For Disability Pride Month, we spoke to our new WWDA President Jodie Haigh.
Jodie is a trained scientist, communications professional and experienced governance and engagement leader working at the intersection of research, policy and higher education. Her career spans science, communications, research and engagement across not-for-profit, corporate and intergovernmental organisations. She brings expertise in strategic communication, stakeholder engagement and organisational governance, with experience supporting evidence-informed decision-making and inclusive leadership.
Living with a chronic condition and being neurodivergent, Jodie brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. She is passionate about advancing the rights of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities and strengthening inclusive, skills-based leadership across organisations and institutions.
What inspired you to take on a role in our Management Committee and get involved in disability advocacy?
After returning to the workforce following maternity leave with my twins, I was looking for an opportunity to reconnect with community and contribute my expertise to create meaningful change for others.
And, if I’m honest, a little selfishly too – I wanted to reconnect with myself, my values and my sense of purpose by surrounding myself with people who are driving change and living their purpose every day.
I was already a member of WWDA when I put my hand up for the Managing Committee and had deep respect for the work the organisation was undertaking. WWDA’s advocacy is driven by the voices and lived experiences of women, girls and non-binary people with disabilities, and that commitment to genuine representation is what first drew me to the organisation and ultimately inspired me to volunteer.
I am a first-generation university graduate from a financially and socially disadvantaged background and a woman living with disabilities. Growing up and throughout my adult life, I experienced firsthand how systems can fail to recognise people’s strengths and potential, and how easily people can be excluded from opportunities to participate fully in society. Those experiences shaped my belief that people most affected by decisions should have a voice in making them.
Professionally, I have worked across science, research, communications and stakeholder engagement, helping organisations build partnerships, strengthen narratives and influence policy, and create positive outcomes. At the same time, my lived experience has reinforced the importance of creating inclusive communities where people feel welcome, valued, and able to thrive, and of ensuring that power rests with those most affected by the decisions made.
Joining the WWDA Management Committee, first as the Treasurer and now as the President, has given me the opportunity to contribute my professional expertise while working alongside extraordinary disability leaders. WWDA’s small but mighty staff team works tirelessly for our community, and I am proud to support them, our members and my fellow Managing Committee colleagues in advancing WWDA’s vision of a future where women, girls and non-binary people with disabilities are recognised, respected and able to exercise their rights on an equal basis with others.
Why is representation in leadership and decision-making so important?
Representation matters immensely. It ensures that a diversity of experiences, knowledge and perspectives are incorporated into the development of solutions and innovations that benefit and support everyone.
But representation goes beyond matters of access. It is not simply about being in the room or having a seat at the table. It is about ensuring people have the safety, support, respect and authority to influence decisions and shape outcomes.
Research shows that diverse teams make better decisions. They generate solutions that are more innovative, more inclusive, more practical and ultimately more effective. Diverse leadership strengthens organisations, improves policy outcomes and builds stronger communities.
True and impactful representation is not about opening the door and inviting people in through tokenistic processes. It is about creating the conditions for power to sit with those who have historically been silenced and developing new ways of working that enable greater, more meaningful change.
For me, it means ensuring women, girls and non-binary people with disabilities are helping to shape programs, priorities and policy, and are empowered within the systems and institutions that affect our lives.
Ultimately, representation ensures people are not simply consulted on decisions that affect them, but are trusted, empowered and supported to help lead decision-making and create the solutions that shape their futures.
What does meaningful change in disability rights and inclusion look like to you?
Meaningful change in disability rights is when those rights are embedded cohesively throughout Australian society, across our communities, institutions, workplaces, governments and public systems. It is when disability rights are not treated as an afterthought, but are built into the way decisions are made from the very beginning.
From my perspective as President of WWDA, it is when women, girls and non-binary people with disabilities can participate fully in every aspect of society – education, employment, leadership, community and family life, and public decision-making – on an equal basis with others. It is about having genuine choice, opportunity and control over our own lives.
For me, meaningful change is closely linked to the idea of thriving, not simply surviving. It is about creating a society where barriers no longer prevent people from reaching their full potential, and where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected and able to contribute. It means moving beyond box-ticking compliance and towards genuine participation, leadership, belonging and inclusion.
When we uplift people with disabilities, we strengthen our entire community. The benefits extend far beyond individuals, contributing to stronger economic participation, greater social cohesion, improved well-being and health, and essentially, better outcomes for everyone.
Ultimately, meaningful change is when inclusion is a given – seamlessly embedded, and reflected in the decisions, systems, and cultures that shape our lives every day.
