Disability and Inclusion Advisory Board

Dan Stubbs

Dan is the Victorian Disability Workforce commissioner, regulating the conduct of all disability workers & practitioners across Victoria. He has lived experience of disability as a blind person. His full bio is available at the Victorian Disability Worker Commission website.

Jacqueline McKim

Jacqui McKim has extensive experience in the community services sector, having spent close to a decade working in client engagement and diversity and inclusion in not-for-profit organisations. Jacqui has a lived experience of cerebral palsy, and strongly believes in the value of people with disability sharing their lived experience to inform and influence the systems and services they engage with.

Jacqui is currently the Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at genU, and a non-Executive Director of the Kids Plus Foundation.

Fionn Skiotis

Fionn has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, in Australia and internationally. This has included staff, executive and governance roles in disability, social housing, mental health, advocacy, community development and human rights.

Since August 2022 Fionn has been the CEO of VALID, a disability advocacy organisation. From 2009-19 he served as Executive Director of International Social Service Australia, a member of the global ISS network based in Geneva.

Other appointments have included three terms as a Community Member of the Victorian Mental Health Tribunal (2006-21) and appointments to the Commonwealth Social Security Appeals Tribunal (2007-09) and Victorian Intellectual Disability Review Panel (2004-07).

Fionn is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (since 2013) and has a Master of Social Science degree from RMIT University (2008).

Philip Waters

Before joining Deaf Victoria, Philip Waters was a Senior Consultant at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, and a Senior Policy Officer in the Office for Disability in the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. Philip also has extensive experience in disability inclusive programming and evaluation across developing countries and in Australia. Philip has supported many organisations over the last 15 years in a voluntary capacity. He served on boards and advised various Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO’s), both in Australia and internationally. He brings with him a passion to make a difference in the lives of Deaf people and their families. Preferred pronouns: he/him.

Nathan Despott

Dr Mel Smith

Professor Jennifer Watts, Head of School, Health and Social Development

Associate Professor Angela Dew, Discipline lead, Disability and Inclusion

Dr Louisa Smith, Course Director

Dr Amie O'Shea, Major/Minor Pathway Lead

Jeremy Finkelstein

Jeremy joined the advisory board in 2021 and has nearly a decade of experience in the disability field as a support worker, foster carer and at Inclusion Melbourne as the Head of Systems, Operations and Communications. Entering a new and exciting chapter in 2025, Jeremy created Keystone Incorporated, a not-for-profit focusing on lived experience and peer mentoring for young people with disabilities. With a dedication to co-design and a passion for mentoring, he is looking forward to seeing where this new direction leads. Jeremy has lived experience with autism spectrum disorder, which was diagnosed just after finishing secondary school. This has given him a unique perspective and he has applied that experience to his focus on how intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder can affect someone in their late teens or early adulthood.

Julia Manning

Julia is a consultant at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, working on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Julia’s work is multifaceted, focusing on assisting clients with policy and strategy development, systems and organisational reform, and behavioural change. She has particular expertise in disability rights, human rights, and addressing discrimination within a Victorian context.

An experienced researcher, mediator, and independent reviewer, Julia has recently contributed to improving the inclusivity of the national Australian dispute resolution standards. Her academic contributions span both domestic and international contexts, with a focus on promoting access to justice for people with complex communication needs. Julia is also an experienced board director, combining her strategic insights with practical expertise in governance and organisational improvement.

Julia is also member of the VPS Enablers Network leadership group, where she supports the network’s mission to advance disability inclusion and human rights throughout the Victorian Public Service.

S.Holmes

Gen Brookman