Advocacy Services
At ATHENIE’S ANGELS, we stand beside individuals and families navigating complex life challenges. Our Advocacy Services are rooted in compassion, empowerment, and justice. We are passionate about giving voice to the unheard and support to the unseen.
We specialise in holistic advocacy, offering guidance, representation, and emotional support across a range of areas, including:
- Mental Health Advocacy: Supporting individuals in accessing the mental health care and services they need while promoting dignity and understanding.
- Child & Family Advocacy: Empowering parents, carers, and children through the challenges of child protection systems, family court matters, and reunification processes
- Cultural Advocacy: Uplifting First Nations and culturally diverse communities with culturally safe practices and respectful representation.
Our approach is grounded in empathy, cultural wisdom, and lived experience as we walk with you every step of the way—helping you rise, reclaim your voice, and rewrite your story.
AAAL Board Members
Meet the team at Athenie’s Angels charity
Peter Kalos: Co-Founder & Co-Chair
Peter Kalos stands as a pivotal figure in the realm of mental health advocacy, serving as the co-chair of Athenie’s Angels, an emerging charity dedicated to promoting mental wellness and resilience.
Born and raised in a multicultural urban environment, Peter Kalos’ journey into mental health advocacy was deeply influenced by the suicide of his eighteen-year-old daughter. Driven by a passion to make a tangible difference, Peter’s professional career as an acting teacher initially led him to work extensively with individual artists grappling with various mental health challenges.
In this capacity, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the charity’s strategic direction, spearheading innovative programs to destigmatize mental health issues, enhance access to mental health resources, and foster resilience in vulnerable young people in Victoria.
As a founder with lived experience, his unwavering dedication to advancing mental health promotion reflects a commitment to creating a society where mental well-being is universally valued and supported.
Aya-Ti Thomas: Co-Founder & CEO
As a business professional, I hold a master’s degree in business and a graduate degree in Accounting, I bring thirty years of business acumen to the organisation.
My journey in mental health advocacy began long before my daughter took her own life. As someone with lived experience, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of life challenges after losing a loved one to a mental illness. Motivated by a desire to make a difference, my husband and I decided to start a mental health promotion charity to help those in need.
I have a solid commitment to improving mental health outcomes and promoting a culture of compassion and understanding through holistic practices. My vision is for a world where the stigma surrounding mental illness has been replaced with empathy and understanding, fostering a culture where seeking help is seen as a sign of strength.
Suzanne McMaster: Treasurer
I am a CPA qualified accountant with over 25 years’ experience working on a large variety of industries both in Australia and the UK.
I have experience serving as a Board Member for Mother of Boys, a not for profit who raise funds to support causes related to raising boys to men.
I have acted as Company Secretary and been a member of an Audit and Risk Committee, and developed a Financial Dashboard to present high level numbers at Board meetings.
I established my own small accounting business to provide flexibility whilst I raised my 2 sons before rejoining the workforce when they reached their late teenage years.
I currently work full time as a Finance Manager, but enjoy using my experience and skills in the not-for-profit sector and volunteering my time for causes close to my heart.
I have a passion for raising awareness of mental health in general and adolescent mental health having helped and guided my son through his years of depression.
Helen Karamoutsos: Fundraising Director
Helen Karamoutsos brings over 25 years of banking experience, with strong leadership, project management, and community engagement skills.
Her background includes drug and alcohol education, HIV/AIDS awareness, and peer support work. Raised in her family’s Queen Victoria Market business, Helen developed a lifelong passion for giving back.
She raised $10,000 through “Helen’s Big Fat Greek Fundraiser” and has hosted Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea for five years, raising nearly $40,000.
A recipient of the RossJuliaRoss International Women’s Day Award, Helen is a dedicated and inspiring force in fundraising.
Peter Stirling: Secretary
Peter is a corporate lawyer with over thirty years’ experience in corporate and commercial law with a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. Over the course of his career, Peter has advised some of Australia’s largest public and private companies and has acted as lead legal adviser on major projects for both the Victorian state government and the federal government. He has been consistently recognised in various legal publications as a leading lawyer in his areas of practice.
In the course of his career, Peter has also acted as legal adviser to a number of not-for profit organisations in relation to both major projects and initiatives those organisations have undertaken as well as advising on governance and related matters for those organisations.
Peter Kalos: Co-Founder & Co-Chair
Peter Kalos stands as a pivotal figure in the realm of mental health advocacy, serving as the co-chair of Athenie’s Angels, an emerging charity dedicated to promoting mental wellness and resilience.
Born and raised in a multicultural urban environment, Peter Kalos’ journey into mental health advocacy was deeply influenced by the suicide of his eighteen-year-old daughter. Driven by a passion to make a tangible difference, Peter’s professional career as an acting teacher initially led him to work extensively with individual artists grappling with various mental health challenges.
In this capacity, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the charity’s strategic direction, spearheading innovative programs to destigmatize mental health issues, enhance access to mental health resources, and foster resilience in vulnerable young people in Victoria.
As a founder with lived experience, his unwavering dedication to advancing mental health promotion reflects a commitment to creating a society where mental well-being is universally valued and supported.
Aya-Ti Thomas: Co-Founder & CEO
As a business professional, I hold a master’s degree in business and a graduate degree in Accounting, I bring thirty years of business acumen to the organisation.
My journey in mental health advocacy began long before my daughter took her own life. As someone with lived experience, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of life challenges after losing a loved one to a mental illness. Motivated by a desire to make a difference, my husband and I decided to start a mental health promotion charity to help those in need.
I have a solid commitment to improving mental health outcomes and promoting a culture of compassion and understanding through holistic practices. My vision is for a world where the stigma surrounding mental illness has been replaced with empathy and understanding, fostering a culture where seeking help is seen as a sign of strength.
Suzanne McMaster: Treasurer
I am a CPA qualified accountant with over 25 years’ experience working on a large variety of industries both in Australia and the UK.
I have experience serving as a Board Member for Mother of Boys, a not for profit who raise funds to support causes related to raising boys to men.
I have acted as Company Secretary and been a member of an Audit and Risk Committee, and developed a Financial Dashboard to present high level numbers at Board meetings.
I established my own small accounting business to provide flexibility whilst I raised my 2 sons before rejoining the workforce when they reached their late teenage years.
I currently work full time as a Finance Manager, but enjoy using my experience and skills in the not-for-profit sector and volunteering my time for causes close to my heart.
I have a passion for raising awareness of mental health in general and adolescent mental health having helped and guided my son through his years of depression.
Helen Karamoutsos: Fundraising Director
Helen Karamoutsos brings over 25 years of banking experience, with strong leadership, project management, and community engagement skills.
Her background includes drug and alcohol education, HIV/AIDS awareness, and peer support work. Raised in her family’s Queen Victoria Market business, Helen developed a lifelong passion for giving back.
She raised $10,000 through “Helen’s Big Fat Greek Fundraiser” and has hosted Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea for five years, raising nearly $40,000.
A recipient of the RossJuliaRoss International Women’s Day Award, Helen is a dedicated and inspiring force in fundraising.
Peter Stirling: Secretary
Peter is a corporate lawyer with over thirty years’ experience in corporate and commercial law with a particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. Over the course of his career, Peter has advised some of Australia’s largest public and private companies and has acted as lead legal adviser on major projects for both the Victorian state government and the federal government. He has been consistently recognised in various legal publications as a leading lawyer in his areas of practice.
In the course of his career, Peter has also acted as legal adviser to a number of not-for profit organisations in relation to both major projects and initiatives those organisations have undertaken as well as advising on governance and related matters for those organisations.