OUR MEMBERS

OUR MEMBERS

Home ABOUT US OUR MEMBERS

Jo-Anne Hewitt

CEO Achieve Australia

Achieve Australia is a for-purpose community organisation that has been providing services and support for people with disability in NSW since 1952. Our passion is social inclusion for people with disability and our purpose is to build extraordinary lives through being well, having a home, choosing a career and enjoying a full life.

Achieve offers a range of essential services for people with disability and their families including community living and Drop-In Support, wellbeing and Day Programs, employment, and Support Coordination.

Dr Martin Laverty

CEO Aruma

Dr Martin Laverty has been involved in disability support for 30 years.

He helped design and implement the NDIS – he was an inaugural Director of the scheme, serving on the NDIA Board from 2013 to 2021.

In 2022, Martin commenced as CEO of Aruma.

Aruma supports the rights and well-being of all people with a disability. We believe in the vision of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), but it is clear that work needs to be done for this vision to be delivered. We have valuable perspective to bring to the table. We are part of Alliance20 because we want the NDIS to be the best in can be.

Kate Fulton

CEO Avivo

Avivo support people with a disability, people who require psychosocial support and / or people who are old or frail across Western Australia. We are committed to supporting people to live life in their own homes connected to their local communities. We support around 3000 people and have over 100 community teams providing support and assistance. Alongside this we partner with people and families to share manage. Avivo have a long history of innovation – partnering with people and families to design supports in a way that makes sense to each unique person. Avivo have delivered NDIS services since its inception. Kate has worked with Avivo for over 10 years and became CEO in 2022. Kate has a long history of working to support social justice systemically and individually.

Myron Mann

CEO Bedford

Bedford is the second largest employer for people with disability in Australia and is proud to provide a holistic range of NDIS services for 1500 clients and employees. For over 70 years, Bedford has been providing meaningful employment that builds independence, skills, teamwork, growth opportunities and adds value to the lives of employees in four key areas – hospitality, packaging, manufacturing and landscaping along with smaller social enterprises in regional South Australia.

Bedford offers a range of NDIS approved support structures from assisted or independent living to Day Options programs which includes Community Access. Bedford is proud to provide a whole-of-life model of employment and support, and excited to work together with Alliance20 to ensure the NDIS meets the needs and desired outcomes of not only Bedford clients but all Australians with disability.

Lin Hatfield Dodds

CEO The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society is one of the largest providers of specialists disability services providing a range of clinical and support coordination services to over 6,000 individuals with complex needs, across NSW, ACT, QLD and SA.

Lin joined the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) in 2019. She is an Associate Dean, leading work across a range of social policy and industry areas.

Lin was Deputy Secretary, Social Policy in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2016 to 2019. Working across the public service, industry and academia, Lin led the provision of whole of government advice to the Prime Minister on health, education, social services and gender equality. Lin advised the Prime Minister on the Council of Australian Governments and provided policy advice and advice on international engagement to the Minister for Women.

From 2002-2016 Lin was the National Director of UnitingCare Australia, the national body for Australia’s largest NGO network of social, health and aged care services, with a footprint across urban, regional and remote Australia.

Lin has served on a wide range of boards and government advisory bodies, including as Chair of the Australian Social Inclusion Board, and President of the Australian Council of Social Service.

Lin participated in the Australian Government Tax Forum in 2011 and the Prime Minister’s 2020 Summit in 2007. She sat on the Australian Government’s National Place Based Advisory Group; the Community Response Task Force advising the Deputy Prime Minister during the global financial crisis; and the Aged Care Sector Committee advising the Minister for Health and Aged Care.

Lin’s background includes working as a counselling psychologist with families and young people at risk, with a particular interest in trauma and abuse.

Lin holds a Masters in Applied Psychology from the University of Canberra. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Lin was ACT Australian of the Year in 2008, received a Churchill Fellowship to study anti-poverty strategies in 2003, and was awarded a Chief Minister’s International Women’s Day Award in 2002.

Rob White

CEO Cerebral Palsy Alliance

Rob White is Chief Executive Officer of Cerebral Palsy Alliance, one of the largest disability service providers in Australia, supporting over 6,500 people with disability and providing a range of services including accommodation, respite, employment and therapy.

