Justin Nix Future Leaders Program

Founded in 2024, in honour of Justin Nix – a passionate, generous and respected leader in the disability sector – the program is designed to support the development of the next generation of leaders living with a disability.

The opportunity to serve on the SDA Alliance Board for 12 months (or up to two years maximum). This includes attending all board meetings as a non-voting member and learning about the principles and functions of not- for-profit boards, the roles of board members, and other governance priorities.

Training through the Australian Institute of Company Directors: the opportunity to select one of three courses to complete: Company Directors Course, Foundations of Directorship or Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors

Leadership mentoring by the SDA Alliance CEO: four sessions that will offer valuable guidance, advice, and insights from an experienced leader.

Applications for the Justin Nix Future Leaders Program are now closed and will open again in 2026

Driven by a passion for universal design, Justin Nix has devoted his career to creating accessible built environments for communities across Australia. For more than three decades, Justin held executive positions in disability and housing across the not-profit, private and government sectors. Throughout this time, Justin witnessed profound changes in people’s lives as they transitioned into a home which allowed them to live more independently and embrace community life more fully.

As the CEO of Guardian Living Australia (2019-2024), Justin oversaw the development of a diverse portfolio of specialist disability accommodation across Victoria – these contemporary and thoughtfully-designed homes offer hundreds of people with disability, including those living in regional areas, with the chance to live more independent lives (for some it’s the first time they have experienced living outside of an institutional setting).

Justin has a deep understanding of the synergy between innovative housing design and the integrated support models which allow people with disability to live more independently – an understanding garnered from both his professional and personal life. He has used this knowledge to advise government – including serving as a member of the National Disability Insurance Agency SDA Advisory Group – and to play an instrumental role as a founding Board Member of the SDA Alliance.

For Justin, leadership has always been important. Throughout his career Justin has been privileged to have worked with, and been mentored by, talented, committed individuals. Leading collaborative teams driving positive outcomes for the communities they serve has been the cornerstone of Justin’s work – something which continues to inspire those he has led and mentored, and those he has collaborated and worked with across the sector.