Nicole Faulkner is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with over 25 years of experience. With a passion for helping individuals navigate life’s challenges, Nicole brings extensive experience in addressing a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, domestic violence, grief and loss, workplace stress, PTSD, and complex trauma. Nicole is the director and practitioner of Mindical Counselling Services in Toowoomba. www.mindicalcounsellingservices.com.au

Eugenie is the Director of Nursing at the Toowoomba Hospice. Eugenie leads a dedicated team consisting of nurses and personal care assistants trained in palliative care and a enthusiastic trained team of administration staff and volunteers support in the smooth running of the Hospice. www.toowoombahospice.org.au

Not only are they our Platinum Sponsor but we have had multiple inputs from Staff at PHN have been instrumental in assisting in the Expo. Shout out to: Amy Wilson - Director - Priority Populations Michelle Canning - Commissioning Coordinator Tamara Williams - Design and Communications Coordinator

You can tell a lot about a town from its cemetery. Toowoomba journalist and author Lisa Herbert operates Cemetery Tours where she shares fascinating tales of the dead and their lasting impact on the region’s history. Her quirky and practical guide, The Bottom Drawer Book: The After Death Action Plan, helps you prepare for the inevitable with humour and heart. Packed with useful info and space for personal reflections, it makes planning your final send-off—whether it’s hymns or pop songs, cremation or cake—a little easier for those you leave behind. www.thebottomdrawerbook.com.au

Sarah is the Palliative Care CNC (clinical) at Toowoomba Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Service. Sarah is part of a passionate team of nurses, doctors, allied health and admin who work together to help people with life-limiting progressive illnesses to live as well as they possibly can, being mindful that their time is running short. Our service now supports palliative care patients living at home, in Residential Aged Care Facilities (within our catchment area), at Toowoomba Hospital, Baillie Henderson Hospital and those living in rural and remote communities in Darling Downs via phone and Telehealth support. Sarah is a registered nurse and has been working in palliative care or cancer care roles for over 17 years. She actively works to demystify death and dying by coordinating education workshops, training and events at Toowoomba Hospital throughout the year that aim to make death, dying, palliative care and advance care planning part of everyday conversation for healthcare professionals, so that it also becomes an inherent priority when caring for their patients approaching end of life and their families.

Since the first burial at the Drayton and Toowoomba Cemetery in 1866, Toowoomba Regional Council have been ensuring our community members are supported through some of the most difficult times of their lives, by maintaining our Region’s cemeteries as a comforting place to mourn, reflect and reminisce. Toowoomba Regional Council endeavours to offer a range of restful interment options individualised to meet the diverse cultural needs of our beloved community. We are honoured to preserve the rich history of our Region by capturing the stories of our community members laid to rest within our cemeteries. Please contact our dedicated cemeteries team to discuss your requirements.

Toni trained as a Registered Nurse at Goulburn Base Hospital in New South Wales, graduating in 1982. Over the years, she worked across many areas, including Community Health, Aged Care, Women’s Health, Palliative Care, Public Health, and hospitals. Her passion for elder care began early, earning a certificate in gerontology in 1990 and becoming a Nurse Practitioner in Aged Care in 2008. Toni was the first Nurse Practitioner focused on Aged Care and delirium in the acute hospital setting. Her research interests include delirium, dementia, and how staff knowledge of patient-centred care impacts outcomes for hospital patients with dementia. In her final years as a Nurse Practitioner, she led a community-based Dementia Outreach Service on the Gold Coast. After leaving Queensland Health in 2021, she worked as an NDIS Support Worker with people living with younger onset dementia. Since retiring in 2023, Toni continues to advocate for better dementia care and patient-focused healthcare. She is a consumer representative on her local End of Life Care working group and a founding member of a Death Expo planned for October 2025. Outside of her professional work, Toni enjoys walking, reading, and spending time with her five grandchildren.

After eight years working in palliative care, Kerena developed a deep and enduring commitment to supporting individuals and families through some of life’s most challenging moments. Her experience in end-of-life care not only shaped her professional values but also instilled a profound sense of empathy and respect for the journey each person takes. Following a period away from the industry, Kerena embraced a new opportunity as the Coordinator of Cemetery Services with the Toowoomba Regional Council. This role, while different in nature, calls upon the same compassion and sensitivity she brought to her previous work. Now overseeing 25 cemeteries across the Toowoomba Region—19 of which remain operational—Kerena is dedicated to enhancing the quality and accessibility of cemetery services for the community. Driven by a strong desire to educate and engage, Kerena is passionate about helping the public better understand the important role cemeteries play. She actively works to demystify what happens within cemetery grounds, sharing insights into the services offered and fostering a deeper appreciation for these spaces as places of remembrance, history, and connection.