ADS National Forum 2026

SPEAKERS: DAY 1 - 24 FEBRUARY 2026

Kuma Kaaru

Image description: A person in traditional dress is doing a cleansing ceremony outdoors. Thick white smoke rises from a fire in front of them. People stand and sit in the background near tall stone columns.

Kuma Kaaru (One Blood) brings stories and tradition to life through training and performance.

Operating on Kaurna Yarta (Land), the Kuma Kaaru team take pride in their Cultural Awareness training for organisations and schools.

Cleansing Ceremonies can be for celebration, healing, and cleansing. They are also a gesture of goodwill and bringing people together. Performing smoking for another is a gift and a blessing.

Conducting a Welcome to Country in the Kaurna language by a Traditional custodian acknowledging the Kaurna people as traditional owners. An ancient practice that has been used for thousands of years.

Master of Ceremonies - Jane Spring AO

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Jane Spring AM is a board director and advocate for disability rights, safeguarding and inclusive public-sector governance. She brings lived experience of disability following a spinal cord injury and extended hospitalisation and rehabilitation in 1990, which shaped her enduring focus on autonomy, dignity and the quality of systems that support people with disability.

Jane is Chair of the Australia’s Disability Strategy Advisory Council and Chair of Disability Council NSW, working with governments to strengthen accountability, safeguards and outcomes under Australia’s Disability Strategy. She has served on a range of health and disability boards, including seven years on the Western Sydney Local Health District Board. She is currently a board member of Royal Rehab and serves on its Quality, Safeguards & Clinical Governance Committee.

Jane is also a Director of the Institute of Public Administration NSW, with a particular interest in building public-sector capability — leadership, culture and systems — to deliver services that respect autonomy and enable people with disability to live fulfilling lives.

Australia’s Disability Strategy Independent Evaluator – ARTD consultants

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ARTD consultants have worked with people with disability for 35 years. They believe in “nothing about us, without us.” This means that their team includes people with lived experience in key roles. It also means they listen to people with lived experience throughout our project to centre their experiences in our work. ARTD have developed a lived experience evaluation framework with people with lived experience to guide how we design, deliver and report on evaluations. Their goal is to make evaluations accessible, inclusive and useful.

For the evaluation of Australia’s Disability Strategy, ARTD have formed a diverse team of people with disability. They will be involved at every stage of the evaluation. This helps build trust and ensures ARTD measure what matters to people with disability. The government has also set up a Steering Committee that includes people with lived experience.

ARTD are working with specialist partners to support data analysis, engage First Nations and culturally diverse communities, and run national surveys. They will also work closely with disability organisations to support inclusive consultation.

Dr Ellen Skladzien

Image description: A woman with shoulder length blonde hair against a yellow and green background. She is wearing glasses.A woman with shoulder length blonde hair against a yellow and green background. She is wearing glasses.

Dr Ellen Skladzien is a respected disability sector leader and advocate. Ellen holds a:  

Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology 
Master's in clinical Neuropsychology from Washington University in St. Louis.

Ellen led Down Syndrome Australia as CEO from October 2016 to December 2022. During that time, she strengthened the organisation’s impact, trust, and national voice. Ellen did this through inclusive, evidence-based advocacy.  

Since leaving Down Syndrome Australia, Ellen has worked as a strategic consultant providing expert advice on strategy, governance and disability policy. As part of this work, she leads Down Syndrome Australia’s involvement as a consortium member in the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability health.

Audrey O’Connor

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Audrey O’Connor is an actor, writer and film maker. Audrey likes to share her experience as a person living with an intellectual disability through story writing and film making.  

Audrey works at the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health and is the ambassador for: 

Human Rights Australia (IncludeAbility) 
Bus Stop Films (Advocacy – Bust stop Films)

Audrey promotes inclusion and diversity by public speaking and in her creative work.  

Audrey brings with her creativity, passion and knowledge about how to get better health support for people like them.

Emeritus Professor Christine Bigby AO

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Christine Bigby AO has a long track record of working in partnership with disability support and advocacy organisations investigating the effectiveness of programs and practice to support the social inclusion of adults and older people with intellectual disabilities. She has led a team studying the practice of supported decision making since 2015 and a longitudinal study of the quality of support in group homes since 2009.

