/trainers/shaun-kober

Ben Jones joined the Army in 1999 at the age of 18, into Ordnance Corps. Ben was fortunate enough to experience a variety of postings to combat and non-combat units in his 12 year career.

During his career, he had the ability to represent the Army and Defence Force in Services Rugby Union.
Ben deployed to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2008.

His discharge from the military in 2011, with a plan of moving into the mining sector in the safety world. His transition was quite quick, without any great deal of support, and left to his own devices(sink or swim).

He now works as a Group Safety Manager within the Entertainment Industry.

Ben King is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. He is a passionate technologist with over 15 years of experience working to help transform some of the world’s largest organizations with both technology and culture, previously living in Europe and the Middle East. He is the founder of a startup with a successful exit, and an Army veteran, and adviser to Swiss8.org. Ben currently works as a Cloud Consultant at Google Cloud in Sydney.

I am an Army Veteran, now powerlifter with a passion to reduce the stigma associated with Mental Health advocating "It's not weak to speak". 

I am set to undertake study in a Bachelor of Psychology to be able to deliver and help more people within this space. 

Swiss 8 is very close to me having lost many friends to suicide and along the way battling my own mental health. I believe in the approach that Swiss 8 is taking to be more proactive rather than reactive to better serve the wider community and battle the black dog.

Kieran Toohey is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. He is also a Swiss 8 Ambassador. He served in the Army for 14 years, as did four of his brothers. He deployed five times on operations. 

After discharge, Kieran experienced poor mental health but worked on himself and is doing well today. He has studied psychology, consciousness, and worked in suicide prevention in hyper-masculine environments. To date, he is a lived-experience peer, advocate and mental health trainer for the veteran community.

Rowena Horne is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. She is an adaptable, experienced people leader with a proven track record of delivering outstanding communications programs, and employee engagement outcomes. She has more than 20 years’ experience across digital and live events, sponsorship, PR, marketing, fundraising, content and experience design strategy. She’s worked with businesses as varied as Ford, Coles, Mars, Telstra, Metricon, L’Oreal, Wesfarmers, BAE Systems, CSL, DHA, DFAR. She has also worked in the not-for-profit sector. With formal qualifications in Media Communications, Rowena is currently the Director and co-founder of her own agency, The Bite Project.

Scott Mitchell is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. He has over 20 years experience, in the fields of agriculture, international trade policy, communications, and public policy at both State and Federal level in Australia. 

He is the Director of Scott Mitchell and Partners and has steadily grown the consulting business since its establishment in 2017. In March 2019, Scott was appointed as a non-Executive Director of Snowy Hydro Ltd. Scott is now advising major Australian companies across a range of sectors on government relations strategies, issue-specific campaigning, communications and regulatory issues at a State and Federal level. 

He stepped down as Federal Director of The Nationals in early 2017 after five years and two successful Federal election campaigns. 

Scott previously served as Chief of Staff to a Western Australian Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Corrective Services, managed Trade and International policy for the National Farmers Federation and had several years’ experience with the Australian Trade Minister in the early 2000s. Scott has strong and trusted relationships on all sides of Australian politics and has had extensive experience working constructively with NGOs. 

Scott grew up on a mixed farm in northern Victoria and maintains a strong interest in regional Australia. 

Shannon Sedgwick is a member of Swiss 8’s Advisory Board. He is an experienced start-up founder, senior executive, and non-executive director. He has a strong commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values.

Shannon specialises in breaking ground in new regions, building successful global businesses through organic growth and acquisition, delivering sustainable increased profitability, and ensuring capital allocation supports the organisation’s strategic intent. He provides leadership to government, enterprise executives and boards to maximise the benefits of implementing new technologies, align that implementation with their strategic intent, and future-proof their organisations against risk. After spending over a decade working globally, consulting on technology, finance, M&A due diligence, and risk, Shannon has unique and unparalleled insight into what makes an organisation profitable and resilient.

