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Organising Committee

The 2025 ADCET UDL Symposium is being brought to you by a dedicated team of professionals committed to advancing inclusive education practices. Our organising committee brings together diverse expertise in educational design, disability support, accessibility, and teaching innovation from across the tertiary education sector.

Working collaboratively, the committee is focused on creating an engaging and accessible symposium that showcases best practices, emerging research, and practical applications of UDL principles. The team is dedicated to ensuring the event provides valuable professional development opportunities while fostering meaningful connections among participants

Darlene McLennan

Manager ADCET

Darlene has been the manager of ADCET since 2013 and been working in the further education and disability sector since 2005, initially as a National Disability Coordination Officer for Tasmania. Darlene is passionate about improving linkages, transitions and participation for people with disability in tertiary education and was awarded a life membership for ATEND in 2020 and a lifetime membership award for EPHEA for her contributions to the sector. Darlene’s lived experience as a person with a Specific Learning Disability gives her a personal insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by students with disability. She holds a Master of Business from the University of Tasmania and a post-graduate degree in Careers Education from RMIT.
Sarah Humphreys

Educational Design Manager Educational Innovation Team University of Sydney

Sarah leads the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at the University in response to the University’s strategic plan that outlines a commitment to transformational, student-focused education that embraces equity, diversity and inclusion. Sarah’s background is in teaching, inclusive education and curriculum development. She was first introduced to UDL in 2011 when working as the Project Officer for Diversity with the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and since then has shared her UDL journey at numerous conferences nationally and internationally, including the UDLHE Digicon hosted by CAST.
Darren Britten

National Assistive Technology Project Officer ADCET

Darren Britten has over two decades of experience in inclusive practices and accessible resource development within the tertiary sector. His passion lies in leveraging technology to enhance information delivery and accessibility. Darren actively supports professional and academic staff on digital equity and accessibility, and supports students with assistive technology and utilizing generative AI to foster learner agency. Currently, he serves as the National Assistive Technology Officer with the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training and works with Deakin University to provide guidance on digital equity, assistive technology, and accessibility.
Elizabeth Hitches

PhD candidate Institute for Social Science Research University of Queensland (UQ)

Elizabeth Hitches research interests lie in inclusive education at a national and international level, as well as equity, achievement, and wellbeing for students with disability, chronic health conditions and/or accessibility requirements. Her research is currently exploring academic stress in higher education, and how this can be reduced in inclusive and accessible ways through a UDL lens. She is also a sessional academic teaching in inclusive education across various universities, and a teacher of research methods at the UQ.
Dr. Ella Collins-White

Academic and Educational Designer University of Sydney

Ella is an award-winning educator and educational designer at the University of Sydney. Her team leads the Designing for Diversity initiative, supporting educators to create inclusive learning environments through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Drawing on her expertise in rhetoric, writing, and communication, Ella fosters collaborative opportunities that empower staff to design proactively for diverse learners. By integrating student perspectives and showcasing best practices, her work builds a community of educators dedicated to supporting all learners.
Jane Hawkeswood

Project Coordinator ADCET

Jane has been with ADCET for over 20 years, witnessing and adapting to the dramatic evolution of the internet. As ADCET has expanded into new areas like social media, webinars, and most recently, podcasts, Jane has embraced each platform enthusiastically. She holds a Professional Certificate in Web Accessibility from the University of South Australia and has completed extensive training in document and website accessibility through Vision Australia. Jane’s dedication to digital inclusion and accessibility and her ability to adapt to emerging technologies have been crucial to ADCET’s ongoing growth and success.
Jennie Hill

Senior Administration officer University of Sydney

Jennie is the Senior Administration Officer for the University of Sydney’s Educational Innovation Team. With a background in science and fine art she has now turned her attention to all things admin and enjoys providing support to the team.
Justin Wylie

Learning designer Central Queensland University

To be checked Justin is a learning designer for CQ University with a focus on inclusive design and accessibility. Drawing on his background as a classroom educator for 7 years and over 20 years in multimedia content design & development, Justin has found Universal Design for Learning to be a highly effective framework that can remove barriers to learning for students in the Higher Education & VET sectors. He strongly believes in the sustainable implementation of UDL to make achievable improvements for the student experience and to not overburden educators.
Kylie Geard

Administrative Support Officer ADCET

Kylie Geard is a seasoned Administrative Support Officer at ADCET, bringing a wealth of experience to her role. Armed with a Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology and a Certificate IV in both Training and Assessment plus Business, Kylie is well-equipped for her multifaceted responsibilities. With over a decade at the University of Tasmania, Kylie has seamlessly transitioned through various roles, showcasing her versatility in project management and support, plus academic roles in lecturing and tutoring focused on technology, mathematics, essay writing and the skills needed to become a successful student. Her commitment to precision and organisational finesse has earned her the reputation of being the "details person" at ADCET. Kylie's dedication to advancing education and technology is evident in her comprehensive skill set and extensive background in the tertiary education sector.
Meredith Jackson

Disability Services Coordinator TAFE Queensland

Meredith Jackson, an AUSTAFE Legend recipient (2021), is a highly regarded expert in inclusive learning, having spent three decades working with priority learner groups, plus teaching and researching in the VET sector. Meredith currently coordinates Disability Services for TAFE Queensland (TQ) Skillstech and is an executive member of ATEND and a member of the Australian Apprenticeship Disability Network (AADN). Meredith’s professional journey within rural, remote and urban settings continues to equip her with an outstanding understanding of VET stakeholder perspectives and challenges, as well as establishing an excellent network in industry, government, education, the community sectors and within TAFE Queensland. Meredith’s innovative approach has seen her contribute to developing and presenting some fabulous staff professional development sessions (recent focus on UDL) for both TAFE Queensland and the private sector at a local, national and international level.
Samantha Poulos

Educational Designer University of Sydney

Dr Samantha Poulos is an educational designer at the University of Sydney working on the designing for diversity project. Samantha is a feminist literary theorist with a background in first year teaching and working to develop inclusive teaching practices and student engagement. Building on their PhD "'Who cares about pretty?': Examining the construction and performance of femininity in Young Adult literature" Samantha draws on this expertise in queer and gender theory to inform their teaching pedagogy which works to develop creative, inclusive and safe spaces.
Trina Bianchini

Teaching and Learning Specialist (Accessibility and Inclusive Education) Academic Development TAFE SA

Trina is employed at TAFE SA in Academic Development, as a Teaching and Learning Specialist with a special portfolio of Accessibility and Inclusive Education. This role involves providing leadership to teaching programs through quality and innovation to deliver positive student experiences and successful outcomes. Trina is a passionate advocate of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as it drives principles of accessibility, usability and quality learning design addressing both digital content and effective facilitation methods utilising digital tools. Trina facilitates the UDL in Tertiary Education Community of Practice with members from across Australia/New Zealand and a lead in the TAFE SA Co-Design Network who are tasked with designing and implementing an Inclusive Teaching and Learning framework at TAFE SA.