Women With Disabilities Australia is proud to welcome Dr Rachelle Bonner and Steph Travers as newly appointed members of our Management Committee.
Their appointment marks an important moment for WWDA as we continue to strengthen our leadership, governance and advocacy at a time when the voices, expertise and lived experience of women and gender-diverse people with disabilities are needed more than ever. Both Dr Bonner and Ms Travers bring exceptional experience across governance, policy, advocacy, systems reform and community leadership, along with a deep commitment to disability rights, gender equality and collective change.
Following WWDA’s Annual General Meeting, the final verified results of the election process have been confirmed. In accordance with WWDA’s Constitution, nominations were received for two available Director positions, with the voting process conducted by independent voting service GoVote.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Bonner and Ms Travers to the Management Committee and look forward to the insight, leadership and expertise they will bring to WWDA’s work now and into the future.
Their appointment will help strengthen WWDA’s governance as we continue advancing the rights, safety and leadership of women, girls, feminine identifying and non-binary people with disabilities across Australia.
We also extend our sincere thanks to all nominees who put themselves forward for these roles. The willingness of our members to contribute their time, skills, expertise and lived experience is deeply valued and plays a vital role in sustaining our organisation and movement.
At a time when many people are navigating significant personal, financial and health pressures, choosing to remain engaged in community and volunteer leadership is an act of generosity, solidarity and commitment. It strengthens not only WWDA, but the broader movement for disability rights and gender equality.
We thank all members, volunteers and supporters who continue to contribute to WWDA’s work. Your involvement helps ensure we remain accountable, representative, future-focused and grounded in the communities we serve.
Meet our new Management Committee members
Dr Rachelle Bonner
Dr Rachelle Bonner is a proud Wiradjuri woman with disability and an accomplished executive leader with more than 20 years’ experience across government, health, regulation and academia. She has a distinguished record leading national reforms, overseeing complex regulatory and policy programs, and embedding culturally safe, human-rights–centred practice across large systems.
A Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Rachelle brings extensive governance experience spanning strategic planning, financial oversight, risk management, compliance, stakeholder engagement and organisational culture reform. She is an Adjunct Fellow at the Adelaide Medical School and an internationally published scholar, with current research interests in endometriosis, disability justice and moral injury.
Deeply committed to advancing the rights, leadership and visibility of women and girls with disabilities, Rachelle contributes expertise in advocacy, policy, cultural competence, trauma-informed practice and community engagement, grounded in a strong commitment to accessible, inclusive and culturally informed leadership.
Steph Travers
Steph Travers is a disabled woman with lived experience of spina bifida, autism, and psychosocial disability. She studied Arts (Psychology) and Law at the University of Western Sydney, and psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Australian College of Applied Psychology.
Steph is a legal advocate specialising in social security and guardianship law, and Managing Director of Amplify Access, a disability rights consulting and advocacy firm. Her work sits at the intersection of law, systems reform, and lived experience, grounded in trauma-informed, rights-based practice, with a strong focus on challenging paternalistic approaches to disability support and decision-making.
She co-founded Voices for Central Coast Disability in 2018 and is currently a Director and Secretary of People with Disability Australia (PWDA). In 2025, she attended the United Nations Conference of States Parties as part of PWDA’s delegation.
Over the past decade, Steph has served on numerous local, state, and national advisory bodies focused on inclusion, safety, and systemic reform. Her current appointments include the Attorney-General’s Department Elder Abuse Steering Committee and the Women’s Safety Commission Advisory, where she applies an intersectional trauma-informed lens to governance and policy, particularly in relation to violence, abuse, and coercive control.
With over 18 years’ experience in business leadership, governance, and legal activism, Steph is committed to ethical, transparent, and member-led governance. She is particularly passionate about strengthening collaboration between disability peak bodies through planned strategic alignment rather than reactive responses. She is eager to contribute her lived experience and expertise to support Women With Disabilities Australia to lead reform for disabled women – particularly in addressing domestic and family violence, embedding supported decision-making, and strengthening the organisation’s long-term financial independence and sustainability.
