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Lived experience, driving change in accessible communication
Date and Time
Monday 23 March 2026
8:30am – 3:30pm AEDT
Location
The Savoy Hotel
630 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
What to expect
The Accessible Information Forum brings together industry leaders in accessible communications and experts with lived experience. These are the voices that can help shape what accessible communications means for your audience.
Accessibility is always evolving to meet a diverse range of needs. The Forum provides an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversation and gain actionable insights into working with people with lived experience when developing accessible communications.
Whether you work in communications or marketing, or simply have an interest in accessible communications, we invite you to join us and be part of the ongoing conversation around accessibility and inclusion.
Hear from the voices that shape accessibility
Hear from industry leaders and people with lived experience about why lived experience is the driving force behind truly accessible communications. Learn about the latest research, real life case studies, thought-provoking insights and practical advice you can use to make your communications more accessible.
Engage with a community of like-minded people
Network with a community of like-minded people who are committed to:
- creating accessible communications
- understanding what it means to genuinely engage with people with lived experience.
The Forum is an opportunity to have meaningful conversations with peers, build connections and start thinking about what the future of accessible communications might be like.
Download the program
Speakers
Keynote speaker
Dr Ariella Melzer
Senior Research Fellow
Centre for Social Impact, University of New South Wales
Dr Ariella Meltzer’s research is about information accessibility.
When we think about accessible information, we often think of the rules of how we format text, audio or tactile resources.
But what if making information accessible is about more than only those rules?
Dr Ariella Meltzer will speak about other ideas that also contribute to making information accessible.
She will show how the experiences of people with disability are a big part of what makes information accessible.
Assunta Chiera
Inclusion Advisor
The Information Access Group
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Speaker
Assunta Chiera
Inclusion Advisor
The Information Access Group
Assunta Fogliaro is a skilled information and communications technology and administration professional. She is also an accessibility advocate, para-athlete and community contributor with lived experience of blindness. As a screen reader user, Assunta tests documents and websites for Information Access Group clients to make sure they are accessible for people who use assistive technology.
By combining lived experience with practical knowledge, Assunta aims to influence better design, policy, and decision-making that benefits all audiences – not just those who experience temporary, situational or permanent disability.
Assunta will speak about her personal journey navigating education, work, sport and everyday life after encountering disability as an adult. She will also speak about her work and advocacy, which focus on promoting accessibility as a shared responsibility, not an afterthought. Digital accessibility plays a critical role in modern inclusion.
Assunta’s experience has given her first-hand insight into how inaccessible systems, particularly digital ones, can create unnecessary barriers to participation and independence. She has also experienced how well-designed, inclusive digital products can enable autonomy, confidence, and equal opportunity.
Costa Vasili
Founder and CEO
Ethnolink
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Speaker
Costa Vasili
Founder and CEO
Ethnolink
Costa Vasili is the founder and CEO of Ethnolink, one of Australia’s largest multicultural communications agencies. He launched Ethnolink in 2011 at the age of 20 as a translation company. Over the past 14 years he has grown it into a fully integrated multicultural communications agency working across research and strategy, creative, translations, and media and engagement.
Costa grew up in the City of Greater Dandenong — one of Australia’s most culturally and linguistically diverse local government areas. He is a second-generation Australian, with his father and grandparents all born in Cyprus. His family’s migration story shaped his lifelong commitment to breaking down language and cultural barriers and creating a more inclusive Australia.
Accessibility Beyond English: Reaching Australia’s Multicultural Communities
More than 31.5% of Australia’s population was born overseas, and over 22% of people report using a language other than English at home. In a country defined by cultural and linguistic diversity, accessibility can only be achieved when language and culture are central to how information is designed and delivered.
Costa will explore how inclusive communication can be applied across language and cultural contexts. Drawing on Ethnolink’s work with government and community organisations nationwide over the past 15 years, Costa will share practical insights into:
- multilingual accessibility
- cultural nuance
- community-informed approaches.
Costa’s presentation will demonstrate a robust framework for making information accessible for migrant and First Nations communities.
You’ll gain a clearer understanding of how knowing your audience, developing content that meets their needs, and using channels they know and trust will improve:
- comprehension
- participation
- engagement across Australia.
Anthony Lam
Founder
Punchy Studio
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Speaker
Anthony Lam
Founder
Punchy Studio
Anthony Lam is the founder of Punchy Studio, an award-winning visual communications agency that creates content designed to drive behaviour change and empower communities.
Over the past 14+ years, the Punchy team has produced more than 1,500 videos for organisations across federal, state and local government, education and the not-for-profit sector.
Punchy specialises in animation, video and accessible content, turning complex topics into clear communication that connects with diverse audiences and drives action.
