Keynote Speakers
Nova Peris
OAM OLY MAICD
Nova Peris OAM OLY MAICD was the first Aboriginal woman elected to Federal Parliament and the first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic Gold Medal.
She is also one of a small handful of people to have represented Australia at the Olympics in two different sports: hockey and athletics.
She now coaches her Athletics champion son, campaigns for Aboriginal rights and has a jam-packed life as an advocate, ambassador and role model.
Hear from Nova in Opening Session Thursday 9 June 2022
Donna Markham
Associate Professor
Associate Professor Donna Markham is the former Victorian Chief Allied Health Officer, a certified organisational coach and registered occupational therapist who has worked in healthcare for more than 19 years. Donna has held leadership roles within health services and the Victorian government, and has worked across health, disability and community sectors. She is a non-executive Director for a national mental health provider (ermha 365) and an Aged Care provider (Uniting Age Well) and is the Chief Allied Health Officer for the State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP).
Donna established her own business in 2021, Disequilibrium (the sweet spot where growth occurs), coaching and supporting professionals in the workplace as well as providing consultancy services. Donna has led many significant health reforms, workforce development changes, and research projects. She previously held leadership responsibility for the implementation of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Review Board and the Healthcare Worker Well-being Centre.
She is a mum of two boys and advocates for the important role women play both at home and in the workplace, particularly in executive leadership positions. Donna is passionate about the importance of self-care and well-being. Donna was a finalist for the Telstra Victorian Young Business Women's Award in 2014 and is a graduate of the Williamson Community Leadership Program, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a certified organisational coach with the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership.
Invited Speakers
Jonathan Moody
CEO and Founder, Physio Inq
Jonathan Moody is the founder and CEO of Physio Inq, a business he founded in 2006 providing a range of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology and exercise physiology services both in-clinic and via mobile practitioners, the latter specialising in disability and aged care. Jonathan commenced his studies in Physiotherapy at Sydney university in 2000. He continues to have strong ties to the university, supporting Physiotherapy students and graduates alikes across his clinics and mobile workforce. Jonathan was Awarded Sydney Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020 and 2021 in the Health & Medicine category and was additionally listed in Australia’s Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs of 2020. Currently Jonathan supports a growing workforce in excess of 350 staff across most states and attributes the growth to his primary house rule at Physio Inq- Employees Come First. Being an allied health advocate, with a passion for empowerment through education and training, Jonathan is committed to improving access to quality allied health for all Australians.
Dr Natasha Layton
Dr Layton is an occupational therapist researching and publishing in the areas of assistive technology (AT), disability, and outcomes. She is past Board Member of OTA, and current International Lead with Australia’s peak body for assistive technology, ARATA. Dr Layton works as a senior research fellow with RAIL Research Centre, and industry adjunct with Swinburne University. She also volunteers and consults locally and nationally in Australia for example to the National Aged Care Alliance and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Co-Operation on Assistive Technology initiative.
Dr Layton is the Australian Standards expert representative to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) for assistive products, and presenting today as member of the Australian Association of Gerontology Special Interest Group.
Frances Dobson
Frances graduated from Cumberland College of Health Sciences (now The University of Sydney) in 1979, and obtained a Master of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) specialising in developmental disabilities through the University of Sydney in 2001. Since 1981 Frances has had the privilege of working as an occupational therapist with children and families in a range of settings and specialist multi-disciplinary teams. These have included services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and families experiencing psycho-social disadvantage. Her particular areas of clinical interest include babies and young children, children with developmental delays, children with Autism, and families impacted by trauma. Frances has a strong commitment to collaborative and family-centred practice, and to strengths-based and capacity building approaches. Frances has been active in continuing her own professional development as well as providing education and mentoring to other occupational therapists.
Dr Faye McMillan
Associate Professor Dr Faye McMillan AM is a Wiradjuri yinaa (woman) originally from Trangie, NSW. Faye is a community pharmacist and is recognised as the first Indigenous Australian to hold a western degree in pharmacy in this country. Faye is a strong advocate for improving Indigenous health care across professions, notably being a founding member and past chair of Indigenous Allied Health Australia.
Faye is currently one of two Deputy National Rural Health Commissioners and works at UNSW as the Associate Professor in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health in the School of Population Health, as well as a board member of The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) and is also the chair of the APC Indigenous health strategy group. Faye is also the chair of Bundy Girri Consulting.
Faye has received numerous accolades for her leadership and contribution to population health, education, equity, and the community. In 2021 Professor McMillan was appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday 2021 Honours List. Professor McMillan’s appointment recognises her significant service to Indigenous mental health and tertiary education. In 2019 she was named as the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the year; 2022 & 2017 she was recognised in the Who's Who of Australian Women; and in 2014 she was included in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 women of influence.
Dr Lloyd Walker
Director - Assistive Technology & Home Modification Market Policy & Innovation, Provider & Market Development Division, National Disability Insurance Agency. Lloyd is a professional rehabilitation engineer who has been working in Assistive Technology (AT) for over 30 years. As a person with disability, he has always had an interest in improvements in technology and access to place and services to optimise participation. He has been actively involved in most aspects of the AT sector nationally and internationally, including help found the James Cook University Occupational Therapy Program. Lloyd has been with the National Disability Insurance Agency since 2015, focused on delivering improvements in how the NDIS delivers AT and home modifications from a policy and markets perspective. Lloyd continues to work in the NDIA National Office and is currently finalising key improvements to lower cost home modifications under the Scheme.
Marlena Klaic
Marlena Klaic, PhD, is a postdoctoral research fellow in implementation science at The University of Melbourne. She has more than 20 years of clinical experience working with a variety of patient cohorts across numerous health and community settings. In the last 10 years, Marlena has focused on health services research with a particular interest in the use of technology and factors influencing adoption of healthcare interventions.