Case Studies

Transforming Blind Citizens Australia (BCA)

Challenge: When Emma took on the role of CEO at Blind Citizens Australia, the organisation was financially unstable, had low staff morale, and lacked national reach.

Impact:

  • Increased turnover from $450,000 to over $1.5 million in five years, putting the organisation on a secure and sustainable footing and growing its reputation and reach

  • Expanded staff from 4 to 24 employees, two-thirds of whom were blind or vision-impaired, resulting in an authentic organisational culture with a workforce that understood first-hand the experience of BCA’s membership

  • Led a successful advocacy campaign that brought audio description to Australia’s public broadcasters, ensuring blind people could watch TV with their family and friends and cementing BCA’s reputation as an effective advocate, influencer and sector leader

  • Transformed BCA’s culture to prioritise collaboration, transparency, and inclusion, which enabled the organisation to focus on delivering for its members in innovative and unique ways whilst looking after its people well

Revitalising Arts Access Australia (AAA)

Challenge: Arts Access Australia, the peak national body for disability and the arts, needed a stronger national presence, improved financial sustainability, and greater sector engagement.

Impact:

  • Led national advocacy efforts to position AAA as the voice for disability in the arts, resulting in initiatives like dedicated Federal Government funding for artists with disability for the first time in Australia

  • Delivered innovative programs supporting artists with disabilities to access mainstream opportunities which increased the profile of disabled artists

  • Secured sustainable funding and developed new revenue streams which benefitted AAA and the arts and disability sector more broadly

  • Established partnerships with major arts organisations, ensuring that disability-led projects received greater visibility and funding

  • Developed leadership programs for emerging artists with disabilities, creating pathways for long-term success in the sector

Championing Disability Representation in the Media

Challenge: The media industry has historically underrepresented people with disabilities, often relying on outdated and tokenistic portrayals.

Impact:

  • As Chair of Attitude Foundation, Emma led the development of media projects that amplify authentic disability stories

  • Advocated for realistic and empowering representation in film, television, and digital content

  • Worked with broadcasters and policymakers to embed disability-led storytelling in mainstream media