NDIS Hall of Fame
Our Newest Inductees
Con Sotidis
Con has shown me so many tools that have saved me time, ones I’d never have found without him. He’s outstanding on the technical side of LinkedIn, and I learned a lot from him in my early days.
I recommend him wholeheartedly. He’s also connected to thousands of people in the NDIS space who could help you too.
Leanne Hopkins
Leanne helps allied health businesses cut their office costs.
She has run her own NDIS businesses for years, and if I worked in allied health, she’d be one of the first people I’d talk to about reducing admin. You’ll also hear from her on a podcast in a few weeks.
Sam Mitchinson
Sam is extraordinary. He helps people with schizophrenia and acquired brain injuries get into supported independent living that truly suits them.
If you’ve got highly complex participants in Perth, he’s your go-to person. If you’re outside Perth, use him as a resource.
Blake Alexander
There aren’t many recruiters I really like, but Blake Alexander is one of the few. He helps NDIS providers, especially in allied health, find great staff. I’ve seen behind the curtain of what he does, and the reason he can almost guarantee a staff member will stay at least a year is because he has his own Colonel’s secret recipe for helping allied health staff settle and succeed in their roles.
He’s helped several of my clients and never asks for anything in return. He can help you build a staffing plan, and I genuinely trust him – which is rare in recruitment.
Our NDIS-World Hall of Fame Inductees
Amy Gray
Amy has a black belt in martial arts, but that’s not the main reason to connect with her.
She lives and breathes the NDIS and helps organisations get the best from their teams.
She’s saved providers hundreds of thousands of dollars through smart staff training and retention.
Amy is a true problem solver who helps teams work better together.
Bradley Williams
Bradley Williams is a remarkable person who has single-handedly kept dozens of occupational therapists motivated and staying in the game and not quitting and getting the real support that they can’t get elsewhere.
He’s put together a collective of OTs who help each other. I know very few other people in NDIS World who are willing to do this sort of outstanding work for others at minimal personal gain, completely over-delivering at every turn. He’s the real deal.
Brett Sams
He’s like Amy Gray – but in a different lane. Brett is outstanding at helping organisations prioritise staff wellbeing in ways that don’t just cost money but actually save it.
He helps you save money. He shows you ways to help your team see how staff health and long-term outcomes are linked.
More than that, he shows you practical ways to make it real in your organisation. When you talk with him, you feel like you’re speaking to someone who sees past the surface issues.
Claire Batkin
Claire is the most followed allied health provider in the NDIS that I know of.
She says what others are too shy to say and she’s taught me a lot about how allied health works in the real world.
She runs training events for occupational therapists that set the standard for the industry. They are well worth attending if you want to grow your skills.
Christopher Lapa
I’ve learned more from Christopher this year than from almost anyone else. While my own skills are narrow (websites and LinkedIn), his are broad – Google Ads, Facebook Ads, marketing strategy, you name it.
He’s brilliant at helping people decide where to spend big budgets. If you’re running a medium or large NDIS business with a real marketing budget, he’s your guy. I’d trust him with my wallet, my kids, and my golf clubs.
Dave Wells
Dave is not your typical General Manager. He’s not hiding behind a computer all day. He’s out there, in the real world, making things happen.
He looks after his people well. He’s organised.
He’s a resource for other managers/ops managers etc who are having a hard time.
Jaswinder Kaur (Jess)
Straightforward, honest, says what she means. Does what she promises.
Jess tells the truth. And that’s also how she’s built her success.
In a world full of promise-makers, you’ll find her honesty refreshing.
That’s why she’s growing.
She’s good at helping Support co-ordinators or new providers in their first year.
Kezia Kingston
Kezia grew her business from 0 staff to 20 in just eighteen months. Then she went and won a bunch of international awards.
What you’ll learn from her is how to start strong, make smart choices, and stay positive when others lose focus. She gives her time freely and often connects people with other leaders. In my opinion, she’s one of the ten smartest people you’ll meet in the NDIS.
Linda Itaoui
You’ve got to meet Linda. She began this to care for her brother, and I reckon he’s the best loved brother on the planet. That family story shows her commitment and why she’s the real deal. Linda has the kind of spirit the NDIS needs right now.
She thinks outside the box, finds answers others don’t, and makes care feel fun. I’ve only met her briefly, but even in that short time I saw enough to have real confidence in her. Take a look at her website and you’ll see why I’m so glad she’s here.
