As is ever the case, the DEA Conference program will get to the heart of the issues facing disability employment sector now and into the future.

To do that, we’re bringing together people who are prepared to engage with complexity rather than avoid it.

Thematically, we’ll reflect on what we’re seeing on the ground, explore the bigger policy and labour market forces shaping our work, and spend some time thinking seriously about how we improve the system — not in theory, but in practice.

Monday, 15 June 2026

Welcome Reception

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Welcome Reception

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Conference Day 1

7:00 am – 7:45 am

Yoga – sponsored by Populi

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Welcome to Country

9:10 am – 9:30 am

Welcome

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

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

9:30 am – 10:00 am

Minister’s Address

The Hon Minister Tanya Plibersek MP – Minister for Social Services

10:00 am – 10:30 am

Address

Michael Lye – Secretary, Department of Social Services

10:30 am – 10:50 am

Morning Tea

10:50 am – 11:00 am

The case for reforming the Disability Support Pension

Matt Wright – Managing Partner, Deloitte Access Economics

11:00 am – 11:10 am

What’s it like to deal with the DSP?

Damien Porter – Disability Advocate, Freelance Consultant, and Co-Host of the Ability Podcast

11:10 am – 12:00 pm

Panel Session: The case for reforming the Disability Support Pension

Michael Lye – Secretary, Department of Social Services

Matt Wright – Managing Partner, Deloitte Access Economics

John Burn – Chief Executive Officer, DEInvestments

Damien Porter – Disability Advocate, Freelance Consultant, and Co-Host of the Ability Podcast

Catherine McAlpine – Executive Director, Inclusion Australia

12:00 pm – 12:03 pm

Aon Gold Sponsor Address

Derek Turner – Client Director Not for Profit & Entertainment & Director, Aon Charitable Foundation, Aon

12:03 pm – 12:33 pm

Transforming the Disability Employment Ecosystem

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

12:33 pm – 1:03 pm

How Shifting Economic Trends Are Shaping Work

Callam Pickering – APAC Senior Economist, Indeed

Keynote Speaker Sponsor:

1:03 pm – 1:08 pm

genU Training Platinum Sponsor Address

Dan Gavin – National Manager – Disability Employment, genU Training

1:08 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

William Magarey Room

BREAKOUT ROOM 1 – Neuroinclusion

Master of Ceremonies: Elly Desmarchelier

2:00 pm – 2:20 pm

“No One Sees the Effort”: The Hidden Cost of Identity Management for Neurodivergent Staff

Aron Mercer – Adjunct Industry Fellow, PhD Candidate, Griffith University

2:20 pm – 2:40 pm

Neurodiverse Safe Work: More Than Noise Cancelling Headphones

Catherine Lee – Director & Founder, The Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative

2:40 pm – 3:00 pm

Building Employer Capability for Neuroinclusive Workplaces: Translating Evidence into Practice

Alex Lazarus-Priestley – Chief Change Officer, Amaze

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Panel Discussion: Neuroinclusion

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

Aron Mercer – Adjunct Industry Fellow, PhD Candidate, Griffith University

Catherine Lee – Director & Founder, The Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative

Alex Lazarus-Priestley – Chief Change Officer, Amaze

John Halbert Room

BREAKOUT ROOM 2 – Evidence to Practice – Developing Sustainable Jobs for People with Disability

Dr Simone Casey – Principal Research Fellow, Evidence, Centre for Inclusive Employment, CSI Swinburne

Dr Elaine Nash – Flinders University & Swinburne University

Dr Shae Wissell – Director, re:think dyslexia

Georgia Miller – National Manager, JobAccess

Dr June Alexander – Lecturer, Flinders University

Suite 1

BREAKOUT ROOM 3 – Co-designing the Future

Master of Ceremonies: Simon Rowberry, Deputy CEO, Disability Employment Australia

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Report on DEA Members NDIS Co-design Project

Renae Hartmann – NDIS Policy Manager, Disability Employment Australia

Simon Rowberry – Deputy CEO, Disability Employment Australia

2:45 pm – 3:30 pm

From Fundamentals to Futures: Launching Fundamentals for Jobseekers – A Co-designed Course for Jobseekers and Practitioners

