Meet Our Founders
Vaughn Bennison
Vaughn is a passionate leader and a staunch advocate for the rights of Disabled People. He has spent almost 30 years in broadcasting and media, empowering Blind and Vision Impaired people through the provision of information, leadership and training, particularly as Manager of Print Radio Tasmania. He has worked in management of a large disability service provider, advised on policy and legislative reform in the communications industry and been the chair of Australia’s Radio Reading Network from 2015-18. He lives in Tasmania and is the CEO of Tasmania’s only cross-disability DPO. He is the producer and presenter of Blind Citizens Australia’s “New Horizons” radio program and podcast.
Graeme Innes AM
Graeme is a blind leader and advocate for “nothing about us without us”. He was the first Chair of Vision Australia, playing a key role in the merger of state-based blindness agencies. He was also Australia's Disability Discrimination Commissioner from 2005 to 2014. He is currently Chancellor of Central Queensland University, and a member of the board of the National Disability insurance Agency. Graeme believes passionately that blind people should control services provided for us, and in empowering and building capacity in future blind leaders so that our continued control is assured.
Emma Bennison GAICD - MBA
Emma is an experienced CEO and leader. She has served as CEO of Access Arts QLD, Arts Access Australia, Blind Citizens Australia and has served on and chaired several boards, including the Attitude Foundation and NV-Access.
She is a passionate advocate for the Lived Experience of Disabled people in all aspects of the community but particularly in organisations which provide services to, or advocate for the needs of Disabled people.
She is currently the Chief Innovation Officer of Life Without Barriers - one of Australia's largest Disability Service Providers.
John Simpson AM
John has undertaken high level advocacy and community education on behalf of people who are blind or vision impaired for more than fifty years. His professional involvements include senior management roles with disability service providers, eye health and research organisations and as Executive Officer with Bind Citizens Australia (BCA). He has served as a Board Director with several organisations including as President of BCA and as a Director of the Australian Blindness Forum.
In 2010 his work in improving information access was acknowledged with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Roundtable on Information Access and in 2020 he was made a Member in the Order of Australia.