PWDA Board Director Election 2026

Voting for the 2026 PWDA Board Director Election

Voting for the 2026 PWDA Board Director Election opens on Monday 14 September and closes on Friday 9 October 2026.

This is your chance to choose the people who will lead PWDA for the next two years.

The PWDA Board represents both the organisation and our members. Your vote is important in selecting the right people for the job, so make your voice heard.

Who is running the election?

PWDA has chosen GoVote, an independent Australian voting company to manage the election process. Freyja Tasci is the Returning Officer, this is the person who is managing the voting process at GoVote.

When does voting open and close?

• Voting opens: Monday 14 September 2026 1:00pm AEST.
• Voting closes: Friday 9 October 2026 5:00pm AEDT.

How you can vote

All current PWDA Members with voting rights can vote in the 2026 PWDA Board Directors Election.

You can vote online, by phone or by post while voting is open. Only votes successfully lodged during the voting period will be counted.

• Online: If you are registered to vote online you will receive an email from GoVote on Thursday 10 September with a link to the online voting platform. GoVote will send another email on Monday 14 September when voting opens.
• Postal: If you are registered to vote by post you will receive ballot papers in the mail.
• Phone: To vote by telephone you can call the Returning Officer on 1800 919 553. You can call during Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.

You can only vote once, and all votes are anonymous.

For more information, see our Constitution as a PDF or Consitution as Word Doc.

Who can you vote for?

There are 8 candidates running for 4 positions on the PWDA Board.

Below is the list of candidates for the PWDA Board Directors in 2026. The list is in alphabetical order (surname).  Please take a moment to read their candidate statements to help you decide who to vote for.

Meet the Candidates member event

Register now to attend the Meet the Candidates PWDA member event. 

This event is your opportunity to hear directly from candidates in the 2026 PWDA Director Election.

• When: Wednesday 23 September 2026
• Time: 2:00pm – 3:30pm AEST
• Where: online via Zoom (you will receive the zoom link following registration)
• Register now.

Questions or assistance

• Voting Support: If you need help with voting, you can call the Returning Officer, Freyja Tasci, by calling the ballot support line 1800 919 553 or email support@govote.com.au.
• PWDA: If you have any questions about your PWDA membership, you can contact us by email at pwd@pwd.org.au or call 1800 422 015 to speak with someone.

2026 Board Director Election Candidate Statements and Photos 

Maqsood Al-Kabir

I am seeking election to the Board of People with Disability Australia because I believe every person with disability deserves to live with dignity, equality, choice, and genuine inclusion. As a person with lived experience of disability and a long-standing human rights advocate, I understand the barriers many people continue to face in accessing services, opportunities, and having their voices heard. Throughout my career, I have worked to advance human rights, social justice, and community empowerment through advocacy, policy engagement, and collaborative leadership. I am committed to listening to members, championing evidence-based reforms, and strengthening PWDA as a fearless, independent voice for people with disability. If elected, I will bring integrity, compassion, strategic thinking, and a strong commitment to accountable governance. I will work collaboratively with fellow Board members, staff, and the disability community to ensure PWDA remains inclusive, influential, and effective in creating lasting positive change for all Australians with disability.

Emily Finn-Brumm

I am a passionate disability advocate, community leader and Sport4All Inclusion Coach dedicated to creating a more inclusive Australia. As a woman with disability, I understand both the barriers people face and the importance of ensuring our voices shape decisions that affect our lives. I currently serve as President of Moreton Bay Bugs Boccia Club, where I lead governance, strategic planning and community partnerships to increase opportunities for people with disability to participate, connect and thrive. My work spans disability inclusion, peer support, accessible sport and community education, always centred on lived experience and meaningful collaboration. As a PWDA Board Director, I want to help strengthen the organisation’s strategic direction, champion the rights of people with disability and ensure diverse voices are represented at every level of decision making. I believe strong governance, genuine inclusion and lived experience together create lasting change for our community and future generations.

Zhila Hasanloo

I am the Executive Director of Ability Beyond Boundaries, a not-for-profit organisation supporting people with disability and disadvantaged communities, with a particular focus on the Persian community. I have more than 10 years of experience across the government and not-for-profit sectors in disability, advocacy, education, community development, and leadership. As a legally blind woman and a carer for my partner who lives with multiple sclerosis, I bring both lived and professional experience. I am also a former PWDA Board Director and former Chair of the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association (MDAA). If elected, I will bring strategic leadership, governance experience, and a strong commitment to representing the diverse voices of people with disability across Australia.

