Our Board Members

He joined The Disability Trust Board in 2021 and now serves as Chair. But long before boardrooms and strategy, Peter’s perspective was shaped at home. As a father and primary carer for his eldest son, he understands first-hand what it means to navigate complex systems, advocate for the right support, and plan for the long term. It’s a lens that influences every decision he makes.

Across a career spanning more than 30 years, Peter has held senior roles in some of Australia’s most recognised organisations, including Shell Australia, National Australia Bank, NRMA, Accenture, the National Disability Insurance Agency and Bendigo Bank. He’s also played a significant role in shaping national conversations, serving as President of Carers Australia and Chair of Yooralla.

He’s also the person who conceived and launched Flybuys. It speaks to his ability to see opportunities early, connect ideas, and build systems that last.

Peter’s style is engaged, thoughtful and straight-talking. He asks the questions that matter, joins the dots quickly and isn’t afraid to challenge thinking when it leads to a better outcome. His focus stays firmly where it should be. On people, on outcomes, and on getting it right.

He holds a PhD in Agricultural Science, a Graduate Diploma in Accounting and Finance, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In recognition of his contribution to the sector and community, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.

Outside of work, Peter is a family man first. He enjoys time with friends, good conversation and cooking when he gets the chance. If there’s a perfect pie involved, even better.

Peter brings clarity, perspective and a strong sense of purpose. He understands the system from every angle, and more importantly, he knows why it matters.

Born in Uruguay, blind since birth, and identifying as non-binary and Queer, Carol’s perspective is grounded in lived experience. It shapes how they challenge systems, asks questions and pushes for environments where people are not just included, but able to fully participate.

With more than 30 years in Human Resources across public and private sectors, Carol has built deep expertise in workforce strategy, policy development and access and inclusion. They understand how organisations operate, where barriers sit and what it takes to create meaningful, lasting change.

Since joining The Disability Trust Board in 2017, Carol has played a key role in shaping governance and direction. As Deputy Chair and Chair of the Quality, Safeguards and Risk Committee, they keep a strong focus on accountability, standards and the real-world impact of decisions.

Carol’s influence extends beyond the Board. As Co-Chair of The Disability Trust’s Lived and Living Experience Advisory Committee, co-host of the Labelling the Disabling podcast and a contributor to the Your Voice Your Choice conferences, they are part of ongoing conversations that challenge assumptions, amplify lived experience and help shape more inclusive services and systems.

Their contribution has been recognised with an Australia Day Achievement Award for their commitment to improving workplace participation and inclusion for people with disability. Recognition aside, Carol’s motivation is clear and personal.

Carol often speaks about luck. The access they have had to education, employment, relationships and stability. Things many people take for granted.

Their focus is on changing that.

A future where people with disability don’t need luck to have the same opportunities. Where systems work as they should, and where inclusion is built in, not added on.

Their style is direct, thoughtful and grounded. They ask the questions that matter, challenges thinking when needed and keeps the focus on outcomes that make a difference.

Carol’s impact is measured in more than strategy. It’s seen in the shift toward a more inclusive, equitable and human way of doing things.

For more than 20 years, he’s worked as a consultant helping organisations get clearer, sharper and more accountable. Not theory. Real-world strategy, financial discipline and governance that actually works when it’s tested.

His career hasn’t followed a neat line, and that’s part of the value. Academic, auditor, accountant, general manager, chief executive officer, company secretary and director. Each role adding another layer to how decisions are made and what it takes to make them stick.

Stephen also stepped into public life as an elected member of the Northern Territory Parliament, serving as Government Whip. It’s experience that brings a different lens. One that understands pressure, scrutiny and the reality of decision-making in complex environments.

He holds a Bachelor of Business with majors in Accounting and Marketing and is a Fellow of CPA Australia and the Institute of Public Accountants. He’s also a Certified Practising Marketer and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Credentials that back the capability, not define it.

Alongside this, Stephen has maintained a strong connection to the care and disability sectors, with more than 18 years of continuous involvement. It’s a space where governance matters, where accountability is critical and where getting it right has real impact.

