Our Board
Helena Jordan - Co-Chair
M.A. Public Policy, B.A. Arts and Global Studies
Appointed to the Board in October 2021 and reappointed in November 2024. Executive and Brenda Gabe Leadership Award Committee member.
Helena (she/her) is a public servant, currently working as a Policy Officer at the Department of Premier and Cabinet. She has experience in both not-for-profit and private sectors domestically and internationally. Her previous experiences have led her to support organisations working within areas of impact investing, consultancy, women’s financial empowerment, gender-based violence, refugee family services and affordable housing.
Zoi Jahau - Co-Chair
Bachelor of Arts
Appointed to the Board in November 2024. Governance and Finance & Risk Committee member.
Zoi Jahau (she/they) is a queer, multicultural person with disabilities living in Victoria. They bring a unique and intersectional perspective to their work as the Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Melba Support Services, a disability support organisation committed to upholding the rights and dignity of people with disabilities. Zoi’s role focuses on embedding human rights principles into organisational practices, ensuring a more equitable and inclusive approach to disability support.
Zoi is passionate about social justice, their lived experience as a person navigating multiple identities fuels their drive to challenge inequities and foster understanding.
With a diverse career background that includes events, marketing, project management, and user experience design, Zoi is adept at blending creativity with strategic thinking. These skills enable them to approach challenges holistically and develop innovative solutions that empower others.
Emily Corbett - Vice-Chair
Dr Emily Corbett is a neurodivergent queer woman living with chronic pain in Naarm. She is a social scientist at the University of Melbourne whose research examines how policy and service design can better reflect the complexity of people’s lives and uphold dignity in practice. Emily brings expertise in critical feminist research and extensive experience in the domestic and sexual violence sector. She is committed to values-based leadership grounded in listening to lived experience and is strongly motivated by WDV’s vision for an inclusive and just society.
Carly-Anne Myers OAM - Secretary
Appointed to the Board in November 2024. Governance and Finance & Risk Committee member.
Carly Myers has 23 years of experience working in the disability and women’s health sector. Carly is currently the Gender and Disability Advisor at Women’s Health Grampians. She contributes to the development and delivery of projects that seek to address the gendered and ableist drivers of violence against women with disabilities. As well as greater access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women with disabilities.
As a passionate gender and disability practitioner, Carly uses her lived experience of disability to advocate for the voices of women with disabilities to be prioritised when decisions are being made on issues directly affecting them. She sees this as fundamental to respecting their human rights.
Carly has successfully developed local and regional partnerships within women’s health organisations, local government, disability organisations and the community sector.
She has a breadth of experience in project delivery of co-designed inclusive and accessible resources, training materials, community engagement events and campaigns focusing on the prevention of violence against women with disabilities, sexual and reproductive health and advocating for inclusive and accessible health services for women with disabilities.
Carly has more than 23 years of experience volunteering on boards and committees in the not-for-profit sector, honing her extensive skills in Governance and Funding. Carly is a member of the Victorian Government, Our Equal State Reference Group.
In 2024, Carly was appointed the Order of Australia Medal in community service for her volunteer work and disability advocacy.
Julie Dickson - Director
Julie (she/her) is a woman with a disability based in Naarm. She works at EMILY’s List Australia, supporting progressive Labor women through financial, political, and personal assistance to help them get elected to Parliament. Alongside her role, she’s completing a Graduate Certificate in Politics and Policy at Deakin University.
Julie serves on the executive committees of National Labor Enabled and Labor Enabled Victoria, advocating for better inclusion of people with disability across the party. In her spare time, she trains and competes in para powerlifting and is writing a YA novel featuring a short‑statured protagonist to champion authentic disability representation.
Marlena Raymond - Director
Admitted to practice (2020), Juris Doctor (2018), Bachelor of Arts (2012)
Appointed to the Board in November 2022. Governance and Executive Committee member. Appointed as Co-Chair from March 2023.
Marlena’s (she/her) professional experience includes disability research at The University of Melbourne and Office for the Public Advocate, legal practice in mental health and disability law at Victoria Legal Aid, and diversity and inclusion strategic policy for the Victorian Government.
Marlena is passionate about dignity and respect for all people, in all areas of life, all of the time.
Fathia Tayib - Director
Fathia is a Senior Policy Officer working across privacy, freedom of information and responsible AI. She supports public sector agencies by developing guidance, advising on program and legislative design, and conducting policy research for consultations and parliamentary inquiries.
She is dedicated to creating policy systems that reflect the needs and experiences of diverse communities. Her lived experience with disability shapes her commitment to accessible, inclusive and community-responsive approaches to public policy and technology.
She brings to Women with Disabilities Victoria a strong intersectional lens, governance insight, policy capability and a commitment to equity and empowerment for women and gender-diverse people with disabilities from all cultural backgrounds.
Sarah Waters - Director
Master of Advanced Social Work; Bachelor of Social Work; Bachelor of Arts; Advanced Diploma Yoga Teacher Training
Appointed to the Board in November 2024. Governance and Finance & Risk Committee member.
Sarah (she/her) brings over 25 years of experience as a social worker in the not for profit sector in clinical, management and senior management roles. Sarah has worked in advocacy, project management, policy development and clinical leadership roles, embracing and enacting feminist, social justice and trauma informed principles.
Sarah currently works as a Clinical Lead at the South East Centre for Sexual Assault and Family Violence. She lives on Bunurong land and is inspired by nature, sustained by family and friends and loves nothing more than to hang out with her adored Cavoodle, Eli.
Ashleigh Webb - Director
My name is Ashleigh Webb. I’m an advocate for mental wellbeing, suicide prevention, and autism acceptance. I’ve spent over ten years working across the national security and defence sector of the federal public service. In 2022, I founded the Kallan Lodge Library, a not‑for‑profit placing books and vinyl records in youth mental health facilities, funding the charity through ultramarathon open water swims. Since late 2025, I’ve run a company that supports organisations like Play Like a Girl Australia to reach their strategic goals.