Convenors

Grace Oh

Australian Drug Education & Consultancy

Grace Oh is Director at Australian Drug Education & Consultancy, a seasonal lecturer with Edith Cowan University, and proudly serves as Western Australia’s representative on the APSAD Council Board. With over 25 years in the alcohol and other drug sector, Grace’s career reflects her commitment to bridging evidence and practice, delivering contemporary workforce development and designing innovative peer, treatment, and harm reduction initiatives throughout WA. A passion for overdose prevention, early warning systems, drug checking, and safer festival events powers her advocacy. Grace’s contributions have earned her recognition, including the Inaugural APSAD Advocacy Award in 2021, which celebrates her leadership in harm reduction. She brings warmth, creativity, and a hands-on approach to capacity building, always striving to foster safer, more connected communities in Western Australia.

Jodie Grigg

National Drug Research Institute & enAble Institute, Curtin University

Dr Jodie Grigg is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National Drug Research Institute (Curtin University, Perth) within the Harm Reduction Policy and Strategies Program. She has worked in the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sector for almost 20 years, including around 15 years in research. While she has worked across a wide range of illicit drug projects, her work has primarily focused on drugs used in music and entertainment settings, and she is passionate about translating research into practical real-world responses that reduce harm and stigma. Jodie currently coordinates the WA arm of the Ecstasy and Related Drugs Reporting System (EDRS), part of the national Drug Trends program.

Paul Dessauer

Harm Reduction WA

Paul is CEO of Peer Based Harm Reduction WA (PBHR WA), Western Australia’s only peer-based consumer-led AOD service, which provides free health and harm reduction services for people who use drugs. Paul has worked at PBHR WA for >25 years, delivering and coordinating outreach services, overdose prevention, take-home-naloxone, and peer-education projects, while providing consultancy to researchers and policy makers and workforce development to other front-line agencies. Paul has previously worked as a Drug & Alcohol Officer for the State-wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service; an educator & consultant for the Transnational Institute (in China and Myanmar); and a trainer for the Burnet Institute. Paul is committed to addressing stigmatisation directed at, improving the health equity of, and promoting the fundamental human rights of, people who use drugs. In all his work Paul strives to bring the voices and living experience of people who use drugs to research, policy, and practice.

Stephen Bright

Edith Cowan University and WA Assistant Commissioner for AOD

Dr Stephen Bright is a psychologist who has worked in the AOD field for over 20 years. He is currently Senior Lecturer at Edith Cowan University where he oversees the teaching of the Addiction Studies major. Dr Bright is also WA Assistant Commissioner for AOD. Stephen is a strong advocate of harm reduction and an evidence-based approach to AOD legislation. He has published research on the intersect between new and emerging drugs and drug policy, older adults and AOD, drug checking and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies. Dr Bright established Australia’s first not-for-profit psychedelic research company, Psychedelic Research in Science & Medicine Ltd. He has since conducted clinical trials using MDMA and psilocybin to treat treatment refractory PTSD and depression, respectively. Given the recent changes to authorised prescribers’ scheme in Australia, Stephen now trains clinicians in the provision of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies and consultancy to prospective authorised prescribers.

Key Deadlines:

Abstract Deadline: 4 May 2026

Scholarship Application Deadline: 5 July 2026

Early Bird Registration Deadline: 31 August 2026

Accommodation Deadline: 28 September 2026

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APSAD acknowledges that the conference is being held on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s continuing connection to land, water, and community and we pay our respects to Elders past and present. APSAD acknowledges Sovereignty in this country has never been ceded. It always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.