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    About Us

    Helping You Live the Life You Choose

    Over 66% of our board and 23% of our staff live with disability, with many others providing regular care to a person with disability. However you choose to engage with us, the support you receive will be backed by lived experience and informed by people who truly understand.

    Our Vision, Mission & Commitment

    We are a peak body for people with SCI and other neurological conditions and a Disabled Peoples Organisation (DPO), meaning we are internationally recognised as an organisation where more than 51% of its board and membership is made up of people with a disability. Take a look at how we aim use this lived-experience to best support people with SCI and neurological conditions:

    Our People

    Meet our passionate Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors, who are driving our mission forward; championing the rights, voices and wellbeing of people with SCI and other neurological conditions.

    Steve Peterson

    Board Director

    Dr Steve Peterson is a doctor practising in emergency telehealth and addiction medicine roles in addition to numerous medical education...
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    Shane Clifton

    President

    Shane is Assistant Director, Policy, Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation against People with Disability, Co-lead, developer and...
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    Paul Crake

    Deputy President

    Paul is the Director of Total Ability Pty Ltd, which supports people in the disability community with all aspects of...
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    Leesa Addison

    Board Director

    Leesa is Chief Executive Officer of a technology consulting firm delivering independent strategic technology consulting services across Asia-Pacific. Leesa has...
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    Glen Davis OAM

    Board Director

    Glen Davis is Professor of Clinical Exercise Sciences at the University of Sydney, where he is also Director of the...
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    Michelina Pelosi

    Board Director

    Michelina offers extensive experience in customer service, stakeholder engagement, marketing, administration, training, and public speaking, with a career spanning roles...
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    David Ham

    Board Director

    David is our Murrumbidgee Representative and a farmer who lives in rural NSW. As an Advocacy Advisory Group member David...
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    Our Impact

    Our vision is to create a world where people with SCI and neurological conditions and their loved ones thrive.

    But our reach doesn’t end there; as a for-purpose organisation we embrace our social responsibility, working in partnership with other key organisations, to drive positive change through environmental sustainability, diversity, inclusion and flexibility.

    Reconciliation

    SCIA is committed to an equitable Australia and recognises the importance and significant contribution of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on whose lands we live and work.

    We are proud to have developed our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), our formal commitment to Reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in 2021 and more recently, in 2024, we submitted our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan was approved by Reconciliation Australia in August 2024. We are incredibly proud of this RAP.
    We’re proud to be a disability-friendly workplace that welcomes people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.

    Whether you’re starting your career, returning to work, or looking for your next big challenge, we’re committed to creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive, contribute, and grow.

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    Annual & Financial Reports

    Find out more about SCIA and what we’ve achieved by reading our annual reports and financial statements.

    We are proud to share SCIA’s 2023 – 2024 Annual Report, highlighting the progress and impact we have made in enhancing the lives of people with SCI and other neurological conditions. This report focusses on the expansion of our services, improvements to our program quality and our deepening our impact on the communities we serve.

    Read our Annual Report:

    Click Here

    Read our Financial Statement:

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    We’re pleased to present the 2022-2023 annual report. This report focuses on another year recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 and managing the financial challenges that were being faced by many organisations in the disability sector.

    Read our Annual Report online now

    Read our Financial Statement online now

    This year’s report deep dives into the continued impact, directly and indirectly, on the organisation due to COVID-19. Despite a financial loss, we expanded our offering by launching two resilience programs in line with the needs of the community, and welcomed a new Chair, Dr. Shane Clifton.

    Read our Annual Report online now

    Additional Resources

    Explore key documents, including our strategic plan and other essential SCIA policies, here. 

    6.2 Conflict of Interest under the NDIS Policy

    5.5 Protection of Human Rights and Freedom from Abuse Policy

    Client Rights Fact Sheet

    5.4 Working with People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Backgrounds Policy

    Constitution of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia

    Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan

    Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan

    What's Happening at SCIA

    Whether online or in-person, SCIA events deliver useful insights, lived experiences, and practical support across Australia. Join us in community spaces—whether barbecues, peer lunches, or advocacy catch‑ups—to connect, learn from each other, and take action.

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