VALID is an award-winning organisation at the forefront of advocating for people with a disability in Victoria, and is committed to the vision of an Australian nation in which people with a disability are empowered to exercise their rights – as human beings and as citizens – in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. As Deputy CEO my primary role is to oversee Governance, Human Resources, complaints, policy development and ensure compliance with all legislative and funding requirements.Responsibilities• Development and management of Human Resource policies to establish the optimum team to deliver organisation KPIs and ensure compliance with Workplace equality legislation.• Management and implementation of policy development in line with legislative requirements and governance requirements.• Management and implementation of complaint resolution in line with legislation and organisation culture and policies.• Direction and management of compliance with all legislative and funding requirements in line with organisational goals.• Support the Committee of Management by overseeing governance.Notable Achievements• Implemented an IT strategy to update and modernise IT requirements which led to significant improvements in the stability and reliability of IT and a resultant efficiency gain for the organisation.• Implemented and led a whole-of-staff strategic planning process to prepare the organisation for significant change and new funding models.• Introduced a Leadership team and implemented a planning process to identify and deliver targeted leadership and management training.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is the agency established to implement the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which will support a better life for hundreds of thousands of Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers. Notable Achievements• I was instrumental in providing the successful leadership of a small, selected team to develop and implement a new national program, School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES), to facilitate the transition from school to work for young adults with disability. This involved:o Complex negotiations across the NDIA National Office together with a wide range of external stakeholders during the design and implementation stages of the program. o Designing and delivering information sessions to both providers and young school leavers with disability and their families/carers across a number of States and Territories.• I provided instrumental leadership of a small, selected team to support the establishment of a new Co-design section at the NDIA National Office. This involved:o Significant, complex and sensitive negotiations with other sections to convince the key stakeholders that embracing a co-design approach would lead to major long-term benefits to their work and better overall outcomes, despite much resistance due to a short-term slow down in their work. o Recruiting talent and inducting a small team of staff.• During 2016/17, I took on a leadership and mentoring role with the NDIA National Office Graduate Recruits to support twelve Recruits through their first year in the public service, mentoring them to complete the requirements of their graduate year. All successfully completed their Graduate Program and were offered permanent positions in the Australian Public Service.

The ACA is a member-based Not-for-profit professional association recognised as the peak body for residential camps and outdoor education providers in Australia, and delivers People Outdoors, a camping and adventure program for people with disabilities.Notable Achievements• Upon appointment, I successfully managed to turn around and implement the previously failed organisation-wide transition from four separate State Associations (Camping Association of Victoria, Camping Association of South Australia, Queensland Camping Association and Tasmanian Camping Association). The transition had been formalised 14 months prior to my appointment and I achieved significant success in turning this failed attempt around and building the organisation and the brand.• Successfully developed and administered a National accreditation program in compliance with the licensing authority and relevant government requirements to facilitate professional practices in camp operations and outdoor activity provision, as well as encourage high standards amongst participating members.• Instigated and led the merger of ACA’s accreditation program with Australian Tourism Accreditation Program (ATAP) to ensure long-term sustainability and credibility of camp and outdoor activity provider accreditation.• Repaired and re-established the financial sustainability of the ACA and built-up cash reserves, ensuring financial robustness for the organisation.• Repaired and rebuilt critical collaborative relationships both within the organisation including Members, staff and the Board; as well as with external peak bodies and NGOs in the interests of the entire outdoors sector.• Analysed and reviewed staff culture and re-hired appropriately to safeguard the established collaborative working culture.

As Manager of Community Programs at the Office of the Public Advocate I was selected to participate in a Leadership and Management Development Strategy with the Department of Justice for high performing middle and senior managers. I then acted in the role of Public Advocate and successfully re-established credibility of the Community Visitors (CV) Program by addressing the lack of coherence and structure identified as a weakness by external consultants. Additionally, I implemented external quality monitoring of 500 new services which came under the jurisdiction of the CV Program after amendments to the Disability Services Act 1991, and changed the Annual Reports to Parliament by CVs which had been perceived as negative and lacking in credibility. This led to the reports being widely acknowledged as balanced and accurate with many positive changes in legislation and policy made as a result - including amendments to the Health Services Act. Furthermore, I:o Secured additional funding and an increase in volunteer headcount while gaining Government approval to extend the powers of community visitors. Successfully rolled out an expanded Community Visitors Program in line with the revised Disability Services Act (1991).• Under delegation from the Public Advocate, I acted as guardian for people with disabilities to make complex decisions about lifestyle and medical treatment issues (including end-of-life decisions), in situations involving conflict, consistent with the requirements and principles of the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986. I undertook complex investigations and provided advice and reports concerning disputed legal, financial and lifestyle matters involving people with disabilities for whom an application had been made to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal - Guardianship List.

My career highlight is my time as Executive Officer at Barwon Disability Resource Council, where my passion for the organisation remains to this day. In the Executive Officer role, I initiated a successful turnaround of the organisation. In doing so, I achieved the following:o Rebuilt relationships between staff and Board after a period of significant tension. o Turned around the organisation to bring clarity to the role by providing a clear direction and strategy.o Rebuilt the financial position of the organisation to continue operations after the State Government defunded advocacy services.o Successfully negotiated the purchase of a property on behalf of the organisation to provide surety for ongoing operations.o Negotiated the sensitive transition of the Board from a disability service provider controlled Board to a Board led by people with a disability and family members/carers of people with disability.o Implemented a strategic planning process to refocus operations and clearly establish governance principles to future-proof Ways of Working to achieve agreed objectives. o Re-established the organisation as a credible provider of advocacy support. We provided advocacy for 124 people in 1996/97 compared to 10 in 1994/95.