Dianne joined SCIA in August 2018 as the Chief Executive Officer.

Dianne has experience as both the Deputy CEO and Acting CEO at St Vincent De Paul Society NSW, where she led a number of disability services such as the Local Area Coordination Program, which supports participants to achieve their goals under the NDIS. She was also the executive lead for the Ability Links program and an Australian Disability Enterprise which are both programs designed to support people with disability. In addition to her experience in the disability sector, Dianne has also lead homelessness, health and drug and alcohol and community development services and programs. Before this Dianne worked in leadership positions within both local and state government.

Dianne has also managed a number of organisational functions including organisational performance and development, information and communications technology, governance, fundraising and communications as well as human resources.

Dianne holds a number of business qualifications including a Master’s in Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Through her previous experience, Dianne demonstrates a strong commitment to actively advocating, supporting and removing barriers in society for all people including people with disability.

I started my professional career in the community services area, predominately working with community nurses. It was then that I got a glimpse into the complexities that surround service delivery within the community, in particular for people with spinal cord injury. Most recently in my career I worked as a care coordinator within an Australian Disability Enterprise. It wasn’t long before I was promoted to Operations Manager internally due to the knowledge and experience I gained working in a community setting.

I am fortunate enough over the last 12 months to have been involved in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) rollout for clients and their families and have worked intensively with clients throughout all stages of their NDIS Plan. This opportunity allows for me to offer support and guidance for new families going through such a significant change as the NDIS.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping active with my furry four legged children. I love being near the ocean so I often find myself on walks along the coast soaking in our beautiful landscape. I love to travel and very often find myself over the Tasman visiting family and friends.

I joined SCIA in 2012 after spending many years in different industries ranging from engineering in the Ministry of Defence to teaching mathematics at high school. After the removal of a spinal cord tumour in 2008, I became an incomplete T1-T5 paraplegic. Through sheer determination (and lots and lots of physiotherapy), I was able to get back on my feet and with the aid of electronic orthotics and a pair of crutches, I am able to stand and walk again. With the help of family and friends, I slowly got back to leading a normal life.

I now manage the Peer Support and Advocacy team. I am blessed to work with fantastic people all with the same goal, to help people! I always wanted to give back after my rehabilitation as a way of thanking all the people that helped me.

I have a passion for swimming and now I’m able to swim every week. I have a passion for travel and have spent the last few years taking a look around the USA, most recently visiting Hawaii. Having had a spinal cord injury and experienced the hard times, I can honestly say I am a far better person than before and have never been more content with my achievements.

As a Human Resources Professional I have always been passionate about equal opportunity, so I feel very lucky to work for an organisation who advocates for independence and opportunity for people with Spinal Cord Injury. My experience has been predominately in the Banking and Finance industry where I provided advice on human resource best practice to support divisions in achieving their targets and strategic goals. I have provided support to leadership teams and impacted employees through large scale organisational and cultural change.

As a people person, the most rewarding aspect of working in Human Resources has been building strong relationships with both managers and staff across the organisations that I have worked in. It’s exciting to now be part of an innovative organisation whose staff have a genuine passion for the work they do and who are committed to making a difference for the clients and members who they work for.

Outside of work I have lots of fun juggling 2 energetic boys, a patient cocker spaniel, and exercise when I can fit it in. I love food, and enjoy cooking and exploring new restaurants. Growing up on the South Coast has given me a lifelong appreciation for the ocean and on Sundays our family loves packing a picnic lunch and heading to one of our beautiful beaches or national parks for some quality time together.

Tony previously worked as an advisor to NSW Greens spokesperson for disability services within the Legislative Council of New South Wales Parliament. He studied communications at University of Technology Sydney (UTS)