Unveiling the first of an exciting line-up of speakers for Conference 2023!

We are delighted to unveil the first wave of distinguished speakers, panelists, and convenors for the 2023 NZDEN Disability Inclusive Pathways conference. This year's event promises to be an enlightening and engaging experience, featuring industry leaders who will share their expertise, insights, and thought-provoking ideas. Leading the pack are International Speaker Kate Nash OBE, Founding CEO of PurpleSpace, and Korrin Barrett, who returns to this years event as the Master of Ceremonies.

As the Founding CEO of PurpleSpace, an organisation dedicated to supporting disabled employees and promoting inclusivity in the workplace, Kate has been a driving force behind positive change in numerous organisations. Her tireless advocacy has earned her the prestigious honour of an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Attendees can anticipate an empowering session as Kate shares her insights and strategies for fostering an inclusive work environment.

Following her captivating presentation at last year's event, Korrin Barrett returns to this years conference as the Master of Ceremonies. Korrin is known for her ability to engage, entertain, and facilitate meaningful discussions. With her energy and enthusiasm, she will guide attendees through the conference programme, ensuring a seamless experience filled with valuable content and networking opportunities.

We are thrilled to announce two local industry leaders: Red Nicholson, Executive Director of The D*List, and Olivia Shivas, editor at The D*List.

Red is a creative thinker, social innovation practitioner, and proud disabled person. With a background in the education and creative sectors, Red’s work is driven by a vision for an equitable Aotearoa where all people are valued and resourced to live extraordinary lives. He now leads The D*List, a social change movement to transform attitudes towards disability in Aotearoa.

Red is co-presenting at the conference with Olivia Shivas, a multimedia journalist specialising in disability issues and currently editor at The D*List. As a wheelchair-user herself and being mixed-race (Chinese/Malaysian and European), she is passionate about empowering underrepresented and marginalised groups, and she has used her experiences to positively influence and invest in others.

Olivia is also the producer and presenter of a podcast called What's Wrong With You? which gives an honest and humorous insight into the lives of disabled people, covering topics from sex to travel and religion.

While these announcements set a high bar for the conference, we still have more to be revealed as we finalise our list of speakers, panellists, and convenors to be announced in the weeks to come.

Visit our conference website for registration details and to stay updated on the latest conference announcements.