The Board of the Australian Disability Network is very pleased and indeed excited to announce the appointment of Amy Whalley to commence as our CEO on 1 September 2025. Amy is very well known to AusDN members and our community, and she brings an exceptional set of career experiences to this role. Amy is presently based in the UK as the Head of Strategy for Valuable 500, and prior to that held a senior executive role in disability accessibility with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The AusDN community will remember Amy most clearly for her decade of excellent service with us from 2012 to 2022, including her six and a half years as the Deputy CEO at AusDN. We very much look forward to welcoming Amy back to AusDN as our continuing CEO later in 2025. Amy will be based in our Sydney office following her return to Australia.
“I am delighted to return to AusDN and collaborate with our members and community to drive progress in disability inclusion across Australia,” Amy Whalley said.
“It is a privilege to step into the role of Chief Executive Officer and build on the exceptional work of Corene Strauss, Suzanne Colbert and the AusDN Team. While there is still much to achieve, I am confident that, together, we can develop a bold and effective strategy that translates into meaningful action and lasting impact,” she said.
Amy further stated “Our shared vision of a more inclusive and accessible Australia will guide our roadmap for change”.
Further to the above, The AusDN Board is very pleased to advise that Deborah Homewood has agreed to take up the role as CEO of the Australian Disability Network in this intervening period from 28 January until the end of August next year. Deborah is a very experienced CEO, and has led major organisations for nearly fifteen years in that role. Deborah was CEO at PacNet from 2008 to 2012, and thereafter for ten years with Max Solutions, a leading National Disability Employment, Learning and Health provider. Deborah is currently a Non-Executive Director of Smart Group, an ASX listed corporation. Deborah will work closely with the AusDN Chair and Board, and facilitate a seamless transition to her successor as CEO when Amy commences in September.
“This is a very exciting time to take the CEO role during 2025 for an organisation I have known and respected for many years as a member and stakeholder,” Deborah Homewood said.
“AusDN is making a great contribution to disability inclusion within Australian workplaces, and I look forward to our continuation of that and also to a smooth transition with Amy Whalley into this office, later next year.”
The Chairman of AusDN Board, Peter Wilson AM further remarked that
“the future of AusDN is very well served by the consecutive appointments of Deborah Homewood and Amy Whalley to the office of CEO. Our community is fortunate to have Amy Whalley return to us as CEO later next year, and also for a distinguished member of our community and experienced CEO in Deborah Homewood to manage the organisation during the intervening period”.
And to conclude
“The AusDN organisation and community wishes to record its significant appreciation and enormous thanks to Corene Strauss for her excellent leadership and amazing contributions to national disability workplace inclusion during her service as our CEO from July 2021 until the end of December,” Peter Wilson said.
Peter Wilson AM
Chairman
Australian Disability Network Ltd.
E: peter.wilson@ausdn.org.au