Ms Mead is a local through and through, born at Maitland Hospital and raised on her parent's farm, AGTurf, in Lorn, where her family have farmed for six generations.

Leaving Maitland to experience the world after high school, Ms Mead quickly realised she enjoyed connecting with people and hearing their stories.

"When I was in London I spent my time in the local parks connecting with people, hearing their stories and listening to their struggles and strengths," she said.

In the news:

"I started guiding them to local resources that may assist them on their journey."

When she returned to Maitland Ms Mead enrolled to study a Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Newcastle, which she finished in 2008.

"Then I embarked on lots of travel for over a decade and we've only returned in the last couple of years," Ms Mead said.

"I have spent a large part of my career living in really remote parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

"We had our children, my son, Sunny, was born in Broome in Western Australia and my daughter, Willow was born on the Gold Coast.

"We lived in quite remote areas and experienced living in Aboriginal communities and it was just the most magical experience for our family."

Now, back in Maitland, Willow and Sunny are at the same school Ms Mead went to when she was growing up and her husband, Jeremy, is at the family business at AGTurf.

"We started to come home for holidays and I was seeing how Maitland was changing, and what it had to offer our young family," Ms Mead said.

"Maitland is where I grew up, it's my home, it's where I essentially feel most connected because my family are here."

Ms Mead said when she came home, she noticed some gaps in her field of work.

"I was working in mental health as a clinical adviser, and coming home I quickly saw some of the gaps locally and really wanted to respond to the growing and expanding needs of Maitland and the surrounding communities."

Ms Mead started up her business The Feeling + Healing Hub - Allied Health Services in early 2021, offering clinical psychosocial supports for NDIS participants.

"We have psychologists, counselors, mental health social workers, art therapists and creative art clinicians," Ms Mead said.

"I'm constantly blown away by the outcomes of the people we're supporting, how we're helping them to build self esteem, build capacity, to engage in things they enjoy and helping them through some really tough times.

"I'm really proud and honoured to be able to come home and do this, to offer this service in a town that I feel really proud about."

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