We are proud of the work we are doing and the change we have created so far. We are a passionate organisation, striving to make a highly positive difference in people’s lives.
Sections you’ll find on this page:
We are highly knowledgeable in the SDA space and we’re proud of that. We provide assistance and advice on navigating NDIS and SDA eligibility criteria and approval processes. We also provide confidence and a greater chance of application success and quicker outcomes through our multidisciplinary team supporting the report development process.
Our Story
Who we are
Watch this short 1:26 minute video about who we are and what we do with our CEO Amanda
Our Beginning
SDA Services was founded by our Senior Consultant Greg Barry in 2017 and Greg has been devotedly involved in the SDA space ever since.
Greg has been co-carer for his severely disabled, now adult daughter since her birth.
Our Team
Our wider team comprises a diverse range of professionals from a range of relevant academic and professional disciplines including, for example, Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Law and Maths & Economics.
SDA Services is a very proud employer of people with disabilities who are integral and cherished contributors to our services.
Our Experience
This rather unique combination of professional and lived experiences along with very considerable passion has earned SDA Services a reputation nationwide as a premier Home and Living consultancy service.
Our values are the cornerstones of who we are, and how we do things.
These are the values we live by every day.
Our Values
Empathy
We listen with an open mind and we care.
Transparency
We are clear, upfront and responsive because of our intent to provide clear and prompt communication.
Integrity
We are true to our word, reliable and honest.
Success
We celebrate great outcomes and milestones.
Respect
We are committed to client relationships and respect personal values.
Our Philosophy, Our Responsibility: The Principles Which Guide Us
We’ve thought and we’ve read a lot about how housing affects people and we’re driven by the relationship between housing and possibilities for lives.
Good housing enhances safety and well-being. It nurtures and cultivates a person’s possibilities, whereas poor housing obstructs possibilities.
For people with disability, poor housing outcomes are exponentially more detrimental than for people who don’t live with disability. Poor housing places extra barriers before lives that are already challenged. Good housing, on the other hand, assists people with disability to navigate and address barriers. It can break down barriers altogether.
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From good housing people with disability can soar from a suitable, secure and safe platform. A place from where goals can be achieved and new possibilities can be discovered, possibilities that might never have been within sight before.
Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is wonderful. It leads the world as a gold standard. NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) enables superb, life-changing, suitable, secure and safe housing outcomes for eligible NDIS participants.
When well implemented, it goes a long way towards fulfilling Australia’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD):
Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement CRPD Article 19 (a)
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The SDA approval pathway is complex and can often involve very challenging steps. If you’re seeking SDA approval we would be very happy to assist you. In particular, we provide the following services:
Help you navigate the process of requesting SDA support through the NDIS.
With your assistance, gather all the evidence required by the NDIS.
Present your story and your preferences to the NDIS, backed up by the evidence gathered.
Assist with requesting reviews of decisions by the NDIS, in the event of erroneous decisions which sometimes occur.
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Because, it’s life-changing.
These words have been expressed about SDA outcomes separately and spontaneously by many NDIS participants whom we’ve had the privilege to meet and to support. It’s the most common description we’ve heard from SDA-eligible participants, speaking of SDA’s effect.
We’re very proud of the outcomes of journeys we contribute to. We will stand with you as you seek a housing outcome that meets the environmental challenges that you face, and will work our hardest to provide you with a platform from which to soar.
Meet Our Team
Leadership and Management Team
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Greg Barry
Founder and Principal Consultant
Greg has been closely involved in the SDA space since its inception. He is focused entirely (and independently) upon assisting NDIS Participants on their SDA journeys, particularly on SDA approvals. He brings a unique combination of industry expertise and decades of lived experience as a carer. Greg is greatly enjoying providing these services Nationally.
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Amanda Dodds
Chief Executive Officer - Operations
Amanda is proud to be SDA Services Chief Executive Officer, supporting clients, the team and nurturing the growth of the business in line with our values. Amanda has previously spent years working within the construction health and safety industry and not for profit organisations where she found her passion for making a difference in people’s lives.
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Kirstin Marsh
Engagement Manager
Kirstin is SDA Services’ Engagement Manager and Executive Assistant to Greg Barry, supporting Greg and the team to achieve suitable disability housing outcomes for participants. Kirstin has previously spent the last 20 years in the Aviation Industry and Travel Industry that have armed her with exceptional organisational and communications skills and fostering a positive experience for customers and clients.
Report Consultant Team
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Cindy Minett
Participant Interviewer
Cindy has 12 years’ experience in corporate roles in the mental health and disability sector. She is a passionate advocate for people with disabilities and joins the SDA team with lived experience as a carer/family member. Cindy is client-focused and solution-orientated, with experience working across a diversity of considerations and challenges; including acquired brain injury (ABI) and ex-military personnel. Cindy attends to her work with professionalism, compassion, and a strong attention to detail.
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Deborah Law
Participant Interviewer
Deborah’s studies in Social Science (Psychology) and 15 years’ experience in government human services roles and in the health and community sector, gave her valuable experience working with a diverse range of people in the community with varied disabilities and challenges.
She is a passionate advocate for diversity and equality and an LGBTQIA+ ally. She proudly works within the SDA team for optimal housing outcomes for First Nations peoples and enjoys immersing in country and culture when travelling to visit participants in the Northern Territory.
With many years lived experience as a carer, she is client-focused and brings empathy and understanding to her role at SDA Services.