Rob has a deep appreciation of the key issues that face clients and families under the NDIS and is committed to improving the quality of life of people living with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

Stephen Doley

CEO Challenge Community Services

Challenge Community Services has provided innovative and people-focused services to the community for over 60 years. Our offering to regional and metropolitan communities includes Disability Services, Foster Care, Allied Health and supported employment for people with a disability as part of our range of Business Services. Stephen joined Challenge Community Services as CEO in August 2022.

Stephen has spent over a decade working in Executive positions with organisations that specialise in working in consumer directed care and high complex needs for children and adults. Stephen specialises in leadership development, change management, strategic planning, new business development, culture change, project management, business development and is passionate about people.

Stephen sits on a number of state committees and boards and has been influential in Government Reforms around OOHC, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and Aged Care. Stephen is a Board Director for HealthWISE New England Northwest

Stephen’s fundamental belief is that communities, governments and businesses have a responsibility to ensure dignity and rights are upheld for all people. Stephen is passionate about the development of providing opportunities, experiences and outcomes for all people, no matter where they live.

Carol Berry

CEO The Disability Trust

The Disability Trust is committed to providing highly professional care and support to people with disability and their families. Based in NSW, the ACT, Victoria and South East Queensland, The Disability Trust provides a wide range of services to adults and children to support people with disability to live the life they choose. The Disability Trust has its roots firmly in the community, having been established in 1974 to help children with disabilities and their families in the Illawarra. The organisation has experience rapid growth over recent years and remains committed to quality care and support tailored to the needs of every client.

Carol joined The Disability Trust in 2020, progressing to the role of CEO in 2023. She commenced her career as a solicitor specialising in human rights law before transitioning into public interest advocacy and finally into the disability sector where she has worked for over 15 years. She has extensive disability experience having worked in both the government (federal and state) and non-government sectors and is highly motivated to create more inclusive communities.

David Swain

CEO Endeavour Foundation

Endeavour Foundation works in partnership with people we support to imagine possibilities, according to their own priorities, and make them happen.

We not only work to support people with a disability at home, at work and in the community, we also engage with people around training, employment and education. Together, we open doors to a better life. We are committed to a strong NDIS for future generations.

Our CEO David Swain has a track record of growing sustainable organisations and a strong focus on capacity building and connection to purpose.

David’s career has been focused on positively impacting the lives of those in need, whether arising from health crisis, disability, age, family violence, or lack of access to stable housing or social support.

Clare Amies

CEO genU

genU has been providing services to people with disability for over 70 years. It was formed when two respected organisations, Karingal and St Laurence, came together, and continues to build on their experience to become a national provider of services across disability, aged care and employment and training. Clare was appointed Chief Executive Officer in June 2020.

Clare joined genU following terms as CEO at both WorkSafe Victoria and Western Region Health Centre in Melbourne. Clare has held several Executive roles in health, community services and the Victorian Public Sector. Clare currently sits on a number of Boards including Barwon Health, Leadership Victoria, Kardinia Park Stadium Trust, and the Institute of Public Administration Association Victoria.

genU is excited to be a member of Alliance20 and work in partnership with clients, the sector and government to improve the experience and outcomes for people with disability.

Jordan O’Reilly

CEO Hireup

Jordan O’Reilly OAM is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Hireup – an innovative online platform that gives Australians with disability the power to find, hire and manage their very own support workers.

Launched in 2015, Hireup has grown to become Australia’s leading NDIS platform provider. Hireup supports more than 12,000 participants and their families each year while employing a similar number of support workers.

Based in Sydney, Hireup delivers millions of hours of support each year to people all across Australia. Hireup’s core focus is in-home, community and lifestyle support. More recently Hireup has also launched successful and innovative ventures in Individualised Living Options (ILO) and ‘Hireup for Providers’ – a unique staffing model for value-aligned providers in the care sector.

Claire Robbs

CEO Life Without Barriers

Life Without Barriers is proud of our significant involvement in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and our partnerships with other service providers and clients as this initiative rolls out across Australia. This NDIS is fundamentally changing the landscape for people with a disability, giving them real choice and control. However, such a huge shift does not come without challenges.

