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Meet the Diversity and Disability Alliance Board
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Diana Qian (President)
Diana is a leading practitioner specialising in the interface between disability and diversity. She acquired a physical disability in China and came to Australia with her family when she was thirteen. Diana is passionate about making full inclusion a reality for people with disability from diverse backgrounds. She has more than 17 years’ experience working in the disability sector and has developed extensive expertise in strategic policy and research, cultural competence, service design and delivery, training, organisational and project management. She has been the main driver of a number of successful government projects targeting diverse communities.
Diana has held leadership roles in the non-government sector, including the Executive Officer, National Ethnic Disability Alliance and Executive Director, Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW. She is currently the Senior Policy Officer at the Disability Council NSW, the official advisor to NSW Government on disability. She is also a member of the Ministerial Reference Group on Person Centred Approaches.
Diana holds a degree in Applied Science from University of Western Sydney, an Honours degree in Social Science from University of Technology, Sydney, and a Masters in Public Administration from University of Sydney.
Diana is a leading practitioner specialising in the interface between disability and diversity. She acquired a physical disability in China and came to Australia with her family when she was thirteen. Diana is passionate about making full inclusion a reality for people with disability from diverse backgrounds. She has more than 17 years’ experience working in the disability sector and has developed extensive expertise in strategic policy and research, cultural competence, service design and delivery, training, organisational and project management. She has been the main driver of a number of successful government projects targeting diverse communities.
Diana has held leadership roles in the non-government sector, including the Executive Officer, National Ethnic Disability Alliance and Executive Director, Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW. She is currently the Senior Policy Officer at the Disability Council NSW, the official advisor to NSW Government on disability. She is also a member of the Ministerial Reference Group on Person Centred Approaches.
Diana holds a degree in Applied Science from University of Western Sydney, an Honours degree in Social Science from University of Technology, Sydney, and a Masters in Public Administration from University of Sydney.
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Anita Joseph (Vice president)
Anita is currently a Policy Officer at the Disability Council NSW. Anita looks forward to a society where people with disability are empowered to exercise their rights and live life the way they choose to live it. She is motivated by her twin brothers who have a disability to make this society a reality.
As a lawyer, Anita is particularly interested in the way disability may impact a person’s access to and interactions with the law, and how the law, in turn, may impact a person’s experience of life with disability. Anita volunteers her time to help asylum seekers applying for protection in Australia and would like to see more people with disability from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds better supported to enjoy the same opportunities as all Australians.
Anita has a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Social Inquiry) from the University of Technology Sydney.
Anita is currently a Policy Officer at the Disability Council NSW. Anita looks forward to a society where people with disability are empowered to exercise their rights and live life the way they choose to live it. She is motivated by her twin brothers who have a disability to make this society a reality.
As a lawyer, Anita is particularly interested in the way disability may impact a person’s access to and interactions with the law, and how the law, in turn, may impact a person’s experience of life with disability. Anita volunteers her time to help asylum seekers applying for protection in Australia and would like to see more people with disability from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds better supported to enjoy the same opportunities as all Australians.
Anita has a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Social Inquiry) from the University of Technology Sydney.
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Yaz Camdzic (Treasurer)
Yaz’s passion for social justice, disability and carer rights stems from his own experience with disability and that of his parents. Yaz has received a NSW Local Carers Award for his efforts to care for and advocate on behalf of his migrant parents since the age of 17.
Yaz graduated from the University of Sydney, with majors in Sociology and Anthropology. During his time at University, Yaz has been widely involved in the development of Sydney University’s Disability Action Plan (DAP), where he served for three years as a member of the DAP Consultative Committee and two years on the DAP Senior Executive Group Committee.
From 2012-2015 Yaz served as Disabilities and Carers Officer at the Students’ Representative Council, University of Sydney.
Yaz’s passion for social justice, disability and carer rights stems from his own experience with disability and that of his parents. Yaz has received a NSW Local Carers Award for his efforts to care for and advocate on behalf of his migrant parents since the age of 17.
Yaz graduated from the University of Sydney, with majors in Sociology and Anthropology. During his time at University, Yaz has been widely involved in the development of Sydney University’s Disability Action Plan (DAP), where he served for three years as a member of the DAP Consultative Committee and two years on the DAP Senior Executive Group Committee.
From 2012-2015 Yaz served as Disabilities and Carers Officer at the Students’ Representative Council, University of Sydney.
Abrahim Darouiche (Secretary)
Abrahim is passionate about helping the community become more accessible for people with disabilities. Abrahim was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder at the age of 5 and when his leg muscles became weaker he began to use a powered wheelchair at the age of 15.
