Ben Clare - Keynote Speaker
Ben Clare has over 20 years of experience in the disability sector, focusing mainly on advocating for education for adults and children with vision impairment and multiple disabilities. His work spans various Pacific Island nations and Timor-Leste, initially starting in Papua New Guinea and continuing through roles with the Australian Volunteers Program in countries like Solomon Islands, Samoa, Fiji, and Kiribati. Ben is passionate about informal education, particularly in resource-poor environments where formal schooling is limited. His expertise includes Braille literacy, ICT advising, inclusive education policy development, and capacity building for disability service providers and advocacy groups.
In addition to his disability advocacy work, Ben has a background in journalism, having reported for the Daily Telegraph on significant events such as bushfires, the 2005 Cronulla riots, and a tragic police shooting in Sydney. Currently, he serves as a Disability Lead Adviser at Exemplar International, advising on disability policies for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and contributing to DFAT-funded initiatives. Ben also engages in journalism as a producer and researcher at ABC.
Ben holds leadership positions in disability organisations, including as Vice President and Secretary at South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI) and on several boards like Australian Braille Authority and Blind Citizens Australia. With his personal experience of disability and extensive educational background, Ben brings a unique perspective to discussions on educating individuals with disabilities, particularly regarding employment and post-school options in challenging environments.
Michael Sheppard - Keynote Speaker
Michael is a solicitor in Queensland, Australia, holding the position of Special Counsel at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers. He has a Bachelor of Laws (hons) and Bachelor of Business (Management) from the Queensland University of Technology, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
Michael has over 16 years of experience in defending government and non-government entities in matters involving public liability, workers compensation or medical negligence. A large component of Michael's practice for the past 7 years has been in the area of historical childhood abuse - since the abolishment of the statute of limitations pertaining to such claims.
Michael is also currently a non-executive director of Blind Sports Australia after representing Australia in the sport of Goalball for 14 years.