Disability Services Commission Board
Dr Scott Hollier (Chairperson)
Scott has two decades of digital access knowledge in corporate and academic areas. His current position is as Chief Executive Officer and Cofounder of the Centre for Accessibility Australia, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to alleviating hardship caused by digital access issues for people with disability, their families, and carers.
Scott is a current Board member of the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association (ASCCA) and has been in this role for several years.
Scott’s PhD studies were internet related and focussed specifically on the ‘disability divide’ addressing digital access issues for people who are blind or vision impaired. He also holds a Master of Management and a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Computer Science.
Scott has lived experience as a person who is legally blind resulting from a degenerative eye condition.
Ms Amanda Hunt (Deputy Chairperson)
Amanda has worked in the disability sector for more than 25 years in a variety of positions, from supporting people directly to leading organisations.
Amanda is committed to building beneficial relationships and partnerships with individuals with lived experience, families, and community, as well as corporate, government and political stakeholders, alongside whom she has worked to guide statewide system reform aimed at improving long-term community wellbeing outcomes.
Mr Christopher (Chris) Kent
Chris has more than 20 years’ experience with a large listed professional services firm operating across Victoria, South Australia & Western Australia. This included the last 10 years as State Director in WA.
He is recognised as an analytical, future-focused influencer that is known to challenge the norm and can systematically design and implement major organisational change to improve productivity and engagement for both internal and external stakeholders.
Chris has recently joined the Advisory Board of People with Disabilities WA (PwDWA) and has been a Board Member of Leadership WA since 2017 as well as being a graduate of their Signature Leadership Program. Chris is also an AICD graduate having completed the Company Directors Course in 2020.
Chris has a teenage daughter who was born with a physical disability, and who from a young age has broken down barriers in her community through her passion for genuine inclusion and increased participation for everybody in her school and sporting network. Born premature with a rare condition, she has recently transitioned to a wheelchair for her daily mobility. Through his daughter, Chris has become involved in para-sport as an accredited athletics coach and is passionate about increasing participation for people with a disability in schools and the broader community.
In his former Executive role, Chris was able to establish the “Helping for Your Tomorrow” initiative, which introduced paid volunteering across more than 1500 staff across Australia and New Zealand as well as setting up several key pillars to tackle underutilisation of minority groups in workforce participation in the region. As a member of their Disability Pillar Committee, Chris had been striving for Disability Confident Recruiter status for the organisation and was regularly reminded of just how many barriers employers are putting up for those with a disability trying to find gainful employment. In tackling this, he co-authored a “Guide to recruiting people with a disability” to help break down some of these barriers with their 10,000+ clients.
Chris’s drive to create a better life for his daughter and for all people with disability and their loved ones was addressed in the State Disability Strategy 2020-2030, which inspired him to do more to advocate for the high rate of unemployment in this area of our community.
Ms Patricia (Trish) Sullivan
Trish has both personal and career experience of disability and the impact that it has on individuals, families and the community. She is the proud parent of a now adult son who has an Intellectual Disability, Autism and Epilepsy.
Being the parent of a son with disability has put Trish in the position of being an advocate, not only for him, but others with a disability, especially those with an intellectual disability.
Trish has worked in health for more than 30 years, in both metropolitan and regional areas. Her career provided her with extensive experience and knowledge of the difficulties faced by persons who have disability across the entire spectrum of disability and among diverse population groups including Aboriginal, adult, child and adolescent, culturally and linguistically diverse including refugees, and mental health. Trish continues to maintain an awareness of relevant trends, issues, and policies, nationally and internationally, especially in the areas of disability and mental health.
Trish brings to the Disability Services Commission Board her understanding and experience in financial management, strategic planning, healthcare reform and innovation. She enjoys data analysis to identify trends, tracking performance, and making informed decisions.
Trish is also the deputy chair of the board of Developmental Disability WA.
Mrs Mary Butterworth
Mary has considerable awareness across a wide range of issues experienced by people with developmental disability and their families, as well as the services that support them. She brings a wealth of knowledge which spans more than 40 years of working in the disability sector, most recently as the Chief Executive Officer of Developmental Disability WA for the past 13 years.
Mary lived and worked with people with disability in the Pilbara, including Aboriginal people living in towns and remote communities. She grew up on a farm in the Wheatbelt and has a keen insight into the day-to-day strain of having poor access to services, which are often only available in the city.
Mary’s son was diagnosed with ADHD just after leaving high school, which explained why by she had spent 12 years navigating health and education systems that did not understand his needs or provide the support he required.
Mary’s areas of interest include advocacy, the arts, behaviour, communication, education, employment, health, housing, law, parenting, relationships, safety, sport, disability supports, transport and transition points in life.
Mr Gary Hamley
Now retired, Gary has worked with the disability sector for more than 23 years to advocate and support his sister-in-law, who had an intellectual disability. He and his wife were her legal appointed guardians.
Gary advocated strongly to keep his sister-in-law living with her friends in sheltered accommodation throughout service provider changes and other threats to separating the friends. He has managed her financial arrangements and reports to the Public Trustee. He also navigated the NDIS to ensure she received an appropriate package to live a quality life.
Gary has more than 50 years’ experience in the WA public service and believes in improving the WA community through effective delivery of services. He developed an extensive understanding of accountability, governance, management, policy development and service delivery frameworks.
During this time, while Gary worked with a government minister who uses a wheelchair, he became aware of the issues relating to accessibility for people with mobility restrictions. He also gained extensive knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal cultural issues during his time as Executive Director of the Office of Native Title.
Ms Kayla Ryan
Kayla is a Yamatji Wajarri woman who has lived in the Goldfields for more 10 years. Her family ties are to the Gascoyne and Midwest regions.
Since 2021, Kayla has worked as a Disability and Aged Care Coordinator at Bega Garnbirringu Health Service, which is a local Aboriginal medical health service. Before this, Kayla was employed by the WA Country Health Service for five years. Accordingly, Kayla has developed a thorough understanding of the NDIS and the disability sector.
Kayla is passionate about helping her Indigenous community access a better quality of life and ensuring everyone has the same opportunities to health care. Kayla will highlight the needs of her community and the disadvantages they face daily.
