Introducing the 2025 MAPPsaa Committee

Our MAPPsaa Committee is made up of current and graduated UoM MAPP students, who volunteer their time and are passionate about supporting our MAPP community and helping you all thrive in whatever you do.
Some of our members have been in the committee for years and some are fresh new faces for 2025.
Here is a little on a few of us (starting top left, in a clockwise direction), more next newsletter.

This isn't everyone. You'll meet our other committee members in the next newsletter!

Zoe Wooldridge - Treasurer
Zoe is the Wellbeing Program Specialist Psychologist at NSW Ambulance, where she's passionate about building a healthier, more resilient workforce through expert support, practical wellbeing advice, and engaging education. Zoe is proud to serve as Treasurer on the MAPPsaa Committee—because giving back to this amazing community matters. She's excited to help foster a thriving network of MAPPsters who stay connected, inspired, and supported in all the meaningful work we do. Zoe is one of our longest serving MAPPsaa Committee members.

Catherine Bell - Events
Catherine is a Leadership & Culture Consultant, Facilitator, Coach & Speaker, and works with clients around Australia and the world to help build Leadership capability and organisational wellbeing. She is committed to helping MAPP students and Graduates create great outcomes for themselves and others using their MAPP learnings and is excited to step into the Events role this year.

Anna Glynn - Partnerships
Anna is a speaker, author, coach and facilitator on sustainable high-performance, limpactful leadership and thriving workplace cultures. She helps ambitious leaders and teams achieve exceptional results in high-pressure environments – without
burnout, overwhelm, or inconsistency – by building stronger foundations for long-term success. Anna is another of the longest serving MAPPsaa Committee members, and once held the position of Chair.

Simone Outteridge - Chair
Simone is an organisational development specialist and executive coach who works with clients around Australia on leadership, team and culture development. She is passionate about helping to create a MAPP student and alumni community at the University of Melbourne, to stay connected with each other, stay abreast of developments within the world of PP and take their qualifications further.


MAPPsaa 2025 Strategy
During the past few committee meetings we have been revisiting the MAPPsaa strategy and setting our vision for the future. We're proud to share these with you as our guiding principles for the work we undertake with MAPPSaa.

Purpose: Together we can create a more thriving world.

Vision: To cultivate an association that offers MAPP students and alumni opportunities to connect, to develop professionally, and to share learnings and experiences.

Values: Integrity, respect, kindness, collaboration, growth, diversity of thought.

IPPA World Congress
If you haven't heard (no doubt you have) the IPPA World Congress 2025 is happening this July on our back doorstep in Brisbane!

It will be held from 2nd-5th July 2025 at the Brisbane Convention Centre.

The full program is now available and it is jam packed with lots of great speakers and topics - including some very familiar faces from our MAPPster community!

There will be plenty of opportunities to network and connect, including a joint networking breakfast presented by MAPPsaa and SIPPA. Stay tuned for more details.

You can still register for IPPA and read the full program here

Get Your IPPA Registration Ticket for FREE!

Amazing Volunteer Opportunity at the IPPA World Congress in Brisbane.

You have the opportunity to volunteer as "Congress Connectors" at the IPPA World Congress in Brisbane, July 2-5, 2025! As a thank you for your time and support, you’ll receive complimentary full registration for the 4-day event (excluding the pre-congress workshops and congress dinner).

As a volunteer, you are asked to commit to either two full days or four half days of volunteering during the congress. In return, you’ll have the rest of the time to enjoy the incredible sessions, connect with peers, and immerse yourself in the full IPPA experience, including thought-provoking workshops and keynote talks from leading experts in the field of positive psychology. Please note that travel expenses, including flights, accommodation, and meals, are the responsibility of the volunteer.

As a 'Congress Connector,' your role will involve a range of supportive tasks to ensure the smooth running of the event. This may include welcoming attendees, supporting presenters, acting as room moderators to ensure sessions run on time, assisting at workshops, ushering guests to their seats, and facilitating Q&A sessions. Your contributions will be vital in ensuring a seamless and engaging experience for all participants.

Due to limited volunteer spots, unfortunately, not all applicants can be selected. For more details about the congress, visit the IPPA World Congress website, and complete this linked Expression of Interest Form to apply by Friday 2 May 2025.

Cheers,

Simone Minett and Sarah Alderton

Volunteer Program Managers

IPPA World Congress 2025

Contact Emails: s.minett@unimelb.edu.au or sarah@bodychats.com.au

**Please note Congress Connectors is not a MAPPsaa initiative. If you have any questions please reach out to Simone & Sarah whose email addresses are above**

Capstone Recording
On the 12th of March 2025, we were lucky enough to have 4 amazing MAPP Alumni present to our community about what they are doing in the world with their MAPP qualifications. Our minds were blown with the very varied and yet equally impressive stories shared by:
  • Catherine Bell
  • Reem Al Mansoori
  • Bushra Tauseef and
  • Craig Cassey

If you missed the session or would like to watch again, you can find it by following this link.

This event is always a highlight on our calendar, and the next session will be held on Monday 28th July 2025.

So mark your calendar now!

Save the date for IPPA Love In
As is customary for the MAPPsaa Committee, we will be having an Post World Congress Love In" on Wednesday 23rd July, so mark your calendars.

This will be an opportunity for everyone who attended IPPA Brisbane 2025 to share their key takeaways, swap notes and share valuable insights and learning with those who weren't able to attend. A fantastic learning opportunity, not to be missed!

The online session will be hosted by Anna Glynn; more details will be shared soon.

Be Well Co Languishing Report
The Be Well Co's Languishing Report reveals that around 20% of Australians are experiencing "languishing"—a state of low motivation, emotional flatness, and lack of purpose. It’s most common among young adults aged 25–34 and is impacting wellbeing and workplace performance. The report highlights the risks of burnout and disengagement, urging organisations to take action. Be Well Co recommends a proactive approach through evidence-based programs like the Be Well Plan to support mental health and resilience. This is a space many of us can support the people around us with given our studies.
You can read the report here
New Directions in Flourishing
Are you keen to spend time with two leaders in the PP field - Sue Langley and Robert Biswas-Diener? Happening in beautiful Byron Bay right before the IPPA World Congress, this highly experiential training blends the latest research from positive psychology, systems thinking, philosophy, and biology to re-imagine what flourishing is and how best to get it.
Sue and Robert will challenge you to question your assumptions about the self, emotions, and social influence. Explore 50 years of happiness science – including newly emerging concepts that will extend your knowledge and skill.
This is your opportunity to ask:
  • What is my responsibility for the wellbeing of those around me?
  • What are my assumptions about happiness?
  • What’s next in wellbeing intervention?
Leave with practical tools and cutting-edge knowledge to enhance your life and help those around you do the same.
Click on the link to learn more!
https://langleygroup.com.au/.../new-directions-in.../
Marty on BetterUP
Did you know that one of the founding fathers of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman is now in AI form?!
Here is an oppprtunity via BetterUp to have all of your Positive Psychology questions answered with the click of a button. Download the betterUp Digital app and you can ask Marty almost any question and he will have an answer for you...

Find out more here. 

Connect with MAPPsaa!

Are you a member of the MAPPsaa Facebook group? Facebook is a great way to stay connected with the MAPP tribe and keep up to date on events, news and to communicate with the group.

We love when you contribute to this community by posting information relevant to MAPPsaa to these forums. Join us now and let's enjoy conversations about all things Wellbeing together.