From 2011- 2017 Abrahim has worked in several organisations mainly in administration. He has recently become an ambassador for Ability Links NSW and uses this role in promoting inclusion for people with disabilities and from the CALD community. Since 2017 he has attended all the training which DDA have offered: Introduction to Peer Support, Peer Facilitation and Peer Mentoring. This led him to do more work with Diversity and Disability Alliance as a co researcher for the evaluation team and as a co-facilitator in DDA training.
Abrahim has a number of qualifications, including the Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Accounting) and the Master of Business and Commerce from Western Sydney University, Diploma of Leadership and Management from Evocca College and a Certificate IV in Customer Engagement from Managed Corporate Outcomes Pty Ltd.
Abrahim is a member of the alumni group for Western Sydney University and Wheelchair Sports NSW. He is also a member of two peer support groups, the Liverpool Peer Support Group and the Blacktown Peer Support Group.’
Abrahim is passionate about helping the community become more accessible for people with disabilities. Abrahim was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder at the age of 5 and when his leg muscles became weaker he began to use a powered wheelchair at the age of 15.
From 2011- 2017 Abrahim has worked in several organisations mainly in administration. He has recently become an ambassador for Ability Links NSW and uses this role in promoting inclusion for people with disabilities and from the CALD community. Since 2017 he has attended all the training which DDA have offered: Introduction to Peer Support, Peer Facilitation and Peer Mentoring. This led him to do more work with Diversity and Disability Alliance as a co researcher for the evaluation team and as a co-facilitator in DDA training.
Abrahim has a number of qualifications, including the Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Accounting) and the Master of Business and Commerce from Western Sydney University, Diploma of Leadership and Management from Evocca College and a Certificate IV in Customer Engagement from Managed Corporate Outcomes Pty Ltd.
Abrahim is a member of the alumni group for Western Sydney University and Wheelchair Sports NSW. He is also a member of two peer support groups, the Liverpool Peer Support Group and the Blacktown Peer Support Group.’
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George Ayoub
George was born in Lebanon and immigrated to Australia in 1967 with his family. He had Polio at the age of two.
His professional experience includes working as an advocate with the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA) and an educator at TAFE NSW. The former NSW Sports Council for the Disabled awarded him as the founder of Push and Power sports Assoc. of NSW. He has a diploma in recreation from UTS.
Recently he has worked as after-hours care coordinator for people with disability, and the siblings of people with disability from the CALD program with MDAA. In 2013 he was acknowledged as one of the Ambassadors for people with disability in the Don’t Dis my Ability Campaign. He is looking forward to helping people with disability to better understand how NDIS will improve their ability to be active in the community.
George was born in Lebanon and immigrated to Australia in 1967 with his family. He had Polio at the age of two.
His professional experience includes working as an advocate with the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA) and an educator at TAFE NSW. The former NSW Sports Council for the Disabled awarded him as the founder of Push and Power sports Assoc. of NSW. He has a diploma in recreation from UTS.
Recently he has worked as after-hours care coordinator for people with disability, and the siblings of people with disability from the CALD program with MDAA. In 2013 he was acknowledged as one of the Ambassadors for people with disability in the Don’t Dis my Ability Campaign. He is looking forward to helping people with disability to better understand how NDIS will improve their ability to be active in the community.
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Quang Nguyen
uang from south-West Sydney and enjoys playing sports, fishing, designing car technology and reading. He lives with cerebral palsy and verbally communicates by using his phone and computer's text-to-speech function.
One of Quang’s passions is accessible transport for people with disability. He wants to change the perceptions and attitudes of the community so that they can understand how powerful accessible transport is for the disability community. Quang has experienced his own problems with non-accessible transport. He likes to share these experiences and how he overcame them to his peers in the disability community.
Quang is also a Living Life My Way Champion. Living Life My Way presents an opportunity for people with disability in NSW to exercise more flexibility, more choice and control over the support they receive in advance of full transition to the NDIS in 2018. He is proud to be a Champion and enjoys meeting new people and advocating for people with disability through his role.
uang from south-West Sydney and enjoys playing sports, fishing, designing car technology and reading. He lives with cerebral palsy and verbally communicates by using his phone and computer's text-to-speech function.
One of Quang’s passions is accessible transport for people with disability. He wants to change the perceptions and attitudes of the community so that they can understand how powerful accessible transport is for the disability community. Quang has experienced his own problems with non-accessible transport. He likes to share these experiences and how he overcame them to his peers in the disability community.
