Dunedin – I.Lead

Libby McDonald

COMMITTEE MEMBER

My name is Libby McDonald. I have lived in Dunedin for 6 years now.

I have a Bachelor of Science and am now in my final year of a Bachelor of Physiotherapy, hoping to represent disabled youth as a healthcare professional. I live with invisible physical disabilities and chronic illness, so I am an ambulatory wheelchair user and a huge advocate for accessibility.

In my spare time, I teach piano and singing. I also love to get outdoors, go to the gym and play adaptive sports. I have a little golden retriever, Maisie, who has half of my personality!!

I am so excited to help establish I.Lead in Otepoti, and can’t wait to help bring down some of the awesome initiatives the Auckland team has championed.

Oak Roberts

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Kia ora, my name is Oak. I live in Dunedin (Ōtepoti). I have two disabilities: Hydrocephalus and Autism.

I am passionate about social justice and inclusivity and making sure people are heard and respected.

In my spare time, I love going for walks, drinking coffee and hanging out with friends.

JORDAN CLEAVER

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Hello, my name is Jordan. I was born in Invercargill but have lived in Dunedin for majority of my lifetime, and I absolutely love the place!

I’m a very avid photographer. My hobbies are transportation, mainly trucks and trains and I also photograph Ships, Aircraft and Emergency vehicles!

I love going on walks, exploring what our beautiful city has to offer and take in the beauty of Dunedin’s various large cafes and restaurants.

I joined I.Lead Comittee, as I really wanted to meet people with similar disabilities like myself and also to make myself feel more confident in learning how to drive and other social activities and events! I’m super glad to be apart of this amazing group, and I look forward to meeting new people along the way and helping others out.

BETHANY ELDER

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Kia ora, I’m Bethany, and have grown up in Dunedin. I love the beach, spending time with friends and family when I can, my cat, Ebony, and audiobooks. I used to do gymnastics! My faith is really important to me, and I enjoy listening to music.

My passion for disability advocacy stems from personal experience with chronic illnesses and mental health. I started sharing my story online because I wanted to raise awareness for invisible illnesses like ME/CFS, and connect with others on similar journeys, showing them they’re not alone, never being defined by their trials, and there is always hope, despite how dark things seem.

I’m excited to work with the Dunedin I-Lead Committee and make connections with others across the country. I believe sharing stories is so important and I hope to bring not only my experiences, but amplify the voices of other youth in NZ.

Josh Sime

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Kia ora. I’m Josh. I’m originally from Auckland, but I now call Dunedin home. I am diagnosed with autism and multiple mental disorders.

Since 2019, I’ve advocated passionately across disability, rangatahi/tamariki, autism, and mental health sectors, especially in sensory accessibility. My advocacy led to sensory hours being implemented across supermarkets in New Zealand and local businesses. I’ve served as a Consumer Advisor for several organisations, as well as being featured on Stuff.co.nz discussing transition services for rangatahi under the care of Oranga Tamariki.

I am passionate about gaming, EDM, and I love animals (I have a dream of owning a German Shepherd dog one day). I’m currently studying a Bachelor in Information Technology with aspirations in cyber security.