Community Reference Group

Gwen Smith

Gwen Smith is a member of the Interconnect Community Reference Group.

She also works as a peer navigator at Interlink, where she co-facilitate support groups and provide guidance to individuals navigating complex personal and social challenges. Gwen has been an active peer worker for many years, and has a strong background in community support including as a state representative for Intersex Peer Support Australia (IPSA). 

Previously, Gwen served on the IPSA board contributing to national peer support initiatives and advocacy efforts. Her work is informed by both peer support training and lived experience with innate variations in sex characteristics, fostering inclusive, affirming spaces for diverse communities.

Currently, Gwen is furthering her past counseling qualifications by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and counseling, aiming to register as a counselor by the end of 2025. Gwen has a special interest in group therapy and is part of a psychodrama training group and other body-based therapeutic modalities.

Beyond her professional and academic commitments, Gwen practices yoga and beach tennis. Dedicated to fostering selfcare and professional development, she continues to explore innovative therapeutic approaches that integrate psychology, embodiment, and peer support.

Paul Byrne-Moroney

Paul Byrne-Moroney is a Member of the Interconnect Community Reference Group.  

They bring more than 18 years’ experience as an advocate, spokesperson and peer support representative for the intersex community. Paul has led support groups, addressed government agencies, and spoken at conferences about intersex generally, and his lived experience as an intersex male. Since 2006 Paul has held State and Federal Government Policy and Program Officer positions within Aboriginal Affairs, Community Development and Health-based Departments.

Paul is currently a Board Director at InterAction Health and Human Rights, a Victorian Peer Support Representative for Intersex Peer Support Australia, sits on several government and organisational community reference groups, and is the creator, producer and co-host of the only known intersex radio show, The I in Us, on JOY94.9.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Health Science from La Trobe University. Paul majored in Public Health and his honours thesis investigated Public Health strategies targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians. Paul was inducted into the International Golden Key Honour Society and initiated and co-founded the University’s Public Health Students’ Association (PHSA), serving as its founding President. The PHSA remains active today.

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn.

Michelle McGrath

Michelle McGrath is a member of the Interconnect Community Reference Group.

She holds positions in the WA LGBTQIA+ Inclusion Strategy Reference Group and was the President of Intersex Peer Support Australia between 2023 – 2024. Michelle is a Co-Chair of InterAction for Health and Human Rights and is a current WA peer support representative for Intersex Peer Support Australia (IPSA). She was part of the InterLink+ Resources Co-design Working Group and the Victorian Intersex Health and Wellbeing Centre Co-Design Project, both in 2024. 

Michelle is passionate about ensuring that all intersex people and their families are given the best psychosocial support that is available.

Vik Fraser

Dr Vik Fraser is a Member of the Interconnect Community Reference Group.

Vik is currently the Executive Director of A Gender Agenda, a Consumer Director with the Capital Health Network, and has had a working life that has spanned education, research and government sectors.

They have been an advocate for LGBTIQ+ rights since they were 17 years old, and are passionate about the social determinants of health and the role that human rights has in building good health care. The intersections they experience in their own life, including as a queer person with a hidden disability, drive Vik’s understanding of some of the complexities of health access and health needs across the community.

Vik holds a PhD in Education from Western Sydney University.

Connect with Vik on LinkedIn.

Simone-lisa Anderson

Simone-lisa Anderson is a Member of the Interconnect Community Reference Group.

She is the Project Lead and Coordinator of Better Lives – a Tasmanian project creating better lifelong outcomes in both education and health through professional development, for people with IVSC. Through the Better Lives Project, Simone-lisa has found herself consulting with government bodies around Australia; holding a visiting lecturer position with the University of Tasmania; co-designing and reviewing resources for national organisations; presenting at numerous conferences both intra and interstate; and leading a team to create national first patient/student resources for people with IVSC.

Simone-lisa holds additional positions, including as a founding board member for the Restriction of Medical Treatments Act in the ACT under 4 categories, a co-investigator of Interlink, a co-designer of the Victorian Intersex Health and Wellbeing Project, the Tasmanian and Parent Representative for IPSA, and a member of the Tasmanian Whole of Government, Department of Health and Department of Justice LGBTIQA+ reference groups, where she has driven considerable amount of change, including: a clinical definition of IVSC, legislative, policy, procedure and protocol change in most government departments; as well as policy for employees with IVSC.

Simone-lisa has written Primary Health Pathways for GP’s and works closely with the Tasmanian Secretary of Health to support better outcomes for people with IVSC.

Connect with Simone-lisa on LinkedIn.

Cody Smith

Cody Smith is a Member of the Interconnect Community Reference Group.

Cody has been a Canberra based intersex educator and activist for more than a decade, starting off in grassroots community education. They have been involved in building organisational capacity, policy development, running peer support programs, as well as developing resources and training from a lived experience perspective. With a background in science communication and in library and information services, Cody brings a bright and sincere voice to the space and believes that visibility and conversation are the right way forward to improving the circumstances of people with innate variations of sex characteristics in Australia.

They were previously a Peer Worker with A Gender Agenda, and a Senior Project Officer at Intersex Human Rights Australia (now InterAction for Health and Human Rights).