Our People

Meet the dedicated team behind DDWA: Our Board Members, Our Advisory Council, and the Executive and Staff.

Our Board

Trish Sullivan, GAICD

Chair

Trish has extensive experience and qualifications in health and mental health, working across public and private health sectors, in metropolitan and regional areas, in a variety of clinical and leadership roles, working in senior and executive positions for the last 15 years.

Trish has three adult children, one of whom has autism, an intellectual disability and epilepsy and was a member of DDWA before joining the Board. Over the years, Trish has sat on numerous committees, advisory groups and reference groups including those that support people living with a disability. Trish is also a member of the WA Disability Services Commission Board. Trish is passionate about supporting people with a disability to live their best life through inclusion, self-determination and co-design.

Appointed at AGM, November 2021

Alan Langford

Treasurer

Alan is the father and secondary carer of an adult daughter who has physical and intellectual disabilities.

He had a long career in the finance sector, including 31 years as Bankwest’s chief economist. Since retiring in 2020, he has maintained his long-standing links with Curtin University as an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Business and Law, and has also become more active in disability advocacy and awareness, including through the D-Dads network.

Although Alan’s daughter is a NDIS participant, he is passionate about addressing the unmet needs of people with disabilities, whether they are covered by the national scheme or reliant on other support mechanisms. In particular, the disability advocacy and awareness community has a vital role to play in ensuring the NDIS Review’s recommendations about the need to establish and fund adequate foundational supports are implemented thoughtfully and in a timely manner.

Appointed at AGM, November 2022

Kieron Flynn

Member

Kieron joined the DDWA Board at the Annual General Meeting held in 2013. He was appointed as Chair in 2020.

Kieron has two children with developmental disabilities.

He works in corporate communications and public health advocacy and was previously a journalist for more than 20 years.

Kieron is committed to ensuring social and workplace inclusion of people with developmental disabilities.

Appointed at AGM, November 2013

Sandra Fedele

Member

Sandra is the single parent of a 19-year-old son with Cerebral Palsy (Right Hemiplegia) and Refractory Epilepsy as well as Fraternal twins and 2 additional bonus children. She was also the sister of a brother who had complex Cerebral Palsy, intellectual disability, and epilepsy so her entire life (50+ years) has seen disability, family life, medical scenarios, education, and employment in the disability sector from a historical to a current sense. She has a strong passion for improving the capability, capacity, and opportunity of individuals, and their families, to live a fulfilling and safe life as well as promoting advocacy services, education, and support opportunities for families who have a disabled family member.

She holds a Bachelor of Science (Medical Science), Postgrad Diplomas and has worked in healthcare for over 30 years. She has also been involved in Education & Training as well as Management of teams, protocols, and Governance. She is currently studying her Master’s in Business Law. Making the best of situations and allowing her son to lead a fulfilling life to the best of his capabilities is important. She is passionate and hopes to bring diversity and new perspectives to the group.

Appointed at AGM, November 2021

Andrea Williams, GAICD

Member

Andrea is currently the General Manager of Support Services at Intelife Group and has a strong background in governance, NDIS, service redesign and operational management. Andrea has worked in the disability sector for over 20 years and is an occupational therapist by profession. Andrea comes to the position of DDWA board member to broaden the scope and depth of her contributions to the sector.

Appointed at AGM, November 2022

Mia Huntley

Member

Mia is currently the WA State Manager at genU (formerly Activ) and oversees operations and strategic initiatives in Western Australia. She has extensive leadership and management experience having worked across private, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Mia’s background is speech pathology with a particular interest in behaviour support.

Mia is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities, their families, and carers.

Peta Kennedy

Member

After studying in the Arts and then sailing around the world on the Endeavour Replica, Peta started a new chapter in telecommunications. She was involved in Project Management for the next 15 years, managing large scale rollouts of networks and lived in over 12 countries. Peta feels very fortunate to have experienced first-hand many different cultures and is now proud to be back in Perth with her family.

Peta is the Chairperson of both a Primary and Secondary, Special Education Support Centre school and on the Advisory Council for an all-girls school and is involved in other Boards in disability organisations.

She has two wonderful children, one who has special needs and is committed to learning and experience different pathways for her children.

Life has been very exciting and kind to her family and their purpose for the next few years is to give back and serve in the disability sector.

