28/08/2026
For almost two decades, local legend Leesa Scanlan has been helping people across PAE and wider Adelaide realise they're not alone.
Whether she's speaking at a local school, sporting club, workplace or community event, Leesa's mission is simple: create conversations that help people better understand mental health and feel confident reaching out for support.
Born, raised and educated in the area, Leesa has spent most of her life living in, working in, and giving back to the community that shaped her. Today, as Community Engagement Specialist at Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, she helps connect people with research, education and support that can change lives.
But her passion for advocacy began long before it became her profession.
"My advocacy began almost 20 years ago after my own experiences with depression, anxiety and non-suicidal self-injury," Leesa said.
"As a young person, I remember how powerful it was when someone spoke honestly about their own mental illness. Over time I realised my story could do the same for someone else."
Since then, she has worked alongside organisations including Beyond Blue, ReachOut and Breakthrough, helping reduce stigma around mental illness and encouraging earlier conversations about seeking help.
More recently, Leesa has expanded her work to raise awareness of coercive control, helping community members recognise the often hidden signs of abuse and understand where support is available.
For Leesa, the moments that matter most rarely make headlines. "Someone booking their first psychology appointment, a parent understanding what their child has been trying to explain, or someone recognising coercive control in their own relationship. Those moments remind me why this work matters," she said.
This November, Leesa will travel to New York with Team Breakthrough to run the TCS New York City Marathon and raise funds for mental health research.
The quote she lives by captures her approach perfectly, "Education gives people language. Language gives people understanding. Sometimes that's the very first step towards healing."
Follow her journey at
