Amplifier of Good Award

1.      What cause or mission lights you up the most?

There’s more than one thing that lights me up, and honestly, it’s hard to separate them because they’re all connected — through my work, my family, and my heart.

At the centre of it all is Genovation — the not-for-profit I co-founded to support young adults with complex disabilities and care needs, like my daughter Gabriella. What lights me up is creating a space where people like Gabriella, who are so often left out because of disability or overlooked can feel included, valued, and connected. Genovation isn’t just a workplace or a service — it’s a community. It’s a place where we celebrate people exactly as they are, and where we believe that every person deserves a life filled with purpose and joy.

One of my favourite things is watching the friendships that form between our young adults — often through non-verbal communication, eye contact, facial expressions and sounds. They have their own language, and it’s beautiful. Seeing them light up when they arrive at the program, the way they look out for each other — that fills my heart. That’s what lights me up.

But my mission doesn’t stop with the participants. I care deeply about our staff too. I know how hard they work and how emotionally demanding this kind of support can be. That’s why creating a safe, welcoming, supporting and respectful environment for them is also so important to me. I try to lead with kindness, always be grateful, and make sure people know they’re appreciated. It’s not always perfect — we have tough days, just like any workplace — but I do my best to learn and grow through those moments.

I’m also incredibly proud that Genovation has an all-female board of directors — something you don’t often see. Women are so often overlooked for board and leadership roles, especially in this sector. Our workforce is made up mostly of women, and I believe leadership should reflect that. One of our board directors actually started out working alongside me as a frontline carer. Over the years, I’ve mentored and supported her to grow in her role, and I encouraged her to enrol in and complete a university diploma. To now have her sitting at the board table, contributing her voice and insight — it’s one of my proudest achievements. That’s what empowerment looks like.

And of course, my daughter Gabriella is at the heart of all of this. She’s the reason Genovation exists. She’s the reason I show up every day with so much determination. Being her mum, and watching her face challenges most people will never understand, has made me who I am. My mission is to give her, and others like her, the chance to live a life that’s rich in love, connection, and meaning.

Genovation isn’t just my job — it’s my life’s work. It’s my way of creating a better world not only for Gabriella but for every family who feels like the system has no place for their young adult. My husband and I now walk this road together — as parents, carers, and co-founders. And while there are days I feel exhausted and overwhelmed, I also know that Genovation has shaped me into the person I am today. I’ve grown through this work, and I carry that growth with humility and gratitude.

As I often say: “As a society, we’ve come a long way to accepting people with disabilities — but we still have a long way to go to true inclusion and understanding.”
And that’s the road I’ll keep walking — with my heart, my work, and my whole self. That’s my mission that lights me up.

2.      How have you used your platform or business to create positive change?

Being a mum to my beautiful 23-year-old daughter Gabriella — who lives with multiple and complex disabilities, and received her first diagnosis at 16 months old — changed the entire course of my life. I changed my life plans and career from nursing to special education. I spent over a decade working in special education and seven years as an Enrolled Nurse, so I’ve seen the system from every angle: as a parent, as a carer, and as a professional. But no amount of experience ever prepared me for the heartbreak of watching Gabriella reach adulthood and be left with so few opportunities for growth, learning, or connection. That’s when I knew something had to change — and that maybe I could be the one to help change it.

So, I poured everything I had — my knowledge, my experience, my heartbreak, and my hope — into creating Genovation, a not-for-profit charity that exists to make sure young adults like Gabriella are not forgotten once they leave school. I wanted to build something that didn’t just “tick boxes” or fill a gap — I wanted to create something that brought purpose, dignity, and joy into their everyday lives. That vision became the Young Adult Enrichment Program (YAEP).

YAEP is about lifelong learning — not just in the academic sense, but in the ways that really matter: forming friendships, building confidence, being part of the community, and exploring new experiences. It’s a place where young adults with high support needs are not seen as “too complex” — they are seen as capable, worthy, and full of potential.