Dan Gavin – National Manager – Disability Employment, genU Training

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Afternoon Tea

4:00 pm – 4:03 pm

Prospert Gold Sponsor Address

Paul Diviny – Founder and CEO, Prospert

4:03 pm – 4:33 pm

Presentation of Blended Transitions Findings

Dr Ann Nevile – Social Policy Researcher, ANU

4:33 pm – 5:03 pm

Interview with 2025 DEA Hall of Fame honouree

Prof Alastair McEwin AM – Disability and human rights advocate

Sally Karandrews – IEA Policy Manager, Disability Employment Australia

6:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Gala Dinner

Including Hall of Fame Ceremony and DEA Awards presentations –

Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Conference Day 2

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

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

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

9:10 am – 9:35 am

From best kept secret to national system: Embedding supported employment at scale

Laura Davis – Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Supported Employment

9:35 am – 9:38 am

Prime Super Gold Sponsor Address

Gil Sebbag – Head of Retail Sales (NSW/ACT), Prime Super

9:38 am – 10:18 am

Panel session: How could the Supported Employment Quality Framework apply to Australia?

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

Dr June Alexander – Lecturer, Flinders University

Laura Davis – Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Supported Employment

Dr Jenny Crosbie – Principal Industry Fellow, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University

10:18 am – 11:03 am

A Disability Dialogue about Inclusion within Providers

Kelly Treloar – Director, Disability Dialogue at DANA

James Herbertson – General Manager, Services, Flourish Australia

11:03 am – 11:06 am

Leading Directions Gold Sponsor Address

Luke Henderson – Industry & Growth Partner, Leading Directions

11:06 am – 11:30 am

Morning Tea

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Creating a ‘pull’ in disability employment: a focus on the demand side

John Burn – Chief Executive Officer, DEInvestments

12:00 pm – 12:50 pm

Panel session: Future developments on the ‘demand side’

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

Prof Alastair McEwin AM – Disability and human rights advocate

John Burn – Chief Executive Officer, DEInvestments

Amanda Belz – Impact and Inclusion Manager, McDonald’s Australia

Don Intine – Programmed

Amy Whalley – Chief Executive Officer, Australian Disability Network

12:50 pm – 1:00 pm

Ability Roundtable – IEA Program Benchmarking

Garry Simpson – Chief Operating Officer, Ability Round Table Pty Ltd

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm

Lunch

1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

William Magarey Room

BREAKOUT ROOM 1 – Getting engagement right

Master of Ceremonies: John Gibbons – CEO, The Personnel Group

1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

The evidence and practice settings for relationship building in case-managed employment assistance

Dr George Giuliani – Independent Consultant, Senior Facilitator with Prospert

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm

Supporting people with mental health conditions: The three legged stool for successful employment

Shannon Lang – Director, WISE IDEA, WISE

Ms Jessie Martins – State Manager, Inclusive Employment Australia, WISE, WISE, Australia

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Panel discussion: Getting engagement right

Dr George Giuliani – Independent Consultant, Senior Facilitator with Prospert

Shannon Lang – Director, WISE IDEA, WISE

Jessie Martins – State Manager, Inclusive Employment Australia, WISE

John Halbert Room

BREAKOUT ROOM 2 – Reframing the problem of disability employment to enable practice improvement

Dr Michael Healy – Research Fellow, Knowledge Mobilisation Lead, Swinburne University

A/Prof Sue Olney – Associate Professor, University of Melbourne

Dr Sam Cooms – Senior Lecturer, University of Queensland

Suite 1

BREAKOUT ROOM 3 – Perspectives for providers

Master of Ceremonies: Wayne Herbert

1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

The supported employment quality framework model in practice

Nerise Oldfield-Thompson –

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm

Getting more employers to the table through great leadership

Paul Diviny – Founder and CEO, Prospert

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Turning compliance into a competitive advantage

Graeme Gemmell – Recite Me

3:20 pm – 3:25 pm

Conference Wrap Up

Mathew McIntyre – Chair, Disability Employment Australia

3:25 pm – 3:35 pm

Conference Summary

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

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

3:35 pm – 4:00 pm

Afternoon Tea

4:00 pm

Conference Close