Nick Thompson
CEO MATES in Construction QLD/NT
Nick Thompson is the Chief Executive Officer for MATES in Queensland and the Northern Territory, joining the organisation in 2019 to work alongside the building and construction industry in operationalising the Blueprint for Better Mental Health & Suicide Prevention in the Building & Construction Industry.
With postgraduate qualifications in Social Work, Men’s Behaviour Change, and Mental Health: Trauma & Recovery, Nick brings more than 18 years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector, spanning both leadership and direct practice roles. His career has included working with First Nations communities in the Northern Territory, managing Domestic and Family Violence programs for Relationships Australia Queensland, and leading as Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Family Legal Service, Southern Queensland.
Nick also contributes his expertise as a Director with Postvention Australia, MATES in Construction NSW, and the Domestic Violence Action Centre Inc. He is currently undertaking his PhD through the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work at the University of Queensland, focusing on the needs of construction workers following exposure to a peer’s suicide or other critical incident.
The son of an electrician, Nick is passionate about ensuring workers’ voices — and the lived experiences of blue-collar workers in workplace mental health — are embedded within MATES’ program logic and underpinned by strong evidence-based practice.