Meet the Team
Professor Lea Waters AM, PhD
Co-FOUnder & Director WELLX
Lea Waters AM, PhD, is a globally recognized psychologist, academic, and expert in Positive Psychology, with a focus on Positive Education, Strength-Based Parenting, and organizational wellbeing. A Professor at the University of Melbourne, she was the Founding Director of its Centre for Positive Psychology and now holds the Gerry Higgins Chair at the Centre for Wellbeing Science.
Lea is a past president of the International Positive Psychology Association and has held affiliate positions at Cambridge University, the University of Michigan, and UC Berkeley. She is a highly sought-after speaker and media contributor, featured across international TV, print, and online platforms including The Wall Street Journal, TIME, and The Guardian. Her TEDx talk on the power of positivity has been viewed over 200,000 times.
As a researcher, she has authored 110+ academic works and the bestselling book The Strength Switch, translated into multiple languages. Lea is the founder of Visible Wellbeing, an educational initiative used in schools worldwide, and was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) for her contributions to youth mental health and education. She has also been named one of Australia’s Top 100 Women of Influence and is a Fellow of the International Positive Psychology Association.
Co-FOUnder & Director WELLX
Natasha Taylor, B.Ed., MAPP
Natasha Taylor is a positive psychology practitioner and strategist whose global career spans education, brand strategy, interior design, philanthropy, and wellbeing science.
She holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (First Class Honours) from the University of Melbourne and has worked and volunteered across Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Her cross-sector experience bridges Fortune 500 companies, humanitarian, social justice, and environmental organisations, as well as leading institutions in the arts and education.
Career highlights include work with Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International, Black Swan State Theatre Company, British Wind Energy Association, Cafédirect, The Getty Museum, Miraval Resorts, Nike, Polaroid, Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, Sir David Attenborough, The University of Melbourne, and United Nations.
Natasha specialises in translating cutting-edge wellbeing science into practical, accessible experiences that help individuals and organisations move from insight to meaningful positive change. Her work integrates evidence, strategy, and design to create environments where people can reconnect with vitality, purpose, and possibility.
Her mission is to help people discover and live Optima Vitae - the best of life.
Co-FOUnder & Director WELLX
Claire Fortune, MAPP, BHSc.
Claire Fortune (MAPP, BHSc, AdvDipAppSc, AIMM) is a trainer, facilitator and course designer in positive psychology. She is passionate about empowering people with the tools to flourish in all spheres of life.
Having completed her Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the University of Melbourne with (First Class Honours, 2015), Claire also holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Complementary Medicine with a particular interest in behavioural neuroscience, the mind body connection and the energetics of wellbeing. Claire has worked in the health and education sectors for over 20 years and has worked both overseas and in Australia as a naturopath, spa consultant, wellbeing facilitator, educator and practitioner, and is the founder of The Barrel Sauna, Perth’s first mobile barrel sauna delivering the spa experience to your door.
Trained by Professor Lea Waters as a Visible Wellbeing™ facilitator, and positive psychology coaching with Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, Claire has contributed to resources on Visible Wellbeing™, the Strengths Stars Framework and The Strengths Exchange, and is currently undertaking studies at the Australian College of Sound Therapy.
Director, South West Conference Solutions
Malinda Nixon, BBus, PGDip, GAICD
Malinda Nixon is the Event Manager for WELLx, working alongside SW Events and the Conference Programming Team to coordinate delivery of the South West’s wellbeing conference in May.
A specialist in regional conference and event delivery, Malinda brings 20+ years’ experience across end-to-end event operations, stakeholder and sponsor management, supplier and venue logistics, budgets, risk, run sheets and onsite delivery.
She is the Director of South West Conference Solutions and is currently managing the Innovative Industries of the Future (IIF) Conference 2026, building on senior event leadership including her former CEO role with CinefestOZ Film Festival and project work supporting evokeAG and IIF (2024).
SW Events
Sara Warren
Sara Warren is a creative event producer and director with over 20 years’ experience delivering immersive festivals, conferences, and community experiences across Australia. Renowned for her strong creative vision, intuitive styling, and attention to detail, she specialises in designing events that engage the senses, tell a story, and foster genuine connection.
Sara’s career highlights include work with Melbourne Fashion Week, the Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Australian Open, the Melbourne Comedy Festival, CinefestOz, Gourmet Escape, the Festival of Busselton, and Strings Attached, as well as cross-campus events for RMIT University and arts and culture projects with the City of Melbourne. Now based in the South West of Western Australia, she works extensively across the arts, wellness, and non-profit sectors, bringing together people, place, and purpose through thoughtfully curated, wellbeing-centred experiences.