Appointed at AGM, November 2024

Natasha Russell

Member

Natasha is the mother of three children with her eldest having refractory epilepsy, intellectual and physical disability. She recognises the challenges that transition from pediatric to adult health services and out of full-time education pose for people with disabilities, having navigated this recently with her son. This has promoted a belief that there is scope for increased opportunities and support in this space.

Natasha brings experience from her background as a CPA qualified Accountant with a career in Local Government finance departments. This is combined with school board experience, PCH Disability Advisory role and lived experience since her son's birth. She feels strongly in having her voice and that of her son's included in disability decision making and adding to the diversity of the experiences of the Board membership.

Appointed at AGM, November 2024

Mike Duncan

Member

Mike is a seasoned recruitment and staffing professional with over 20 years of experience spanning global markets in the energy, resources, and renewables sectors. Originally from the UK, and living in Perth since 2009, Mike’s expertise lies in stakeholder engagement, account and relationship management.

Mike has three daughters, his middle daughter is intellectually disabled, diagnosed with a rare syndrome, Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome (RTS), with a secondary diagnosis of autism. Mike’s lived experience of disability, and the journey of the unknown, the hospital visits and appointments, support, funding, the NDIS and more give him an unique insight into the complexities of those living with, and supporting the varying degrees of disability, and the absolute importance of an inclusive and diverse society.

Known for his collaborative approach, strong interpersonal skills, and passion for health and wellbeing, Mike will combine his lived experience of disability and his professional acumen on the board of DDWA after his election in November 2024.

Appointed at AGM, November 2024

Kate Grayson

Member

Kate Grayson has over 22 years of experience in education, with roles including Head of Arts, Deputy Principal, Associate Principal, and Acting Principal in both country and metropolitan schools. She holds a Visual Arts degree from WAAPA and a Diploma of Education from ECU. Kate is the proud mother of a neurodiverse 12-year-old daughter.

She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Principal’s Federation Council, school boards (Canning Vale College, Millen Primary, Cecil Andrews College), the SCSA Visual Arts Curriculum Advisory, and the Government Education Policy Advisory Committee. She has also been a Level 3 Teacher Assessor, a member of the Future Leaders Framework Reference Group, and represented the Education Department at the Premier’s Excellence in Public Service Awards.

Kate and her daughter worked with PCH to develop a neurodiversity care plan for emergency rooms, helping health workers assess the needs of neurodiverse children. She is particularly passionate about making arts and sports venues more accessible, supporting youth participation in domestic sporting leagues, and improving training for coaches, selection committees, and umpires.

Appointed at AGM, November 2024

Our Advisory Council

Pictured in photo, above, DDWA's Advisory Council April 2025:
Standing, top left to right - Liam, Shariq, Kyal, and James. Seated on bench, bottom left to right - Peter, Kristy (Chair), Michelle and Justin.

At DDWA, we are committed to inclusivity and representation. One way to promote inclusion and human rights within an organisation is by forming an advisory group.

Our Advisory Council, made up of people with intellectual disabilities, directly reports to our Board. The Council's role is to ensure that DDWA's strategies and actions align with the needs and preferences of those we serve — people with developmental or intellectual disability.

Established in 2021, the Advisory Council was formed after inviting community members to express their interest in joining. Eight people were selected and provided with Easy Read guidelines to help them understand their roles and responsibilities.

Michelle Silver became the chair in late 2023, succeeding John Hines, who served from 2021 to 2023. Since its start, the Advisory Council has been actively involved in key initiatives, such as meetings with the Minister for Disability Services and developing a register of issues important to people with intellectual disability.

The Advisory Council regularly meets to discuss concerns, current topics, and ideas related to the services and support they receive. Their insights help shape our resources, services, and training programs.

A highlight for the Council has been presenting at the DDWA Annual General Meetings since 2021, where they share their contributions and achievements. The Advisory Council as a vital part of DDWA, offering invaluable perspectives to enhance our work for the community.

For organisations looking to establish their own advisory groups, Inclusion Australia offers a booklet titled "Setting up an Advisory Group in your Service. Promoting good quality and safe services."

Alternatively, if you prefer to benefit from an established group, the DDWA Advisory Council can provide consultations on how your services and supports meet the needs of people with developmental or intellectual disability. One of our most popular consultation topics is creating Easy Read documents, which ensures that information about services, supports, and contracts is clear and accessible to all.

If you’re interested in a consultation with the DDWA Advisory Council, please contact us at ddwa@ddwa.org.au.