Aleta is a human rights expert with over fifteen years of experience specializing in gender equality inclusion and human rights and business. She is currently working as an expert consultant to UN Women. In addition Aleta has worked for the United Nations UN Women the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. She was previously CEO of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival and was appointed to the Australian Government Advisory Group on Business and Human Rights. Aleta has held various senior roles in the private sector including Cotton On Group and HarperCollins Publishers and has published eight books. She has a Bachelor from Monash University and a Masters in International Relations from Cambridge University.

Alex works locally as a solicitor at the Transport Accident Commission (TAC). Growing up in regional Victoria Alex found it difficult to find opportunities to become involved in the disability community. Instead she focused on trying to fit into the mainstream world she found herself in. Encountering numerous challenges and barriers that accompany the life of a wheelchair user Alex quickly learned that communities were not always set up for people with her needs. Alex is intent on changing this for future children with a disability. Alex discovered her interest for human rights law and disability studies while undertaking her law degree at Melbourne Law School. As a local to the Geelong community Alex hopes her involvement in the Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee will improve the accessibility and inclusivity of the city and that her lived experience will provide invaluable insight for future planning.

Rebecca is an Occupational Therapist specialising in neurological rehabilitation using her creativity in promoting independence for clients in the community. Prior to becoming an OT Rebecca gained a degree in Multimedia and developed a keen interest in digital content and user experience design. Rebecca believes innovation and design can play a significant role in benefitting the wider community and is passionate about incorporating the latest technologies to enable universal access. She also serves as a mentor to new OT graduates and enjoys a collaborative team approach. When shes not working Rebecca explores local art music and food with her young family.

Robert is an architect he ran his design/construction management practice for many years. About 20 years ago he sustained an acquired brain injury from a motor car accident. Since then he has been a lecturer in architecture & construction management at Deakin University. Robert has been a director or advisory board member of a not for profit company as well as working with various local and state government bodies. Currently Robert is a member of the V/Line Accessibility Advisory Committee and also advocates for the rights and needs of disabled people through a range of community involvements. He lives on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Oliver is a proud and happily married resident of the Bellarine Peninsula who brings with him many years of involvement with disability support groups. As someone with a condition of dwarfism he is especially passionate about the Short Statured People of Australia (SSPA) association in which he has served as President as well as on their National Council Committee since emigrating over from Scotland in 1995. From the SSPA Oliver has connected with the Genetics Support Network of Victoria through the Royal Children’s Hospital and Disability Sports Victoria to help raise awareness of the disability. The latter even helped bring about his proudest moment for SSPA - the fielding of a short-statured basketball team in a regular Saturday competition at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. This presence received tremendous support from their young opponents their families as well as the wider basketball community. Since moving into the Barwon Region in 2013 Oliver has been an enthusiastic member of VALIDs Local Organising Committee for the Having A Say Conference a Loaned Executive for the Give Where You Live Program as well as a member of COGGs Disability Advisory Group. He is grateful for and excited about being given the opportunity to be an active contributor to the new Disability Access and Inclusion Reference Group.

Simon is a clinical psychologist who works with people experiencing long-term mental and chronic health issues. He was born with spina bifida which has progressed throughout his lifetime. He has transitioned to becoming a wheelchair user as an adult in recent years. Simon has worked in the public and private mental health sectors in Geelong and now works in a private practice setting. He consults to St John of God Hospital treating their inpatients experiencing psychological distress and works as part of a team preparing people for weight loss surgery. He is passionate about the emotional and identity issues relating to having a disability and the difficulties of living in an able-centric culture. He is both a NDIS participant and a NDIS provider directly experiencing the challenges and benefits of this program. He lives in Geelong with his husband and enjoys photography travel and life-long learning.

Elica is a proactive community member with years of experience on a variety of committees such as the Victorian Advocacy League for Individuals with Disability Having A Say Conference Women with Disabilities Victoria and the Barwon Disability Resource Centre.  Elica was also part of the 8 year project “I am Inclusive Art Sculpture” which was a project designed to ensure people with a disability were represented in the iconic bollards displayed along the Geelong Waterfront and surrounds. Elicia also has experience in public speaking writing and sharing her personal experiences with others and a firm advocate for herself and her peers.

Pearse is a proud resident of the City of Greater Geelong and enjoys spending time with his family in the many unique and beautiful areas of the region especially along the coast. Pearse has been an Occupational Therapist for 20 years working across a wide range of service delivery from acute care through to community practice. Pearse continues in his role as a lecturer at Deakin University in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy course which he has done for 11 years and is the directors of his own OT and Access Consulting business. Through Pearse’s teaching private business and participation in the Access Inclusion Advisory Committee Pearse aims to assist the Geelong Region to continue to evolve into an exemplar of what a truly accessible and inclusive city can be. Pearse hopes that the City of Greater Geelong can be viewed by communities around the world as what can be done when access and inclusion is considered at the first step of planning rather than at the end.

Raegan have been legally blind since birth and is a 41 year old mother of two teenagers.  Raegan returned to studies at the start of 2022 completing a certificate III in Community Services and is now undertaking a Diploma of Community Services (Case Management) which she hopes will lead to a Bachelor of Social Work at Deakin next year with the aim of becoming a Family Violence worker. Raegan is passionate about disability and human rights and promoting inclusion where possible in the community.   She also have a vehement interest in supporting victim/survivors of domestic and family violence particularly those with a disability. Raegan hope to make a real difference in the disability and family violence space by using her lived experiences studies and love of helping people.