Leading with Passion and Expertise
At the helm of RIAC is our Board, a diverse group of professionals deeply committed to disability rights. They bring a wealth of experience from various fields, ensuring our mission is guided by knowledge, empathy, and strategic vision.
Our Executive Team is the driving force behind RIAC’s day-to-day operations. Led by individuals with a strong background in advocacy and social justice, the team works tirelessly to implement our strategies and achieve our goals.
Our Board
CARLI LEISHMAN
CHAIRPERSON
Carli has worked in both corporate and NFP roles within the Human Services sector since 2017. Driven by social justice and human rights Carli brings her research and evaluation lens to RIAC with a focus on strong governance. Carli holds a Master of Social Work and is currently working in a research role at Mallee Family Care in Mildura. Carli’s previous experience is in the Aged Care sector where she worked in both residential and home care settings in direct practice and management. Carli is passionate about embedding evidence informed practice into human services organisations and using research and evaluation as a form of policy advocacy.
SHANNON BURDEU
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Shannon is passionate about equity and inclusiveness – nobody should feel discriminated against or harassed due to any physical mental or other difference.
Shannon choose to join RIAC’s Board to use her skills to make a difference in the community.
Shannon is currently a Company Secretary/Executive officer at Community Bank Maldon & District, a NFP social enterprise which invests 80% of its profits back in the community.
Previous senior management roles at global tax firms.
Shannon comes to us with strong governance and legal professional with 15 years experience in the corporate and NFP sectors including over 10 years volunteering on Boards.
KATHRYN LONDRIGAN
SECRETARY
Kathryn brings 20+ years of consulting and industry experience specialising in solving complex, strategic problems in organisation transformation, culture change management and cost transformation/optimisation across a wide range of industries. She also has strong governance experience, across boards and advisory committees in the corporate and NFP sectors, including as Vice President.
Kathryn is passionate about ensuring all people have equal access to services, and are able live and work as they choose.
BEAU MITTNER
TREASURER
Beau is passionate about giving back to the community so people from all walks of life have a chance at living their best life. Beau has worked alongside RIAC for a number of years and has observed the organisation deliver on its program outcomes. RIAC makes a real difference in the communities in which it operates, and he felt this was a great opportunity to support his passion and give back to the local community. Beau’s financial literacy skills are a valued asset to RIAC’s Board to provide assurance to the other members that RIAC has the resources to not only grow but also continue delivering on its mission and objectives.
Beau’s passion for social equity has a strong alignment with all RIAC’s core values, partially Action, as fairness is not created within society unless people or organisations take action to advocate for it.
Beau is currently the Finance Manager for the Moira Shire Council based in Cobram and holds a Bachelor of Commerce: Accounting and Finance and a Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting.
Before this role Beau worked in Professional Services for 8 and a half years where he was a manager in Business Services for an Accounting Firm in Geelong. During his time in professional services, he has provided a number of services including Audit and Assurance, Governance and Risk, Virtual CFO and Taxation. Prior to moving to Geelong, Beau was a volunteer member of Surfing Victoria’s Finance and Audit Committee. As part of this role, he provided recommendations to the Board on a number of Financial Reporting, Policy and Audit related matters.
BICH JENNINGS
ORDINARY MEMBER
Bich is a passionate ally for all forms of diversity, inclusion and intersectionality.
Bich joined RIAC’s Board to apply her skills in risk and assurance to strengthen and flex the positive advocacy work within our communities.
Bich has never followed the conventional path, and thrives when navigating uncertainty, clarifying ambiguity, clearly communicating and leading people through periods of change, she often finds herself leading a change agenda. She has held formal and moral leadership positions throughout her career in Defence, operations and within her consulting capacity. Bich is a Certified Practising Risk Manager (CPRM®) and specialises in Enterprise-Wide Risk Management and risk management in operations, with local and international experience. She has led projects across the APAC region and managed cross-functional, national projects throughout the life cycle.
Bich has always been drawn to building communities for impacting change, particularly in Neurodiversity and allyship. Bich believes in RIAC’s vision, mission and there’s strong alignment between her personal values and that of RIAC’s – Respect, Independence, Acceptance and Collaboration.
LOUISE HALLIWELL
ORDINARY MEMBER
Louise is passionate about community contribution, supporting equality and fostering diversity and inclusion. Louise believes that joining the RIAC Board is a great opportunity for her to contribute to a worthwhile organisation and be part of a team that is delivering a positive impact in her community.
Louise is a Director at PwC where she leads the firm’s Responsible Business strategy across key Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) domains. Louise also engages in the market to support entities to shape and extend their ESG strategies in the areas of social impact, net zero, sustainable supply, human rights (including modern slavery) and corporate sustainability more broadly.
Louise is:
- Certified in SDG impact measurement & management by Duke University;
- Certified carbon literate by the Carbon Literacy Project;
- A registered Climate Active technical consultant
- A graduate of RMIT University’s Bachelor of Communications.
- Louise also has a familial lived experience of disability.
AINSLEE HOOPER
ORDINARY MEMBER
Ainslee Hooper is an Applied Anthropologist and Disability Inclusion Consultant, Board Member, and External Committee Member. Before starting her consultancy in 2019, which helps organisations strengthen their disability inclusion strategies, Ainslee spent the previous two decades working in the public sector. A lifelong wheelchair user, Ainslee is passionate about ensuring people with disabilities are heard, seen, and included.
DIANNE THOMSON
ORDINARY MEMBER
Dianne spent 15 years on the board for the Barwon Disability Resource Council (BDRC) and came across to the RIAC Board when the organisations joined forces. She has a wealth of knowledge in the disability sector, with previous roles in the Rural Access Project and is a volunteer peer support worker for Limbs for Life. Dianne is dedicated to allowing all people to have their voices heard.
Our CEO
DR SANDY ROSS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Sandy Ross is CEO of Rights Information and Advocacy Centre (RIAC), and Treasurer of Disability Advocacy Victoria.
Prior to working for RIAC, Sandy spent 5 years as Executive Officer of Financial Counselling Victoria, also serving on the Executive Committee of Consumers Federation Australia. His career has included stints at the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, as an academic at the University of Melbourne School of Social and Political Sciences, and as Secretary of the CSIRO Staff Association and of the CPSU Science Division. He is currently a member of the People & Services Committee of Travellers Aid Australia, and previously served on the Boards of Regen (now the AOD part of Uniting Vic/Tas) and Fitzroy Learning Network.