Quang is also a Living Life My Way Champion. Living Life My Way presents an opportunity for people with disability in NSW to exercise more flexibility, more choice and control over the support they receive in advance of full transition to the NDIS in 2018. He is proud to be a Champion and enjoys meeting new people and advocating for people with disability through his role.
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Thushara Halnethilage
Thushara over 10 years of experience in research, policy, and program management roles in community mental health and psychosocial projects (supported refugees) delivered in international development programs. In his work, he contributed in establishing a consumers-led mental health advocacy group and designing their activities targeted communities in Sri Lanka.
Following this experience and his current work, he is passionate to work with people with disability and people with mental illness from CALD communities to advocate just and inclusive society for them in Australia.
Thushara is currently working as Multicultural Sector Development Officer at Advance Diversity Services, Rockdale, NSW. He is also one of members in Disability Advisory Committee in Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia.
Thushara has a Master of Policy and Social Applied Research from Macquarie University, Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychosocial Work from University of Colombo, and a BA in Social Sciences from University of Colombo.
Thushara over 10 years of experience in research, policy, and program management roles in community mental health and psychosocial projects (supported refugees) delivered in international development programs. In his work, he contributed in establishing a consumers-led mental health advocacy group and designing their activities targeted communities in Sri Lanka.
Following this experience and his current work, he is passionate to work with people with disability and people with mental illness from CALD communities to advocate just and inclusive society for them in Australia.
Thushara is currently working as Multicultural Sector Development Officer at Advance Diversity Services, Rockdale, NSW. He is also one of members in Disability Advisory Committee in Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia.
Thushara has a Master of Policy and Social Applied Research from Macquarie University, Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychosocial Work from University of Colombo, and a BA in Social Sciences from University of Colombo.
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Dinesh Wadiwel
Dr Dinesh Wadiwel is Director of the Master of Human Rights, University of Sydney and lectures in human rights and social justice. He currently is co-convenor of the Disability Rights Research Collaboration, a new University of Sydney network aimed at linking researchers with Disabled People's Organisations.
He has previously taught in sociology and politics at the University of Western Sydney, Macquarie University and the University of Notre Dame Australia. Dinesh has 15 years experience working within the non-government sector.
Between 2002 and 2007 he was employed as Senior Policy Officer at the Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) and was a previous Executive Officer of National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA), the national peak organization representing people from Non English Speaking Backgrounds with disability. Dinesh was also employed as a Senior Policy Officer at the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) in 2011.
Dinesh has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), majoring in Politics and Philosophy from Macquarie University and earned a PhD from the University of Western Sydney in 2006.
Dr Dinesh Wadiwel is Director of the Master of Human Rights, University of Sydney and lectures in human rights and social justice. He currently is co-convenor of the Disability Rights Research Collaboration, a new University of Sydney network aimed at linking researchers with Disabled People's Organisations.
He has previously taught in sociology and politics at the University of Western Sydney, Macquarie University and the University of Notre Dame Australia. Dinesh has 15 years experience working within the non-government sector.
Between 2002 and 2007 he was employed as Senior Policy Officer at the Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) and was a previous Executive Officer of National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA), the national peak organization representing people from Non English Speaking Backgrounds with disability. Dinesh was also employed as a Senior Policy Officer at the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) in 2011.
Dinesh has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), majoring in Politics and Philosophy from Macquarie University and earned a PhD from the University of Western Sydney in 2006.
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Barbel Winter (Public Officer)
Barbel is the Managing Director of futures Upfront, a company working to build inclusive communities. Barbel has more than 20 years’ experience in the community sector, including working for over 10 years as the Executive Director at the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW. Following working as the Regional Manager for CCS Disability Action in New Zealand and seeing there what individualised funding can do, Barbel is excited about the opportunities individualisation and the NDIS may offer to people with disability and families.
She is currently conducting significant chunks of work for My Choice Matters, the NSW consumer development fund. This work included in the last 18 months meeting over 1600 people with disability and their families and assisting them to get ready for the NDIS. Barbel started her career in disability setting up self- help groups from people with brain injury across NSW.
Barbel has a MBA from Southern Cross University, Masters in Education (Adult Ed.) from University of Technology, Sydney and a BA (Hons) in Social Work and Social Policy, University of Sydney. Barbel is also an alumni of Social Leadership Australia and the School of Social Entrepreneurs.
Barbel is the Managing Director of futures Upfront, a company working to build inclusive communities. Barbel has more than 20 years’ experience in the community sector, including working for over 10 years as the Executive Director at the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW. Following working as the Regional Manager for CCS Disability Action in New Zealand and seeing there what individualised funding can do, Barbel is excited about the opportunities individualisation and the NDIS may offer to people with disability and families.