She has published 10 books, 57 book chapters, 200 journal articles and numerous research reports. Together with colleagues at the Living with Disability Research Centre she has developed evidence based online training in Active Support, Frontline Practice Leadership, Supported Decision Making, Enabling Risk and Supporting Inclusion, as well as the Observing Practice Quality a tool for measuring the quality of support. She currently serves as president of the Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

Clare Gibellini

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Clare Gibellini (she/her) is a disability and human rights advocate with lived experience of multiple disabilities, including Autism. She is Chair of the National Disability Research Partnership and a member of the NDIS Evidence Advisory Council. She is the Project Manager for Down syndrome Australia’s Digital Champions project, which supports people with lived experience to learn about online safety and educate others about staying safe online.

Clare also works on climate change, disaster preparedness, and gender equality, focusing on Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction. She works to make sure women and gender-diverse people with disability are included in emergency and climate planning. Clare volunteers in emergency services to strengthen community resilience. Internationally, she has represented Australia at the UN Conference of State Parties and the Commission on the Status of Women, advocating for inclusive climate action, disaster planning, and gender equality.

Catherine Whitington - Disability Commissioner TAS

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Catherine is the Tasmanian Disability Commissioner and an experienced senior executive across Government and Non-Government sectors and was most recently the South Australian Deputy Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner. Catherine is a fellow of the South Australian Governor’s Leadership Foundation and a graduate of both Oxford University’s Women’s Executive Leadership Program and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Catherine has tertiary qualifications (both undergraduate and postgraduate) in Psychology, Human Rights, Public Health, and Law which she has utilised across the health, human services, and child protection sectors.

Catherine's early career was spent as a trauma therapist for children and young people who had experienced sexual violence, whether as a perpetrator or victim-survivor. She is currently conducting research broadly aligned in the areas of administrative law and regulation, including the regulation of unregistered health care workers across Australia.

Rosemary Kayess, Disability Discrimination Commissioner

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Rosemary Kayess’ five-year term as Disability Discrimination Commissioner began on Monday 29 January 2024.

Ms Kayess holds a Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Laws and an Honorary Doctorate in Law. Previous to her appointment as Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Ms Kayess held senior academic roles with the Faculty of Law and Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and is a Visiting Professor, Centre for Disability, Law and Policy, University of Galway.

Ms Kayess was one of the drafters of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). She is currently serving as a member of the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 2019 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights.  

Ms Kayess is a current and former member of a number of disability focused councils and committees. Current memberships include the NDIA Independent Advisory Council and the Australian Discrimination Law Experts Group. Former memberships include the Strategic Engagement Reference Group for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. 

Chris Meyer

CEO, Community Living Project

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Chris leads CLP with a focus on quality supports that assist people and their families to achieve their life’s vision.

Chris has extensive experience in management in both for profit and not for profit organisations. His strengths in strategy, financial management and organisational development.

Chris’ years of experience in managing aged care services bring a strong emphasis on quality control and compliance. His experience with people supported, staff and families also bring a perspective and emphasis on people holding identities through their valued roles and a respect for family leadership.

Chris holds an MBA from the University of Adelaide and is a fellow of the Leaders Institute of South Australia.

Chris has always passionately believed in social justice and sees disability as a social construct. He strives to build communities where individuals are cherished for their contributions and not their status.

Anne Gale

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Ms Anne Gale is the Public Advocate and Principal Community Visitor for South Australia.

As Public Advocate Anne is the statutory guardian for people living with disability. As Principal Community Visitor, Anne is responsible for overseeing community visitors, and visiting mental health services, state-run disability services and clients of the Public Advocate. In 2026, the Community Visitor Scheme will expand and be available to all South Australians living with disability to request a visit if they choose.

Prior to her current roles, Anne was Commissioner for Equal Opportunity; Deputy Commissioner, Consumer and Business Services; Deputy Chief Executive, SA Department for Families and Communities. She also held executive leadership roles in Ageing, Disability and Housing.

Anne has served as a board member of two not for profit Boards that provide programs and services for people living with disability.

Health Panel Chair - Keran Howe

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Keran has a social work background and lived experience of disability. She has been a leader in health and disability over many years advising national and state governments on policy reform related to women’s health, violence prevention and the rights of people with disabilities.

A Churchill Fellow, Keran has Chaired the Victorian Disability Advisory Council and Women with Disabilities Australia and Co-Chaired the National Disability and Carers Advisory Council

.Her professional roles included Manager, Women’s Social Support Services, Royal Women’s Hospital and Executive Director, Women with Disabilities Victoria.

Keran has been awarded an honorary doctorate, a Centenary Medal, the Lesley Hall Lifetime Achievement Award and the Order of Australia Medal for her work on behalf of people with disabilities and has been inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll for Women.

