Niki (she/her) is an AuDHD female and one member of a neurodivergent family. Her lived experience has shown her first-hand how society can unwittingly disable individuals and families, and so she set about educating people about the social model of disability and advocating for real and practical equity and inclusion – as is the basic human right (but not the reality) of each and every person.

Niki’s advocacy for inclusion extends to everything she does in her determination to make the world, one small corner at a time, a place where ALL individuals can access ALL elements of society on an equal basis. Her picture book, The Umbrella, speaks to this messaging and offers readers the opportunity to talk about the concepts of fitting in, inclusion and belonging through the safe metaphor of umbrellas. Niki also offers tailored talks for schools and teachers, libraries and adults, using The Umbrella to convey and illustrate what true inclusion can look like.

In her small corner of the world, Niki promotes and champions diverse voices from individuals who identify as marginalised through her role on the ASLA DANZ (Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand) Children’s Book Award committee. She teaches authors and editors about writing and editing inclusively, and promotes the need for Born Accessible books through her educational courses.

Niki also offers tips and resources on inclusive language, and has a special interest in the respectful representation of marginalised identities and communities in children’s literature, which has led to her doing authenticity reads on neurodivergent characters and neurodiverse themes in children’s books.

In her spare time, Niki also advises on many inclusive strategies: she is a member of the Australian Publisher’s Association D&I advisory board, which aims to educate publishing houses on how to inclusively and practically employ and support employees from all walks of life in the publishing industry; She was a lived-experience advisory consultant for Women with Disability Australia during the design and writing stages of the Neve website to help inform resources for carers of physical distress families; Niki was also part of the advisory board to the government’s National Carer Strategy in 2024; and she is a committee member of the ASLA DANZ Children’s Book Award.