Main Conference Agenda

Looking for the Pre-Conference Agenda? Click here.

The 2025 DEA Conference will be focused on the implementation of the New Specialist Disability Employment Program including changes to the program, and centred on evolving disability employment policy, design, models, and practice including employment for NDIS participants.

The Conference program will include relevant debates, research, and innovative practices, with the core focus on quality services for participants and employers as well as achievement of employment goals and intersection with the Disability Employment Centre of Excellence.

The DEA 2025 Conference is the ideal gathering place for you, the people seeking to implement this generational change in policy, planning, and practice in the newly evolved landscape of the disability employment sector.

This is a significant opportunity to engage directly with what is going on in disability and employment. Following an Implementation Masterclass, we will have two days full of the latest and best analysis of the current sector developments, leading edge practice program ideas and thinking about future changes.

In addition to impressive keynote speakers and panels, our breakout sessions have garnered a reputation as some of the most valuable of the Conference. There is always a lot going on during these sessions and DEA is delighted to platform an eclectic range of experts to inform our own thinking.

To that end, we are seeking your contributions and are now calling for papers to be presented at this year’s Conference. We have listed a range of core themes and invite papers on these. Please click here for more information.

We are looking for evidence-based, best practice, results-driven presentations. This is your chance to showcase your initiatives that demonstrate improved employment outcomes for people with disability.

For more information click here.

As you know, the program drives discussions across the event. In breaks and drinks, coffee catchups and the Gala dinner, the pulse of the Conference is networking. So, take your opportunity to network with our peers. Across a lectern or a coffee, this is your chance to be involved and prepare yourself for the new era.

Tuesday 13 May 2025

Centre for Inclusive Employment industry launch, Implementation Masterclass & Welcome Reception

Centre for Inclusive Employment industry launch

10:00 am – 10:30 am

Centre for Inclusive Employment industry launch Registration & Morning Tea

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Centre for Inclusive Employment industry launch

Implementation Masterclass

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Implementation Masterclass Registration & Lunch

1:00 pm – 1:10 pm

Introduction of DEA Implementation Workshop

Wayne Herbert – Director of Progress and Property, LEAD Disability Services

1:10 pm – 1:20 pm

What I’d be thinking about in your shoes

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

1:20 pm – 1:50 pm

From Tender to Transition

Paul Diviny – Founder and CEO, Prospert, Australia

1:50 pm – 2:20 pm

Navigating change in turbulent times

Dr Darren Coppin – CEO & Chief Behavioural Scientist, Azurum

2:20 pm – 3:20 pm

Have Your Say – an interactive session, co hosted by DEA and DSS

3:20 pm – 3:40 pm

Afternoon Tea

3:40 pm – 4:00 pm

Leading Through Change – RFFR, Privacy and AI: What Employment Providers Must Get Right

Chris Pistilli – Director of Cyber Security and Compliance, Synergy Compliance

4:00 pm – 4:50 pm

Preparing Your Workforce for IEA – Customer Service Excellence in Inclusive Employment

Dan Gavin – National Manager – Disability Employment, genU Training

4:50 pm – 5:00 pm

Close of DEA Implementation Workshop

Wayne Herbert – Director of Progress and Property, LEAD Disability Services

Welcome Reception

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Welcome Reception

Wednesday 14 May 2025

Conference Day 1

7:00 am – 7:45 am

Populi Free Yoga Class

Kim Juster – Yoga Instructor

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Welcome to Country

9:10 am – 9:30 am

Conference Address: Aiming higher for disability employment

Elly Desmarchelier – Speaker, writer, event facilitator and disability rights advocate

9:30 am – 9:55 am

The future of disability employment in Australia

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

9:55 am – 10:30 am

The Australian economy in 2025, labour market movements, trends and indicators for disability employment

Callam Pickering – Senior Economist APAC, Indeed

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Morning Tea

11:00 am – 11:05 am

Platinum Sponsor address

Richard Johnson – Head of Commercial Programs, genU Training

11:05 am – 11:20 am

The State of Disability Discrimination in Australia Today

Rosemary Kayess – Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

11:20 am – 12:30 pm

Panel Discussion: The role of social enterprise in disability employment

Mark Daniels – Chief of Operations, White box Enterprises

Jo Barraket AM – Professor of Policy Studies and Director of Melbourne Social Equity Institute, University of Melbourne

Saraya O’Connell – General Manager, Hotel Etico Australia

Melissa Cofre – Executive Director, Disability Services, Yooralla

Roksolana Suchowerska – Senior Lecturer, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University

Myron Mann – Chief Executive Officer, Bedford Group Ltd

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Lunch

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm

JobAccess and Inclusive Employment Australia working together to support clients

Karla Fernee – Manager – National Disability Recruitment Coordinator, JobAccess

Georgia Miller – National Manager, JobAccess

Building organisational practices to employ young people with disability

Jo Ingold – Professor of Human Resource Management, Peter Faber Business School, Australian Catholic University

Dr Qian Yi Lee – Postdoctoral Research Associate, Australian Catholic University

Jason McCurry – Programs Manager, Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)

Ronan Smyth – Associate Director – Employment, Social Ventures Australia

Hosted by the Centre for Inclusive Employment – Evidence to Practice: Transitioning to employment

Roksolana Suchowerska – Senior Lecturer, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University

