Michael Elwan is the Founder and Director of Lived Experience Solutions (LEXs), a Perth-based practice specialising in lived experience leadership.
His work focuses on a practical organisational question: what does it take for lived and living experience to genuinely influence decisions, rather than remain at the level of consultation?
Michael brings together four lenses in his work: lived and living experience; frontline and senior management experience across mental health services; social work practice and systems thinking; and research through his PhD in lived experience leadership. His multicultural background and work in multicultural mental health shape how he applies each lens, particularly to questions of whose knowledge is heard, how people are supported and whether participation works across culture and language.
Before establishing LEXs, Michael held senior management responsibility for ten statewide mental health services, following earlier frontline and operational roles across mental health and community services.
Through LEXs, Michael works with organisations to examine how lived experience is embedded in practice, including role clarity, authority, governance, supervision, support, feedback pathways and whether lived experience structures are working as intended.
Michael’s work has been recognised across social work, mental health and multicultural practice. He was named Social Worker of the Year in the 2025 AASW National Excellence Awards, received the Lived Experience Impact & Inspiration Award at the 2025 WA Mental Health Awards, and received the Outstanding Individual Achievement Award at the 2026 Western Australian Multicultural Awards.
His presentations bring lived experience together with organisational practice, social work and research. Personal experience provides an important lens, but the purpose is broader: helping audiences understand what organisations need to change so lived experience can influence practice, workplaces and decisions.