Pre-Conference Agenda

Centre for Inclusive Employment industry launch

Introduction of DEA Implementation Workshop

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

What I’d be thinking about in your shoes

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

From Tender to Transition

Paul Diviny – Founder and CEO, Prospert, Australia

Navigating change in turbulent times

Dr Darren Coppin – CEO & Chief Behavioural Scientist, Azurum

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

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

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

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

Dan Gavin – National Manager – Disability Employment, genU Training

Close of DEA Implementation Workshop

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

Populi Free Yoga Class

Kim Juster – Yoga Instructor

Welcome to Country

Conference Address: Aiming higher for disability employment

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

The future of disability employment in Australia

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

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

Callam Pickering – Senior Economist APAC, Indeed

Platinum Sponsor address

Richard Johnson – Head of Commercial Programs, genU Training

The State of Disability Discrimination in Australia Today

Rosemary Kayess – Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

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

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

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

How we can all be better allies in employment

Elizabeth Wright – ABC, Paralympian and Journalist

Inclusive Employment in the Screen and Media Sector

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

Jackson Hughes – Employment Member, Bus Stop

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

Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

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

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

Building Neuro-Inclusive workplaces

Geoff Smith – Chief Executive Officer, Australian Spatial Analytics

Aron Mercer – Chief Growth Officer, Xceptional Academy

To Pursue Happiness

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

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

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

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

Interview with a DEA Hall of Famer

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

Graeme Innes – Lawyer, author, and company Director

Closing Remarks

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