Donna Purcell

Donna Purcell is a disability advocate known for her work in developing and leading change for the greater inclusion of people with disability in Australia. She is a member of the senior leadership team of Australia's National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and a Director on the Board of Australian Network on Disability. As a person with lived experience of disability, having a vision impairment, she is passionate about creating accessible and inclusive communities where people are supported to be their best. Australia ranks a poor 21 out of 27 in Organisation Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries when it comes to employment for people with disabilities. Donna believes Australian employers, both public and private, lack leadership and a culture of inclusion for the employment of people with disability and, she wants to change this. Her Churchill research in 2022 examined the attitudes and strategies used by individuals and leadership teams that have successfully established ongoing and sustainable mainstream employment for people with disability. Donna has qualifications in management, human resources and Accessibility and Inclusion and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has represented Australians with disability at an international level and is actively involved in the disability community via participation on Boards and Disability Advisory Committees.