Meet our team

Linda lives and works in Awabakal land in Newcastle, and has a long history as an advocate and has been immersed in the NDIS since the launch  in 2013.  She is the proud parent of Jacob Hughes, who has a disability and is an NDIS participant. Linda takes a “make it work” approach to the NDIS, as it is all about people living good lives as citizens in our communities.

Dr George Taleporos (Board Member, Secretary) is from Wurundjeri land and has more than 20 years’ experience in the disability field, focused on advocacy, human rights policy and practice, service development and self-management. He is a member of various high-level advisory bodies including the Independent advisory Council for the NDIS and is the Chair of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council. George has been published in peer-reviewed journals, is a writer for Every Australian Counts and for the Guardian Australia. He is the host of the podcast Reasonable and Necessary and has appeared on ABC TV’s You Can’t Ask That and The Drum. George has been helping us to roll out our peer led workshops and to establish ourselves as an independent disability and family led organisation.

Sam lives and works on Kaurna land and is known as one of Australia’s foremost experts on the NDIS and is Mum to two fabulous young men with NDIS Plans. She has worked in the disability sector as advocate, parliamentary advisor, family educator, board member and consultant. Sam is a strong believer in building inclusive communities for all, and is CEO of The Growing Space, and an appointed member of the NDIS’ Independent Advisory Council.

Meredith lives and mostly works on Cadigal land of the Eora Nation, and has 38 years’ experience in the disability, aged care and mental health sectors.  She is also a Carer advocate and supporter, facilitator and member of several carer support groups. Meredith has significant experience in Guardianship, Financial Management and Supported Decision making and is passionate about helping people live the life they choose with the decision-making support they need.  Meredith is a strong advocate for the safeguards and quality of life that family, genuine friendships and community connection provide us all to live well.  She has recently launched Community Circles Australia, partnering with Helen Sanderson in the UK with the goal of creating better, connected lives for everyone.

Meredith is also a mum and carer of an extraordinary young woman who is an NDIS participant who she supports to self-manage and reimagine her potential for a life of greater happiness and possibility.

Jarrod is a disability advocate living on Darkinjung land, central coast of NSW. Jarrod works at CDAH (Community Disability Alliance Hunter), taking him to Awabakal land in Newcastle. Jarrod is involved on a number of projects including Community Connections, a project that aims to connect people who are marginalised. Jarrod has been self managing his supports since he joined the NDIS, and before then he self managed his Victorian ISP. Jarrod is looking forward to supporting and advocating self management and self managers to get the most out of it.

Anita lives and works on Cadigal land of the Eora Nation in Sydney and has over 20 years experience in Information Technology. Anita is the CEO of TechAbility – a consulting business that specialises in helping NDIS providers with all aspects of technology to enable them to provide better services to their clients. Anita is a mum to a wonderful young boy Skylar who has Down Syndrome, and she manages all of Skylar’s NDIS funding and supports. Anita is passionate about inclusion and diversity in all settings such as education and workplaces, and she loves enabling people (and their carers) to self-manage their funding and live their best lives.

Nick lives and works in Wardandi Noongar land (Busselton WA), and has more than 25 years. experience in the disability and community services sectors, focused on advocacy and peer support, particularly in the NDIS space.  She’s the CEO of South West Autism Network (SWAN), and a member of the Every Australian Counts Steering Committee.  Nick is an NDIS participant and Mum to two awesome young adults who are also NDIS participants, and has been Self-Managing funding since 2012.