Danielle Pittis: leading diversability in Mount Isa
On Wednesday 10 September 2025 Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN) Peer Leaders joined community members in Mount Isa to host the Mount Isa Inclusion Matters Community Forum. The event brought together seven inspiring and insightful guest speakers and local voices to co-design and showcase what real inclusion looks like within the Mount Isa community.
The forum centred on four key outcome areas:
- Inclusive Homes and Communities
- Employment and Financial Security
- Health and Welbeing
- Personal and Community Support.
These topics are linked to Australia’s Disability Strategy (ADS) seven outcome areas, helping to drive positive change for people with disability across Queensland.
Among the speakers was Danielle Pittis, who has been a QDN member since 2020 and graduated in the first cohort of QDN’s Emerging Leaders program in 2021. Danielle says that the program "…gave me the opportunity to become a leader and grow my leadership within QDN, and other parts of my life”.
At the beginning of the program, she stated that her dream was to:
“Change the word ‘disability’ into ‘diversability’ to give people confidence in fulfilling their dreams.”
While she still believes in this message, Danielle explained that she now feels more comfortable with the word Disability and emphasised that it should never be seen as a word to shy away from, rather as a part of identity and community.
At the Mount Isa Community Inclusion Matters Forum Danielle spoke of her personal experience with employment and financial security in Mount Isa. She reflected on the barriers people with disability face and the importance of equal opportunities.
“If two people apply for a job — one with a disability and one without — it’s so important not to assume that the person with a disability can’t do the work,” she said. “We might do things differently, or take more time, but we find ways to get the job done. What matters most is being given that chance.”
Danielle emphasised how meaningful employment builds confidence, independence and a sense of belonging.
“These jobs help me take steps toward that dream. Work gives me pride, confidence, and a sense of belonging… I also love the feeling of earning my own money — it gives me independence. I don’t have to rely on my family to buy things for me, and that feels empowering.”
Her message reflected broader challenges faced in rural and remote communities. The 3-year key trend summary in the Voice of Queenslanders with Disability survey revealed that 43.2% of participants reported having a paying job in 2025, a decrease from 56% of respondents in 2023.
For Danielle, one of her highlights of the forum came afterwards when her parents received heartwarming feedback from another attendee. That person shared how Danielle’s story served as inspiration towards the employment future for their children, who also live with disability. “That’s why I do this work,” Danielle explained. “My hope is that Mount Isa continues to grow as an inclusive community, where people with disabilities aren’t just welcomed — they’re valued, hired, and seen as equals. That’s how we build a stronger, more connected Mount Isa for everyone.”
Danielle, now a QDN peer leader, and QDeNgage consultant on top of her personal and work commitments, continues to be a strong advocate for community-led change. At the Mount Isa Forum, she spoke alongside Anastasia Wittman, Chris Ruyg, Jannah Cruden, Laura Read, Nadine Thomas and Paige Armstrong, who came together to lead the conversation around shaping an inclusive future where people with disability are at the centre of solutions.
If this article interested you, join us at any of our upcoming Inclusion Matters forums. See more information here: https://qdn.org.au/our-work/inclusion-matters/ .
If you would like to read the Voice of Queenslanders with Disability Report 2025, you can find it here: https://qdn.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/The_Voice_of_Queenslanders_with_Disability_Report_2025.pdf