Keran continues to work for the human rights of people with disability as an advisor in related areas and is an Independent Director, National Disability Research Partnership, and a member of the Disability Innovations Institute (UNSW) Advisory Council and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association Clinical Governance Committee.

Michelle Moss

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Michelle Moss CEO of Queenslanders with Disability Network has worked in the human services sectors for over 30 years, across disability, health, and women’s services including sexual assault and domestic violence services. Michelle has worked in direct support work, counselling, behaviour support, consumer and community engagement, and social policy. 

Michelle is a strong advocate with a commitment to the voice of people with disability who use services driving and influencing public policy and being active players in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of services. Michelle has experience of working across the key advocate areas of transport, housing and health that impact people with disability in Queensland.

Professor Nick Lennox

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Professor Nick Lennox was the Director of the Queensland Centre for Intellectual & Developmental Disability (QCIDD), at the University of Queensland.

He has provided physical and mental healthcare to adults with developmental disabilities over a 28-year period in Melbourne and Brisbane. He has also led innovations in education and applied research, which has changed healthcare delivery. Most notably, he led three complex pragmatic randomised controlled trials of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP), which is available throughout Australia.

He feels passionate about empowering adults with a disability, their families and supporters, and healthcare providers to improve the care of people with developmental disability. In 2020, he joined the Federal Health Department as the Senior Medical Advisor on Health & Disability. In that role he has worked on the response to the pandemic and on implementation of the Roadmap to Improve Health Services to People with Intellectual Disability and the Autism Strategy.

Tully Rosen

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Tully Rosen is the Director of Health and Disability Reforms at the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. His section leads the Department’s initiatives aimed at improving the health of people with disability and coordinates reforms where there are significant health and disability interfaces. This includes work on NDIS and Foundational Support reforms, the Disability Health Navigation Scoping Project, the Autism Health Roadmap, and the Australian Thalidomide Survivor Support Program.

Previously Tully spent 3 years with the NDIS, as Director of Mainstream Interface Policy covering Health, Housing, Justice, Child Protection, Education and Transport policy. And earlier as Director of Health Strategy at the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. At the start of the pandemic Tully coordinated the safety response across psychiatric facilities at St John of God Health Care as Director of Clinical Governance. He has also spent many years in non profit leadership roles in mental health, allied health, homelessness and social services.

Tully is a board director of The Mental Health Services (TheMHS) Learning Network, the largest organiser of mental health learning events across Australia and New Zealand. He also founded and volunteers for the homeless pet care charity Ruff Sleepers.

Dr Jacqueline Small

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Dr Jacqueline Small is a community paediatrician who has worked for nearly 30 years in multidisciplinary teams for children, adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disability. She currently works in the Specialist Team for Intellectual Disability Sydney (STrIDeS) and Disability Specialist Unit (DSU), Sydney Local Health District.

Jacki is currently Chair Academy of Child and Adolescent Health that promotes the health and wellbeing of newborns, children and adolescents and served as President Royal Australian College of Physicians (2022-2024).

She was privileged to participate in the Roadmap (to Improve the Health of People with Intellectual Disability) Implementation Governance Group as well as other national committees.

Jacki was President Australian Association of Developmental Disability Medicine (AADDM).

Jacki has increasingly pursued collaborative and integrated models of care as a vital component of the health, disability and social care systems responses to poorer health of people with intellectual disability.

Caitlin Blanch

Image description: Young person with long hair wearing a black suit jacket, white shirt and tie.

Diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta as a baby, Caitlin Blanch has been advocating for her own access and opportunities since childhood. Growing up on a farm outside Gomeroi Country, Tamworth, NSW, Caitlin saw voices from her community rarely reach the rooms where decisions were made. She's determined to change that.

So she's launching a program to amplify the voices of young people living with disability in her community. Through storytelling across social media and podcasts Caitlin aims to champion inclusion and equity across regional Australia.

Caitlin hopes to dismantle stigma and empower young people with disability to shape the systems that affect them.

National Disability Research Partnership

The National Disability Research Partnership (NDRP) funds disability research across Australia.

We support research by and with people with disability. This means people with disability help design, lead and guide the research.

Our work supports Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031. We focus on research that helps improve safety, rights, inclusion and community life.

In 2026, our funding priorities include:

Safety of people with disability
Accessible and inclusive communities

We do more than fund research. We help make sure research findings are shared in accessible ways and used in policy and practice.

The ADS Forum is an opportunity to connect research with action. We look forward to working with people with disability, advocates, researchers and governments to support meaningful change.