Announcement about Amaze CEO

Message from Board Chair Professor Warren Bebbington AM

Amaze has commenced the search for a new CEO following Fiona Sharkie’s decision to depart the role after seven years.

Fiona’s seven years in the role has been a time of momentous change for the organisation. She transformed Amaze from an organisation simply about autism to one intensively working for autistic people.

She created a 2040 vision of a society that truly understands, engages and accepts autism. Her presence in the media and the relationships she built in government has resulted in Amaze being a leading source of advice on autism policy and programs in Victoria and federally.

One high point of her achievements was winning a $9 million NDIS grant to expand the Autism Advisor helpline nationally. The grant for Autism Connect has been the largest ever made in the NDIS ILC program to date, and it being granted to Amaze is a tribute to Fiona’s achievements.

It is an exciting time for Amaze with the national expansion of our Autism Connect service and campaigns for better government policy for the Autism community, and with a strong Executive Team in place, including Deputy CEO Nicole Rees, I am confident that there will be no interruption to Amaze’s work when Fiona departs.

Fiona’s last day at Amaze will be 30 June. The search for the new CEO will be conducted by Brooker Consulting with the aim to have the new CEO in place by July.

On behalf of the Board, I wish Fiona all the best in her future endeavours and will provide updates following the conclusion of the recruitment process.

Message from Fiona Sharkie

It has been an enormous privilege to be CEO of Amaze for the last seven years. I have achieved all that I came to do and more, recognising there is much more to do and the chance for a new leader to take Amaze on its next journey.

My primary aim has always been to ensure the voices of autistic people and their families are heard and shape the work Amaze does every day. I’m immensely proud of the ‘firsts’ we have achieved including Australia’s first research into Community Attitudes Towards Autism and the Experiences of Autistic People and their Families in Society, the first mass media public education campaign for autism called Change Your Reactions and the first national autism helpline, Autism Connect.

Today Victoria has a Victorian Autism Plan and a Victorian Autism Education Strategy and hopefully on our way to seeing a National Autism Strategy.

I am indebted to all the autistic people, their families and other autism and disability organisations who have collaborated and supported me and Amaze during my time as CEO.

Finally to the Amaze staff and Board Chairs and Directors over seven years, thank you for sharing my vision and commitment to shape a better future for autism.