Adrienne Francis

TV News Presenter and Journalist, ABC Canberra 

Adrienne Francis is a journalist and presenter for ABC Canberra, where she anchors the TV News on Friday and Saturday nights.

Across more than 23 years with the ABC, Adrienne has presented TV and radio news bulletins in both the ACT and the Northern Territory. She began her career with ABC Local Radio in 2003, working across outback northern Australia and developing a deep connection with the communities she reported from.

Adrienne was recently appointed a Dementia Australia Ambassador. In this role, she draws on her personal experience as a daughter carer and disability advocate, as well as the lived experiences of three generations of women in her family who have been diagnosed with dementia.

Georgie Saggers

General Manager, Dylan Alcott Foundation 

Georgie has been with the Dylan Alcott Foundation since its inception, working first as General Manager and now as CEO alongside Dylan. She also served as his Chief of Staff for seven years, prior to welcoming her daughter in April 2025.

As a co‑founder of Ability Fest, Georgie has a strong interest in community‑driven fundraising initiatives. She draws on her background in brand marketing and activations to help shape and strengthen the Ability Fest model.

Morwenna Collett

Director, Morwenna Collett Consulting 

Morwenna runs a consultancy practice specialising in access, diversity, equity, and inclusion, supporting organisations across the arts, culture, screen, and government sectors to create positive and lasting change. Through strategy development, research, consultation and training, she helps organisations build more inclusive environments. She brings her lived experience as a disabled musician to all aspects of her work.

Recent clients include Screen Australia, Questacon, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Perth Festival, Creative Australia, and many others.

Morwenna currently serves as a Board Director of the Peggy Glanville Hicks Trust and the Festivals Board of Create NSW. She chairs Accessibility and Equity Panels for Sydney Festival, Sydney Fringe and Performance Space, and is a Committee Member of both the Disability Council NSW and the Perth Festival Accessibility Panel.

She has previously been the CEO of Accessible Arts and a Director at the Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia). Morwenna also completed a Churchill Fellowship, exploring inclusive music programs, venues and festivals that actively engage disabled people across the USA and the UK.

Liza Holmes

Assistant Director Content Accessibility (Easy English) - ACT Government 

Liza is passionate about accessible communication. She believes everyone should be able to access the information they need, in a way that makes sense to them, so they can make informed decisions about their lives.

Liza works for the ACT Government in a newly created Content Accessibility role, with a particular focus on Easy English—a style of accessible communication that uses short sentences, clear structure, and supportive images to ensure information is easier to understand.

Rather than jumping straight into Easy English, Liza will share an overview of the foundational principles of accessible communication.

Elijah Arranz

Motivational Speaker 

From a very young age, Elijah Arranz dreamed of becoming a successful athlete and representing Australia in marathon running. Those aspirations changed suddenly at age 14 when he was involved in a tragic accident.

Today, Elijah travels around the country sharing his powerful story of determination, grit, resilience, and the importance of never giving up. His lived experience continues to inspire audiences of all ages.

Liz Lea

Director, The BOLD Festival and The Stellar Company 

Liz Lea is a nationally and internationally recognised dance artist, choreographer and producer based in the ACT. Named the 2017 ACT Artist of the Year, Liz is the Director of the BOLD Festival, a celebration of dance legacy, history and innovation across all identities.

She also leads The Stellar Company, a not‑for‑profit arts organisation delivering professionally produced, high‑quality arts programs, including the Chamaeleon Collective, Canberra’s first inclusive dance company.

Liz works as an Audio Describer for organisations such as Sydney Dance Company, Dan Daw Creative Projects, and the National Museum of Australia, helping broaden access to the arts for blind and low‑vision audiences.

Most recently, she has been collaborating with artists across ASEAN nations, exploring the intersection of dance and the virtual world to empower people of all abilities.

Learn more at The Bold Festival

Adam Deusien

Creative Director - Enlighten Festival, Events ACT - ACT Government 

Adam Deusien is a live‑performance and festival director with over 15 years’ experience as an independent artist, programmer, and presenter. He is currently the Creative Director of Canberra’s Enlighten Festival, guiding one of the city’s flagship cultural events.

Adam has held a range of artistic and leadership roles across Australia, including Artistic Director of the Regional Arts Festival Artstate, Associate Artist at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre, Manager of New Work and Sector Development at the Canberra Theatre Centre, Head of Programming for Fyi Canberra, and Creative Producer for New Annual in Newcastle.

Adam has lived with Tourette’s Syndrome since childhood and has recently begun a new creative inquiry that incorporates his lived experience into performance‑making methodologies and leadership practices.

Yasmine Gray

Founding Director, GetAboutAble / Empowering Experiences 

Yasmine Gray is a well‑known figure in the Canberra tourism industry. She founded GetAboutAble in 2015 and was recognised in the 2025 Canberra Region Tourism Awards for her Outstanding Contribution by an Individual.

Drawing on her own lived experience, Yasmine has deep insight into the barriers faced by people with disability when getting out and about. She brings this understanding—and her passion for inclusive travel—to help the mainstream tourism industry recognise the value and needs of the accessible tourism market.

Yasmine’s mission is to support the tourism sector to better serve people with mobility, vision, hearing, neurodiverse and other access needs, ultimately creating more inclusive and enjoyable tourism experiences for everyone.

Cancer Council

Canberra hosts amazing events year‑round, and Cancer Council ACT is proud to support them through our free SunSmart Events Package and Health Promotion Stalls.

Our SunSmart Events Package includes free sunscreen, a shade marquee and a range of sun safety resources to help keep event attendees protected while they enjoy the day.

In addition, our staffed Health Promotion Stalls feature our friendly team who chat with the community about sun safety, smoking, vaping, nicotine, and other health behaviours—encouraging Canberrans to make positive, informed choices.

We’ve partnered with major local events such as the Royal Canberra Show, Spilt Milk, Summernats, Canberra Raiders home games, as well as school carnivals and community gatherings, ensuring everyone has access to health‑promoting environments.

Learn more at Cancer Council ACT

Red Frogs

Red Frogs Australia exists to safeguard a generation, acting as a positive peer presence that empowers individuals to make wise life choices and influence culture for good.

At major events, Red Frogs delivers a holistic crowd‑care strategy, shifting responses to medical and wellbeing needs from reactive to proactive. Their teams provide hydration, welfare checks, safe‑space support, and on‑the‑ground assistance to help keep event‑goers safe.

Red Frogs has been a trusted presence at some of Australia’s most iconic events, including Splendour in the Grass, Spilt Milk, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Groovin’ the Moo, CMC, Travis Scott, and has supported Cricket Australia for more than 10 years.

In 2023, 86% of event partners rated Red Frogs as “very effective” or “extremely effective” in raising awareness around responsible behaviours and personal safety.

Learn more at Red Frogs

The Easy Read Toolbox

Founded in 2021, The Easy Read Toolbox is a certified social enterprise (Social Traders Australia, 2023) that makes communication clear, inclusive, and accessible for everyone, while providing employment for disabled people.

Around 90% of the team are disabled, bringing lived experience to every project. The Toolbox specialises in Easy Read communication—turning complex text into plain language and visuals so people can understand, decide, and take part.

The business partners with government, tertiary education, and corporate clients to promote inclusion through accessible design. Disability- and woman-led, The Easy Read Toolbox combines professional expertise with social impact, helping organisations build a culture of equity, understanding, and access.

Learn more at Easy Read Toolbox