We are thrilled to form part of Alliance20 to promote the NDIS and lobby for the changes needed to ensure the best outcome for our clients.

Gill Callister

CEO Mind Australia

Mind Australia Limited is a leading not for profit mental health organisation with services across Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. Mind provides mental health support in the community, including subacute services, community residential services and a range of psychosocial and dual disability support services, to nearly 20,000 people each year. The organisation was established over 40 years ago and in 2017-18 employed over 900 staff to provide high quality, evidence informed services around Australia.

A registered NDIS provider, Mind is one of Australia’s most experienced and accomplished providers of recovery based Supported Independent Living services, including Dual Disability, specialist support coordination and capacity building.

Our experience in recovery based services and our strength in forging successful partnerships with clinical and referring agencies around Australia enable us to meet the needs of a diverse range of people living with severe and persistent mental health issues, as well as their families and carers. Our service development and delivery is firmly evidence based thanks to our Research and Advocacy division. Mind’s Research and Advocacy division is also a significant contributor to the national conversation about how the NDIS can provide better support for people with psychosocial disability – and their families and carers – in Australia. Mind’s current research and advocacy priorities are the interrelationships between mental ill-health and homelessness/poor housing, and economic justice for unpaid carers.

David Panter

CEO Minda

Since 1898 Minda has provided support and opportunity to South Australians of all ages living with disability. Today, taking a human rights perspective, it continues towards an inclusive community that respects individual differences, embraces diversity and offers an environment in which people can thrive. It provides a wide range of services and supports to its clients, their support networks and the broader community to achieve this goal. David Panter took up the role of CE in late January 2022. David originally trained as a psychologist and has worked in health and social care in both the UK and Australia for over 42 years, half of which has been as a Chief Executive. David is committed to human rights and ensuring that services respond appropriately to the diversity of Australian communities.

Adam Golabek

Chief Growth Officer Nextt

Nextt is a leading provider of individualised support services including core supports, attendant care, supported housing (SIL) and support coordination. We provide early intervention services and behavioural therapy to young children through our Lizard Centres.

At Nextt we all share a passion to help our clients get more out of life. For us, this means supporting people to achieve measurable improvements in their quality of life.

We are proud to be working alongside the providers in the Alliance20 to find new solutions to old problems.

Adam is the Chief Growth Officer at Nextt and is committed to supporting sustainable growth for Nextt to ensure stability and opportunities for the people that Nextt supports. Adam is a former allied health clinician with a strong grounding in leading growth strategies and initiatives across the disability, insurance, healthcare, research foundation and membership association sectors.

Greg Ward

CEO Novita

For nearly 80 years, Novita has been one of South Australia’s largest providers of disability supports, services and equipment, primarily to children. We are proud to have played a pivotal role in supporting thousands of young people living with disability to fulfil their potential. We were involved in the initial NDIS trials in South Australia and had largely completed the transition of our customers to NDIS plans by mid-2017.

We see our membership of Alliance20 as an opportunity to support the NDIA as it fulfils its full potential assisting NDIS participants and their families all over Australia. With a united purpose, and a pragmatic understanding of the challenges we face, Novita believes we can all be part of delivering a better outcome for people living with disability.

Lisa Giacomelli

CEO of Possability and Lifestyle Solutions.

Possability has been supporting people with disability to be more independent and achieve their goals for over 30 years. We currently support more than 900 people in Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland, with services encompassing independent living, employment, behaviour support, short term accommodation and more. We are pleased to be part of the Alliance20 to work together to ensure the NDIS meets the needs and aspirations of people with disability. As an NDIS provider since 2013, we believe in the importance of collaboration and a proactive, constructive approach to problem solving as the scheme matures.

Currently Lifestyle Solutions and Possability are coming together as one organisation. With complementary capabilities, philosophy and services, this will enable both organisations to grow their combined potential to positively contribute to the people and communities they serve. As Lifestyle Solutions and Possability come together, each organisation remains focused on supporting their staff and continuing to deliver high quality services for the people they support and their families. There are no planned changes to services or staffing. The joining of these organisations with shared values, a commitment to best practice and a mutual dedication to individual client needs, offers an exciting outlook for all the people they support and their respective organisations’ employees.

