Keynote Speakers and Presenters

Dr Ben Gauntlett commenced his 5 year term as Disability Discrimination Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission on May 7, 2019. Prior to commencing as Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Ben worked as a barrister in Western Australia and Victoria with a broad ranging practice.

He has also worked as an associate at the High Court of Australia, as Counsel Assisting the Solicitor-General of the Commonwealth, a solicitor for a large commercial law firm and taught law in Australia and the United Kingdom. Ben studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. As Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Ben advocates to remove barriers to people with disability participating in society and to ensure the human rights of people with disability are respected.

Libby entered politics in 2014 when she was elected as the Liberal Member for Vasse in Western Australia.She held the Parliamentary Party position of Whip in the Barnett Government. Following the election of the McGowan Government in 2017, Libby has held several shadow portfolios including Tourism & Small Business, Transport and Fisheries. She now holds the important shadow portfolios of Health, Mental Health, Disability Services, the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, and Child Protection.Libby was voted Leader of the WA Liberal Party in early 2023. Prior to this, she held the position of Deputy Leader since 2020.

Libby was chair of the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee which conducted an inquiry into sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry. The inquiry resulted in the ‘Enough is Enough’ Report which made 24 recommendations to Government and industry and has resulted in positive change. Prior to entering parliament in 2014, Libby was journalist and producer at media outlets including ABC, Nine and Channel 7 Perth. Libby has a Bachelor of Arts (Broadcasting) from Edith Cowan University and a Masters in Public Administration (Public Policy) from Curtin University. Libby is a grassroots local member. She is patron of a number of community groups including the Busselton Repertory Club, Dunsborough Yacht Club and Busselton Tennis Club, and has previously been involved in the Dunsborough Yallingup Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Busselton Chamber of Commerce. Libby lives in Dunsborough with her winemaker husband, Jonathan Mettam, and their chocolate Labrador Charlie while their daughters are now both pursuing careers in Wollongong, NSW and Melbourne.

Gordon is Group Chief Executive Officer of PeopleKind Group. He is widely involved with disability sector issues, sitting on state and national committees in the government and the non-government arenas. Of particular note, is his current position on the National Disability Services Board and involvement in the recent State Government NGO procurement reforms.

Gordon joined Nulsen in 1982 as a support worker. He was appointed the coordinator of accommodation services in 1989 and then CEO of Nulsen Disability Services in 1994.Gordon has overseen the growth and diversification of the Group beyond disability accommodation services, laying the bedrock for Nulsen Disability Services and it’s fellow organisations to thrive in a contemporary and changing operational environment.

Jacquie joined Ability WA as Chief Executive Officer in September 2018. Ability WA has embraced the positive opportunities that the NDIA has brought to people living with disability, as well as navigating the challenges of its policies, processes and pricing models, and advocating for those not adequately supported.

She has held a wide range of senior strategic leadership roles prior to this. She is committed to the sustainability of the not for profit sector and developing our community as one that is inclusive, strong and socially rich. Jacquie holds a Bachelor of Arts (Social Sciences) from Curtin University, a Graduate Certificate in Management from Deakin University and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Adrian has worked in a range of primary health services including Hospitals, Private Practice and Community Health Care in Aged and Disability before moving into the social services sector and Mental Health. Adrian first qualified as a Physiotherapist before completing a Post Grad Diploma in Health Services Administration. Adrian is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Adrian has sat on Boards of social services organisations and peak bodies, and the PIR National Reference Group, WA NDIS Advisory Council and the DSS NDIA National Transition Group.

Adrian is very passionate about supporting those in our community who are marginalised and disadvantaged and believes that our work can transform communities and create the circumstances where individuals can build better lives for themselves.

Samantha Jenkinson is Director Workforce Quality in the Policy, Markets and Insight division of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. She established the WA office of the NDIS Commission as the State Director Western Australia for her first two years. Prior to that, Samantha has been an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities since the early 1990’s and throughout her professional life as a social worker.

She has been past chair of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Disability in WA, as well as a previous member of the National Disability and Carer Council. Samantha spent 6 years as a local Government Councillor with City of Stirling and her previous role was CEO of People with Disabilities WA.

