Living with blindness or low vision doesn’t have to be a barrier to career success or taking on leadership roles.
At Vision Australia, our Board, Leadership Team and other senior positions are made up of highly qualified, passionate and driven individuals. Many of these are people who are blind or have low vision.
We believe their lived experiences can provide others with some insight into how to approach the career path and develop their leadership skills and we’re happy to announce a chance for people to connect directly with them.
On Wednesday June 19, we’re hosting a special Facebook Live Employment and Leadership session with three members of our Leadership Team and Board.
This will allow you to hear directly from them about how they achieved success in their chosen careers and what they believe being a leader means. There is also the opportunity for you to have your questions answered directly by the panel.
Facebook Live Employment and Leadership session
- When: 4:30pm, Wednesday June 19
- Where: Live on Vision Australia’s Facebook page.
Meet the panel
Chris Edwards: Vision Australia Manager of Government Relations and Advocacy
Chris has more than 20 years’ experience working in the blindness and low vision sector holding leadership roles in employment, assistive technology and service delivery.
Chris is a specialist on employment, assistive technology and delivering services that support the blindness and low vision community. In his current role at Vision Australia, Chris leads our efforts to work with governments and other agencies to improve conditions and increase opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision.
Chris is married and father to three children. Since 2012 he has been working in partnership with his Seeing Eye Dog, Odie.
Karen Knight: Vision Australia General Manager Advocacy and Engagement / QLD, NNSW & NT Client Services
For the past 25 years, Karen has been involved in advocacy in the blindness community including 12 years as a Director of Blind Citizens Australia. Karen has also been involved in a range of disability sector committees and served on the Board of Vision Australia before commencing as an employee in 2007.
Blind since birth, Karen’s lived experience of blindness which drives her passion in advocating for people who are blind or have low vision.
Karen is a registered psychologist with previous experience in mental health, youth suicide prevention and mental health promotion. She has worked largely in the health sector and for prominent community organisations.
Darren Fittler: Lawyer and Vision Australia Board member
Darren grew up in regional NSW before moving to Sydney to complete a social work degree and later a law degree.
He is committed to the rights of people with disability and, in addition to working as a disability advocate in the late 90s, has fought for braille election ballot forms and had the privilege of participating in meetings at the United Nations in New York, helping in the development of an international convention on the rights of persons with disability.
Darren joined the law firm Gilbert + Tobin in June 2004 and is now the lead partner in the firm’s Third Sector Advisory Group, specialising in the provision of legal assistance to philanthropists, charities and not-for-profit organisations
Darren was the recipient of the 2014 Human Rights Commission Law Award in recognition of his long term commitment to assisting not-for-profit and charitable organisations
Have your questions answered
Our panel is keen to answer your questions relating to leadership and employment.
You can ask them directly through Facebook during the session, or feel free to email them in prior to media@visionaustralia.org.