About Akii

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Akii is a community leader and international multi-award-winning disability, victim-survivor, gender equity advocate and activist, who is deeply passionate about human rights, disability rights, intersectionality, accessibility, inclusion and non-tokenistic co-design/co-production & co-evaluation. 

They are a proud multply-neurodivergent (Autistic, ADHD & C-PTSD) and multiply disabled (physical, neurological, neurodevelopmental & auditory processing) transgender/gender diverse non-binary and LGBTQIA+/Queer person of colour (POC) from a culturally and racially marginalised (CARM), non-English Speaking (NESB) refugee background. 

With expertise and qualifications in public health, health promotion, project management, accessibility, communications and training, they consistently and passionately push for genuine systemic and sustainable inclusion and diversity in all areas of our society. Akii has 15+ years of extensive experience throughout all levels of government, non-for-profits, non-government organisations and different types of businesses (small locally owned to multi-national corporations) 

An experienced subject matter expert (SME) consultant, trainer, educator and presenter. Recently, Akii undertook the inaugural, exciting and mammoth role of Accessibility (Diversity & Inclusion) Manager at Sydney WordPride 2023 & Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras - the first and largest event in Australia since the Sydney Olympic Games! Akii was also concurrently an EL1 Consultant / APS6 Senior Co-design & Engagement Advisor at the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) - where their focus was on developing and strengthening the LGBTQIA+ Strategy and consulting on implementing improved  LGBTQIA+ inclusive NDIS/NDIA processes. Presently, from mid 2024, Akii has been actively contributing their DEIB skills within teritary education in addition to all their other advocacy and professional commitments. 

Akii is also an elected Councillor on the Victorian Disability Council, on the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioners (DFSVC)'s Lived Experience Council, on Australia’s Disability Strategy Council, on the National Autism Strategy’s Economic Inclusion Committee (working to improve employment outcomes for fellow Autistic and disabled people), are part of the Victorian LGBTQIA+ Taskforce (Justice) and an LGBQIA+ Disability Inclusion Expert member. They are also a professional family and gendered-based violence national trainer for violence prevention workforce professionals at No to Violence, using MARAM principles focusing on adults who use violence (AUFV). 

Akii is a first-generation Aussie, who lives with multiple complex chronic illnesses, debilitating chronic pain and various disabilities. An intimate partner (IPV) and family violence (FV) survivor-advocate, who advocates passionately on several advisory committees, councils and working groups (some of which are mentioned above) Australia-wide within the health, violence-prevention, LGBTQIA+ and human rights sectors. Advising, educating, training and providing genuine, intersectional & lived experience consultations for a diverse range of inclusive processes, co-design, disability, accessibility (all types including physical infrastructure, in-person, online, events and communications), gender equity, equality, violence prevention and human rights causes. 

One of Akii's main motivators for gender equity, equality, diverse leadership and empowerment opportunities is fueled by Akii's own extensive personal lived experience of IPV and FV. Many stories of which Akii has bravely shared publicly in their extensive violence prevention work -- as people with disability, particularly girls, women, femme-presenting, feminine-identifying, LGBTQIA+, transgender, gender diverse and non-binary people are disproportionately impacted by all forms violence (i.e physical, emotional, financial, co-erceive control, sexual and reproductive wellbeing). In addition to the myriad of barriers, discrimination and bigotry Akii has faced their entire life and career. 

Akii is deeply dedicated to accessibility, universal design, non-tokenistic (tick-box) representation. Thy are as a tirelessly fierce advocate for people with chronic pain, chronic illnesses, and all disabilities (apparent/obvious or hidden) due to their own lifetime of lived experiences.

Furthermore, Akii is also an experienced, agency-represented and internationally published model and creative – working to challenge perception and create positive change within the media, fashion and beauty industry for appearance diversity (i.e. surgical scars), disabled, neurodivergent, chronically ill, young people, mobility aid users, transgender, gender-diverse and CARM/ POC communities.