Advisory Committee

Damien is a parent who can speak to the day-to-day joys, wonders and challenges of raising a child on the spectrum. In addition to bringing empathy and life experience to the table, Damien’s business acumen allows him to understand the realities of service provision, as well as policy and guidelines. Damien is an advocate for being inclusive of diversity.

Julie is the parent of a teenage, autistic, transgender daughter who was non-verbal until he was 8 years old and has now achieved her goals in high school. She would like to support other families in receiving the supports they need. Julie and her family live in rural Queensland. She is passionate about contributing to improving access to supports and services for people on the autism spectrum and their families in rural communities.

Asteria is a model, author, speaker, and passionate diversity advocate based in Ipswich, Queensland. Shining on runways, photoshoots, television and in pageants including her title as Miss Australian 2025 she’s on a mission to bring brighter, bolder representation to the fashion, media, and entertainment worlds. Asteria loves challenging old stereotypes and celebrating the beauty of every kind of ability and identity. As a model and content creator, she’s all about opening doors and widening spotlights. Asteria proudly champions inclusivity, showing that people of all abilities belong center-stage, and that everyone’s unique spark deserves respect, celebration, and the chance to thrive.

Emma is a dedicated PhD candidate and research assistant at Griffith University. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology with Honours and brings a unique perspective to her research. As the parent of an autistic son with complex communication needs, Emma has firsthand experience in navigating the challenges and understanding the needs of autistic individuals. Her research focuses on the identification and diagnosis of depression in autistic adults, driven by her personal journey and the desire to improve mental health outcomes within the autistic community.

Gilly is a late diagnosed autistic woman and parent of an autistic child. She is currently completing a PhD through the University of Tasmania researching the organised physical activity experiences of autistic youth and their families. Prior to undertaking her PhD, Gilly also completed a Bachelor degree in Speech and Language Therapy and Master degrees in Disability Studies and Family Studies.

Michelle is a mother of four children, including two neurodivergent children. An AuDHD son, and an AuDHD daughter with a PDA profile (Pathological Demand Avoidance). She is also wife to a late-diagnosed AuDHD husband. Michelle’s experiences navigating education, health, and disability systems have shaped her advocacy and informed her decision to pursue psychology. Living in Far North Queensland on the Atherton Tablelands, Michelle brings insight into accessing services and supports in geographically isolated communities where access and equity can present unique challenges. She is passionate about inclusion and accessibility, and ensuring neurodivergent individuals’ voices are heard and valued, regardless of location. Currently studying psychology at the University of Southern Queensland, Michelle has a strong interest in a research career in inclusive education, with a particular focus on contributing to the Australian evidence base for PDA.

Alexis is a lawyer, mental health advocate, university teacher and writer. She is also a carer with lived experience. Alexis grew up in regional Queensland and now lives on the Gold Coast. She believes in representing and assisting all Queenslanders regardless of their geographical location.

Rachelle is an early career autistic autism researcher. She is a research fellow at Griffith University’s Autism Centre of Excellence and Menzies Health Institute and has contributed to projects commissioned by the Autism CRC, including current work updating the National Guidelines for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia and the National Guideline for Supporting Autistic Children and their Families. Rachelle received her autism diagnosis at 40 and brings her lived experience as a late diagnosed woman to the advisory committee, as well as knowledge and understanding of diversity within the autism community. This includes the varied perspectives and needs of individuals within the autistic and autism communities gained through her research and work with autistic children, their parents/caregivers, early intervention centre staff, teachers, other researchers in the autism field during her PhD, and subsequent work in her research fellow roles.

Lucy grew up in regional Queensland, lived in north Queensland for most of her life, and recently relocated to Brisbane. She has close family members who are autistic, and experience with institutional care. Lucy has lived a life of complexities and faced challenges while showing resilience and achieving lifelong goals. Her goal is to continue to provide advice and advocate for those who may not be able to do so for themselves. She continues to strive to educate and inform professionals and organisations of the lifelong struggles and challenges for people living in institutional care, out of home care and disability care facilities. Lucy has a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) and Diploma of Community Services (Children Services), and has worked as a service manager, early childhood teacher and with NDIS partner organisations.