About

About Us

Leadership Plus provide a full range of disability advocacy services.

The team is works remotely, all incoming calls to Leadership Plus go to voicemail and messages are retrieved twice daily and passed on. Intake workers return calls and emails on Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30 – 12:30. It may take up to two intake shifts for us to return a call or email.

For Intake, please call (03) 9489 2999 and leave a message, or send an email to intake@leadershipplus.com

If you have any other enquires, please email
admin@leadershipplus.com

Our History

Since 1985 we have worked alongside people with disabilities so that they have access to and exercise their rights and opportunities in life to foster active citizenship.

Leadership Plus was formed with the merger of Headway Inc, an advocacy group specialising in issues and supports for people with acquired brain injury (ABI) and Action for Community Living (ACL), an advocacy group with a history of working on individual and systemic issues associated with people around daily support needs.

Collaboration, partnerships and networks

We work collaboratively with communities, business, government and not for profit partners, in cost-effective and best-practice approaches.

We are members of Disability Advocacy Network Australia (DANA) and Disability Advocacy Victoria (DAV). DANA and DAV are the peak networks for disability advocacy in Australia and Victoria respectively. We also work closely with the National Centre for Disability Advocacy and Disability Advocacy Resource Unit.

Advocates are members of a variety of networks including Victorian Disability Advocacy Network (VicDAN) and NDIS Appeals Community of Practice.

Our Board

Leadership Plus is supported and overseen by a qualified and diverse volunteer board.

Fiona Curry – Chair

Fiona is a commercially astute, consultative finance leader with experience across international, corporate, property and not for profit sectors. Fiona cares about equity and has held board roles in education, disability, supporting asylum seekers and has also worked in aged care.

Professor Christine Bigby – Vice Chair

Christine is the Director of the Living with Disability Research Centre at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. She has a long track record of working in partnership with disability support organisations investigating the effectiveness of practice, social programs and policies that aim to support the social inclusion of adults and older people with intellectual disabilities. Since 2009 has led a longitudinal study investigating the organisation of staff support, and quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities living in group homes and leads a major program of research on the practice of supported decision making. She has significant experience in conducting inclusive research with people with intellectual disabilities and has published key articles on inclusive methods. Bigby is a member of the College of Experts of the Australian Research Council and has published 9 books, 42 book chapters, 166 journal articles and numerous research reports.

Ritika Soni – Secretary

Ritika is a vocational training professional with extensive experience from coordination & management to training in Australian Vocational Education Training (VET) sector. During her career, Ritika has been exposed to domestic and international students. She embraces diversity and has helped students to achieve their career goals. Ritika is passionate and committed to helping people in need.

Satu Aho – Board Member

Satu brings to the Board knowledge of NDIS strategy and leadership alongside advocacy in CALD communities. Satu has experience from all three sectors (public, private and community) and she is a qualified lawyer.

Ashleigh Pinto – Board Member

Ashleigh is a lawyer with expertise in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. She recognises the vital role advocacy can play in working with people with disability to navigate the Scheme and realise their rights.

Linda Harrison – Board Member

Linda joined the board in 2024 bringing personal and professional values aligned to both advocacy and volunteering including life-long learning, service and community. Linda has worked in direct support work, operational management and disability policy and is also a qualified Lead Auditor and Improvement Coach with a deep understanding of quality systems and passion for inclusive, participatory practice. Linda is dedicated to playing a part in system improvement and better social and health outcomes for everyone, in particular LGBTIQ+ communities and people with a disability.

Tarli Sali – Board Member

Tarli has extensive experience in counselling, education and working with families in difficult emotional and health care situations. Tarli holds a Bachelor of Behavioural Science, a Graduate Diploma in Genetic Counselling, and a Graduate Diploma in Leadership. Tarli’s impact and contribution includes diverse expertise in delivering collaborative and empowering outcomes in public, government, private and professional contexts within the health and disability fields, extending to membership of various not-for-profit Boards. Tarli is committed to facilitating community development through the principles of empowerment, human rights, inclusion, social justice, and equality. Tarli always works to the belief of “seeing the person not the disability” and facilitating all individuals to have control and be experts on their own needs.

Donations and Bequests

The work we do is vital to protecting the rights of people with disability. If you’ve been helped by what we do, know somebody who has or just value inclusion and protecting human rights, consider a donation or bequest.