Brent Phillips, Director – Language, Partnerships & Innovation at Expression Australia

Rotary Melbourne Podcast

Speaking on “Deaf Australians – a Cultural, Linguistic Minority or a Disability Group?” This presentation will be interpreted in Auslan. Brent will speak about the Australian Deaf community and the importance of community, culture and language in empowering Deaf Australians in the modern connected world we live in. Brent will also discuss how the Deaf community has evolved over the decades and current developments in creating participation and opportunities for Deaf Australians in all stages of life. He will also touch upon society’s perceptions of the Deaf community and Auslan, and how significant inroads have been made to promote and expose Auslan and Deaf individuals in mainstream society. Brent is currently Director – Language, Partnerships & Innovation at Expression Australia, leading Expression Australia’s community engagement and partnerships strategy, as well as Victoria and Tasmania’s largest and most experienced Auslan interpreting agency – Auslan Connections. Brent is also responsible for driving Expression Australia’s suite of learning and training services. Brent’s previous roles include Contract Manager at the then Department of Planning and Community Development, Disability Outreach Officer at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Manager at Deaf Victoria. He is a former President of Deaf Sports Australia, a voluntary position he held for eight years. Brent is currently Co-Chair of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission Disability Reference Group. Brent is a third-generation Deaf person in his family, married to a Deaf person and is the proud father of two young children. He has BA (Criminology) and MBA degrees and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.