But my mission for positive change extends beyond just the participants. I’ve also used Genovation to lift up women in the disability sector — a workforce that is mostly female but too often underrepresented in leadership. I’m proud to say we have an all-female board, and that one of our current directors started with us as a frontline carer. I believed in her potential and encouraged her growth — supporting her to enrol in and complete a university diploma. To see her now at the board table, using her voice and experience to help shape the future of our organisation, is one of the most rewarding outcomes of this journey.

Through Genovation, I advocate constantly — for better systems, more inclusive policies, and respect for the voices of families and carers. I speak up in meetings, forums, and community spaces, not just as a leader but as a mum who knows what it feels like to be silenced. Every day, I try to turn my lived experience into a platform for action — so that other families won’t have to fight quite as hard as we did.

Creating Genovation hasn’t just been about building a service — it’s been about building a movement. A reminder that even in the most challenging spaces, positive change is possible when it comes from a place of love, truth, and courage.

As part of my work and roles within Genovation, I have been successful in my application with Camden Council for the last two years to be a part of their Access Reference Group. I volunteer my time to assist with creating and implementing the Disability Inclusion Action Plan as well as work with Council to provide community feedback on how we can create greater accessibility within our local government areas.

3.   Tell us about a moment you saw your "good work" ripple outward.

There have been a few moments over the years where I’ve felt the ripple effect of the work I’ve done, but three in particular really stand out.

Being a volunteer on my local council Access Reference Group, a Cert 4 in Disability student was given my details to assist him and his group with an assignment. I was invited to speak to a room full of TAFE students studying Certificate III, IV and Diploma in Disability, Community Services and Case Management. Also in attendance were other organisations and community groups. I’ll admit, I was nervous. I had a speech prepared and rehearsed, just in case the nerves took over. But as I began, I found my rhythm. I reminded myself this was my story — no one else could tell it better, because I had lived it and it was literally my story. I found myself speaking with passion, honesty, and even a bit of humour. I saw students nodding, smiling and I felt we were connecting. Afterwards, many of them came up to speak with me — not just to say thank you, but to ask how they could be part of my organisation. It was overwhelming in the best way.

As I was packing up, a man walked by and told me I was very good — he told me I spoke very well and that they need more people like me. I thanked him and asked his name, only to find out he was one of the head teachers. I was genuinely humbled. Later, a woman approached me and said when her student told her they’d selected me for their project, she was hesitant — she hadn’t heard of me or my organisation. But after hearing me speak, she was impressed, and we’ve since met to organise student placements at Genovation. That moment reminded me how powerful sharing your story can be.

Another ripple came when I represented two of our participants at a roundtable meeting with parliamentary ministers, including Minister Bill Shorten at the time. I shared my participants stories — their needs, their challenges, where their funding was lacking — and advocated for the support they deserved. Within weeks, we saw real change. Their NDIS plans were improved, their supports increased. One of those participants was an older quadriplegic man sleeping on an old wooden bed chocked up with bricks, lying on an old sheepskin that had caused painful pressure areas and using a partly broken manual wheelchair. After my advocacy, he received a new hospital style bed with an automated turning system, a hoist, a powerchair and other essential equipment. His health, dignity, and independence were greatly improved. That ripple changed his life and he, together with his family were beyond grateful. I still care for that man today and his family still keep in touch. He still tells any new carers what I did for him and that is heartwarming.

And finally, I see the ripple every time I hear from the community. We’re still one of the smallest organisations in our area, but our reputation continues to grow. We support a small number of young children and teenagers with complex disabilities in their homes and during school holidays. These children and teenagers attend Schools for Specific Purposes. I feel I connect well with them and their families, given my 12 years working in special education and being Gabriella’s mum. These families have spoken to their teachers and school principals about us and special needs schools and local professionals have come to meet and know us and now refer to us as leaders in complex care. That kind of recognition — built slowly, through trust and impact — means more to me than any number on a spreadsheet. It tells me that the work we’re doing is meaningful. That it’s being felt.

That’s the kind of ripple I want to keep creating.