His approach is direct, analytical and grounded in experience. He asks the questions that cut through, challenges where needed and keeps the focus on performance that holds up over time.

Stephen brings rigour, perspective and a clear expectation that things should work as they’re intended to.

With experience as both a CEO and Board member, Tom has spent his career navigating complex systems and driving transformation across disability, mental health and employment services. He understands what it takes to lead organisations through pressure, change and expectation, and to come out stronger on the other side.

Today, he works closely with boards to shape and deliver strategic change. Not change for the sake of it, but the kind that improves outcomes, strengthens organisations and creates long-term sustainability for participants, employees and stakeholders.

Tom has a strong track record in advocacy and sector leadership. He doesn’t sit back and observe. He leans in, challenges thinking and pushes for better outcomes for people with disability. His focus is always on opportunity, on quality of life and on making sure systems deliver what they promise.

His style is pragmatic, focused and forward-looking. He sees where things need to shift and works with organisations to make it happen in a way that lasts.

Tom brings clarity, experience and a strong sense of purpose to the Board, with a clear expectation that things can and should keep improving.

After more than 35 years leading The Disability Trust as CEO, Margaret stepped back in 2023, then returned to the Board bringing decades of knowledge, history and unwavering commitment with her.

Her impact runs deep. Not just in the organisation itself, but in the lives of the people and communities it supports.

Margaret has spent her career breaking down barriers that shouldn’t exist in the first place. Challenging systems, advocating for change and pushing for a world where people with disability are not limited by circumstance, but supported to live the life they choose.

Social justice isn’t something she talks about lightly. It’s something she has worked towards, consistently and relentlessly, for more than three decades.

She has always led with integrity and conviction, putting the interests of people with disability, families, staff and the broader community first. Not when it’s easy, but when it matters.

Margaret’s perspective is grounded in experience and driven by purpose. She understands where the organisation has come from, what it stands for and why the work continues to matter.

Her presence on the Board brings continuity, insight and a clear expectation that the values the organisation was built on remain front and centre.

Margaret’s contribution isn’t defined by tenure. It’s defined by impact.

As an Associate Professor of Practice and Director of the Centre for Disability Research and Policy at the University of Sydney, Shane works at the intersection of ethics, research and lived experience. His focus is clear. Advance the rights, leadership and wellbeing of people with disability, and call out the systems that stand in the way.

His work is grounded in a simple but powerful principle. Nothing about us without us.

Shane brings both academic depth and real-world influence to the Board. He spent four years as Director of Research and Policy for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, contributing to one of the most significant inquiries into the experiences of people with disability in Australia. It’s experience that has shaped how he sees systems, accountability and the urgency of change.

As a C5 incomplete quadriplegic, Shane’s perspective is not theoretical. It’s lived. That insight, combined with his academic expertise, gives him a unique ability to challenge assumptions, shift thinking and push for outcomes that are genuinely inclusive.

He is known for asking the questions that matter and for not accepting easy answers. His work consistently pushes beyond compliance, toward meaningful inclusion and real equity.

Shane’s contribution to the Board is thoughtful, informed and purpose-driven. He brings a strong voice, a clear perspective and a deep commitment to making sure the work leads to real change.

Because for Shane, this isn’t abstract. It’s personal.

She brings a rare mix of legal precision, executive leadership and a genuine focus on wellbeing. The kind that cuts through complexity and gets to what actually matters. Outcomes that people can feel.

Agata started her career in law, rising to partner at King & Wood Mallesons before moving in-house as General Counsel at State Trustees. It’s a background that shows. Clear thinking, strong judgement and the ability to navigate high-stakes decisions without losing focus.

Today, as CEO of healthAbility, she leads with intent. Building teams, shaping services and making sure the work delivers real impact across the community.

Her experience in disability and mental health runs deep. Agata has an extensive understanding of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the systems that sit around it. She also chaired the Board of ermha365 for six years, guiding the organisation through growth, complexity and increasing demand.