Michael McKenzie Hocking

I am a data and reporting professional with over seven years’ experience across the Victorian public sector, and I am autistic—a lived experience that shapes how I see systems, inclusion and accountability. In roles at Triple Zero Victoria and the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, I delivered statutory compliance reporting (WGEA), enterprise Power BI dashboards and data quality audit programs. I understand how governance frameworks, financial and operational data, and performance reporting underpin credible, transparent decision-making—skills directly transferable to Board oversight of PWDA’s strategy, risk and financial sustainability. I want to join the PWDA Board because I believe people with disability must not only be consulted but must lead. I want to bring rigour to governance, ensure member voices shape priorities, and help PWDA remain financially and operationally strong while advancing the rights and dignity of all people with disability.

Kin Jin Ly

I’m proud to stand alongside PWDA in raising our voices at a crucial moment when our needs are coming second to government priorities: cost savings through NDIS funding cuts, unjust transition to Foundational Supports, and accepting less than half of UN Human Rights Council recommendations. A Human Rights Act would transform this conversation. As a CALD AuDHD founder, I bring lived and professional experience at the intersection of multiple identities. I’ve educated communities on accessibility, built an organisation co-designing assistive technologies with people with disability, and grown my governance experience as a Board Observer, Treasurer, and Accessibility Advisor. On the PWDA board, I want to amplify our voices, strengthen our influence, and ensure our advocacy drives real systemic change. I’m committed to growing pathways for emerging disabled leaders across sectors so we’re visible, included, and able to choose our future. We’re here to stay – nothing about us, without us.

Loma Naser

I bring lived experience of disability, deep sector knowledge, and a proven national voice to the PWDA Board. As one of Australia’s most-followed disability advocates on LinkedIn (number one nationally) and founder of MAGNA, I have spent years holding systems, not people, to account. I have given evidence to Senate inquiries, scrutinised NDIS reform and translated complex policy into plain language our community can use. I understand governance, risk, and fiscal accountability, and I know how decisions made in Canberra land in real lives. I will bring that rigour to the Board while keeping us anchored to our movement’s guiding principle: nothing about us without us. My commitment is to cross-disability representation, intersectional voice, and a PWDA that is both fearless in advocacy and disciplined in stewardship. I want every member to see themselves reflected in our leadership, and to trust our seat at the table is used well.

Shazzy Tharby

I am an autistic and ADHD wheelchair user, mental health nurse, counselling psychotherapist, researcher and disability advocate with lived experience across multiple disabilities. My governance experience includes serving as Chair of People with Disabilities WA, Deputy Chair of the Australian Clinical Supervision Association, and membership of the WA NDIS Advisory Council and other advisory groups. I am passionate about advancing the human rights of people with disability through strong governance, strategic thinking and meaningful engagement with our diverse communities. If elected, I will contribute my experience in governance, advocacy, research and collaboration to support PWDA’s mission and long-term sustainability. I believe effective boards listen, ask thoughtful questions, make evidence-informed decisions and remain accountable to their members. I would be honoured to work alongside fellow Directors to strengthen PWDA’s national leadership and ensure the voices of people with disability continue to shape the decisions that affect our lives.

Erwin Wibowo

I am an IT professional with a decade of experience in data specific roles. I suffer from a vision impairment that prevents me from using regular LCD monitors for a prolonged period of time. Despite my condition, I always seek alternate ways to work with computers and pursue my IT career.
I have experienced workplace discrimination and bullying because of my disability. I have since become a vocal advocate against workplace misconducts that I have taken legal actions against my previous employers and been awarded with positive judgements.
I was supported by PWDA when I experienced workplace discrimination, so I would love the opportunity to give back to the organisation. I believe in equal opportunity and social justice for all people with disability, and the strength in numbers we have in PWDA. As a Director, I would ensure the organisation remain sustainable and committed to its advocacy missions.

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For more information about the PWDA Director Election process including a director position description, visit PWDA Elections and AGM.