PANEL | The Future of Home and Living
PANEL | The Future of Home and Living


Simone Austin, an Accredited Practising Dietitian, is the Chief Health Officer and Chair of the health Advisory Board at healthylife. Her 30+ years of experience and passion for working in health started with establishing dietetic community health positions working in the area of aged care and disability. Simone’s career has seen her work in various areas simultaneously, from private practice, aged care, Advocacy and Policy to the health and wellness and food industry. She has spent much of her career working in elite sport, with some of Australia’s most successful sporting teams - The Australian Men’s Cricket Team, Hawthorn AFL football Club, Melbourne Storm, Melbourne City and more. She was the president of Sports Dietitians Australia for 5 years, from 2015 and is currently a Dietitians Australia Board Director.
Simone has authored a book, Eat Like An Athlete as she believes everyone can use nutrition as a tool for their own life performance. A regular in the media Simone is a presenter who presents with energy and enthusiasm.

Cat is a senior leader and clinician with over 20 years of experience in the social services sector, focused on improving the quality of life of individuals through innovative applications of positive behaviour support and person-centred practice frameworks. In her current role as Director of Professional Practice, Disability Mental Health she heads Life Without Barriers' Centre for Practice Excellence focusing on the translation of policy and research into best practice across LWB's disability and mental health services. Cat is passionate about closing the gap between evidence-informed practices and day to day performance to improve the quality of life of people with disability and those living with mental ill health.


Rebecca Marriott is an accomplished leader with extensive experience in the human services sector. She currently serves as the Executive General Manager of Shared Living at Aruma, a role she has held since November 2022. With over six years at Aruma, Rebecca has risen through various leadership roles, where she has been instrumental in driving organizational growth and enhancing service delivery for individuals with disabilities. Before joining Aruma, Rebecca built a solid foundation in public service at the Department of Health & Human Services in Victoria. She held several key roles, including Area Director in the Gippsland Region. Rebecca is known for her strong leadership, strategic vision, and dedication to improving the quality of life for people with a disability.






• SIL • How does this process work? • Where do you start for a PWD? • How to make your own home? • Other important considerations, diet, friendship, community, and avoiding homelessness