Our Trainers | Access Institute

Ms. Joe Manton

Access Institute Director

Qualified Trainer and Assessor, Accredited Member and Industry Expert Fellow of the Access Consultants Association

Joe has undertaken access studies overseas and is an Accredited Access Consultant and Fellow of the Access Consultants Association (ACA). She was inaugural Convenor of the Victorian Access Consultants Network (VACN), past Vice President of ACA, a member of the Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) and an affiliate member of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors. Joe is a highly regarded industry expert and has been recognised for her work. She is also a Fellow of Leadership Victoria and a selected participant in the prestigious inaugural program.

Joe has undertaken many hundreds of access audits as well as the development of many Disability Access and Inclusion Action Plans and other access research and improvement projects. She leads a multi-disciplinary team of experienced and qualified access professionals and trainers who have extensive skills gained from both professional and personal experience in addressing a wide range of access issues.

Grad Dip Welfare Admin, Diploma Access Consulting, Cert IV TAE, Registered LHDS, LHDG, Changing Places and SDA Assessor

Michael Wheeler

Access Consultant, Trainer and Assessor

Qualified and Accredited Access Consultant, Trainer and Assessor

Michael is a teacher with more than 25 years’ experience working in marginalised communities. He is a qualified trainer and assessor and has consulted on a variety of teaching mediums for use in training programs relating to access. He also has extensive experience in both development and assessment of a wide range of training programs in the access industry.

Michael is a member of the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), an Accredited Member of the Access Consultants Association (ACA).

BA, Dip Ed, Cert IV TAE, Diploma of Access Consulting

Lucas Wheeler

Access Consultant and Trainer

Qualified and Accredited Access Consultant and Trainer

Lucas is part of the access auditing and training team. He has been involved in a range of access initiatives and presents as part of the training and professional development team. His high level technical communication skills and creativity support development of a range of training mediums. Lucas manages a variety of access projects and works closely with clients to meet their access needs.

He is the lead trainer for the LHDG Assessor courses. He has completed a Bachelor of Business and is an Accredited Member of the Access Consultants Association (ACA).

Bach of Business, Cert IV TAE, Diploma of Access Consulting, Registered LHDS, LHDG and SDA Assessor

Guest Presenters

Guest presenters in the Access Institute team include a range of access professionals such as architects, building surveyors, town planners and trainers with disabilities, as well as other professionals with extensive knowledge and skills.

These presenters participate in sessions to provide specific information and perspectives based on their extensive experience to support a wide variety of educational and informative programs.

Sarah Collison

Occupational Therapist and Director of VerveOT

Sarah Collison is an Occupational Therapist and Director of Verve OT, leading a team of 55 Occupational Therapists across Sydney and the Blue Mountains. She specialises in assistive technology, home modifications, and complex functional assessments for NDIS participants. As the founder of Verve OT Learning, Sarah has trained thousands of Occupational Therapists nationwide to navigate the NDIS with confidence.

Sarah also facilitates the NDIS OT Community of Practice, connecting over 12,000 Occupational Therapists to share knowledge and advocate for better outcomes. Sarah co-hosts the OT Unplugged podcast, offering real conversations and insights for Occupational Therapists working within the NDIS.

Elizabeth Haberley

Occupational Therapist and Director of Exceptional Access OT

Liz is an Occupational Therapist with 30 years’ experience working with people of all ages who have a disability.

Liz has worked in rehabilitation, intellectual disabilities and aged care settings and worked part time for 20 years for the Qld Department of Housing specialising in complex home modifications, 7 years in the NDIS world specialising in equipment prescription, complex home modifications and specialist housing for clients with highly complex physical and psychosocial disabilities. Liz has a very strong interest in social inclusion for all people and looking at ways to provide access to allow this to occur.

Access Institute’s team of qualified and accredited trainers and assessors are industry experts who provide a wealth of knowledge and experience across the access industry.