Darryl Steff – CEO, Down Syndrome Australia

Gemma Clark – Manager for Inclusion and Lived Experience, ACT Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability

Charlotte Bailey – ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability

Melanie Sennett – CEO, Stepping Stone Clubhouse

Will McKinlay – Peer Worker, Stepping Stone Clubhouse

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

Assisting First Nations Peoples with mental health conditions develop vocational confidence and knowledge of work to pursue their employment and other vocational goals

Preetha Sivakumaran – Mental Health Occupational Therapist, WISE IDEA, WISE Employment

Shannon Lang – Director, WISE IDEA, WISE Employment

Accessing Hidden Talent: Practical Disability Employment

Joshua Bamford – Human Resources Director, M&H Ward Group

Evidence to Practice: Transitioning to employment – part 2

Roksolana Suchowerska – Senior Lecturer, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University

Darryl Steff – CEO, Down Syndrome Australia

Gemma Clark – Manager for Inclusion and Lived Experience, ACT Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability

Charlotte Bailey – ACT Down Syndrome & Intellectual Disability

Melanie Sennett – CEO, Stepping Stone Clubhouse

Will McKinlay – Peer Worker, Stepping Stone Clubhouse

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Afternoon Tea

3:30 pm – 4:15 pm

How we can all be better allies in employment

Elizabeth Wright – ABC, Paralympian and Journalist

4:15 pm – 5:00 pm

Inclusive Employment in the Screen and Media Sector

Tracey Corbin-Matchett OAM – Chief Executive Officer, Bus Stop Films

Jackson Hughes – Employment Member, Bus Stop

6:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Gala Dinner – including Hall of Fame Ceremony and DEA Awards presentations

Ellie Cole – Paralympian, Speaker and Disability Advocate

Suzanne Colbert AM, GAICD – Advisor, Non-executive Director, Business Owner and Mentor

Thursday 15 May 2025

Conference Day 2

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

Elly Desmarchelier – Speaker, writer, event facilitator and disability rights advocate

9:10 am – 9:45 am

The Next Steps in Supported Employment

Alex Buckley – Branch Manager, Disability Employment Policy, Department of Social Services

Bridget Anyon – Director, Supported Employment Policy Section, Disability Employment Policy Branch, Department of Social Services

Dr Jenny Crosbie – Senior Research Fellow, Swinburne University

Mathew McIntyre – Chair, DEA Board & Chief Operating Officer – Employment & Enterprises, Disability Trust

9:45 am – 10:30 am

Building Neuro-Inclusive workplaces

Geoff Smith – Chief Executive Officer, Australian Spatial Analytics

Aron Mercer – Chief Growth Officer, Xceptional Academy

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Morning Tea

11:00 am – 11:30 am

To Pursue Happiness

Dr Dinesh B. Palipana – Emergency Physician, Researcher and Lecturer and Lawyer, Gold Coast University Hospital, Griffith University

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Panel Discussion: The Future of Employment and the NDIS

Graeme Innes – Lawyer, author, and company Director

Sam Bennett – Program Director, Grattan Institute

Catherine McAlpine – CEO, Inclusion Australia

Kirsten Deane – Deputy Director, Melbourne Disability Institute

12:30 pm – 1:15 pm

Lunch

1:15 pm – 2:00 pm

Andrew Radford: A Journey of Resilience and Achievement

Andrew Radford – Board Member, The Disability Trust, Australia

Rebecca McIntyre – Employment Services Manager, The Disability Trust, Australia

The Power of Business Intelligence in Employment Services

Paul Diviny – Chief Executive Officer, Prospert

Jason Russell – CEO, CVGT Employment, Australia

Hosted by the Centre for Inclusive Employment – Evidence to Practice: Working effectively with employers

Jo Ingold – Professor of Human Resource Management, Peter Faber Business School, Australian Catholic University

Sharon Kumar – Executive Manager, Member Services, Australian Disability Network (AusDN)

David West – Director of Human Resources, W Melbourne

Prof Byron Keating – Co-Director, QUT Vulnerability Research Group

Andrea Comastri – Co-founder and CEO, Hotel Etico

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Update from Disability Employment Australia – DES, NDIS and Training

Hanif Mohamed – Professional Membership & Development Manager, Disability Employment Australia

Kelly Treloar – NDIS Policy Manager, Disability Employment Australia

Sally Karandrews – DES Policy Manager, Disability Employment Australia

Transforming disability employment: insights from a Paralympian’s journey

Matthew Levy – Author, Matthew Levy OAM, Australia

Evidence to Practice: Working effectively with employers – part 2

Jo Ingold – Professor of Human Resource Management, Peter Faber Business School, Australian Catholic University

Sharon Kumar – Executive Manager, Member Services, Australian Disability Network (AusDN)

David West – Director of Human Resources, W Melbourne

Prof Byron Keating – Co-Director, QUT Vulnerability Research Group

Andrea Comastri – Co-founder and CEO, Hotel Etico

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Afternoon Tea

3:15 pm – 3:45 pm

Interview with a DEA Hall of Famer

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

Graeme Innes – Lawyer, author, and company Director

3:45 pm – 3:50 pm

Closing Remarks

Mathew McIntyre – Chair, DEA Board & Chief Operating Officer – Employment & Enterprises, Disability Trust

3:50 pm – 4:00 pm

Networking