Our Team

Maddie is a queer, autistic person living on Gubbi Gubbi Country. She is committed to advancing equity and strengthening systems so they better serve people who are often excluded. She holds a Master of Education, along with qualifications in secondary education, arts, counselling and leadership. Her work spans teaching, curriculum design and leadership, with a focus on inclusive and trauma-informed practice.

Maddie joins the DJA Board with experience across education and the not-for-profit sector, including leadership roles in program design and delivery. She has led the development of programs for teachers and school leaders, coached individuals and teams, and supported organisations to embed more inclusive and effective ways of working. A key focus of her work is turning strategic equity commitments into practical implementation through curriculum, professional learning and program design.

She has worked across both specialist and mainstream school settings, supporting students with complex needs and partnering with educators to improve learning and wellbeing outcomes. She has also contributed to curriculum development in the NDIS sector and held senior leadership roles in arts education.

Maddie brings a strong interest in organisational change, particularly how to translate strategy into practice and support people through that process. Her approach is pragmatic and people-centred, with an emphasis on collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

Simon holds a PhD in pharmaceutics and a number of graduate certificates in diverse areas related to the practice of pharmacy and higher education. He is the author of more than 30 journal articles and scientific publications in a wide range of subjects from computer programming techniques to continuing professional development. He has worked in many countries and has a h-index of 20. Simon identifies as Autistic and is the father of a profoundly disabled child.

Simon joins DJA after careers as a pharmacist and as a senior academic. In these roles, he has developed a deep understanding of audit processes and in the development and implementation of procedures to meet complex demands whilst securely handling sensitive information. As an external examiner to domestic and international universities, Simon has helped other institutions to strengthen the governance and transparency of their operations and meet external audit requirements. Of necessity, this has meant dealing with large quantities of data and becoming an expert in the analysis and storage of large data sets by mastering the computer systems holding them.

Implementing improved systems and newer methods frequently means retiring older systems when newer (and better) ways of doing business emerge. This means engaging with the process of change and helping others to see the benefit too.

Today, Simon works for DJA part-time as the Systems Development Project Officer and has served on the Board of Directors of DJA 2019-20 and 2023-present.

Lisa Cullen is a dedicated professional with a degree in Management and Human Resources. After being diagnosed with an autoimmune illness at 25, she transformed her personal experience into a source of purpose and advocacy. Drawing on her first-hand understanding of living with a disability, Lisa has built a meaningful career in the disability sector, working as both a Human Resource Advisor and a Care Worker.

Lisa is passionate about empowering others in the community and finds great fulfilment in promoting inclusion and support for people with disabilities.