Presenters

Jan Archer

Jan has worked extensively in executive level positions in a wide variety of organisations, across public, private and community sectors. She has also worked within the university sector, both nationally and internationally.

She has also led a variety of committees and working parties focused on strategic development and implementation.

Much of Jan’s work in the university, public and community sectors has focused on innovation, reform and the ways in which leaders of public, private and community organisations can engage in adding value to their enterprises.

She currently provides consultancy services in the areas of community and stakeholder consultation, change strategy, executive facilitation, leadership development and professional coaching.

Bernie Hobbs

A two-decade devotion to initiatives that bring together the world of science and the world of people has made Bernie Hobbs a nationally and internationally recognised figure. Bernie has a talent for making science accessible, exciting and entertaining for a general audience. She is best known as a judge on ABC TV’s 'The new inventors' and reporter on 'Catalyst', the nation’s premier science show. Bernie also has weekly science spots on ABC Local Radio and does fortnightly features on science basics for ABC Online.

Bernie has done much to encourage understanding and appreciation of the contribution of science and scientists. Bernie’s qualifications include a Diploma of Education and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Microbiology with first class honours in Life Science from QUT.

Graeme Innes

Graeme Innes has been Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner since December 2005. During that time he has also served as Australia's Human Rights Commissioner for three and a half years and as Race Discrimination Commissioner for two years.

Graeme is a lawyer, mediator and company director. He has been a human rights practitioner for 30 years in New South Wales, Western Australia and nationally.

As Commissioner, Graeme has led or contributed to the success of a number of initiatives. These have included the Same Sex: Same Entitlements inquiry; the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its ratification by Australia; the development of the National Disability Strategy and the Disability (Access to Premises – buildings) Standards 2010; as well as establishment of the Lifetime Housing Foundation. Graeme has also been an active high profile advocate for the implementation of cinema captioning and audio descriptions.

Graeme was Chair of the Disability Advisory Council of Australia, and the first Chair of Australia's national blindness agency, Vision Australia.

In 1995 Graeme was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). In 2003, he was a finalist for Australian of the Year.

Joshua Man

This is Joshua Man, otherwise known as the Bold One-Eyed Pirate from Brisbane - a young man with autism and a love for writing, blogging and drinking hot chocolate with good friends. He is studying Year 12 at a local high school and communicates with his Darth Vader-like Lightwriter.

He has a passion for defending people who aren't ‘lip speakers’ and challenging people on their views on autism and disability. He has presented at several conferences including AGOSCI Biannual Conference in Adelaide (2011), the ARMS Global Autism Conference in Brisbane (2011), Royal Children Hospital in Brisbane (2010) and state-wide meetings with the Department of Communities in Queensland (2010).

Be prepared for his latest voyage with podcasting, social media and all the latest technology, me hearties.

Carol O’Reilly

Carol is a deaf Far North Queensland resident who is the author of 'Deaf Australian story', a collection of biographies that explore the lives of 36 extraordinary deaf Australians.

Susan Black

In 2006, Susan was employed in Brisbane by Social Ventures Australia (SVA) to establish the first collaborative Social Enterprise Hub in Australia. She is currently Development Manager for SVA, continuing to work in social enterprise development throughout Queensland. She has 20 years’ experience in community development and management from both within government and non-government sectors.

Susan has a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and Master of Social Welfare Administration and Planning from the University of Queensland.

Helen Ferguson

Since August 2009, Helen has been the Executive Director, Policy and Performance, Disability and Community Care Services in the Department of Communities. 

She has a Bachelor of Social Work and general nursing qualifications.  Helen has extensive experience in social policy and program management and development in the public sector as well as service delivery and organisational and governance development in the community sector and in private practice.

Helen joined the former Disability Services Queensland in February 2006 as Executive Director, Strategic Policy and has also since undertaken roles across the broader portfolio of Department of Communities, including General Manager, Organisational Performance, with responsibility for the information management, strategic planning and performance management of the Department.  Prior to this, Helen spent several years in the former Department of Housing. In all these roles, Helen has prepared and advised on, significant public policy, investment and legislative reform as well as funding policies and program development.

