Disability Leadership Institute

Who we are

The Disability Leadership Institute (DLI) was established in 2016 by Christina Ryan, a disability rights advocate and leadership coach who has worked in the Australian disability community for over twenty years. Christina founded the DLI after recognising that violence and marginalisation of disabled people were direct outcomes of inequality, and that growing disability leadership across public life was essential to addressing this. The DLI is the first organisation of its kind globally: run by and for disability leaders.

The DLI's purpose is to develop, support, and promote disability leaders by providing leadership development that treats disability as an asset rather than a barrier. Its approach is grounded in a disability perspective on leadership, which acknowledges the specific experiences and attributes that disabled people bring to leadership roles. Programs and resources are designed so that participants can engage with current leadership development practice without encountering ableism or discrimination.

The DLI is Australia's largest professional network of disability leaders.

Christina Ryan leads the DLI as CEO and Founder, and is supported by a community drawn from the broad expertise of DLI membership. The organisation operates entirely virtually, which means location and disability type are not barriers to participation. Membership is open to all disabled people, at all levels of leadership experience, everywhere in the world.

What we do

The DLI's work falls across two main streams: programs and services for disability leaders themselves, and consulting services for organisations wanting to develop or engage disability leaders.

For disability leaders

• Membership: DLI membership gives disability leaders access to a global community of practice (a network of peers who share knowledge, solve problems together, and support each other's leadership development), peer coaching groups, and promotion through the DLI's networks when members are appointed to positions or appear in the news. All members are listed on the Australian National Register of Disability Leaders, a single searchable portal through which companies and agencies can find board members, C-suite experts, conference speakers, and media commentators. Entrepreneurs Membership is also available for disabled people building their own businesses.
• Programs: The Future Shapers is the DLI's flagship leadership development program, and the first program anywhere to weave the disability experience into mainstream leadership development. It is designed specifically for disabled people and treats that experience as a core leadership strength.
• Online courses and development: The DLI offers a range of online courses, webcasts, and short development programs on leadership topics, accessible to members globally.
• National Awards for Disability Leadership: The DLI administers annual awards recognising disability leaders across Australia.

For organisations

DLI Consulting provides specialist consulting and training to organisations wishing to develop or better support their emerging and established disability leaders. All consulting work is delivered by disabled people, drawn from across the DLI membership, and can include workshops, specialist coaching, and organisational change management. The DLI also provides governance and management support to disability-led organisations. Organisations can also use the National Register to find and engage disability leaders for board roles, advisory positions, speaking, and media.