Inclusion Matters – Past Forums
Online Inclusion Matters Forum - Personal and Community Support
Topic: Personal and Community Support
Where: Online via Zoom
When: Wednesday 13 May
Alison Maclean
Alison is a 34 year old disability advocate and peer educator. She lives on her own and has a dog called Banjo. Alison works to help others understand what it is like to have a disability and to make things better. She works in the domestic violence field for the Listen Up project and is the Vice Chairperson of Speaking Up For You. She has facilitated, co designed and hosted many events and programs for QDN, WWILD and other organisations. Alison was a QDN Emerging Leader in 2022 and is now studying a Diploma in Event Management.
Holly Hoskisson
Holly Hoskisson is the Carer Support Team Manager at Arafmi. Arafmi is the peak body for unpaid mental health carers in Queensland, advocating for systemic reforms to government, service providers and other stakeholders, providing support and services including carer workshops, support groups, Carer Gateway services and a carer respite hub. Holly has extensive experience in the non-profit sector working with families and carers. Holly’s experience extends to the UK, where she managed services for carers and young carers for over 10 years. Holly is delighted to present at the Inclusion Matters Forum to share more about the work of Arafmi and how professionals and communities can support mental health carers earlier in their caring journey to improve health and wellbeing outcomes.
Charmaine Ferguson
Charmaine Ferguson is a Queensland‑based disability advocate and sector professional whose work is deeply informed by lived experience. She is a parent to two children with disabilities and lives with a profound genetic hearing loss herself, giving her firsthand insight into the barriers people with disabilities and their families face every day. Charmaine brings decades of professional experience across disability, housing, and employment services, and is especially passionate about improving pathways to home access, safe housing, and stability for people with disability. She is excited to be part of conversations that elevate lived voices, drive change, and strengthen inclusive communities across Queensland.
Thomas Skennerton
I am proud and humbled to be the Principal Diversity Equity Inclusion Advisor for Metro North Health, one of the largest Hospital and Health Services in Australia.
After spending more than 7 years as a business relationship manager for a DES Provider, I was able to bring my skills and expertise to Metro North 3.5 years ago.
I am a passionate ally for the underrepresented groups in the workforce, from the community who Metro North serves, and I advocate strongly for their voice and inclusion.
Rockhampton Inclusion Matters Forum
Where: Rockhampton Leagues Club, Corner of George & Cambridge Street, Rockhampton City
When: Wednesday 29 April 2026
Guest Speakers
Anthony Clements
Anthony Clements brings over a decade of experience in the employment and training industry and commenced his role as the Fitzroy Employment Facilitator—now Job Coordinator—for the Local Jobs Program in 2021. He has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to developing practical pathways that support individuals into meaningful employment while enhancing workforce skills across the region. With a deep understanding of the local labour market and strong regional connections, Anthony applies his experience to support initiatives that drive job creation, inform workforce development, and address local employment challenges.
Damon Morrison
General Manager of Communities and Lifestyle at Rockhampton Regional Council. With a background in law and executive leadership. Damon oversees the essential services, cultural programs, and community partnerships that drive the region’s liveability. He is passionate about expanding local housing opportunities and building an inclusive, resilient Rockhampton.
Click here to read more about Damon Morrison
Damon Morrison is a senior leader in local government, currently serving as the General Manager of Communities and Lifestyle at Rockhampton Regional Council. Originally from Tasmania, Damon’s career began in the legal sector before transitioning into strategic advisory and senior local government roles in Queensland.
Damon drives community-led change and regional liveability through his leadership across four key pillars: Growth and Community Partnerships, Open Space and Recreation, Planning and Regulatory Services, and Communities and Culture.
Having served on the Council’s Executive Leadership Team for several years, Damon has a proven track record of driving long-term policy and cross-functional success. Prior to his current appointment, he provided high-level governance and strategic direction through the Office of the Mayor and as General Manager of Workforce and Governance. During this time, he was instrumental in coordinating major community advocacy campaigns, establishing responsive community grant programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, and optimising Council’s internal safety and engagement frameworks.
Now leading the Communities and Lifestyle portfolio, Damon leverages this experience to advance regional housing strategies and inclusive community development. As a dedicated local raising his family in Rockhampton, he is deeply invested in fostering a resilient, accessible, and thriving region for future generations.
Dan Smith
Dan Smith works closely with communities across Rockhampton and Livingstone local government areas, supporting inclusive approaches to early childhood, family wellbeing and community life. He currently leads the federally funded Communities for Children initiative that brings together community organisations, services, government and local leaders to work on shared priorities.
