Keynote Session 4

Community Engagement, the critical dimensions of intersectionality

Time: 3:35pm – 4:00pm
Location: Governors Ballroom
Facilitator: Nissrine Khadra Daher, SBS Mandarin News team
Co-facilitator: Tamkin Essa, Settlement Services International

About the presenters

Robert Fitzgerald AM

Robert Fitzgerald AM is currently NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner

He was a Commissioner on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse for five years. He was formerly a Commissioner with the Productivity Commission, the inaugural Chair of the Advisory Board, Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission and Community and Disability Services Commissioner and  Deputy Ombudsman in NSW.

He has served on numerous NGO boards for over 30 years including previously as President Australian Council of Social Service, NSW State President St Vincent de Paul Society, Deputy Chair Benevolent Society and is currently a Board Member of Social Ventures Australia and Chair of Caritas Australia.

Robert holds degrees in commerce and law from the University of NSW and an honorary doctorate from the Australian Catholic University and is currently an Adjunct Professor with the University of Western Australia.  He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1994. 

Debbie Nguyen

Debbie Nguyen is the Manager, Communications and Engagement at Anti-Discrimination NSW. She has a passion for meaningful engagement with at-risk communities to improve access to services and health outcomes. Prior to joining Anti-Discrimination NSW, Debbie worked in community and stakeholder engagement roles at the NSW Electoral Commission and NSW Fair Trading. She also worked and volunteered in the not-for-profit sector for five years in various community engagement and health promotion roles.

Naz Sharifi

Naz Sharifi is a young Hazara woman currently studying a Bachelor of Laws and Arts (International Relations) at the University of Sydney. She is deeply passionate about youth empowerment, refugee rights and systematic reform! Naz is a youth ambassador for MYAN (Multi-cultural Youth Affairs Network) NSW,  Youth Advisor to the Department of Home Affairs and a Board Director (USU)! She has previously worked with the Australian Human Rights Commission, United Nations and STARTTS (NSW) on policy, research and youth empowerment!