Lizz Hills
Twenty years ago, a devastating train accident in Thailand left Lizz with a fractured skull, brain injury, and 30 broken bones. Doctors told her she'd never return to university, work, or have children. Defying those predictions, Lizz has gone on to pursue her Master's degree, become a mother, and establish Trek2Reconnect, her private counselling practice.
Twenty years ago, a devastating train accident in Thailand left Lizz with a fractured skull, brain injury, and 30 broken bones. Doctors told her she'd never return to university, work, or have children. Defying those predictions, Lizz has gone on to pursue her Master's degree, become a mother, and establish Trek2Reconnect, her private counselling practice.
As a National Assistance Card holder, Lizz credits the Card as a vital tool in her support system, helping her navigate challenges and giving her daily confidence to achieve both ordinary and extraordinary goals. Through her work and her story, Lizz demonstrates that with the right support structures, people with brain injuries can accomplish amazing things. She continues to inspire others by proving that disability doesn't define limits, our determination and support systems do.
Khadija GBLA
Recognised with numerous awards, including 2025 SA Woman of the Year Community Champion, Khadija utilises their voice to drive both systemic change and everyday actions toward true equality.
Khadija Gbla is a disabled, queer, award-winning human rights activist, inspirational speaker, writer, and philanthropist. Born in Sierra Leone, raisedin Gambia and now based in Australia, they bring powerful lived experience as a refugee, Black African Indigenous person, Autistic ADHDer and community leader.
Khadija is the founder and lead campaigner of Ending Female Genital Mutilation Australia and their TEDx talk "My Mother's Strange Definition of Empowerment" has been viewed close to 3 million times worldwide. They are also a member of the LGBTQIAP+ Minister's Council and the Autistic Parent Co-Design Group.
Through their consultancy, Khadija Gbla Cultural Consultancy, they deliver webinars, training packages and bespoke consultancy, on racism, disability, neurodivergence, gender equality, cultural diversity, human rights and inclusion. Recognised with numerous awards, including 2025 SA Woman of the Year Community Champion, Khadija utilises their voice to drive both systemic change and everyday actions toward true equality.
Paul Pritchard
Winner of numerous international awards for his books and films - The Totem Pole, Doing It Scared, Lowest To Highest - Paul shares stories of resilience, diversity, and inclusion. He has summited Kilimanjaro, cycled to Everest, and led disability-inclusive expeditions. Paul is also a ‘human book’ at the Hobart Human Library.
Paul Pritchard is a pioneering UK mountaineer who has climbed from Patagonia to the Himalayas. In 1998, while scaling Tasmania’s Totem Pole, a falling boulder caused a severe brain injury, leaving him hemiplegic. He relearned to walk, speak, and live independently, turning recovery into opportunity.
Winner of numerous international awards for his books and films - The Totem Pole, Doing It Scared, Lowest To Highest - Paul shares stories of resilience, diversity, and inclusion. He has summited Kilimanjaro, cycled to Everest, and led disability-inclusive expeditions. Today, Paul inspires as an educator. He serves on the board of Disability Voices Tasmania and the Hobart City Council Access Committee. Paul is also a ‘human book’ at the Hobart Human Library.
Paul became a National Assistance Card holder and Ambassador in 2022. The National Assistance Card was a proud sponsor of his film Larapinta End to End.
If you’d like to know more about Paul, you can visit his website: https://www.paulpritchard.com.au/