Shannon is a non-executive director and committee chair on the boards of multiple organisations and has a passion for initiatives that tackle issues affecting disabled, indigenous, and rural communities. 

Stephen Hobday joined the Army in 2006. During his 14 years in the Army he has deployed multiple times around the globe. Stephen deployed with The 1^st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment on OP SLIPPER MRTF2 with Combat Team Alpha in 2009/2010. In 2014 Stephen deployed over to the United Kingdom for 6 months on Exercise Long Look an exchange program between the Australian Army and the Royal Marines. During the 6mths he worked with 40 Commando Royal Marines deploying to Albania and Jordan. In 2017 Stephen deployed over to the Philippines on OP AUGURY as part of a Military Training Team, training the Philippine Army in Urban Tactics, Reconnaissance and Sniper training. Stephen has been a part of the Swiss 8 team since the start.

When we lost Jesse Bird we had had enough of losing our mates and wanted to do something about it so we all got together and spoke about how we can help the veteran community, mental health etc. I hold it very close to my heart having served 14 years and still serving and wanted to be apart of helping people get through there troubles not only veterans but everyone in that mental health space.

Isaac Heeney, Sydney Swans player, a crowd favourite, and one of the best players in the AFL Competition. 

Isaac understands better than anyone the pressures of a high performing lifestyle. Isaac knows the benefits of keeping his mind healthy and active, encouraging others to do the same. 

Harries Carroll has spent more than 30 years protecting beachgoers as a lifeguard, with his heroic efforts being captured on iconic Australian TV show ‘Bondi Rescue’.

Coming from a family with deep military and front line roots, Harries has had his fair share of dark times, both in the water and out. During his career Harries has recovered multiple deceased bodies from the water due to suicides, experiencing the devastation of mental ill health leading to suicide. 

Harries is passionate about advocating for free access to mental health tools for all Australians. When he isn’t saving lives on our coastline, Harries is teaching pilates, surfing, and encouraging others to align their lifestyles with physical and mental wellness.

Damien is a full-time Prison Officer and a Veteran of the Australian Army, serving as an Infantry Soldier. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2007. He credits MMA training helping him to recover from post-traumatic stress and depression after service. He would like to be the role model for the war veterans who suffer from PTSD and mental ill-health, using the cage as the platform to build support.

Brown started Zen Do Kai martial arts training when he was a kid. After returning from Afghanistan Damien joined a local Kickboxing school as part of the rehab program to improve his physical fitness. This is where his professional career began. Damien went on to fight in the UFC and is now fighting for the RIZIN. 

Will Paton joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1999 when he was just 17 years of age. Once completing initial training, Will began his Military career as a Boatswains Mate and served on his first ship HMAS Canberra. Whilst serving as a BM Will was deployed to the Solomon Islands and the Middle East Area of Operations. 

In 2004, Will went onto successfully completing the Clearance Diver Acceptance Test (CDAT) and becoming a Navy Clearance Diver in 2005. As a Navy Clearance Diver, he served at Australian Clearance Diving Teams 1 and 4 (AUSCDT 1&4), Australian Clearance Diving School, Tactical Assault Group East - Water Platoon, HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Stuart. He was deployed multiple times to the Middle East Area of Operations and the Solomon Islands. 

In 2013, Will successfully completed Special Forces selection and training to become a Qualified Commando within the 2nd Commando Regiment (2 CDO REGT). As a Commando, he specialised as a Special Operations Military Working Dog Handler/Trainer/Instructor. He was deployed multiple times to the Middle East Area of Operations. Will completed 20 years of service and discharged from the Australian Defence Force in 2019. 

With his passion working with canines, Will is now Managing Director and Head Trainer for Master Of Puppies dog training on the Gold Coast.   Master of Puppies and Will are aspiring to help and support war veterans who suffer from PTSD and mental ill-health, by teaching veterans and their families how to train and create a closer bond with their canine, also in the near future training service dogs and their handlers.