Matthew has a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Graduate Certificate of Health Professional Education and a Master of Public Health. He has a diverse range of experience in clinical practice, research, and disability service management.
He is currently AHA’s DIFS Facilitation Director for the Disability Inclusion Facilitator Service (DIFS), which AHA operates on behalf of the Victorian Government Department of Education and Training. DIFS is responsible for rolling out the Disability Inclusion Profile – an innovative strengths-based approach to supporting children with disability in schools. This significant reform involves DIFS working with schools and families to develop a plan to support the inclusion of students with disability, based around the strengths of each student and their school.
Prior to joining AHA, Matthew managed the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Early Childhood Early Intervention approach in Brimbank and Melton for the Brotherhood of St Laurence.
As an Occupational Therapist, Matthew worked across a range of areas of paediatric practice and has expertise applying a strength-based approach in partnership with families. In addition to his work in clinical practice, Matthew worked as a lecturer in the occupational therapy departments of Monash and Latrobe Universities. He has a particular interest in understanding the factors that support the participation of families in their community and has presented research on this topic at conferences and peer reviewed journals.
Matthew is passionate about the development of evidence-based systems that enhance the ability of people with disability and their families to participate in their community.
