Dr Hayward is a Futurist/Academic who just happens to also be Adam Drakes Uncle. While watching footy or discussing life over coffee Pete taught Adam about Futures, Hope, Values amongst other ideas. He was Adams library and he helped BC emerge. He is still around but now plays Uncle to everyone at BC.
Staff
Adam Drake
CEO/Founder
Adam Drake is the founder of Balanced Choice Program. With over 30 experience working with youth, Adam has BA with a double theatre major from Griffith University and certificates in fitness, Adam has utilised his diverse knowledge and experience in both industries to develop tailored workshops that help connect people with each other, strengthen fitness from within and inspire people to find that path that leads to the best version of themselves. Adam was nominated for Australian of the Year NT in 2019 for his work with young people in the youth justice system and his work in the adult system and providing a through care model with the Balanced Choice Program. Adam has worked alongside many organisations throughout Australia sharing the Anchor Program and also done some international work, one of his life highlights was working alongside Father Greg Boyle in Los Angeles who is the founder of Homeboy Industries.
Fraser Corfield
Executive Director
Fraser joined the Balanced Choice team in February 2025. For the past 30 years he has worked in management, community engagement and professional theatre. For the past sixteen years he was the Artistic Director and CEO of the Australian Theatre for Young People, the national youth theatre company based in Sydney.
Fraser is best known for his work leading youth engagement in the performing arts. He has developed and staged new work involving young people in partnership with Australia’s leading companies and venues, while brokering partnerships across Government, philanthropy, NGO’s and the private sector. His theatre productions, commissions and programs have received most of Australia’s leading industry Awards including AWGIES, Helpmann, Sidney Myer, Sydney Theatre, SA Great, Tasmanian Theatre and Matilda Awards amongst others.
Breanna Duncan
NT State Manager & Program Facilitator
Breanna Duncan is the NT Manager for Balanced Choice and one of our dedicated program facilitators. Born and raised in Darwin NT, Breanna has a passion for working alongside people, hearing their stories and encouraging them to achieve their dreams. With 13 years of experience working with youth and families, her compassion and creativity has added a broader skill set to Balanced Choice where she hopes to support both our staff and all people we work with to achieve the best version of themselves.
Breanna has a Masters of Social Work, a Graduate Certificate in Developmental Trauma and Bachelor of Behavioural Science.
Jason MacDonald
SA/VIC manager
Jason MacDonald has been with Balanced Choice for just under 4 years. Studying a combination of science and arts with his Certificate 3 in Fitness, he has been on an incredible fitness journey where he hiked Papua New Guinea’s Kokoda trail, the Himalaya’s Uttarakhand trek and gained a plethora of experience working with youth through United Nations Youth, Variety the Children’s Charity, and varying Youth Leadership Positions. His love for community engagement has seen him supporting organisations in India and Malaysia through programs such as ‘World Challenge’ and participating in the NT Youth Round Table in 2018.
Yvonne Neave
Nt Program facilitator
Yvonne Neave is one of our program facilitators for the Darwin region. Born and raised in Darwin NT, Yvonne is passionate about sports and helping people. An avid fan of netball, touch footy and motorbike riding, Yvonne is studying her Certificate III in Fitness to collate her knowledge and experience. Her dedication is matched by her enthusiasm to work with people as shown through her kind heart and diverse skill set from working remotely in Jabiru, working with children in schools, working with high-risk mental health young people, working with NDIS and playing sports.
Ollie Mau
NT program facilitator
Ollie is a dedicated member of the Balanced Choice crew who has been working alongside our great team for a few years. Currently studying a degree in Sports Science to further support his extensive experience and knowledge Ollie has completed a Certificate 4 in Community Service Work, a Certificate 3 and 4 in Correctional Practices, and a Certificate 3 in Fitness. Ollie was able to secure positions that have supplied him immense occupational knowledge. His compassion has been developed and nurtured as he worked as a House Parent for 9 and a half years with indigenous students from remote communities throughout the NT. His relevant training does not fall short of any marks either with 5 years as a correctional officer and 4 years as a gym instructor to support his already convincing personality full of love and hope.
Connor francis
NT Program Facilitator
Connor Francis is one of our program facilitators for South Australia. Born and raised in Darwin he moved to South Australia to pursue a Bachelor of Networking and Cybersecurity at Flinders University alongside studying his Certificate III in Fitness. Connor holds a strong passion for Technologies and Digital media, having won the ETANT reel shorts competition for films he had written and directed consecutively in 2016 and 2017. He carries through that passion to the people we work with, as Connor holds a firm belief in the positive effects of self-expression through digital mediums.
Melanie Gunner
SA Program Facilitator
Melanie Gunner joined the Balanced Choice team as our Alice Springs facilitator and has since made her way down to Adelaide. With over 5 years of experience working in the youth sector in Alice Springs, Melanie is passionate about young people, their mental health and their extraordinary talents. Her involvement within the community has been recognised through her position as Chair of the 2020 NT Youth Round Table, winning the 2020 Young Persons’ Award at the Mental Health Week Community Awards, being nominated for the 2020 Young Centralian Citizen and recurring finalist for two NT Young Achievers awards since 2019. Alongside her work with young people, Melanie finds creative ways to better her community as a local contemporary artist and has completed several murals around her hometown.
Shane Ferguson
Accounts and Finance Manager
Shane joined Balanced Choice in 2021 as Accounts and Finance manager. He has had many jobs over the years, his previous role before Balanced Choice was as a corrections officer for nine years. He brings to the role years of wisdom and passion for change in the system.
His motto is, “nothing changes if nothing changes” and aims to live this on a daily basis.
Brendon Clarke
Darwin & amp; Palmerston NT Program Facilitator
Born in Katherine and raised in Darwin, Brendon is a young and proud Kamu man from the Daly River region with a burning desire to lift up the community while breaking cycles and setting new standards. He is a mental health ambassador for the I Am Here Foundation. Just like the rest of the team, Brendon shares a passion for strengthening the body and conditioning the mind.”I love boxing, and I love being uncomfortable!”
Peta mayall
Administration and research
Peta joined Balanced Choice in 2023. She has extensive experience working as a librarian in corporate, educational, and public libraries. She is passionate about helping people connect, grow, learn, and share their stories. Peta believes everyone has a story that matters and feels privileged to report on and share the valuable work that the team is engaged in.
Kelsey Ferguson
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & QUEENSLAND STATE CONTACT
Kelsey joined the Balanced Choice Crew in 2023. Before arriving at BC she spent 7 years working in corporations Suncorp and most recently 5 years for Apple in a senior management role. With a background in Clinical Hypnotherapy, Childbirth Education and Birth Support Doula she is compassionate, down to earth and loves to work with people of all ages. She completed her cert 3 in fitness in 2024 and has enjoyed some time side by side facilitating the BC Anchor Program in Queensland.
