Jaquie Mills is a parent of 4 boys, 2 of whom have a disability. A former teacher, she holds a Masters in Emotional Intelligence. Jaquie has held significant roles in the disability sector leading major reform in access to quality services for people with complex needs and who may also have complex communication needs. Jaquie has exhaustive knowledge across the fields of behaviour support, communication, inclusion, education and health advocacy. She is regularly sought for her advice and expertise in these areas. Jaquie gives her all to ensure people with a disability live an inspiring life.

Joanne (Jo) Watson, PhD has practiced as a speech pathologist, researcher, and lecturer in the disability sector for 30 years. Jo has an extensive national and international profile, having lived, practiced, taught, and engaged in research while in Hong Kong, China, Australia and the USA.  

Jo’s research is focused on supporting people with intellectual disability and complex communication support needs to live self-determined lives and is fueled by a steadfast commitment to equality. Jo is unwavering in her conviction that human communication is central to enabling people with disability to achieve their human right of autonomy. She believes that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to which Australia is a signatory, provides humanity with an unprecedented mechanism with which universal autonomy can be achieved, not only for people who communicate using language, but for people who communicate informally, a group she believes are ‘rarely heard’. 

Alicia Gorman is a speech pathologist who has worked in multimodal communication for 15 years. Alicia has a special interest working with people who have complex communication needs, particularly with multimodal communication, literacy skills, supported decision-making and accessible information. She has completed training in the Four Blocks Literacy Approach, Advanced PODD Workshop, and keeps up-to-date with communication device options. Alicia is currently completing a M(Phil) at Curtin University in WA exploring strategies for adults with a disability to make decisions with support. During her career as a speech pathologist, Alicia has worked in private practice, as a senior clinician and therapy coordinator in a community disability support organisation. Alicia is passionate about communication and currently works in her private practice, Younique Therapy, with a small team of therapists.