The Life Is… Foundation was established after the death, through suicide, of Nellie Gee. Nell had just turned 15.
The Foundation is managed by a Board of Directors who provide their time and direction on a voluntary basis.
Our Patron is the Right Reverend Philip Huggins, Anglican Bishop of Melbourne.
Our work is supported by volunteers as well as by private and public grants and bequests. The Foundation is a Registered Charity. If you would like any further information about us, please Contact Us on the link provided.
Life Is… Foundation Board Members
Grant Gee
BBus, CPA
Grant has worked in public practice, since completing his accounting studies in 1984, providing advice and guidance to SME owners and management. Grant is currently a partner in ITG Partners, a Chartered Accounting practice located in Melbourne. Grant is also a founding partner and CFO of ITG, a contractor management and payroll company providing specialist accounting and administration services to professional contractors working around the Globe. In January 2007, Grant based himself on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland providing himself and his family with the idyllic Australian lifestyle.
Terry Melvin
Psychologist
B.A (Psych) University of WA
B.Ed (Counselling) Latrobe University
Member of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
Member of the Australian Psychological Society
Member of the Australasian Men’s Health Federation
Terry has a long history as a counsellor and psychologist working in a variety of different settings. The last 20 years he has worked exclusively with men in both clinical and service management roles. He recently retired as senior psychologist and coordinator of Health and Wellbeing at the Gippsland Campus of Monash University. Prior to this he established and managed Mensline Australia, the national telephone counselling, information and referral service for men dealing with family and relationship concerns. He has worked as corporate consultant and trainer with the National Centre for Gender & Cultural Diversity at Swinburne University of Technology, where he worked in largely masculine cultures and the impact of these work environments on men. He has also worked for many years in the field of men’s family violence both as a clinician and program manager. At this time he also managed a national three year Research and Intervention Project, looking at best practice issues for delivering intervention programs for men and their families in a relationship-counselling context. Currently he has a part time private practice in country Victoria.
Sally de Beche
Bachelor Arts (Welfare Studies)
Dip Clinical Hypnotherapy
Authorized Civil Celebrant
Sally has worked for over 20 years in the area of counselling, wellbeing and groupwork; she has developed mentoring and community development programs/projects for people of all ages with complex and diverse needs. Sally has worked at Mission Australia and MIND. She continues to work in Private Practice and at the Self Advocacy Resource Centre (SARU). Sally also co-creates ceremonies and rituals that help people to celebrate sacred moments in their life while assisting to enhance people’s wellbeing and enliven their spirit. Sally has also worked closely with a diverse range of people and cultures, including people with disability and people of First Nations.
Tony Gee
Psychologist
BA, Grad DipEdPsych (Monash University)
M. Suicidology (Griffith University)
Tony is a Psychologist and has worked with families and individuals in the family law field for many years; employers including the Family Court of Australia, Relationships Australia and Victoria Legal Aid. He continues to be involved with these organisations on a sessional basis. Following the death of his daughter Nellie in 2005, he has worked to establish Life Is… and develop programs aimed at harm prevention and well being. He currently has a private psychology and counselling practice, as well as developing and managing LIF programs and activities. He is a Board member of the Coyote Institute and is a past Board member of The Compassionate Friends.
Past Board Members and Advisors
Patricia Munro
Welfare Worker
Family Law Mediator
Life Coach
Patricia returned to work at a mature age after raising four children. She became a qualified Welfare Worker and also worked as a Family Law Mediator for a number of years, at one stage setting up her own service. Patricia has run meditation groups for many years and continues to see clients in her capacity as a Life Coach. Pat has also developed her interest in astrology and is currently in the process of writing a book.
Kelvin Boyd
Chartered Accountant
Bachelor of Business
Graduate Diploma in Accounting and Finance
Master of Business Administration (Monash University)
Kelvin’s career spans three decades, during which time he was a founding partner of Boyd Partners (now MGI Boyd). As a Director of BVH Global and BVH Corporate, Kelvin believes in adopting a hands-on approach and is actively involved in the ongoing tax policy debate. He is often involved in resolving policy and technical issues with Government bodies on behalf of clients. Kelvin is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia, International Fiscal Association and the Society of Trust and Estate Planning Practitioners.
David Stagg
B Juris, LLB (Monash University), FAICD
Lawyer
Cidermaker
David was admitted to practice as a solicitor in 1972 and established and managed a medium sized law firm in Melbourne, employing several lawyers, for more than 25 years. In addition to legal practice David has been actively involved in building and property development including the Aged Care industry. David also jointly established and acted as CEO during the formative years of a corporate receivables management company. He has now retired from the law and lives near Daylesford in central Victoria where he makes apple cider.
Life Is Foundation 