Sarah Skopellos’ push for better inclusiveness on disability boards

A Darwin woman is looking to address the irony of zero disabled representation on disability service provider boards. See what she’s doing.

For Darwin local Sarah Skopellos, a multiple sclerosis diagnosis at 22 forever changed the trajectory of her life.

Sarah was working in government at the time and was able to continue working until just before her 40th birthday, when she formally retired.

Not ready to permanently leave full-time employment and after a stage of feeling her “life was over” - she was encouraged to join the Integrated disAbility Action committee, which she now leads as chairperson.

However, Sarah isn’t convinced her career journey would have looked the way it did if her disability had been more apparent from the outset, and this perception is something she is passionate to change.

Sarah Skopellos

Sarah said organisations needed a “different way of thinking” around disability employment and should make a conscious effort to create pathways for people with disabilities to move into leadership positions and experience career growth.

Sarah is now a key member of Carpentaria Disability Services’ board and a spokesperson for a National Disability Services-led Across the Board project, which aims to increase the inclusion and participation of leaders with disability in the governance of disability service providers.

“We need to get rid of the ‘other’ when sitting in the boardroom and developing inclusion on a board really helps that,” Sarah said.

“Boards need to ensure their intentions aren’t a ‘tuckbox’ exercise.”

This year’s International Day of People with Disability theme focuses on leadership for people with disabilities into the future. This year’s event falls on December 3.

The annual National Disability Services workforce census report found most disability organisations did not have a person with a disability on their board.

A 2023 report by Purpose At Work around low representation of people with disabilities in the boardroom found some of the key reasons included experiencing ableism in the workplace and boardrooms being incompatible with reasonable adjustments.

Tara Kelliher

NDS’s Across the Board project lead Tara Kelliher said disability service providers had seen first-hand valuing lived expertise voices in service design and delivery had huge benefits.

“Now it’s time to value lived expertise by diversifying the skills and attributes around the table in your boardroom,” she said.

“Leaders with disability offer the kind of problem-solving and insight that could strengthen your organisational resilience during a period of unprecedented reform.”

Originally published as Sarah Skopellos’ push for better inclusiveness on disability boards