What we’ve learned creating impactful animation
Anthony will share a case study about an accessible animated video created for First Nations audiences. He’ll explain how audience insight shaped the messaging, script, visual design and accessibility choices. He’ll also share the key learnings from the process. You’ll leave with practical takeaways on creating culturally considered animation that is clear, inclusive and effective.
Michelle Chu
Senior Inclusive Design Specialist
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
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Speaker
Michelle Chu
Senior Inclusive Design Specialist
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Michelle Chu works to drive equitable digital access across mobile, web and TV. Her work focuses on inclusive design research that centres the voices of underrepresented communities, making sure they are not overlooked.
Michelle acts as a bridge, translating diverse insights into research-backed design decisions. She believes that accessibility should be a foundational part of the process rather than a final checkbox.
By facilitating regular research with people with diverse access needs, Michelle makes sure that the ABC’s digital products are designed to be usable for everyone. In doing so, the products reflect the real diversity of the Australian community from the very beginning.
Design as an act of love
Design as an act of love isn’t about being nice – it’s about recognising there’s a real person on the other end of everything you make.
We often design only for ourselves, missing the invisible barriers beneath the surface: cognitive load, decision fatigue, sensory overwhelm. Everyone deserves easy access and an enjoyable experience, not just minimum standards. You already know what good looks like – so why aren’t we creating it for everyone?
Through practical examples and honest reflection, this talk challenges how we work and invites a change of heart about inclusive design.
Thomas Sluiter
Research Consultant and Facilitator
As We Are Research
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Speaker
Thomas Sluiter
Research Consultant and Facilitator
As We Are Research
Thomas Sluiter has made a career out of listening to people. He helps organisations to become more accessible, by investigating what is important to their users.
To know what advice to give to organisations, Thomas does research to learn:
- What people do
- How people experience things
- What people think and feel about products and services.
He then gives advice on things like:
- What problems need to be solved
- What barriers need to be removed
- And what needs to be improved.
Thomas works as a user researcher for his organisation called As We Are Research and for La Trobe University. Thomas often supports the Information Access Group with user research, to help make the world a more accessible place.
Thomas will talk about how to put user needs at the centre of making products and services accessible.
He will share stories of how people with disability may experience the world and why it is important to understand their perspectives in making design choices.
Thomas will also explore how user research offers the opportunity to step into the world of people living with disability, so that their reality becomes an integral part of your decision making.
Vassiliki (Vassie) Dandanis
Lived Experience Advisor
The Information Access Group
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Speaker
Vassiliki (Vassie) Dandanis
Lived Experience Advisor
The Information Access Group
Vassie is an experienced document tester who uses her lived experience of disability and chronic illness to inform her feedback on Easy Read resources for Information Access Group clients.
She is passionate about educating others on hidden disabilities and has been asked to speak at multiple events about living with a chronic health condition. Vassie’s first experience of public speaking was at the age of 12 when she presented to a state-wide conference about Turners Syndrome.
Vassie has completed university studies in youth work and held volunteer board positions with the Genetic Support Network of Victoria and Youth Disability Advisory Service. She has also worked with a Chronic Illness Peer Support Reference Group.
Vassie will explore the culture of accessibility. This includes how society sometimes perceives disability and conditions such as neurodivergence as the problem, rather than highlighting the positive aspects.
She will also talk about public perceptions around hidden disabilities, for example mental health challenges, neurodivergence and genetic conditions.
Vassie is a strong advocate for listening to the experiences of people with disability, as they know best what supports they need.
Naomi Benites
Acting Director Implementation of Australia’s Disability Strategy
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
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Speaker
Naomi Benites
Acting Director Implementation of Australia’s Disability Strategy
Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Naomi Benites is the acting Director Implementation of Australia’s Disability Strategy, leading cross‑government engagement to deliver outcomes that matter to people with disability. With a background spanning education leadership and social policy, she specialises in stakeholder partnerships, evidence‑based evaluation, and strategic policy design.
Naomi has facilitated complex, multi‑sector workshops and established national governance forums, translating research into practical initiatives that drive continuous improvement. In response to the Disability Royal Commission she is currently responsible for developing an associated plan on Accessible Information and Communication. This will make sure reforms are accessible, actionable and aligned with disability community and whole‑of‑government priorities.
Her education career underpins her commitment to accessible information and communication, with deep experience designing learning environments that meet diverse cognitive, cultural and communication needs. This foundation strengthens her focus on disability inclusion and her ability to translate complex policy into clear, user‑centred content for diverse communities. She is fluent in Spanish and holds degrees in International Relations and Education.
