Disability Advocate and Consultant · She/They
I help organisations build more accessible, equitable, and genuinely inclusive programs, drawing on my background in health promotion and my life as a disabled person and carer.
Let's work together →"Nothing about us without us is not a request. It is a requirement."
James Charlton, disability rights activist and author
About me
I'm a health promotion professional working at the intersection of public health, equity, and disability advocacy. Across roles at Brimbank City Council, Moonee Valley City Council, and Manningham Council, I've led community grants programs, co-designed inclusion initiatives, and developed policy that works for the people it's meant to serve.
My work spans community engagement strategy, grants program management, diversity and inclusion coordination, and social planning. I've supported LGBTQIA+ community reference groups, coordinated Gender Impact Assessments, developed position statements on community safety, and mapped over 70 community organisations to strengthen referral pathways for vulnerable populations.
What makes my practice distinct is that it isn't only professional. I'm a disabled person and a carer. Since my neurodivergent diagnosis, I've come to understand from the inside what it means to navigate systems not designed with you in mind. I was awarded a bursary by People with Disability Australia (PWDA) to attend Australia's Disability Strategy National Forum in Adelaide, where I engaged with national conversations about how disabled Australians are supported across all levels of government. That experience sits at the heart of everything I do.
What I offer
Support for community organisations developing grant applications, with a focus on clearly articulating disability, health equity, and inclusion outcomes. Drawing on experience managing grants programs at two Melbourne councils, I understand what strong applications look like from both sides.
Funding and grantsA practical review of your programs, services, or communications to identify where barriers exist and how to address them in ways that work for real people, not just on paper.
Programs and servicesMeaningful consultation shouldn't be tokenistic. I help organisations design and facilitate genuine co-design processes with disabled people and carers as true partners in shaping outcomes.
Community engagementDrawing on direct experience developing community safety position statements, gender impact assessments, and social policy at council level, I help teams build frameworks that hold up against real community needs.
Government and NFPWorkshops for teams to build genuine disability confidence, moving beyond compliance checklists toward a culture of inclusion, safety, and belonging that is embedded in everyday practice.
Workforce developmentPrograms built for equity from the start, with inclusive design, community partnership frameworks, and evaluation approaches that capture outcomes for the communities that matter most.
Health promotionWhy this work matters
Since my neurodivergent diagnosis, I've come to understand from the inside how systems designed with good intentions can still create real barriers. Being in a disability-affirming space at the Australia's Disability Strategy National Forum was genuinely reaffirming in ways I didn't expect, and that experience informs how I approach every piece of work.
Caring for someone with disability gives me a view of the system that no professional training alone can provide. I understand the invisible labour, the advocacy fatigue, and what it means when services fall short for the people who depend on them most.
From Rainbow Tick implementation to LGBTQIA+ community reference groups to disability-affirming forums, I've helped create spaces where people feel genuinely safe and seen. That experience shapes how I help organisations move from intention to practice.
At the Australia's Disability Strategy National Forum, I engaged with national discussions about how disabled Australians are supported across federal, state, and local government. I bring that context into every engagement, connecting big-picture strategy to what it means at the local level.
How I work
I don't parachute in with generic frameworks. Every engagement starts with listening to your team, your community, and the people your work is meant to serve.
We start with a genuine conversation about your organisation, your community, and the specific challenges you're navigating, including what has already been tried.
Disabled people are experts in their own lives. Every approach I develop is designed to elevate those voices, not just as participants, but as decision-makers with genuine influence.
Solutions that look good on paper but don't work in practice help no one. I test ideas against lived reality and design for the edges, not just the average case.
My goal isn't dependency. I work with your team to build internal understanding and confidence so that inclusive practice becomes embedded, not just project-specific.
Licences and certifications
Engagement Institute
Issued September 2025
Mental Health First Aid International
Issued January 2025 · Expires January 2028
Service Victoria
Issued October 2023 · Expires October 2028
Life Saving First Aid
Issued February 2023
Recognition and involvement
Get in touch
Whether you have a specific project in mind or just want to explore what's possible, I'd love to hear from you.
hello@yourdomain.com.auBased in Melbourne · Available for remote and in-person engagements across Australia
Accessibility