Her style is direct, thoughtful and outcomes-focused. She asks the questions that matter, challenges where needed and keeps the focus on what’s actually going to make a difference.

Agata doesn’t get distracted by noise. She stays focused on impact, on people and on making sure services do what they’re meant to do.

That’s what she brings to the Board.

She brings strong commercial discipline and senior executive experience from highly regulated corporate environments, where risk, compliance and performance are non-negotiable. But what sets her apart is how she applies that experience. Not just to manage systems, but to reshape them around real human needs.

Franca has built a career leading large-scale customer experience transformation. The kind that goes beyond surface change and rethinks how services are designed, delivered and felt by the people using them.

Her experience in healthcare runs deep. Through senior roles at Medibank, including Executive General Manager of ahm health insurance, she developed a strong understanding of policy, funding models and cost structures, and how they impact everyday Australians. It’s shaped her belief that healthcare and support systems should be built around people, not processes.

Franca also played a key role in supporting KidsWish through its merger with The Disability Trust, bringing governance, risk and commercial insight to help lay strong foundations for integration and growth.

Her style is pragmatic, thoughtful and outcomes-focused. She sees where things can be simplified, where value can be strengthened and where organisations need to evolve to stay relevant.

Franca has a strong connection to the Illawarra and is committed to contributing to the communities the organisation serves. Her focus is on ensuring the work continues to have real impact, locally and beyond.

Franca brings clarity, commercial strength and a focus on experience. Making sure services don’t just function, but genuinely work for the people they’re there for.

As Director of Marketing and a Company Director for the Tynan Motors Group, she operates in a fast-moving, highly competitive environment where results matter and standing still isn’t an option. With responsibility for marketing across 17 global automotive brands, Madeline leads strategy that drives revenue, builds market share and keeps the business at the front of the pack.

Her approach is commercial, focused and grounded in real-world performance. She knows how to position value, cut through noise and create strategies that deliver, not just look good on paper.

Madeline brings that same mindset into governance and leadership. A clear understanding of growth, brand, customer behaviour and what it takes to sustain competitive advantage over time.

She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has completed both the Company Directors Course and the Family Business Directors Course through Bond University. Her governance experience is matched by a strong commitment to contributing beyond business.

Madeline continues to serve on the Boards of the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Leagues Club Football Board and the St George and Sutherland Medical Research Foundation, alongside previous board and advisory roles across organisations including Women on Boards, Women in Business, the NSW Family Business Association, Automotive Skills Australia and the Chrysler Jeep Dodge Dealer Council for Australia.

Her connection to community is genuine and consistent. Supporting local organisations, contributing to broader industry conversations and using her experience to create impact beyond the commercial space.

Madeline doesn’t chase momentum. She builds it.

A proud man with an intellectual disability, Andrew is a passionate advocate for accessibility, inclusion and changing how people think about disability. He speaks from lived experience, challenges assumptions and brings a perspective that cuts through quickly and honestly.

Andrew has been part of The Disability Trust community for more than 20 years. That connection matters. As both a participant and now a Director, he understands the system from the inside and isn’t afraid to say what’s working, what’s not and what needs to change.

He’s also built his own path. Andrew has worked at Batemans Bay Library for more than 24 years and runs his own car wash business, taking pride in his independence and the work he does every day.

His advocacy goes well beyond the organisation. Andrew has taken his voice to the stage at major conferences, including the Autism Asia Pacific Conference in Singapore and the VALID Having a Say Conference in Geelong. He has also represented the community as an Ambassador for Special Olympics Australia, including the experience of meeting the Royal Family.

More recently, Andrew stepped into the national spotlight through the ABC documentary series The Assembly. Mentored by Leigh Sales, he developed his skills as an interviewer and sat down with some of Australia’s most recognisable figures, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Andrew leads with confidence, honesty and a clear message. People with disability should be seen, heard and included in decisions that affect their lives.

As he puts it, “Our time to shine. Nothing about us without us.”

And he makes sure that message is impossible to ignore.