Click here to read more about Dan Smith
Dan is passionate about inclusion that is practical, local and shaped by lived experience. His work often sits at the intersection of employment, education, safe and connected communities and strong support networks. He is especially interested in how people, systems and services can work better together so communities are easier to navigate and more inclusive for everyone. Dan values listening first, learning alongside others and building change with communities rather than for them.
Des Ryan
Des Ryan is the Board Director of Queenslanders with Disability Network and has a twenty-year history with not-for-profit boards in Central Queensland providing care services to people with disabilities or training. Des has been a board member of Spinal Life Australia’s since 1996, resigning in January 2018, and leading the transition from a community-based board to a mixed board with a diverse skill set from the business and corporate sector.
Click here to read more about Des Ryan
Des has worked across a vast range of organisations supporting people with disability, including work to increase the employment of people with disability. Des has a strong interest also in Information Technology and has his own established database business Able Disabled. Des was awarded the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Award in 2000, and Companion of Central Queensland University in 2008 and is a recipient of the Order of Australia Medal in 2013 for his service to people with disability.
With 50 years personal experience with a disability, Des is working to influence change, driven by the members of this network so that we can influence the direction of the NDIS into the future. Des says the highlight of his life as a person with a disability has been employment and volunteering. These are the two areas, in my mind, that put the cream on the cake. I would like to be able to maximise that opportunity for many others now and into the future.
John Clayton
John Clayton is a Service Integration Facilitator at QShelter with over 10 years of experience in community development and stakeholder engagement. Specialising in cross-sector collaboration and systems change, John works to amplify lived experience and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. Currently advancing his research studies at CQUniversity, John is passionate about translating complex challenges into values-driven, co-designed solutions for a more inclusive region.
Ruve Kent
Ruve Kent is a Sport4All Inclusion Coach based in Central Queensland, working with schools, sporting clubs, councils and community organisations to build more inclusive and accessible sport and recreation environments for all people.
Click here to read more about Ruve Kent
Originally from Charleville in South-West Queensland and now living in Rockhampton, Ruve brings an understanding of both remote and regional communities and the importance of strong community relationships, trust and lived experience in creating meaningful inclusion.
Ruve is a proud Kooma woman with connection to Country in South-West Queensland. Her work is guided by community, cultural respect and the belief that inclusion is not just about access, but about people feeling safe, respected, valued and like they truly belong.
Ruve also lives with ADHD, which gives her personal insight into neurodiversity and disability inclusion. This lived experience shapes her approach to working with clubs and organisations, helping them understand the importance of flexible environments, different learning styles, and inclusive coaching practices so that everyone has the opportunity to participate and thrive.
Through her role with Sport4All, Ruve is passionate about helping organisations embed inclusion into everyday practice, not just in policy, and creating environments where all young people can participate fully, build confidence and feel proud of who they are.
Stephen Coulter
General Manager of Communication, Engagement and Membership at Queenslanders with Disability Network. Stephen has over two decades of experience working in communication, media and marketing, mostly within the not-for-profit sector. Having worked for Spinal Life, PresCare, Centacare, Brisbane Airport Corporation, QPCU and The Co-Operative Society (UK), Stephen also has a personal connection to people living with disability, which drives his commitment to social justice, inclusion, and equality.
Mackay Inclusion Matters Forum
When: Wednesday 8 October 2025
Guest Speakers
William Stafford
William is originally from the UK and moved to Mackay with his wife and children. Making Mackay his home has shaped not only his personal journey but also my professional one, giving him the opportunity to contribute to a community he cares deeply about. William’s career began in finance and business, but over time he felt called to use those skills in a more people-focused way. That path led him into the community services sector, and today he serves as General Manager of CASA, which has been serving Mackay for 43 years as the region’s leading specialist homelessness service.
Every night in Mackay, hundreds of people have a roof over their heads because of CASA. Together with an incredible team, William has had the privilege of guiding the organisation through a period of renewal — doubling staff capacity, building a management team, modernising systems, expanding housing portfolio, and delivering a five-fold increase in brokerage funding distributed directly into the community. His work is an expression of his connection to Mackay — a reflection of the community his family and him are proud to live in, grow in, and belong to.
Nina Swara
Born in Mackay, and single parent, Nina has been working with Mackay Advocacy Inc for the past 20 years and has enjoyed upholding the fundamental rights and freedoms of vulnerable people with disability in the Mackay, Isaac & Whitsunday regions. Her role rapidly emerged from an Outreach Advocate supporting people to achieve housing modifications, bank fee refunds and revocation of financial administrators to Manager/Advocate providing a voice for people with disability in the Child Safety system (primarily the parents), mental health tribunals and anti-discrimination hearings. Independent individual advocacy ensures a fairer power balance between people who are being suppressed, exploited and discriminated and the more powerful entities both in the community and corporate spheres. Substantial cases, even against those with crown legal representatives, have been won – the truth prevails! Many injustices were submitted to the Disability Royal Commission with the valuable contribution of the people significantly affected. Nina and her team continue to provide one on one independent advocacy support and contribute to systemic advocacy and policy reforms, both state and federal.
