Our Governance Team

Jim is an experienced executive with over 25 years of experience in technology leadership and extensive expertise collaborating with international clients in retail, financial services, cybersecurity, and IT sectors. Jim specialises in complex project delivery, governance, strategic alignment, and operational management, emphasising business scalability and effective organisational change.

Jim serves as a Non-Executive Director on several not-for-profit boards, focusing on ensuring compliance and driving strategic growth.

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.

Sirani McNeill is a disability advocate, board member, and community leader with experience across several Disabled People’s Representative Organisations (DPROs) in VIC, ACT, QLD and NSW. She currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Disability Justice Australia, Co–Vice President of Our Fair Go Australia, and Board Member of AFDO TST Co-Op.

She has also served as a Board Observer with Women with Disabilities Victoria and is currently observing with Arts Access Victoria.

Sirani is committed to advancing equity, accessibility, and meaningful inclusion for people with disability. Her experience includes governance, strategic planning, financial oversight, stakeholder engagement, and supporting initiatives that embed inclusive practice across organisations and community settings. She is also developing an accessible cybersecurity website focused on improving digital accessibility and cyber awareness within the disability community.

Drawing on her lived experience as a oral deaf and autistic woman from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, Sirani brings insight, empathy, and a collaborative leadership style to her work. She is passionate about strengthening pathways for people with disability to participate in decision-making and supporting sustainable, community-led change.

Sirani holds a Certificate II in Auslan from Kangan Batman TAFE and is currently undertaking further studies to strengthen her communication skills for working with people in hospital settings. She regularly attends Auslan events and community gatherings across Australia

Outside her professional and advocacy work, Sirani enjoys arts and crafts such as knitting and embroidery, loves spending time with her cat Bella, and has a strong interest in filmmaking and acting that promotes diversity, accessibility, and authentic representation. She believes in creating welcoming spaces where creativity and inclusion can thrive.

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.

Sarah brings extensive experience across education, workforce capability, training strategy and inclusive program design, with a strong commitment to ensuring people living with disability are genuinely heard, supported and empowered. Her work is grounded in the belief that accessibility and inclusion should never be an afterthought, but embedded into the way organisations, systems and communities operate from the outset.

With a background spanning early childhood education, vocational education, corporate learning, community engagement and large-scale workforce development, Sarah has designed and delivered training, onboarding and capability programs across diverse sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, providing her with formal foundations in learning science, human development, adult education and inclusive teaching practice. Her experience within the early childhood education sector further strengthened her passion for inclusive, learner-centred approaches that recognise the unique needs, strengths and lived experiences of every individual from the earliest stages of development through to adulthood.

Sarah joins the Board of Disability Justice Australia with experience in instructional design, stakeholder engagement, change management and inclusive practice. Throughout her career, she has advocated for practical and sustainable approaches to accessibility, ensuring systems, communication and learning experiences are designed in ways that reduce barriers and increase participation for people of all abilities and backgrounds.

Her approach combines strategic thinking with empathy and collaboration, with a focus on translating inclusive values into meaningful action. She is passionate about advancing equity, amplifying underrepresented voices, and helping organisations create more accessible and person-centred experiences for the communities they serve.

Sarah believes that true inclusion comes from listening to people with lived experience and designing alongside them, not for them, to create lasting and meaningful change.

For over three decades today (since 1990), Leane uses the wheelchair as a result of a spinal cord injury from a vehicle accident in Samoa. Leane demonstrated his natural abilities in disability advocacy work, and acquired the experience in awareness raising of significant injustice and discrimination against people with disabilities at regional and international arenas.

Leane was committed and vocal on disability issues, initiated genuine arguments of disability misconceptions and misunderstanding among the society, and strongly reminded the duty of care and the obligation of the government through International Human Rights Conventions. He has been instrumental in the establishment of the novel National Disability Advocacy Organisation [Nuanua O Le Alofa Inc (NOLA)], and unanimously elected Chairperson/President over a decade.

Leane moved to Australia in 2017 and has been working in Policy & Advocacy, and Diversity and Inclusion positions at the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia (FECCA) and Transport Canberra and City Services (TCCS) in Canberra. 

Leane is delighted to be appointed  Board Member of DJA Organisation and is willing to contribute to DJA operational and its strategic decisions with fairness and justice deserved by every person with disabilities nationwide.

Trudy is a passionate representative of the disabled community with a wealth of experience in campaigning for social justice for people with disabilities.

Trudy joins the Board of DJA bringing more than 20 years of experience in disability advocacy and serving on a number of boards and committees. Trudy has also served on the Disability Advisory Committees of a number of local councils across the greater Melbourne area as well as a large number of disability-related organisations, including Expression Australia, Vision Australia, AMIDA and SARU.

In their spare time, Trudy enjoys a range of community activities from gardening to walking and engaging with environmental issues. They are a self-confessed “foodie”.