Naomi will explore how all levels of government in Australia will move from deep community and stakeholder insights to meaningful, measurable action under Australia’s Disability Strategy.
This includes taking what was heard through engagement, evaluation and disability reform process, and translating it into clear priorities that guide policy, investment, and service improvement.
Central to this work is the development of an Associated Plan on Accessible Information and Communication, that is shaped by the findings of the Disability Royal Commission. The Associated Plan will make sure the government actions are targeted, practical, and responsive to the experiences of people with disability.
Naomi will also talk about how connecting community insights with accountability mechanisms strengthens our ability to:
- drive system change
- improve accessibility
- deliver outcomes that matter.
Kathy McEwan
Director Strategic Advice
National Disability Insurance Agency
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Speaker
Kathy McEwan
Director Strategic Advice
National Disability Insurance Agency
Kathy McEwan has worked in roles across disability, health, youth and families and child protection. This has been in both the government and not-for-profit sectors. She has worked in senior management roles with a focus on policy, quality, and governance.
Kathy has worked in the National Disability Insurance Agency for almost 10 years. Her current role is managing the secretariat for the Independent Advisory Council.
It’s important to Kathy to:
- see and meet people where they are
- build people’s capacity
- always look for how things can be done differently and better.
Set up a meeting? Tick. Do we have a room, an agenda, meeting papers and someone to take the minutes? Tick, tick, tick. tick. What could possibly go wrong?!
Kathy will take you through the journey of working with over 60 individual members, sitting within a government organisation, while providing independent secretariat functions and enabling genuine participation.
She’ll share some of the journey, lessons learnt along the way and her insights, which are still evolving.
Tickets available now
Venue details
Please join us at the Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Melbourne.
Address: 630 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000 Vic
We will hold the Forum in the Plaza Ballroom.
The Savoy Hotel is in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, on the corner of Spencer and Little Collins streets. It’s directly opposite Southern Cross Station.
Accessibility
There is a transport drop-off zone directly outside the front of the hotel. The hotel entrance has step-free access from the street and automatic doors.
The Plaza Ballroom is on level one. Elevators can take you from the ground floor to the Plaza Ballroom. The elevators are located at the end of the ground floor foyer.
There are accessible toilets on the ground floor and on
level two.
Auslan interpreters and a hearing loop are available upon request. Please make sure you include your accessibility requirements when buying your ticket.
The Forum program will be available in HTML and PDF. Please contact us if you would like the program in a different format.
The venue welcomes assistance animals.
The Forum will be catered with morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and refreshments. Please make sure you include any dietary requirements when buying your ticket.
If you have any questions about accessibility at the Forum or need help with your registration, please contact Melanie at hello@informationaccessgroup.com. We want to make your experience as accessible and inclusive as possible.
If you need help on the day, please approach one of our friendly staff who will be wearing Information Access Group lanyards.
How to get there
Train
The closest train station to the Savoy Hotel is Southern Cross Station.
Directions:
- Take a train to Southern Cross Station.
- Follow signs at the station for Spencer Street and Collins Street.
- Cross Spencer Street at the lights and turn left onto Little Collins Street.
- The Savoy Hotel is a short distance ahead.
Taxi
You can get dropped off directly at the Savoy Hotel entrance on Little Collins Street or at the corner of Spencer and Little Collins streets.
- You can call 13 Cabs on 13 2227.
- You can call Silver Top Taxis on 13 1008.
- You can book a wheelchair accessible vehicle through each of these services.
Tram
The closest stops are:
- Stop one on Spencer Street and Bourke Street on routes 86 and 96.
- Stop one on Spencer Street and Collins Street on routes 11, 12, 48 and 109
Directions:
- You can get off either of the stops above.
- Make your way to Spencer Street and turn right.
- Travel along Spencer Street towards Little Collins Street.
- Cross Little Collins Street and you’ll see the Savoy Hotel at number 630.
Helpful tip: The Savoy Hotel is inside Melbourne’s free tram zone.
Parking
You can find nearby public parking at:
- Wilson Parking – 530 Collins Street (enter on Little Collins Street)
- Secure Parking – 522 Flinders Lane.
Directions from Wilson Parking:
- Exit the car park onto Collins Street.
- Turn right and make your way along Collins Street towards Spencer Street.
- Turn right at Spencer Street and head towards Little Collins Street.
- Cross Little Collins Street and you’ll see the Savoy Hotel at number 630.
Directions from Secure Parking:
- Exit the car park onto Flinders Lane.
- Turn right and travel along Flinders Lane until you reach Spencer Street.
- Turn right at Spencer Street and make your way towards Little Collins Street.
- Cross Little Collins Street and you’ll see the Savoy Hotel at number 630.