Luke Wilson
When you meet Luke, you find yourself wondering why he’s laughing so much and making so many jokes.
Then you discover he’s actually a social worker who disguises himself as Joe Average. He uses that so people don’t see him as a social worker.
Instead, he just asks participants what they want to do, and then he makes it happen.
Luke runs a huge adventure camping experience with four-wheel drives, a whole crew of support workers, and adventurous participants.
What he does is both effective and bold. I’m constantly amazed by his willingness to do crazy things to help people.
Nerma Huskic
Nerma is one of the fastest-rising stars on LinkedIn that I know of.
She just tells the truth about what it’s really like to be a support coordinator, constantly harassed by others for referrals, constantly inundated by drama as a support coordinator, and constant battles on behalf of the participants she works for.
I’ve learnt so much about the day-to-day adventures of support coordinators from seeing her journey. She also has a rock-solid moral compass, and I recommend her.
Penioni Tohi
Peni is brilliant. You should meet him.
It’s worth connecting with him because he’s built a way for people with disability to get paid the full award wage while also learning real job skills.
He and his team train people for everyday work like running a café or looking after gardens.
I first met Peni years ago when we worked on projects together. Even back then, I saw how deeply he cared. He and his team keep inventing new opportunities that change lives. Peni now runs one of the most impactful businesses in the NDIS.
Robbie B
One of the smartest OTs I know. His LinkedIn posts are consistently thought-provoking. If James Loveday is the benchmark for “NDIS thought leadership”, Robbie is the allied health equivalent.
His post about how ‘R U Ok Day has become tokenistic meaningless gibberish’ is just one of them. He’s a mental health OT so he’s allowed to say that.
Spend ten minutes reading his stuff and you’ll come away smarter.
Ryan Simon
Ryan is a participant in the NDIS and the youngest person ever to speak at Tania Gomez’s SIL Summit, which had over 170 attendees.
He works with Paylos Adventures, taking young people on four-wheel drive adventures and helping them build life skills in fun and practical ways.
He creates amazing videos from everyday stories and brings energy to every project.
Keep an eye on him because he’s on his way to being one of the future leaders in the industry.
Solomon Rokotavaga
Solomon creates videos that turn participants into superheroes.
He probably doesn’t even realise how many lives he’s elevating by doing that.
He is connected to leaders of leaders and whatever you are facing, he knows who to put you in contact with.
There are plenty of people who help participants do well in life, but what Solomon does is he helps in this way… that for people who have had a really tough time… to realise they have more to offer to others in life.
His videos are super glossy and well-edited, but under it is the self-confidence he gives the people in those videos.
Stacey Goulding
Stacey literally donates her Fridays to Positive Behaviour Support.
Everything is at no charge… Every week… Every Friday.
Have you ever heard of anyone giving away a day of their time like that?
That alone should tell you what sort of person she is. Someone worth knowing.
I’ve seen how she thinks (because we’ve done 2 projects together) and I’ve seen her connect NDIS-leaders and help them.
Tatum Steers
Tatum has one of the most impressive recruitment skill sets I’ve seen. She’s not just experienced, she’s also an encourager – the sort of person who makes you feel like you can get through tough patches and come out stronger. Also she’s connected to others who can help you. She’s going to be a good resource if you’re struggling to recruit or you want someone to review your recruitment practices/workflow.
If you’re needing to grow a team in this industry, learn from Tatum’s insights. It will change how you do it.
Theodore Papadopoulos
Theo is a true leader of young men with autism… Equipping them to build lives that work. Much more interested in helping young men get results in life than anything else. Helps them face things like – Life is hard. Reality is hard.
He helps them tackle these things and get the best from themselves.
Have a look at some of his videos. He will never win an award for doing things by the boring-old-playbook. And he may cause psychosocial coaches to feel disappointed when they realise that having coffee with people won’t change behaviours or life-choices.
Ward Sheehan
Ward lives out the idea that we all get further by helping each other. Through Ethical Tick, he’s built a way of connecting people with exactly who they need – often before they even realise it themselves. He has this gift for knowing the right person for almost any situation. That’s why he’s become one of the most trusted connectors in the NDIS.
If you’re not already connected with Ward, you’re missing out on someone who always thinks outside the box and brings people together.