Kat Reed (they/them/theirs)
Chief Executive Officer
Kat (they/them/theirs) has been a local queer and disability advocate & community builder in the ACT for the last eight years. They are currently the CEO of Women With Disabilities ACT and a Board Director of Women With Disabilities Australia and of Youth Coalition of the ACT. Kat was recently awarded 2021 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year and one of Out for Australia’s 30 Under 30 for 2021.
Their activism and community building work spans many different intersections. Since the age of 17, they have advocated for the rights of people of colour, queer youth, trans and non-binary people and people with disabilities. They’ve held positions of leadership in both local and national organisations including the ANU Students’ Association and led the Australian Queer Students’ Network as the National Co-Convenor. Kat was a Council member on the ACT LGBTIQ+ Ministerial Advisory Council and advised on issues affecting queer youth from 2015-2018.
Kat is also a political performance artist and through their arts persona they recently finished work on Australia’s very first all trans and gender diverse original musical titled Lost in Transit with a cast of six local trans and gender diverse artists.
Pippa (she/her/hers)
Policy Officer
Pippa is the Policy Officer at WWDACT, and is responsible for policy research, submissions to inquiries and consultations, creating position statements and fact sheets, and supporting the team. Her previous experience is in government and policy, and she is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Sociology) and a Bachelor of Applied Data Analytics at ANU. She is passionate about promoting the rights of women* with disabilities and has been involved in mental health and disability advocacy at ANU.
Megan (she/her/hers)
Anti-Violence Project Officer
Bio coming soon….
Isobel Moss (she/her/hers)
Acting Chair
Isabel is a young woman with lived experience of disability and an advocate for the Queer* community. She is passionate about promoting intersectionality, especially to ensure neuro-divergent young women and young Queer* people are provided a platform and an accessible space to advocate for change.
Isabel is a current Bachelor of Arts/Science student at ANU, majoring in Sociology and Genetics. In 2018, as a first-year, Isabel was a Queer* Officer for the UniLodge Residents’ Committee and collaborated with the Community Services Portfolio to establish an inclusive and accessible wellbeing and sexual health program and peer support network. Isabel was also the Deputy Officer for the ANU Queer* Department in 2018, spearheading a major review into the Department’s privacy policy to improve trans-inclusivity which was ultimately adopted by the National Association of Australian University Colleges. As acting Department officer for the ANU Queer* Department in 2019, Isabel drafted the 2019 budget including the organisation of the Department’s attendance of the National Queer* Students Conference.
In 2019, Isabel was appointed to a Senior Resident role in Warrumbal Lodge. She provided guidance and wellbeing care to 50 students and provided personalised support for members of the community with disability. Drawing on these experiences, in 2020 Isabel took on the role of Human Relations Officer for the Canberra Student Housing Cooperative, working to maintain accessible and affordable housing for students. In particular, Isabel led the review of the housing application process to promote racial, sexual and disability inclusivity.
From her studies and work in policy, Isabel has a strong background in the systemic issues that are facing women with disabilities, especially Queer* women in the ACT. However, her work with students, and her own background, has also exposed her to the many lived experiences of women with disability in the ACT and the importance of empathy when approaching peer support.
Dr. Barbara Voss (she/her/hers)
WWDACT Treasurer
Barbara is a lecturer in financial accounting in the Canberra Business School and a member of the UC Ally Network (an LGBTIQ+ network for staff) at the University of Canberra. Her principal research concern is equity within the politics of businesses employing political and feminist theories. Her research on diversity includes exploring politics concerning issues of sexuality, gender, identity, and intersectionality.
Barbara’s interest in being a board member of WWDACT is to be more active in the community needs about gender, sexuality and disability. Barbara identifies as a lesbian, she was born in Brazil (culturally diverse background), with African, Brazilian indigenous and European decedents. The ‘passing as white’ person creates a greater misunderstanding of who Barbara really is. Intersectionality is more than a buzzword; it reflects our care (or not) for people in our society. We need to expand conversations about diversity including multiple intersectional layers. WWDACT is a space where these conversations can flourish to support our people. Understanding intersectionality also includes revisiting our past.
Karen Hedley (she/her/hers)
WWDACT Director
Bio coming soon….
Josephine Janssen (she/her/hers)
WWDACT Director
Josephine is a Senior Consultant in PwC’s Transformation Design and Delivery business, with experience in delivering change management to ensure successful business transformations. She has worked on large transformation projects in the public sector supporting strategic communication, change activities and stakeholder engagement. Josephine is deeply passionate about gender equality and has dedicated much of her adult life towards it; co-finding the ANU Women In Leadership Initiative for students and the ANU Women’s Alumni Network. She is interested in cultural reform, particularly in the uptake of more diverse and inclusive policies and behaviours. As a young woman living with a chronic illness Josephine is eager to combine her personal and professional experience with her passion for supporting all womxn.
Louise Bannister (she/her/hers)
WWDACT Director
Lou has been advocating for herself and other people with disabilities most of her life, and has been working in the ACT disability community sector for more than 20 years. She is passionate about women’s health and wellbeing; and the right for individual choice and control; and creating a fully inclusive community through leadership, mentoring, education and advocacy. December 2020 saw Lou finishing her two-year appointment as Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Women (MACW); and her term on the ACT Disability Reference Group (DRG). In 2021, Lou was appointed to the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing (MACA). She is a long serving member on the Board of Women With Disability ACT (WWDACT); and Health Care Consumers Association ACT (HCCA) Executive Committee. She is a member of the Board for Rights & inclusion Australia (R&IA) and the newly appointed Chair of their Opening Doors Project Reference Group. Lou continues to work closely with ACT Health, and local government to improve women with disabilities’ access to housing, services, and education. Lou has been recognized for her work in the community. She was awarded the Chief Minister’s Award for Inclusion by an Individual (2012), and was a Finalist in the Women of Spirit Awards (2009), and a National Finalist for the Australian Centre for Leadership of Women Leadership Achievement Award (2006).