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Jack Gillespie
Participant Interviewer
Jack is a Participant Interviewer utilising his skills gained during his Bachelor of Arts qualification in Journalism and Creative Writing, and his experience in writing across multiple media platforms. His role in the team is to interview clients seeking SDA and to reflect their circumstances, needs and aspirations in a clear and detailed manor for our SDA reports. Jack also has lived experience as an NDIS participant and SDA recipient.
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Melissa Tanner
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Ange Willett
Participant Interviewer
Born with physical disability in rural Queensland in the 1970's, Ange has lived through the many deficiencies, and vast improvements like NDIS and SDA in Australia's approach to disability. Particularly in remote, rural and regional Australia.
Coupled with 30 years experience across Community Development, Government decision making/planning/compliance, and University/research spheres puts Ange is great position as Participant Interviewer. Ange will work with you to help build a picture of your SDA goals in pursuit of a rigorous and positive SDA application. -
Seini Pitt
Consultant - Northern Territory
Joy and passion throughout Seini’s life and career has been found in the giving to and working in serving communities at varying levels of engagement. Her journey has been fueled by an unwavering passion for connecting with individuals and celebrating the diversity that enriches our community fabric. From grassroots initiatives to strategic leadership roles, Seini has seen immense value in fostering meaningful connections and advocating for inclusivity. Every interaction reinforces her belief that a thriving community embraces everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.
Seini has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of compassion and collaboration. Each day presents new opportunities to make a positive impact and uplift those around her. She is committed to continuing this journey, and contributing lived and learned experiences towards supporting others in Darwin, NT.
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Chris Kerwick
Senior Report Consultant & Document Controller
Chris joined SDA Services in 2019 and works with participants at all stages of the SDA applications and reviews process, from initial applications to AAT appeals. He also manages our online forms and designs our report templates. In his spare time he is slowly completing an MA Human Rights.
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Emma Wood
Report Consultant
Emma's role with SDA Services is to work together with Participants to gather information about their housing needs and preferences and collate their SDA application. Emma has a Bachelor of Arts in English, History, and Creative Writing complimented with a Graduate Certificate in Human Services.
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Kitsa Yanniotis
Report & Review Report Consultant
Kitsa has a background in law, psychotherapy and nutrition and has also created a number of businesses in the health/wellness space. She is an innovator at heart and loves finding solutions to problems. Her role is to work with participants and their supports to prepare their SDA submissions. She has 20 years lived experience as a carer and brings empathy, understanding and compassion in her approach.
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Rose Burke
Review Report Consultant
Rose is currently completing her fourth year of a Combined Bachelors of Laws and Communication with a Major in Social and Political Science. Her role involves working within the review process to aid participants in reaching their SDA goals. Rose enjoys applying both areas of her studies to her work in interpreting legislation and assisting the review team.
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Bridget Bailey
Review Report Consultant
Bridget is currently completing her 4th year in a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Forensic Science at the University of Technology Sydney. She enjoys applying both her studies and her experience in client-based roles to assist participants in achieving their desired outcome.
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Debby Snell
Administrative Support
Debby has previously worked as a personal carer for clients living with a disability. She has also been a foster/respite carer and spent her life growing up with foster brother and sisters whom she still keeps close contact with. Debby is a proud volunteer for Angel Gowns Australia.
Value for Money Team
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Jason Bretz
Occupational Therapist Team
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Greg Hoogstrate
Occupational Therapist
Greg has over 12 years’ experience as an Occupational Therapist. Greg has also worked as a support worker for clients with physical and intellectual disability which provided a unique insight into what was required to support people who face challenges living in their home.
Greg has worked in most of the major hospitals in Brisbane, predominantly in rehabilitation settings and has assisted many people living with neurological conditions such as stroke, acquired/traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s, MS and MND through the rehabilitation process with a person-centred approach, where Greg found his passion for assessing function within the home, and making recommendations for modifications, supports and services.
Greg is now utilising this experience to help formulate OT Reports to support SDA home applications. Greg engages the client and their supports in a goal setting process to provide the best chance of a desirable housing outcome. -
Danielle Brown
Occupational Therapist
Danielle graduated from Sydney University in 2004 and since has worked with adult clients with a range of disabilities including Disability, Lymphoedema, Brain Injury, Neurological and Aged Care.
Danielle’s professional focus has been in community settings and she has extensive experience working with clients living in their own homes. In addition to her community work, Danielle has a diverse background in acute hospital wards, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, hand clinics, and Lymphoedema outpatient clinics. This broad experience has given Danielle a deep understanding into how home environments can significantly affect an person’s daily life.
Danielle is committed to ongoing professional development and in recent years she has achieved accreditation to complete complex home modifications, is a trained Lymphoedema therapist, and completed a micro-credential at the University of Western Australia in 2023, focusing on diagnostic considerations for Autistic adults.
Danielle has worked with NDIS participants for seven years and has worked with SDA Services for three years. Throughout this time, she has gained a thorough understanding of the NDIS system and has managed numerous SDA applications. Danielle is committed to continually building her knowledge of the SDA application process, with the ongoing support from her dedicated team at SDA Services.
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Nichola Montague
Occupational Therapist
Nichola has been working as an Occupational Therapist in QLD and NSW since graduating in 2018. Prior to joining the SDA team, Nichola worked in private paediatric clinics, supporting independence and empowerment of children with a range of diagnoses. Her experience providing intensive therapy to children with complex physical disabilities further fueled Nichola’s passion for accessible environments and equipment. Seeing firsthand the significant impact this has on a person’s quality of life and the ripple effect felt throughout their social ecosystem is what led Nichola to her work completing functional and support needs assessments at SDA.