Our people

Sally is the Chief Operating Officer at Aware Super. With over 25 years‘ experience in financial services she has lead many large functions within Hesta, VFMC, NAB, CBA and AXA Australia.

At work, Sally has been a vocal advocate for gender diversity and inclusion and also workplace flexibility. She was recognised for this as the 2016 recipient of the Financial Executive Women (FEW) Positive Progression of Women award. She is also an author and her first book, Stepmother Love, is all about the challenges faced by stepmothers in finding their way and building loving families.It’s this combination of Sally’s corporate skills and advocacy for tough parenting gigs that brought her to Autism Awareness Australia.



Sally joined the AAA board as a non executive director in 2016 and became our Chair in 2022. She continues to be inspired and energised by learning about and supporting the challenges faced by people on the autism spectrum, and their families, and can’t wait to help AAA be as successful as possible in their great work.

Nicole Rogerson is one of the nation’s leading spokespersons for the awareness and understanding of autism. She is the founding director of Autism Awareness Australia and is an experienced director, government advisor and senior executive.

For more than 18 years, she has been advising on public policy, providing early intervention services and advocating for the inclusion, acceptance and understanding of individuals with autism.A passionate disability advocate and social policy campaigner, she is a frequent public speaker on these issues and is regularly advocating for families with children on the spectrum. She is deeply committed to improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Nicole has two sons, the eldest of whom is on the autism spectrum.To learn about Nicole's family, see their Australian Story here.

Andrew Whitehouse is the Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research, the Director of CliniKids at the Telethon Kids Institute, Professor of Autism Research at The University of Western Australia, Research Strategy Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) and a past president of the Australasian Society for Autism Research.

At the Telethon Kids Institute he leads a large team that seeks to find new and innovative ways to help children on the autism spectrum reach their full potential. With over 300 published peer-reviewed journal articles and over $60 million in competitive research grants, he currently presents an internationally syndicated video series called ’60 Second Science”, and is an advisor to State and Commonwealth Governments on policies relating to children with Autism Spectrum Conditions.



Along with a Eureka Prize for his research, Andrew was a Western Australian of the Year award winner in 2023. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, and in 2024 was appointed to the National School Resourcing Board.

John is a successful Australian CEO, Chair/ Director with over 25 years of extensive board and business management experience across several publicly listed and private companies including Wesfarmers Ltd, Ruralco Holdings Ltd and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation.

He is a strong advocate for raising the awareness, knowledge and acceptance of autism particularly in regional & remote communities and has been awarded Sydney University’s Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award for his contribution to this cause.John was previously on the board of Autism Awareness Australia from 2008-2015 and currently serves as Chair/Director of a number of Australian public and private businesses.

He is married with three children and is both humbled and excited about rejoining the board of AAA to help contribute to the fantastic work the team undertakes in supporting families affected by autism.

Charlie is an experienced investment and financial services professional, and is the Managing Director of Pitcher Partners Sydney Wealth Management Pty Ltd (PPSWM). PPSWM manages over $3bil of client moneys and Charlie, while running the business is personally responsible for c.$2bil.

Father of two, Charlie is passionate about helping families like his that have a child with autism. He is very excited to be on the board of AAA as a means of ensuring families are offered the best possible support and access to information when they need it most.

Tabitha is a seasoned executive, with experience across a number of industries, including banking, legal, retail and hospitality.Tabitha is currently the Chief People Officer at Michael Hill Jeweller. She is an advocate for change and inclusion and is passionate about providing opportunities for those less able or fortunate.  

As a mother of 2 boys, Tabitha and her husband are striving to raise amazing men, who are not afraid to speak out for others who cannot do so for themselves. Her youngest son is on the spectrum and she understands the daily challenge that families face, and the need for a supportive community of professionals, friends and family to achieve the best results.

Tabitha is very excited to be part of Autism Awareness Australia, so she can further support families and those on the Autism Spectrum through their journey.