Our Board
Jonathan Shar
Jonathan Shar is currently studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Social Justice) degree at Macquarie University.
Jonathan has complete 2 mentoring programs, Ignition and Emerge which were run jointly by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and ING Australia.
Jonathan also runs his own charity, Australian Disability that looks to build a better society by reclaiming disability as an identity.
David Daoud
David Daoud is a proud husband and father from Lebanese background. His determination has helped him overcome the many challenges he faced in losing his sight as a young adult and he is actively involved in advocating for the inclusion of people living with vision impairment.
David was born is Sydney and grew up in the Inner West area with his three brothers and sister. He had planned on a career as an IT engineer but a car accident in 2000 left him completely blind and changed his life. He still has a passion for technology, especially assistive technology that allows him to be as independent as possible.
David is currently a Community Connector with the Physical Disability Council of NSW NDIS ILC Peer Support Project (Liverpool). He accesses disability support services for community participation and has been with the same provider for over 10 years.
He hopes that sharing his insights and experience of cultural and structural barriers will be a useful learning opportunity for others. He welcomes the opportunity to develop his skills in business administration and speaking to different audiences as a self-employed lived experience educator.
Ibby Dee
Abrahim is passionate about helping the community become more accessible for people with disabilities. Abrahim was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disorder at the age of 5 and when his leg muscles became weaker he began to use a powered wheelchair at the age of 15.
From 2011- 2017 Abrahim has worked in several organisations mainly in administration. He has recently become an ambassador for Ability Links NSW and uses this role in promoting inclusion for people with disabilities and from the CALD community.
Since 2017 he has attended all the training which DDA have offered: Introduction to Peer Support, Peer Facilitation and Peer Mentoring. This led him to do more work with Diversity and Disability Alliance as a co researcher for the evaluation team and as a co-facilitator in DDA training.
Abrahim has a number of qualifications, including the Bachelor of Business and Commerce (Accounting) and the Master of Business and Commerce from Western Sydney University, Diploma of Leadership and Management from Evocca College and a Certificate IV in Customer Engagement from Managed Corporate Outcomes Pty Ltd.
Abrahim is a member of the alumni group for Western Sydney University and Wheelchair Sports NSW. He is also a member of two peer support groups, the Liverpool Peer Support Group and the former Blacktown Peer Support Group, which is run by the Physical Disability Council of NSW.
Charlie Zada
Charlie is a Lived Experience Practitioner and an Inclusion and Accessibility Specialist and throughout Charlie's career, he has immersed himself in projects and collaborations that blend his deepest passions: social justice, community development, and education. Charlie has almost a decade of experience in the disability sector, working as a disability support worker to being a disability advocate to now working in the disability project space.
Charlie currently works as the Disability Project Lead at LGBTIQ+ Health Australia and co runs the Sydney Queer and Disability community group. He is also on the Observership program, shadowing a board. These endeavors are not just professional pursuits but reflections of his commitment to creating a more equitable society. Each role he undertakes is approached with a focus on fostering awareness and promoting positive change, both within himself and in the communities he serves. His journey is driven by a relentless dedication to making a meaningful impact and pushing the boundaries of personal and societal growth.
Melissa Marsden
Melissa Marsden is a PhD Candidate in Media & Disability Studies at Curtin University and a freelance journalist. She started her own business Framing the Narrative and writes for media outlets on issues surrounding disability, politics and social justice.
Melissa has degrees in politics, media and journalism and has worked with Australian film director Sarah Barton at video-on demand web service Disability Busters.
Melissa was born with hydrocephalus and suffered a traumatic brain injury at the age of six, causing permanent blindness, mobility and short-term memory problems.
Melissa is also a para-equestrian and has a keen interest in drawing attention to the strong relationships people with disabilities form with horses through interspecies interdependence.