IN THE SPOTLIGHT
We recently spoke with Christina Ryan, CEO and founder of the Disability Leadership
Institute and an all-round go-getter! Christina has been an active leader in the
Australian disability community for over 20 years, and she is dedicated to supporting
people with disabilities to make their own leadership success.
Where did your passion for supporting
people with disabilities start?
As a person with a disability, I am simply
part of a larger movement of disability
rights activists and we all work together,
towards the same great outcome of
equality for people with disabilities.
What kind of experience do you have
working with the Australian disability
community?
I have worked mostly with Women with
Disabilities Australia on issues like
violence against women, and have also
been on the Board of Women with
Disabilities ACT. For over eight years I was
the CEO at Advocacy for Inclusion, an
independent disability advocacy
organisation in Canberra.
Can you tell us a bit about the Disability
Leadership Institute?
The Disability Leadership Institute (DLI) is
the world’s only specialist disability
leadership organisation, and was founded
in 2017. We have members in over 15
countries as most of our work is virtual,
which is great for many of us who find
travel difficult. The DLI has short and long
courses and a big 12-month leadership
program, so people can get involved no
matter what stage of leadership
development they are at.
How do you support people with
disabilities to become better leaders?
Easy, we give people licence to be
leaders. We create a safe environment to
develop and grow, and we acknowledge
the advantages that disability brings to
leadership. We also push people very
hard and they love it.
What drove you to establish the
Disability Leadership Institute?
I had been working on the frontline
to combat violence when I attended
the Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) Summit on Violence Against
Women. I was one of only three women
with disabilities to do so which is when
I realised that we would never address
violence without addressing inequality.
I believe that to address inequality, we
need to be in leadership and
decision-making roles in all fields.
We are lacking in disability leadership,
and many people with disabilities have
found mainstream leadership programs
aren’t providing the accessible, inclusive
measures they need to get involved and
succeed. So, I decided it was time to do
something about creating our own
strong space!
What’s your message for our clients
about reaching their goals and becoming
leaders?
Do it! Start by downloading your
personal Leadership Development Plan
via our Facebook or LinkedIn page and
get your 2019 mapped out. Stick with it,
persistence is everything. Value yourself.
Want to know more?
You can learn more about the
Disability Leadership Institute
at disabilityleaders.com.au
CPL – Choice, Passion, Life
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