Dementia Australia Advisory Committee

Ann has been an advocate for Dementia Australia for many years. She has attended consumer summits, contributed to media activity, and supported many events and activities in Adelaide.

Ann is also a member of the Dementia Australia Research Foundation Scientific Panel, ADNet Registry Steering Committee, and OPAN National Older People’s Reference Group. She has a special interest in dementia research and in quality dementia care.

Ann trained as a general nurse and midwife and later gained a Bachelor Degree in Applied Science - Nursing Administration with a special interest in gerontology. Ann was 59 when she was diagnosed with younger onset dementia – Alzheimer’s. It now appears that she has Lewy Body Dementia. Ann is happy to share her insights with a view to helping others understand dementia.

Ann is Chair of the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee.

Natalie Ive’s academic achievements include a Masters in special education and a dual award degree in political science. Natalie has extensive experience in both mainstream and special education settings, spanning over 15 + years. 

Natalie sits on the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee and is a member of the board of directors for the Australia Aphasia Association and most recently was appointed to represent Australia on the Alzheimer's Disease International Dementia Global Expert Panel. These roles allow Natalie to advocate for all people living with dementia. 

Natalie was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Aphasia in 2021, a language led dementia where word finding and communication are the earliest and most prominent signs. Natalie has been involved in guiding multiple research projects and her most recent achievement is the development of the Primary Progressive Aphasia Guide, co-authored with key researchers and clinicians in the field.

Nell lives in Port Macquarie, NSW. She lives independently with the support of her carers and standard poodle Miguel. 

Nell has 2 beautiful children and her gorgeous grandbaby Oscar.

Nell was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2020 at the age of 51.

Nell has extensive experience and expertise of over 30 years in the aged care and disability sectors starting out as a disability support worker then a trainer and assessor and finally becoming a service provider with her then husband who continues to run their business Freedom Adventures and Respites Services today.

Nell joined the Dementia Advocates program at Dementia Australia just after her diagnosis in early 2020 and is a very active member.

Patrick’s career included roles as Sales and Account Director where he worked in the Information and Communication Technology industry for over 30 years.

He was previously Chairman of the Australian Telecommunications User Group and the Queensland Telecommunications Industry group. He worked for 14 years at Optus and AAPT and worked in a private consultancy.

He was diagnosed with younger onset frontotemporal dementia in 2019 in his 50s and ceased work in 2021.

Patrick is from Brisbane and joined the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee in 2025.

Lil lives in Hobart, Tasmania. Prior to that, she was living in Queensland. She has two adult children. 

In her working career, she has been a teacher and taught in primary schools, high schools and colleges. Lil spent three years as a school principal whilst living in North Queensland and worked in indigenous communities promoting inclusive and equitable educational practices. 

Lil is a Dementia Advocate and a member of the Dementia Action Week Working Group. She is passionate about dementia friendly communities and has spoken at numerous community events in Tasmania on the topic. 

Lil joined the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee in 2024.

Born in Belfast, UK in 1950s, Anthony made the journey to Sydney in 1970s. His life has been a tapestry of experiences, living and working in Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney and Papua New Guinea. His career has been diverse, spanning retail roles and as a business owner.

In 2020, Anthony received a diagnosis of dementia. But rather than letting it define him; he embraced a new passion - Walking Football. Anthony represented Australia in the 2022 Walking Football World Cup in Italy, Anthony’s not just living with dementia, he’s thriving.

As a Dementia Advocate and founder of the Brisbane North Dementia Community Alliance, Anthony is committed to showing others that a dementia diagnosis isn’t the end of life. It’s simply the beginning of a new journey - one that can still be full of life and purpose.

In 2024 Anthony relocated to Adelaide to be closer to his partner, whom he met through Walking Football. Anthony is working towards building networks and Dementia community  in Adelaide. 

Anthony joined the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee in 2025.

David was born in Lithgow NSW in 1951 and now resides in Wollongong. He is married to Susan and has two adult daughters. David and Susan established a human resources consultancy which they operated for 30 years. David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023.

