Disability Activist, Author and Presenter

Wayne Herbert is a prominent, in-demand, and outspoken international public speaker, presenter, advocate, and now writer promoting the rights of and opportunities for people with disability and people in the LGBTIQ community.

In his career to date Wayne has undertaken a number of speaking opportunities throughout Australia on issues of disability, diversity and human resources. Wayne’s entire career is focused on assisting people with disability into employment and training. Wayne has many years’ experience working within the Disability Employment Services Program (DES). He has also previously worked within the former Disability Employment Network (DEN), where he has seen the transformative difference well-paid employment can make in an individual’s life.

Wayne has experience in all aspects of client relations, human resources, and business administration. He has a keen interest in social and employment policy that ensures the talents and expertise of people with disability are recognised in the workforce and community more broadly. Wayne’s work is focused on ensuring that full participation in both work and community life is realised.

Wayne is a solutions-focused thought leader. He knows there is much work to be done to improve the employment of people with disability. He knows all too well that as a country, Australia cannot let the skills and talents of people with disability go to waste.

Wayne’s career highlights include advising employers across Australia on the importance of a diverse workforce that includes people with disability, consultancy work with various Australian Public Service (APS) agencies on issues facing people with disability, providing extensive human resources advice and support in relation to the employment of staff with disability. He is a current member of the Disability Employment Working Group chaired by the Australian Public Service Commission, current deputy chair of the ACT Government LGBTIQ Advisory Council, current member of the ACT Government Disability Reference Group and previous member of the board of directors for Physical Disability Australia.

Wayne has a unique, humorous, thought-provoking, and challenging insight into the issues facing people with disability. He too has a disability, but is well-known for forgetting about it.

‘Is it wrong that I forget I have a disability? I just get on with things; I’ve got shit to do.’

Wayne believes his parents won the diversity lottery, as he is a disabled, gay, aspiring drag queen! Wayne now embarks on the journey as a writer with his first book Anecdotes of a Disabled Gay. His book is a collection of the shit people say to a thirty-something-year-old disabled gay man.

Find out more about Wayne at:
www.wayne-herbert .com
Instagram: @waynecjherbert