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Previous Advisory Board
These senior disability support sector leaders have drawn on their experience and insight to help shape this year’s agenda and speaking lineup.
Hayley Dean
Chief Executive Officer
Melba Support Services
Hayley is the Chief Executive Officer of Melba Support Services and has more than 30 years of experience in the disability sector. She is an innovative, experienced leader, having led organisations through complex change. Hayley brings a wealth of knowledge in service design, governance, and compliance.
Hayley was Melba’s Chief Outcomes Officer for four years before becoming CEO in 2020. As the COO, Hayley oversaw Melba’s successful tender for the transfer of government group homes. In under 12 months, Melba transformed from a small, regional service to one of Victoria’s largest disability service providers – expanding across the state, quadrupling its revenue, and doubling the number of people supported.
Hayley is passionate about putting power in the hands of the person with a disability to live the life they choose. Hayley has focused on people’s human rights throughout her career – in the early 1990s, she co-designed many innovative approaches, including one of the first brokerage respite programs. Her experience includes three years as MOIRA’s Chief Operating Officer, where she implemented a human rights framework of service delivery and a complete service redesign.
Hayley currently serves on the Lilydale Revitalisation Board, is the Victorian State Chair and national Board member of the National Disability Services (Disability peak body). She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of CEO Mastermind, has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and disability from Deakin University and recently completed Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management at Harvard Business School.
Suzanna Robertson
General Manager Service Delivery
Rise Network
Suzanna is a human services executive with over 25 years’ experience in the government and for-purpose sector across aged care, health, disability, mental health, suicide prevention, youth services, employment services, and problematic drug and alcohol use. She is currently Director of Services at Rise, a community organisation supporting over 3000 people across the Perth metro region, providing a range of in-home, residential, community and centre-based services for people living with disability. Holding qualifications in economics and business from Monash University, Suzanna is also an alumni of the prestigious Leadership WA Signature Program and has previously held senior positions in consumer advocacy as the Executive Director for the Health Consumers’ Council of WA and as the Director of Customer Experience at Rise.
Suzanna shares her working practical knowledge of contractual frameworks and regulatory requirements in a real-world context, developed through her experience working in both government commissioning and in direct service provision. At Rise, she led organisational development to ensure that services are provided in line with contemporary human-rights based practices. She was selected by the Department of Communities of WA to provide advice and insights as a member of the Community Deliberative Panel for the review of legislation governing authorization of Restrictive Practices in WA.
Suzanna is also mother to an extraordinary teenage son who developed a complex neurological condition in 2022. Her most important role is advocating for his needs and rights amid the complexities and challenges of the health, disability and education sectors. Suzanna is a committed advocate for partnership approaches to increasing consumer voice in Disability policy and systems planning, design, implementation, and evaluation.
Meagan Downie Knowles
Chief People Officer
Able Australia
I have spent the bulk of my career in the not-for-profit sector, predominantly in social and community services organisations. Able Australia has a great reputation and I love their vision of enabling clients to live the life they choose.
The individual journeys of people really interest me. I love nothing more than helping people to master their craft and further develop their careers. I have been lucky enough to work with some amazing mentors throughout my almost 20 years in HR, who have provided me with amazing and incredible opportunities, support and guidance. I am really motivated and inspired to do the same for others.
Meagan has spent the bulk of her career in the not-for-profit sector, predominantly in social and community services organisations and is currently the Chief People Officer at Able Australia
Phil Hayes-Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Wallara Australia
Phil Hayes-Brown was appointed Wallara CEO in May 2010 after 20 years across law, finance and sports marketing including 12 years with the American NBA with assignments in Singapore, Paris London and Hong Kong.
At Wallara, Phil sees his role as attracting resources and partnerships to improve the conditions of the playing group - which in this case is 600 adults with different abilities - that also drive greater awareness and social inclusion.
Phil’s daughter, Phoebe, has a moderate cognitive impairment and is non-verbal. She inspires Phil to do what he does, and is currently a client at Wallara’s Sages Cottage Farm.
David Swain
Chief Executive Officer
Endeavour Foundation
David has a track record of growing and leading social purpose organisations. He is a strong advocate for creating inclusive communities where each person has a fair opportunity of reaching their potential.
With experience gained across health and social services, military and regulatory environments, combined with over a decade of governance and executive leadership roles, David is able to navigate the worlds of public policy, strategic leadership and operations.
He is the CEO of Endeavour Foundation, an independent, for purpose organisation established in 1951 to promote education inclusion of people living with intellectual disability. Today Endeavour is a diverse human service organisation with a strong focus on advocacy, independence, and employment.
David is a current director of Guide Dogs Queensland and has served on a number of community organisation boards. He holds qualifications in business, health science, and education, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is an alumnus of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
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