About the Presenters

NEIL BARRINGHAM regularly spends time with people in his neighbourhood who live with a range of disabilities. He says that some of his best learning has been through welcoming isolated people into the home that he and his wife, Penny, share. Neil is a community worker who is also doing postgraduate studies. Neil’s work is distinguished by simplicity, spirituality, and solidarity.

JEFF CHEVERTON has worked in human services in Queensland for fifteen years, in both government and community sectors, mainly on issues of housing and homelessness, health (including mental health) and disability. He has experience in advocacy, service provision and community capacity building roles, including nine years as coordinator or manager of organisations. He is currently the Executive Director of the Queensland Alliance for Mental Illness and Psychiatric Disability Groups.

JAYNE CLAPTON PhD, RN, BA is a lecturer and convener in disability studies in the School of Human Services at Logan Campus, Griffith University. Her research interests include ethics and disability, bioethics, theology and feminist studies. Jayne’s doctoral thesis, entitled ‘A Transformatory Ethic of Inclusion: Rupturing ‘disability’ and ‘inclusion’ for integrality’, explored the ethical significance of the notion of ‘inclusion’ within a Western Judeo-Christian context.

KEVIN COCKS has always been interested in issues of social justice and, since acquiring a disability in 1981, this interest has matured and evolved. His work and research interest focus on human rights for disadvantaged people, but particularly for people with disability. Kevin has a Masters of Social Welfare and Administration and Planning and has received two awards recognising his contributions to the community.

ANNE M. DONNELLAN PhD is an Emerita Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and presently is Professor and Associate Provost at the University of San Diego. A long time member of the Professional Advisory Panel of the Autism Society of America, the Autism National Committee, TASH and related organizations, she is known internationally for her numerous books and articles, and her training, research and advocacy work on behalf of children and adults with significant communication and behaviour challenges.

BEVERLEY FUNNELL is a Senior Research Officer with Queensland‘s Office of the Public Advocate. She has taken on her systems advocacy role in the Office equipped with knowledge and experience gained over twenty-two years in the disability area, working in systems reform. Beverley’s work focus currently is on issues arising out of the ageing of people with lifelong disabilities, the concerns of older parents, and issues of good community supports for older people with dementia.

ANN GREER reflects that much of her learning and understanding have come from her greatest teachers, people with disabilities themselves, including her son and daughter. She has over ten years formal experience in working with people who have challenging behaviour and is well-known as a workshop presenter on this topic. In this work, Ann draws on the work of Donnellan, LaVigna and Willis and on the concepts of Gentle Teaching.

BOB JACKSON PhD, is Adjunct Associate Professor of Education at Edith Cowan University, Chair of the Foundation for Social Inclusion Inc. and Director of Include Pty Ltd. Bob has worked in disability services since the early 1970’s as a direct care staff, psychologist and manager. He has worked as a consultant across Australia with families, teachers and education systems on the inclusion of people with impairments in regular classrooms and society generally.

MARTHA LEARY MA CCC-SLP is a Speech Pathologist and Communication Consultant, with thirty years experience working with people diagnosed with autism and related communication disorders. Recently, she moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada where she continues her work as a workshop leader and consultant world-wide. Martha has worked with hundreds of children and adults with autism, in homes with families, in schools with teachers, and in community settings with families and supporters. She is a leader in an international effort to integrate information about the effects of movement differences in all aspects of an individual’s daily life, creating communication programs that are functional and meaningful to the individual and others.

NICHOLAS LENNOX MBBS, BMEDSC, DIPOBST, FRACGP is the Director of the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Development Disability. He is a medical practitioner who, for the last nine years, has specialised in Adult Developmental Disability Medicine as a clinician, educator and researcher. He has been instrumental in the development of a number of initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of adults with intellectual disability.

FIONA McGILL has worked in the disability sector for fourteen years and has a postgraduate degree in anthropology and sociology. She has lectured at NSW University and now teaches Welfare at TAFE, as well as teaching and consulting to Government and non-Government agencies. Fiona is particularly interested in community supports and social networks in the lives of people with disabilities, and has been involved in the development of creative service models.

PENNY OSBORNE has worked in the area of disability for fourteen years. The roles performed in that time include direct support for adults with intellectual disability living in group homes, staff development and management of direct support workers and key worker supporting families. Penny has a Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services) and works from a strengths perspective within a family-centred framework.

CRAIG ROVETA returned to the family home in 1997 after twenty years in an institution and experiences of serious abuse. At that time the family knew that life could be better for Craig, but had little idea how to make it happen. Craig is pleased that his mother, Anne, is able to share the story of his current lifestyle. He has lived in his own home since 2000, is an artist, music aficionado and horse lover, and enjoys and values friendship. Those around Craig appreciate his well developed sense of humour, his compassion and sensitivity, and his creativity. Craig also has autism and significant post traumatic stress disorder. Craig’s story is one of pain and struggle, hope and inspiration.

MICHAEL RUSSELL is a man with autism who has been institutionalised from an early age. Michael was introduced to facilitated communication at age eighteen. Ten years later he has had a play broadcast on Radio National and has written his second poetry compilation with an Arts Queensland grant. He writes about the horror of experiencing autism, the unhappiness of his current living situation, and his frustration with bureaucracy.

RIC THOMPSON is an active community worker in Townsville, where he manages a community-building agency called Inclusion Works. Ric is a keen theologist, and has a particular passion in how faith communities can both welcome and support people with disabilities. He has over thirty years experience in working with the Commonwealth, State and Local Governments developing appropriate responses to people with disabilities and their families. In his presentations, Ric’s energy and humour bring ‘community’ to life.

DARRELL WILLS is the principal consultant to a parent advocacy group in Western Australia, as well as a private consultant to families, schools, and private and public education systems throughout Australia. He is a trained teacher with a Master Degree in Special Education and has nearly three decades of experience working directly with families and teachers on the inclusion of children in regular classrooms.