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Meet the Board

Meet the Advisory Board

Where did it all come from…..

The Listening Projects took shape from a mix of experiences and inspirations that highlight the magic of connection through listening. It all started with Ben Hughes's Dad, who had a knack for bringing together a diverse crowd for Sunday dinners. The stories, the laughter, and the sheer diversity of people around the table created an unforgettable atmosphere of understanding and highlighted how important tables are to our society. Fast forward to Ben Hughes starting The Men's Table in Sydney, where Ben witnessed truly powerful moments when men unburdened his heart, and 11 others just listened. It was empathy in action, and everyone walked away changed.

Add in Simon Sinek's quote: "If you want to learn empathy, expose yourself to diversity." Basically, sit with people who don’t look or think like you, and you’ll find we’re all more alike than you’d imagine. On top of that, just turn on the news—where did all the social cohesion go? And let’s not forget the chaos unregulated social media can unleash, making genuine connection feel more vital than ever.

Add all the above together, the power of sitting at a table and listening and the need for more social cohesion and The Listening Projects was born.

The Listening Projects, we're all about setting up spaces—mobile and flexible—where pupils in schools can gather, share, and listen. Like those legendary Sunday dinners, these are moments to build community and understanding. Let’s talk!

Meet the Board

  • Ben Hughes

    FOUNDER - CHAIRPERSON

    I've always loved connecting with people and hearing their stories. Inspired by my grandfather and father's community work, especially my grandfather (whose story I hope to write), I founded the first Men's Table in Sydney in 2011. It became a national charity in 2019, and by my departure in April 2024, over 200 groups met across Australia, in every State and Territory.

    After seeing the simple, but extraordinary power of listening at these gatherings, I launched The Listening Projects charity in late 2024.

    I live in Launceston, Tasmania, with my partner Julie and our cats, Edith and Delilah. We hike often (not with the cats!). My son, Henry, lives in Sydney, where he founded a successful landscaping business. I'm a music fanatic and an overly passionate (obsessive) Bristol City Football Club supporter.



  • Rick Williams

    BOARD MEMBER

    My core philosophy centers on empowerment through education. As a drug and alcohol counselor in the late 80s, empathy was my foundation. Later, as an English teacher, I honed my skills in listening and face-to-face engagement. These values have been crucial to my success in the IT field.

    For nearly 20 years, my wife and I have run a Managed Services IT business, now with a team of 20 in Sydney and the Philippines. Our success stems from a focus on education and the human element. Truly listening to clients has enabled us to retain many for over 10 years while delivering cutting-edge solutions.

    This April Fool's Day, my wife Julie and I celebrate 25 years of marriage. We enjoy walking our two dogs together. I'm a proud father of two adult sons. I also play 6-a-side football, collect records, and love spending time in my man cave.

  • Emeritus Professor Dom Geragthy

    BOARD MEMBER

    After 33 years at the University of Tasmania (Launceston), I recently retired and am now an Emeritus Professor. I taught human biology and pharmacology to diverse students, including those in nursing, medicine, exercise science, and laboratory medicine. I co-authored over 250 publications and held senior positions at UTAS and nationally.

    As the first in my family to attend university, I'm passionate about improving access to education and fostering connection. I've always enjoyed science communication, lecturing on health and drug awareness, and appearing as a 'guest scientist' on the radio.

    My partner, Suzeanne, and I have five children and three granddaughters. We're eager to give back to our community. In retirement, I serve on non-profit boards, garden, travel, and try to lose weight.

Meet the Advisory Board

Professor David Adams

David is currently Professor of Management at the University of Tasmania and has held various university positions including Pro Vice Chancellor for Community Partnerships and Regional Development. His primary research area is the intersection of innovation, place and communities, with a particular interest in social innovation and the conditions that enable it. David has held numerous civic roles including as the inaugural Social Inclusion Commissioner for Tasmania and inaugural Chair of the Tasmanian Food Security Council. He has worked in senior management roles across the public, private and community sectors in Australia, and held directorships on various regional and community development bodies. David writes regularly for media outlets on public policy and governance matters. He is currently researching polarisation in Tasmania and the places and spaces where democratic and respectful dialogue can take place.

Adjunct Professor David Smith

David is an adjunct professor in the Division of Learning and Teaching at Charles Sturt University. He has developed a broad expertise in educational leadership and technology through his work in schools and universities both in Australia and Europe. David consults on online course development and the pedagogy of technology in the Higher Learning sector in the United Kingdom and Western Europe and is a recognised expert in online learning for the open education network. Most recently he has been involved with the University Network of Programs for UNESCO working with a system of regional universities and their satellite schools and effective means of distance education. David has held the positions of Head of the School of Education and Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor Teaching and Learning before moving to strategic consultancy in 2023.

Lesley Cook

Lesley is an advisor in research, policy, and program development in the fields of family welfare and mental health, and director of Partners in Practice, a Sydney-based consulting firm supporting social change through innovative service design. Her work takes an 'end-to-end' approach, analysing complex social problems, engaging stakeholders, and synthesising evidence into evidence-informed programs. Central to this is empathy-based co-design, developing deep understanding of the needs of both service users and deliverers. As an experienced developmental evaluator, she enables organisations to learn in real time, ensuring their work is purpose-driven, evidence-informed, and evidence generating. Recent clients have included the National Mental Health Commission, the National Eating Disorders Collaboration and The Men's Table. Lesley is passionate about supporting grassroots initiatives and provides pro bono services to help smaller organisations achieve greater impact and share practical evidence with other communities.

Tim Henry

Tim is an Associate Lecturer at UTAS teaching Social Work and overseeing student placements in the North of the state. Before joining UTAS, Tim worked in family and child counselling, separating families, men’s work, community education and development, mental health and children experiencing trauma, as a practitioner or as a manager. Tim held leadership roles across several leading community service organisations in Tasmania. Supervision is a professional interest and he continues to have a small caseload of private practice supervision clients. Tim is also a board member for Volunteering Tasmania. When he is not thinking about Social Work, he likes to spend time with his partner and their last cat, and his 1850 books about cricket.