FRANCISCO LOPEZ (he/him)
National Health Lead – ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs
Francisco joined ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs in 2022 and leads the health sector team, supporting health and community service organisations with their LGBTQ+ inclusion work across workforce and service delivery, through the Pride in Diversity and Pride in Health + Wellbeing programs.
Francisco has a background in healthcare management across clinical operations, service redesign and health system reform. Previous roles include Senior Manager Primary Care and Community Engagement at MQ Health, Manager Improvement and Integration at Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network and Manager Redesigning Care at Alfred Health.
Francisco holds a Master of Health Administration from La Trobe University and is a Fellow with the Australasian College of Health Service Management.
DANIEL COMENSOLI (he/him)
Senior Relationship Manager, Pride in Health + Wellbeing
Daniel is currently a Senior Relationship Manager in the Pride in Health + Wellbeing program at ACON. Prior to this, Daniel was at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians working across paediatric and young adult medicine, and disability policy, as well as within the Mental Health Branch at the NSW Ministry of Health.
Daniel has a strong background in LGBTIQ+ health policy and advocacy, most recently working at LGBTIQ+ Health Australia (LHA). During his tenure at LHA, Daniel was instrumental to LHA’s responses to the Disability and Aged Care Royal Commissions, the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into mental health, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inquiry into intersex human rights, the Australian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry into the Family Law System, and proposed federal religious freedom legislation.
Daniel is passionate about promoting culturally safe health and wellbeing services to LGBTQ+ communities, as well as reducing discrimination, stigma and violence in an effort to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
Tidge Backhouse (they/them)
Senior Relationship Manager – Health, Pride in Diversity
Tidge joined the team with a background of being an advocate, consultant, and trainer with lived experience as a gender diverse, neurodiverse, sexuality diverse and often othered individual. Their experiences and passion have led them to develop a strong expertise and ability to engage with organisations to build awareness, capability, and empathy whilst working to critically consider how their systems may have inherent barriers to inclusion.
Tidge joined ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs after most recently working in the NSW Health system and is passionate about seeing meaningful change in health and human service organisations. Their major achievements whilst working at Northern Sydney Local Health District were: planning and hosting the inaugural LGBTIQ+ Health Symposium as part of World Pride 2023; leading a large organisation through the Australian Workplace Equality Index; growing and leading the Pride+ Employee Network as co-chair; and contributing to their Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging strategy and associated initiatives.
Tidge has studied Diversity & Inclusion with The Culture Ministry and they bring with them a confident, professional and flexible engagement style that aims to support, respect and empower whilst striving for inclusion, safety and support.