Justine Colyer

CEO Rise

Rise was established in 1983 and covers the whole Perth metropolitan area and some regional towns. During the past 35 years, Rise has delivered a range of accommodation and community services including those for people with disability, mental health issues, young people at risk, the elderly, those escaping domestic violence and those in contact with the justice system. Rise supports over 3,500 West Australians. Rise delivered NDIS services since their inception – being part of both the Federal and State run trial sites. Justine Colyer has been the CEO for eight years.

Lawson Broad

CEO Somerville and Somerville Housing

Lawson has been CEO of Somerville and Somerville Housing since 2017.

Lawson’s experience is in private enterprise, the not-for-profit sector and the public service. He is member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a director of National Disability Services and chair of the Northern Territory committee, a member of the Northern Territory Council of Social Services and NT Shelter and former president of NT Shelter.

Lawson is keenly interested in innovation within community services creating opportunities for leadership that demonstrates impact in addressing social disadvantage beyond government funded services.

Cheryl Barrett

CEO Southern Cross Support Services

Southern Cross Support Services is an organisation that exists for the sole purpose of providing ‘Purpose, Belonging and Security’ for people with a disability, mental health issues and people who may be experiencing other social barriers. SCSS has achieved exponential growth since establishing in 2011 and is now widely recognised and respected as an inclusive and client-focused Queensland NDIS provider that is looking forward to supporting Alliance20 achieve its objectives for the benefit of people with disabilities right across the nation.

Andrew Hyland

CEO Sunnyfield disAbility Services

Sunnyfield is a not-for-profit charity providing support services to people with disability since 1952. We deliver a whole range of programs from accommodation to education and employment support, and from skills training to community participation and life enrichment opportunities.

Andrew joined Sunnyfield as CEO in October 2022 and brought a wealth of experience from his time as CEO of Lifestyle Solutions and his years driving positive transformation in the private sector.

With Andrew at the helm, we continue to champion Sunnyfield’s mission, empower our communities and strive towards a more inclusive Australia for people with disability.

Leanne Fretten

CEO Sylvanvale

Sylvanvale has been supporting people with an intellectual disability with complex needs since 1947 and today, support more than 750 people in the Sydney metropolitan area. Sylvanvale and the people we support have experienced many challenges throughout the transition into the NDIS. Our goal is to see great improvements in the disability sector and for the NDIA to deliver a better NDIS, one that supports the needs of people with a disability now and in the future, through our support of Alliance20.

Lee Carpenter

CEO Unisson

Established in 1924, Unisson has been a trusted provider of disability services for a century, dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and their families to live a fulfilling life. Lee joined Unisson in August 2023, assuming the role of CEO. With a wealth of experience exceeding 30 years in the health and disability services, Lee has gained invaluable insights and expertise. Over the past 14 years, Lee has led teams at Northcott and Scope, two prominent Disability Service Providers in Australia, guiding them through the complex NDIS landscape and ensuring the highest standard of support and services. Unisson is delighted to be a member of Alliance20, collaborating closely with clients, the sector, and government bodies to enhance the experiences and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Terry Symonds

CEO Yooralla

Terry Symonds joined Yooralla as Chief Executive Officer on 1 March 2021. With this appointment, Terry returns to the disability services sector, almost 30 years after beginning his professional career as a Disability Support Worker.

He brings extensive leadership and healthcare sector experience to his role.

In his most recent position as Deputy Secretary of the Health and Wellbeing Division of the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria, Terry had oversight of delivery of health care through hospitals and community agencies, as well as mental health and aged care.

He has also played a key role in the negotiation of national agreements between the Commonwealth and State, and in the health and aged care response to COVID-19.

Terry is currently a member of the Roadmap Implementation Ministerial Advisory Group (RIMAG) which guides and advances the implementation of the Victorian Government’s overarching strategy for long-term transformation of the child and family system, is a State Committee member for NDS in Victoria and Board Director for Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network.