Mark Fitzpatrick is the Chief Executive Officer of Telethon Speech & Hearing, a position he has held since February 2017.Mark possesses over 15 years’ experience in a range of general management and human resources roles in a range of not-for-profit, education, and government organisations.

Mark also holds a robust history of success in leadership and advocacy for the not-for-profit sector, with his most recent role being CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society in WA since 2012. Prior to this, Mark led a catholic aged and community services organisation, Southern Cross Care, for five years.

Mark has a passion for ensuring all Western Australian children have the opportunity to reach their potential in life. Based on his personal experience Mark is a strong advocate for effective hearing, speech and language services for all.

Kane leads Good Sammy, an iconic Western Australian charity that operates social enterprises in which people with a disability work and train.His previous senior executive roles have been in financial services with the WA State Government, in private equity and in the resource sector.

Kane’s passion is working in commercial environments to drive improved outcomes for vulnerable people, which is informed by his experience as a father of a child with a rare disease. Kane holds the following Board roles:Chair, Ministerial Advisory Council on Disability; Deputy Chair, Rare Voices Australia; Non-Executive Director, Therapy Focus; Deputy Chair, Angelman Syndrome Association Australia; Member, Future Health Research and Innovation Advisory Council; President, Leederville Sporting Club; Non-Executive Director, Charitable Recycling Australia.

With more than 30 years’ experience in human resource management and 15 years in executive roles, Jen Park is a highly experienced and passionate professional with a proven track record of leading teams to deliver contemporary HR and culture practices across diverse and complex organisations in the financial services, local government and community services sectors.

Jen is also an accredited Change Management practitioner and member of the Australian Human Resources Institute of Australia, where she has participated in a mentoring scheme to promote the development of HR practitioners across Australia.

Alison Kelly is the Chief Executive Officer for Therapy Focus, an organisation that has been providing allied health services in Western Australia since 1998. Therapy Focus is committed to supporting people to achieve meaningful outcomes via person-centred, therapeutic services. The NDIS plays an integral role in the way in which these services are delivered by Therapy Focus.

As an occupational therapist, Alison is highly motivated by the impact that collaborative working can have for people with disabilities. Allied health is well placed to facilitate this impact by working ethically and collaboratively across professions and service systems. Alison believes that harnessing the power of collaboration will result in high-quality, person-centred support that promotes choice and control for people with disability.

Mr Bruce Langoulant is a Western Australian father who has developed an extensive history in providing advice to families who are impacted by disability and death due to experiencing meningitis – the most serious infectious disease affecting children since polio. His advice skills come from over 30 years of working directly with families and businesses to produce and oversee plans which provide the protection needed for their financial resilience. His personal disability experience has been as a co-carer for his daughter who suffered extensive and permanent disabilities from pneumococcal meningitis she contracted at Christmas in 1989 when she was just six months old. She is now a mature woman requiring 24/7 care while residing at home with her parents.

This personal experience of the daily challenges for families with sons and daughters who are voiceless and invisible in our society due to their disabilities has fueled Bruce’s wider interest in making their lives count. He has significantly contributed to the disability services landscape in Western Australia as a member of the Disability Services Commission Board for 21 years 2001-2022 and as its Chair since 2007.

His continuing personal lived experience of disability along with his statewide DSC Board role visiting families across the state of Western Australia in their homes and workplaces over decades has added the key element of understanding the past and present nature of the delivery of disability services here.

Kathy is the CEO of Far North Community Services and has worked in rural and remote parts of Western Australia with and for people with disability for 35 years. Kathy has experience in a civic, voluntary, direct care and senior management roles including 13 years as a host family in an ILO arrangement.

Championing rights, inclusion and equity have been a driver for Kathy to take on roles such as Board member (2010-2014) and then Deputy Chairperson of the Disability Services Commission from 2014-2017. Kathy currently chairs the Council for Regional Disability Services (CORDS) in WA and is an independent advisor on rural and remote issues for the Independent Advisory Council for the Australia Disability Strategy.

Passionate about learning and equity of access and quality of life for people who live in rural Australia, Kathy holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services), a Masters in Regional Development and post grad Certificate in Australia Rural Leadership.