David holds a Doctor of Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Wollongong and a Chemistry Certificate from Illawarra TAFE. His doctoral thesis focused on leadership and its development in individuals. He trusts he can promote this interest more widely in and with Dementia Australia.

He has held a number of community roles and Chair positions with the Chamber of Commerce, University of Wollongong, 2000 Olympics, Citizens Advocacy, Salvation Army, Regional Development Board, Apex Australia and others.

He was awarded an AM in 2013 for significant contribution to the Illawarra Region.

Born and bred in Melbourne. Raised by a single mum.

Bill Leavey built and founded Gold Lime Glass trading as True Blue Glass, a family-run glazing and aluminium business in Loganholme, Queensland. Since founding the company in 2007, Bill has built it into a respected leader in the industry, known for quality, innovation, and community spirit.

Although trained as a glazer he started his career as fruit picker in Mildura and then became a product manager for a fruit juice company. He was involved processing fruit juice.

In 2021, Bill was honoured as a Master Glazier by the Australian Glass and Glazing Association — one of only three people in Queensland to achieve this distinction. The award recognised his outstanding craftsmanship and his commitment to mentoring others in the trade.

Bill was invited to join the Queensland Glass and Glazing Association as a committee member and then became president of the Association and become a member for Australian Glass and Glazing Association.

Beyond his professional success, Bill has openly shared his personal journey with dementia. His courage in speaking about his diagnosis has helped raise awareness, reduce stigma, and inspire workplaces to become more dementia-friendly. His advocacy has helped reshape how businesses in Logan and beyond approach dementia support.

Bill is very active in the Gold Coast Dementia Community and founded a peer support group in the Gold Coast.

Today, Bill combines his role as a business leader with his advocacy for dementia awareness. He encourages others to see the person behind the diagnosis and to value the skills, experiences, and resilience that people living with dementia bring to society.

Bill’s skills include public speaking, business management and business growth. He is passionate about increasing dementia awareness and education in the community.

Jenni was originally from New Zealand but has lived in Queensland since 1997, now she lives in Far North Queensland close to her daughters and grandchildren.

She worked for 36 years as a Registered Nurse in Australia, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia, developing strong communication and business management skills and medical knowledge of physical conditions, including dementia.

She originally trained under the old hospital training system and qualified as a Registered General and Obstetric Nurse in New Zealand and then furthered her education with university education including postgraduate studies in Infection Control Nursing and Mental Health Nursing.

She worked for many years in the field of Mental Health Nursing in Queensland in senior nursing positions including, Director of Nursing, Nursing Supervisor and Clinical Nurse Consultant. Jenni has researched, published and presented her research at national conferences. She was chosen as one of thirteen nurses Australasia to participate in a conference in Bali regarding Adolescent Health.

After retiring, she discovered her passion for writing, inspired by her lifelong love of reading to children.

Jenni has since dedicated herself to creating engaging stories that spark imagination and joy.

She is an accomplished author and storyteller based in Townsville Queensland. She has written children’s books and a book about dementia for families to raise the topic of dementia in a loving way.

She has narrated a book called Shoshanna which was published on Spotify, and completed two seasons (20 sessions) of a podcast called Talking Dementia with Heckle and Jeckle, which talked about dementia and also featured on Spotify.

She is currently writing a biographical novel that explains her journey with Dementia.

As a mother and grandmother she is very engaged with her family.

Jenni’s skills include public speaking about breaking down the stigma of dementia as requested by Dementia Australia.

She is an active participant of Dementia Alliance International.

She has had an active role in dementia research throughout 2022 including working on the International COBALT study.

She volunteers at her Local Salvation Army serving breakfast to vulnerable people once a week and is also actively engaged in the Salvation Army community in her local area.

Jenni’s priorities and interest areas include rural and regional support (such as strengthening connections), LGBTQI+ communities, research into dementia and NDIA supports.

In her spare time Jenni enjoys contemporary dance, yoga and arts and crafts and her lush tropical garden.