Meet Our 2026 Melbourne Disability Expo Ambassador: Fiona Demark

We are proud to welcome Fiona Demark as Ambassador for the 2026 Melbourne Disability Expo, taking place Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Door 1 (Clarendon Street End).

Fiona is an international keynote speaker, trainer, consultant and passionate advocate for disability inclusion. Legally blind since birth, she has spent more than 30 years helping individuals, organisations and communities challenge perceptions around disability and focus on what is possible. Through her signature philosophy, Ability Thinking, Fiona encourages people to rethink barriers, embrace difference and recognise strengths rather than limitations.

Fiona is also the author of Broken Hill: The Broken Road to Becoming Whole, a memoir that chronicles her journey through childhood loss, adversity and navigating life with vision impairment. Through her writing and speaking, she shares a message of hope, determination and possibility.

For Fiona, disability has never defined what she can achieve. Instead, it has shaped her perspective on resilience, adaptability and the importance of finding new ways forward.

“Sometimes we need to take a different path to achieve our goals, but that doesn’t mean those goals are out of reach,” she says. “Everything is still possible. Disability shouldn’t prevent you from pursuing your dreams.”

As Ambassador, Fiona is looking forward to connecting with attendees, sharing her experiences and helping people discover opportunities they may never have known existed. 

“One of the things I love most about Disability Expos is that you can discover what you don’t know,” Fiona says. “You might attend looking for one particular service and leave having found a product, support, community group or opportunity that completely changes your life. Having so many providers and organisations in one place gives people access to information they may never have found otherwise.”

For Fiona, one of the biggest advantages of attending an Expo is the opportunity to experience products and services firsthand.

“As someone who is vision impaired, being able to touch and interact with products makes a huge difference. Sometimes you can read about something online, but it’s not until you see it, feel it or try it yourself that you know whether it’s right for you.”

Throughout her career, Fiona has encouraged people to focus on solutions rather than obstacles. “Disability may present challenges, but it doesn’t have to be a barrier. There is always another way around an obstacle. It’s about adapting, finding the right support and believing that your goals are still achievable.”

The Melbourne Disability Expo is ultimately about connection, discovery and possibility. “It’s a welcoming environment where people can explore new ideas, meet others with shared experiences and access the information they need to thrive. You never know what opportunity or connection might be waiting for you.” 

She also hopes carers attending the Expo will take the opportunity to access support for themselves. 

“Carers do an incredible job, but it’s important that they look after themselves too. Events like the Expo can connect carers with support networks, services and resources that help make life easier for everyone involved.”