Each year the Disability Leadership Oration leads the discussion on disability leadership and plays a role in setting the national agenda. A thought provoking talk that sparks conversation and puts disability leadership into the centre of things.

Centred on IDPWD in December (International Day of People with Disability), the Oration is a destination annual event for the calendars of the broader disability community, business and government leaders, and anyone interested in thought leadership and equality.

Each year a prominent disability leader shares their perspective on disability leadership, where it is going and what it looks like. Taking a broad view, they will outline the way forward and consider what needs to be done and who should be part of making progress happen.

Disability Leadership Symposium 2026

In 2026, the Disability Leadership Oration will be followed by an invite only Symposium focussing on the critical issues raised in the Oration - Disability Leadership, where to next? A range of experts across multiple disciplines will consider options for ways forward.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday 12 November 2026

Time: 12 pm arrival for a 12.30 pm start.

Location: National Archives of Australia, Canberra

(NOTE: please arrive early, nobody will be admitted once the Oration starts.)

The Oration will run until 1.45pm.

Dress code: Business / Work Attire

Please keep your ticket on your phone or print it out to present to the team on the day. You must have a ticket to gain entry, please arrive early doors close 12.30 pm sharp.

You can attend in person or online, see ticket options.

2026 Orator: Christina Ryan

In 2016 Christina Ryan took one of the most radical steps in her long career of activism and change making: she put the two words disability and leadership into the same sentence. Her next step was founding the Disability Leadership Institute.

The Disability Leadership Institute has become a global community of disability leaders, supporting each other through a professional network and member groups. The term “disability leadership” is now used widely.

As a specialist adult vertical development leadership coach, Christina now uses her decades of expertise built through frontline disability rights activism, community sector management, systemic advocacy, working at the United Nations, and mentoring to build more disability leaders.

Christina has been acknowledged with various honours including in 2013 as one of 100 women of the Canberra Centenary, and as a finalist for 2025 ACT Australian for the Year. In 2015 she received the ACT Chief Minister’s Lifetime Achievement in Inclusion Award. She has also been a finalist in both the Telstra Business Awards and Telstra Businesswomen’s Awards.

2026 Interlocutor: Alastair McEwin AM

Born profoundly deaf, Alastair has expertise in disability rights and systemic reform. He is a former Disability Discrimination Commissioner and a Royal Commissioner with the Disability Royal Commission. Alastair is also a Senior Fellow with the Grattan Institute.

2026 Facilitator: Katherine Jeffries

Katherine is a seasoned Diversity and Inclusion specialist with over 15 years’ experience in progressing D&I across the Public Sector. Katherine has led major reforms, including gender equity initiatives in Defence, intersectionality projects at the Office for Women, and disability reform for the whole of the Australian Public Service in response to the Disability Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. As Director of Inclusion Policy and Disability at the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC), Katherine drives whole-of-service diversity reform. Her approach is evidence-based and human-centered, shaped by a deep commitment to making inclusion business as usual. Katherine’s passion for inclusion is rooted in her ongoing journey to foster environments where every individual is respected and valued. Katherine is a woman with disability, a wife, proud mum of two little people, an artist and a book hoarder.

Accessibility:

This event is intended to be fully accessible, please fill in any accessibility requirements when registering. If you need additional help, email engage@disabilityleaders.com.au

Sponsor:

The Disability Leadership Institute gratefully acknowledges our sponsors, The Achieve Foundation, without whom this major event would not happen.

The Disability Leadership Oration 2026

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