About

Our team

Nicole Rogerson

Director

Nicole Rogerson is currently a Director at Neurodevelopment Australia and the founding Director of Autism Awareness Australia. She volunteers her time as CEO and is one of the nation’s leading advocates for the awareness and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Nicole has led many campaigns and events that have inspired, touched and educated Australians, including Light It Up Blue for World Autism Awareness Day, production of 2 short documentary films ‘What are you doing? – a film about autism” and DAD – a film about autism and fatherhood’ as well as a series of educational workshops and training for parents and professionals.

Nicole is one of the most passionate voices on the challenges of autism in Australia, having hosted numerous seminars, advised the Federal Government and presented to the United Nations. She is a frequent public speaker on these issues and often appears in the media advocating for families with children on the spectrum.

She has two sons, the eldest of which is on the autism spectrum.

Click here to see their Australian Story – I am Jack

Melanie Carrier

Director

Melanie is the Client Relations Manager at Good2Give, a not-for-profit social enterprise. She has had extensive experience as a Director in Marketing, Advertising and Account Management in the financial, tourism, retail and corporate relocations industries. Melanie is known for her management of multi-national customer accounts and their customer experience.

Melanie’s son was diagnosed with autism in 2003. At the time, services were scarce, and prognosis was grim. Melanie has tirelessly researched best practices for her son, from early intervention to schools and most recently post-graduate employment. Since moving from Canada to Australia in 2011, Melanie and her family have volunteered for events such as Light it up Blue, City2Surf, Surfers Healing and have even held their own fundraising boot camps. It was therefore a natural extension for Melanie to join the Board of Autism Awareness Australia in 2016 and continue to advocate for families like hers, help increase awareness and build upon the many amazing AAA programs and events.

Her passion has always been to support individuals on the spectrum to become independent, fulfilled, contributing members of society.

Sally Collins

Director

Sally is the Chief Operating Officer at VFMC, Victorian Funds Management Corporation. With 22 years experience in financial services she has lead many large functions within VFMC, NAB, CBA and AXA Australia.

At work Sally has been a vocal advocate for gender diversity and inclusion and also workplace flexibility. She was recently recognised for this as the 2016 recipient of the Financial Executive Women (FEW) Positive Progression of Women award. She is also an author and her first book, Stepmother Love, is all about the challenges faced by stepmothers in finding their way and building loving families.

It’s this combination of Sally’s corporate skills and advocacy for tough parenting gigs that brought her to Autism Awareness Australia. She’s looking forward to learning more about the challenges faced by children on the autism spectrum, and their families, and can’t wait to help AAA be as successful as possible in their great work.

Tabitha Pearson

Director

Tabitha is a seasoned executive, with experience across a number of industries, including banking, legal, retail and hospitality. Most notably, she led the people functions for Super Retail Group (BCF, Rays, Supercheap Auto, Rebel, Amart Sports), Tabcorp Casinos QLD (The Star) and RACV. A key advisor to Boards, CEOs and Senior Executive teams.

Tabitha is currently the Chief People Officer at Myer, a department store chain consisting 60 stores across Australia and 11,000 team members. In all of her roles she has focused on the people and building a strong and motivated culture to drive the best results. She is an advocate for change and inclusion and is passionate about providing opportunities for those less able or fortunate. In most of her organisations she has worked closely with disability employment groups to facilitate work experience and employment for young people with special needs.Now as a mother of 2 boys, Tabitha and her husband are striving to raise amazing men, who are not afraid to speak out for others who cannot do so for themselves. Her youngest son is on the spectrum and she understands the daily challenge that families face, and the need for a supportive community of professionals, friends and family to achieve the best results. She is passionate about improving the understanding of our educators, who are the key to successful learning. She is heartened by Companies who are embracing ASD employees and customers, and are making an effort to be more inclusive.

Tabitha is very excited to join the Board for Autism Awareness Australia, so she can further support families and those on the Autism Spectrum through their journey.

Dr Andrew Whitehouse

Director

Andrew Whitehouse is the Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research and the Director of CliniKids at the Telethon Kids Institute. He is also Professor of Autism Research at The University of Western Australia, Research Strategy Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) and the current president of the Australasian Society for Autism Research.

At the Telethon Kids Institute he leads a large team that seeks to find new and innovative ways to help each and every child on the autism spectrum reach their full potential. Andrew has published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and attracted over $60 million in competitive research grants. He currently presents an internationally syndicated video series called ’60 Second Science”, which has had over 2 million views. He is an advisor to State and Commonwealth Governments on policies relating to children with Autism Spectrum Conditions, and he chaired the committee that generated Australia’s first national guideline for autism diagnosis, and the first national guideline for autism intervention.

Andrew has published one edited book with his twin-brother (Ben), and a popular science book that examined the science behind some of the myths of pregnancy and child development (Will Mozart Make My Baby Smart?). He has also been awarded a Eureka Prize for his research. Prior to coming to the Telethon Kids Institute, Andrew was a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford.

Elizabeth Sarian

Director

Nicole Hurley

Director

Bear claw pastry pastry pie oat cake topping bonbon pie. Bear claw brownie pastry cotton candy marshmallow sweet roll biscuit jelly beans. Soufflé carrot cake cupcake gummi bears caramels wafer. Pudding topping halvah sweet pudding tiramisu jelly-o jelly gingerbread.

Cake croissant macaroon chupa chups gingerbread icing gummies cake. Ice cream pastry cupcake lemon drops macaroon jujubes powder dessert. Danish tootsie roll sweet tootsie roll cookie.

Chupa chups tootsie roll cotton candy topping marshmallow. Sweet brownie liquorice soufflé sweet tiramisu. Gummies cupcake cheesecake cake macaroon tiramisu pastry. Pie carrot cake muffin sesame snaps gingerbread candy oat cake. Chocolate gingerbread cake. Icing pie lollipop macaroon pastry donut.

Marlene Sayadian

Office Manager

Cake croissant macaroon chupa chups gingerbread icing gummies cake. Ice cream pastry cupcake lemon drops macaroon jujubes powder dessert. Danish tootsie roll sweet tootsie roll cookie.

About us

Empowering autism families

Autism awareness Australia was founded in 2007 to improve the lives of all Australians on the autism spectrum and the families who love them.

Our team

Use of language

Words connect us.
The words we use create shared stories that can bring us together as a community.

Our work

Current events

Past events

Contributors & collaborators

Annual reports

About us

Empowering autism families

Autism awareness Australia was founded in 2007 to improve the lives of all Australians on the autism spectrum and the families who love them.

Our team

Use of language

Words connect us. The words we use create shared stories that can bring us together as a community.

Our work

Current events

Past events

Contributors & collaborators

Annual reports

Words connect us.
The words we use create shared stories that can bring us together as a community.