Kristy Bugeja
Kristy Bugeja is proudly Mackay born and bred, completing her schooling locally before undertaking university studies in Mackay and Rockhampton. With her family still based in Mackay, Kristy returned home after university and is passionate about giving back to her community. Kristy is the new Sport4All Inclusion Coach, working in partnership with Mackay Regional Council. She believes everyone deserves the opportunity to be included in whatever they choose to do, free from barriers or limitations. In this role, her focus is on increasing opportunities for people with disability to participate in community sport.
Sport has always played a central role in Kristy’s life. Growing up, she played tennis, netball, athletics and touch football. At age 15, a blood clot on her spine led to a nerve condition called transverse myelitis, which gave her a lived understanding of the barriers people with disability face. Returning to sport became a vital outlet for Kristy, and she embraced the buzz of being back on court alongside her teammates. Since 2007, she has played wheelchair basketball, competing at a national level since 2008 with the Queensland Comets and more recently with the Gold Coast Rollers. Kristy holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Communications) and a Bachelor of Business (Human Resources). Alongside her professional career in government, she has volunteered extensively with Sporting Wheelies and Disabled Association, helping improve the lives of people with disability.
Robert Ryan
Robert Ryan is a senior leader in local government with over 26 years of experience in community development. He began his career working at the grassroots level as a Community Development Officer for 10 years, where he built strong community connections and delivered place-based initiatives tailored to local needs.
Now as Senior Coordinator of Community Programs, Robert leads a team of 23 dedicated professionals across a broad and integrated portfolio. His areas of responsibility include:
· Locality-based and system-level community development
· Sarina Neighbourhood Centre
· Community grants programs
· Museums, arts and cultural development
· Youth engagement
· Sport and recreation planning
Robert brings a systems-thinking mindset, excels in cross-sector collaboration, and is deeply committed to inclusive, community-led change.
Teresa Anderson
Passionate about shaping a strong future for the region and its communities, Teresa brings focus and dedication to her role as Project Officer at Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3). In leading workforce development initiatives, she draws on her expertise in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and project coordination to support workforce growth and economic development across the Mackay, Isaac, and Whitsunday regions. Since joining GW3 in 2024, Teresa has contributed to key projects, including the Greater Whitsunday Regional Jobs Committee, the Future Finder website, Greater Businesses events, and regional workforce forums. With more than a decade of experience connecting people with careers and supporting workforce development solutions, Teresa brings expertise in leadership, stakeholder engagement, and project delivery. Teresa’s role at GW3 allows her to champion initiatives that align with the region’s strategic goals, strengthen employment pathways, and support the prosperity of the Greater Whitsunday community now and into the future.
Online #1 (Employment and Financial Security)
Guest Speakers
Brooke Szucs
Brooke (she/her) is a passionate advocate for inclusion in education and employment, dedicated to ensuring meaningful achievement for all. As a PhD student, her research focuses on supporting neurodivergent students to access and thrive in global learning experiences. She also runs the University of Queensland Disability Inclusion and Advocacy Network.
Rhiannon Walker
Rhiannon is a Senior Project Officer at the Australian Human Rights Commission, where she works on the Equality at Work Project, a national initiative that aims to fulfil the right of people with disability to employment on an equal basis with others. Rhiannon has lived experience of disability and is passionate about advancing the human rights of people with disability.
Olivia Brown
Olivia is an aspiring Early Childhood Educator with a deep passion for inclusive education and advocacy for people with disabilities. She is a Play Matters QLD Playgroup Facilitator and strongly believes in making sure that everyone is given the same opportunities to find joy and be successful in their lives.
Geoff Trappett OAM
Geoff is a former Paralympic Athlete. Following on from sport Geoff has transitioned to working professionally in multiple senior executive roles within the disability sector spanning both human service providers and disabled person run advocacy organisations and now within a major Australian retailer. After 10 years senior management experience in the human services environment and serving as a board member of Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and Physical Disability Australia he now devotes his passion and expertise to his social policy change venture Inclusion Moves, speaking out on human rights and disability inclusion related issues.
Donna Toussaint
Donna and her daughter Freya run Thinking of You Gift, a kiosk that stocks handmade, socially-responsible and ethical products. Gifts can be delivered directly to the bedside of patients at QLD Children’s Hospital.