I’m a disability advocate, author, and adventurer with a background in outdoor education. Most recently, I completed the 1,000km off-road cycling route in a wheelchair to raise awards and funds for multiple sclerosis. My interest in inclusion is driven by the belief that nature should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. 

I joined the Advisory Committee to ensure that regional infrastructure and community planning prioritize equitable access from the ground up. Through my involvement, I hope to contribute practical insights that help create a more inclusive and welcoming environment across the City of Greater Geelong.

It is an enormous privilege to be part of the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee and one that comes with a deep sense of responsibility. I hope to live in a world where justice and equitability is embedded in all decision making, where the human rights of all individuals are respected, and where the reality of all human lived experience is one without barriers. 

After a wonderful international contemporary dance career in Europe, I returned to Australia to eventually find myself living in this beautiful part of the world in 2012, working with Geelong Libraries whilst studying to become an information professional (librarian). After a relatively recent and challenging diagnostic odyssey, I am now learning to navigate life with FSHD Muscular Dystrophy and its special mix of both visible and non-apparent disability. 

I hope to use my personal lived experience of this rare condition to meaningfully contribute to impactful future decisions for our community, no matter how big or small. I look forward to learning from others and continuing the fantastic work done by previous members. Thank you to the City of Greater Geelong for this amazing opportunity!

I’m the Director of Life Is Worth Living, an inclusive employer and disability support service I’ve led for the past seven years, supporting people to build independence and meaningful connection within their communities, while also creating employment and career pathways for people who may otherwise face barriers to work. Alongside my professional experience, I also live with a hidden disability, which has shaped my own experiences of access and inclusion and deepened my understanding of the barriers that can exist across all levels of community engagement.

I was motivated to join the Advisory Committee to contribute both lived experience and practical, on-the-ground insight to broader conversations around access and inclusion. I’m passionate about creating environments where people feel genuinely included and equal within their community, supported by approaches that are inclusive by design and responsive to the diverse ways people engage with the world.

Through my involvement, I hope to advocate for stronger collaboration across sectors, and contribute to practical solutions that improve safety, accountability, and meaningful inclusion within our community.

I bring a strong background in customer experience and community engagement, with a focus on making systems and services easier and fairer for everyone to use. My interest in access and inclusion comes from seeing firsthand how everyday barriers can exclude people from fully participating in their community. 

I was motivated to join the Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee by a desire to see stronger collaboration across the disability community, helping to bring different voices together to drive better outcomes. Through my involvement, I hope to contribute practical, people‑centred insights that support accessible, inclusive outcomes across the City of Greater Geelong.

Katherine Varley is a 45-year-old Geelong resident who lives with her husband and two young children. She brings extensive experience in the local disability sector to her role on the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Fifteen years ago, Katherine sustained an acquired brain injury following a car accident. She then spent several years undertaking rehabilitation at Barwon Health’s McKellar Centre, working closely with clinicians and support staff to regain her independence and rebuild her capacity for daily living.

Through this lived experience, Katherine has developed a strong understanding of the barriers to access and inclusion within the community. She is committed to using these insights to inform and strengthen the work of the committee, helping to make Geelong a more inclusive and accessible community.

Katherine is currently completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Disability and Inclusion at Deakin University, Geelong, further enhancing her knowledge and advocacy in this field.

Priscila Pettiford is the founder, Director and Capacity Building Coordinator of Butterfly Support & Accommodation and has over 15 years’ experience working across disability services, crisis support, and community advocacy. Living with disability herself and as a mother of children with disabilities, she brings both lived and professional experience to her work supporting individuals and families across Greater Geelong. 

Priscila previously held DES ESS leadership roles in Geelong and spent almost a decade supporting vulnerable communities through crisis support services in Sydney. Passionate about accessibility, inclusion, and equitable participation, she joined the Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee to ensure community voices are reflected in local decision-making and to advocate for practical, inclusive change. As a graduate of the Leaders for Geelong program, she brings strong advocacy, collaborative leadership, and practical insight to help create a more inclusive and accessible community for all.

My name is Rachel and I’m very excited to be part of the committee. I am a special education teacher and previously was as an Occupational Therapist working primarily with children with disability and their families. Through my work I have developed a strong interest in Universal Design and am passionate about making sure places, spaces and activities are universally accessible for as many people as possible. When working with children and their families I discovered that how they view access and inclusion and feeling part of their local community was not always aligned with how access and inclusion was put into practice. This created barriers often meaning they felt limited in what, where, or how a child or family could choose to participate. 

I applied to be on this committee as I wanted to learn from and work alongside others to create positive change in the community. I want to help ensure access and inclusion and the voices of people with disability and their families are at the forefront of planning of community spaces, events, services, and communication. I hope this means more people can access and enjoy participating in their local community in the ways in which they want and need to. 

Shannon Bowman is the Director of Create Balance Psychotherapy and Counselling in Geelong, where he supports individuals, families, and organisations to improve mental health and wellbeing. His work focuses on trauma-informed care, neurodiversity, and helping people navigate barriers within services and systems. 

Living and working in Geelong, Shannon is strongly committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and supportive community for everyone. He joined the Advisory Committee to contribute a practical, real-world perspective and to support the council in making decisions that genuinely work for the whole community.

I was born in Geelong and have lived here my whole life, which is why I care deeply about making our city more accessible and inclusive. I’m currently supporting statewide reform through The Gordon TAFE’s Centre of Excellence in Disability Inclusion, working to remove the barriers that make learning, work, and community life harder than they should be for people with disability.   

My work is grounded in a human‑centred, co‑creation approach and a belief that people with disability are experts in their own experience. Through the Advisory Committee, I hope to offer clear, practical insights that strengthen accessibility across Geelong’s projects, services, and community spaces.