Rod Farmer

Rod Farmer is co-founder and Director (Research & Strategy) of Mobile Experience. He is one of Australia's leading mobile product and service designers with 15 years of experience helping large organisations and start-ups turn great ideas into reality. Blending his background in engineering, sociology and human-centred design, Rod is passionate about creating meaningful and socially relevant solutions. Recognised as one of Australia's leading experts on mobility and user experience, his award-winning solutions over the years have helped organisations such as MIT Media Lab, Yahoo, CSIRO, ANZ, ABC, FoxSports, 3 Mobile, Vodafone, Telstra, and SingTel Optus to realise their next-generation products and services.

Wayne Coutts (Panellist - Operation Queenslander)

Wayne Coutts is the Regional Director of Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ), Far Northern Region, Department of Community Safety. Wayne joined EMQ in 1995 after 15 years as a volunteer with the State Emergency Service. The experience he gained as an SES member assisted in developing the skills and attitude required to work alongside the state’s volunteers and government agencies.

Mike Keating (Panellist - Operation Queenslander)

Mike Keating is a career police officer who joined the Queensland Police Service in 1978. During his career Mike has worked as a general duties police officer, a traffic officer, in education and training, as a supervising commissioned officer, a staff officer, a district officer and regional operations coordinator.

Michael Linnan (Panellist - Operation Queenslander)

Michael Linnan is the Regional Executive Director (RED) of the Far North Queensland Region in Department of Communities, Queensland Government.  In this role Michael leads more than 500 staff in the Far North Queensland region who provide human services in the areas of Disability and Community Care Services, Housing and Homelessness Services, Child Safety Services, Youth Justice Services, Community Services, Sport and Recreation Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services.

Michael is a well respected leader in Cairns and the Far North Queensland region, especially in business sector as well as social development and human services. His work is focused on developing the capacity and improving the quality of life for Queenslanders, especially for children, young people, families, seniors and members in the communities who are vulnerable and at risk.

Julie Murphy (Panellist - Operation Queenslander)

Julie Murphy is the Director, Community Services, Cassowary Coast Regional Council. She has experience across a wide range of primary community services at local, state and federal government level as well as in the non-government sector.

Valmae Rose (Panellist - Operation Queenslander)

Valmae Rose began working in disability sector in 1983 as an occupational therapist and in her current role as the State Manager of National Disability Services Queensland her focus has been on supporting disability organisations, influencing public policy and engaging Queensland in a broader vision for an inclusive community.

Debra Cottrell (Panellist - Positioning Queensland for an NDIS)

Debra Cottrell is the Chief Executive Officer of Carers Queensland, having commenced in the position in September 2008. Carers Queensland has 13 offices across Queensland, and more than 100 staff delivering support, programs and services to unpaid family and friend carers, who provide support to people who have a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or terminal illness, or who are frail.

Debra is a member of the Queensland Carers Advisory Council, the Queensland National Disability Insurance Scheme Sub-Committee and the Access Brisbane Reference Group, and participates in various working groups to advance the rights of carers.

Debra has also held positions as Chief Executive Officer of a regional Division of General Practice and a Community Health Service.

John Della Bosca (Panellist - Positioning Queensland for an NDIS)

John Della Bosca served in the New South Wales Parliament for 12 years, during which time he served as Assistant Treasurer, Special Minister of State, Minister for Health, Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Workcover and Industrial Relations, as well as Minister for Disability, Ageing and Home Care.

He was instrumental in the development and introduction of the New South Wales Lifetime Care Authority, which provides treatment, rehabilitation and care to individuals injured in motor vehicle accidents.

John was also responsible for the development and implementation of Stronger Together, a program of reforms designed to better meet the needs of people with a disability, their families and carers in New South Wales.

Michael Hogan (Panellist - Positioning Queensland for an NDIS)

Michael Hogan is Deputy Director-General, Disability and Community Care Services, and Multicultural Affairs Queensland, in the Department of Communities.  He is also Chair of the Queensland Carers Advisory Council.

Michael has previously held the positions of: Assistant Director-General, Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships; Assistant Director-General, Strategic Policy and Evaluation, in the former Department of Communities; and Deputy Director-General, Community Engagement in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

Fran Vicary (Panellist - Positioning Queensland for an NDIS)

Fran is passionate about people with disability. She believes in and works to bring about community participation, equity and the realisation of human rights for people with disability. Fran has been involved in the Queensland disability sector since 1999 and is the Manager of Queenslanders with Disability Network Inc., a state-wide network of people with disability.