She is currently conducting significant chunks of work for My Choice Matters, the NSW consumer development fund. This work included in the last 18 months meeting over 1600 people with disability and their families and assisting them to get ready for the NDIS. Barbel started her career in disability setting up self- help groups from people with brain injury across NSW.
Barbel has a MBA from Southern Cross University, Masters in Education (Adult Ed.) from University of Technology, Sydney and a BA (Hons) in Social Work and Social Policy, University of Sydney. Barbel is also an alumni of Social Leadership Australia and the School of Social Entrepreneurs.
Our Advisors
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Patrick Harris
Dr Patrick Harris (PhD, MPH, Ba Hons) is a senior researcher working at Sydney University. Patrick has 12 years of working across sectors in NSW and across Australia to improve equity.
Prior to becoming a public health researcher from 2002-2005 he worked as a project officer for the NSW Transcultural Aged Care Service, policy officer for ageing and disability at the Ethnic Council of NSW Inc. and developed a guide to culturally competent disability services for the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW.
He is passionate about social justice issues and is recognised internationally for his applied research to improve decision making about equity issues. He earned his PhD from the University of NSW in 2013.
Dr Patrick Harris (PhD, MPH, Ba Hons) is a senior researcher working at Sydney University. Patrick has 12 years of working across sectors in NSW and across Australia to improve equity.
Prior to becoming a public health researcher from 2002-2005 he worked as a project officer for the NSW Transcultural Aged Care Service, policy officer for ageing and disability at the Ethnic Council of NSW Inc. and developed a guide to culturally competent disability services for the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW.
He is passionate about social justice issues and is recognised internationally for his applied research to improve decision making about equity issues. He earned his PhD from the University of NSW in 2013.
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Reg Raghaven
Reg is a founding Director, Program of Red Elephant Projects, an organisation pioneering in multicultural and Asian diaspora engagement programs through sport, music and the arts. As the Director of Programs, Reg has directly managed a range of programs from small community based initiatives to a large, multi-stakeholder $40 million Government project.
Reg has a special interest in entrepreneurial models of social service delivery, diaspora experiences, civilisational value systems, sport and music. His insight is through the lens of the Australian Indian diaspora, and through the study of a north east Asia language (Japanese).
His academic background covers the disciplines of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development, Social Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, Japanese and Project Management
Reg is a founding Director, Program of Red Elephant Projects, an organisation pioneering in multicultural and Asian diaspora engagement programs through sport, music and the arts. As the Director of Programs, Reg has directly managed a range of programs from small community based initiatives to a large, multi-stakeholder $40 million Government project.
Reg has a special interest in entrepreneurial models of social service delivery, diaspora experiences, civilisational value systems, sport and music. His insight is through the lens of the Australian Indian diaspora, and through the study of a north east Asia language (Japanese).
His academic background covers the disciplines of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development, Social Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, Japanese and Project Management
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Sylvana Mahmic
Sylvana's interest in disability began 22 years ago, when her first child Abdul-Karim was diagnosed with a disability. Seeking to understand what lay ahead for her son, she completed post graduate study in special education and is currently the CEO of Pathways Early Childhood Intervention. She has developed several initiatives which target the wider community, in particular the culturally and linguistically diverse community. She is currently a doctoral candidate researching individualised support and self-directed funding.
Sylvana is an advocate for people with disability and their families and has served on over 15 reference and advisory groups in addition to five Ministerial appointments. She is currently the Vice President of Early Childhood Intervention Australia NSW Chapter and immediate past President. In 2013, she was appointed to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Independent Advisory Group.
Since 2009 Sylvana, her son and the extended family have been learning about how to use a self-managed package using individualised funding and she uses these experiences to shine a light on the potential of this approach for people with disability and their families.
Sylvana's interest in disability began 22 years ago, when her first child Abdul-Karim was diagnosed with a disability. Seeking to understand what lay ahead for her son, she completed post graduate study in special education and is currently the CEO of Pathways Early Childhood Intervention. She has developed several initiatives which target the wider community, in particular the culturally and linguistically diverse community. She is currently a doctoral candidate researching individualised support and self-directed funding.
Sylvana is an advocate for people with disability and their families and has served on over 15 reference and advisory groups in addition to five Ministerial appointments. She is currently the Vice President of Early Childhood Intervention Australia NSW Chapter and immediate past President. In 2013, she was appointed to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Independent Advisory Group.
Since 2009 Sylvana, her son and the extended family have been learning about how to use a self-managed package using individualised funding and she uses these experiences to shine a light on the potential of this approach for people with disability and their families.