Our People

Helen is a visionary leader who brings a wealth of knowledge, lived experience and deep understanding of the complexities, and needs of people with an intellectual disability and the disability sector. A highly experienced Executive Leader with over 25 years of diverse industry experience, Helen brings a balanced focus on vision and practicality, and a genuine passion for continuous improvement and service excellence.

Nathan Despott leads Inclusion Designlab, Inclusion Melbourne’s centre for policy, projects, systemic advocacy, research and project leadership. He works with people with intellectual and cognitive disability to run projects focusing on oral health, LGBTIQA+ inclusion, political inclusion, Positive Behavior Support, Supported Decision Making, Circles of Support, and more.  He completes this work with a range of interdisciplinary partners from Australian universities, self advocacy and advocacy organisations, peak bodies, and government agencies.

Nathan wants to see people with cognitive disability across Australia supported to learn about their right to live as full and equal citizens. He is also passionate about challenging gatekeeping and ensuring consistent, evidence based, ethical practice across the disability support sector – particularly in Positive Behaviour Support, Supported Decision Making and vocational pathways.

He regularly leads internal and external quality projects and consulting work, including development of practice frameworks, audit preparation, internal quality audits against the NDIS Practice Standards, practice training, and work readiness.

Nathan was a key designer of Victoria’s world leading LGBTQA+ conversion practices prohibition legislation in 2019-21 and was named Outstanding Leader of the Year at the 2023 National Disability Awards.