Disability Leadership Institute

What Disability Leadership Institute does

Disability Leadership Institute (DLI) is an Australian, privately-held, disability-owned leadership development organization founded in 2016 and headquartered (virtually) in Canberra. It describes itself as the world's first organization focused on leadership that is owned and run by disabled people, serving disabled individuals seeking career advancement to executive and board positions, as well as government and corporate clients seeking disability talent and inclusive leadership programs. DLI operates as a fully virtual, community-led organization with no proprietary technology stack — its core technology is human-delivered leadership development supported by third-party assessment tools (Global Leadership Profile, MyWorldView).

The product portfolio is structured as a career-stage ladder: Foundations of Disability Leadership (A$2,000, 8-week), Future Shapers (A$9,950, 9-month premier program), the newly launched Executive Mastermind (A$3,000 first year), plus add-on coaching through a panel of disabled coaches, the 6-module Represent course, the Effective Networking short course, and the CEO Internship Program pairing high-potential leaders with C-suite hosts. Surrounding the programs are a premium membership community (A$250/year after first year), the National Register of Disability Leaders (a two-sided talent marketplace for board, C-suite, speaking and media placements), the Disability Business Directory, the National Awards for Disability Leadership, and the annual Disability Leadership Oration broadcast by the ABC.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid of subscription/program fees, individual coaching and CEO consultation packages (A$99–A$385 per meeting), and B2B consulting via DLI Consulting. The go-to-market is community-led: acquisition runs through a self-serve Helloclub member portal, content marketing via the website/blog and Mailchimp newsletter, organic social (Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), earned media, and flagship events such as the annual Oration. The organization is bootstrapped and founder-owned (CEO and Founder Christina Ryan, with Deputy CEOs Wendy Hill and Yenn Purkis), with 17 employees and no disclosed external funding or institutional investors.

Name

Disability Leadership Institute

Legal name

Disability Leadership Institute

Website

https://disabilityleaders.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Disability Leadership Institute is a Canberra-based, disability-owned leadership development organization offering tiered leadership programs, coaching, a national talent register, and consulting to disabled individuals and organizations across 20+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Disability leadership programs
• Executive coaching services
• Leadership development training
• Professional membership services
• Disability talent consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra City

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Leadership Programs: Revenue from major leadership programs including Future Shapers (9-month program at $9,950 AUD +GST), Executive Mastermind ($3,000 +GST first year), and Foundations of Disability Leadership ($2,000 +GST). These are one-time or annual fee programs with included premium membership.
2. CEO Meetings and Consulting: Paid one-on-one consultations with CEO Christina Ryan ranging from 15 minutes ($99) to 1 hour ($385), plus organizational consulting and training services through DLI Consulting.
3. Membership Subscriptions: Premium membership fees ($250 +GST per year for alumni after first year of Executive Mastermind). Membership provides access to member groups, online courses, resources, and listing on National Register of Disability Leaders.
4. Coaching Services: Individually designed coaching packages offered through the DLI Coaching Panel, with options including Global Leadership Profile assessment ($1,350 +GST optional add-on) plus coaching sessions.
5. Online Courses: Short courses such as Represent (6-module course) and Effective Networking (3-part short course) with DLI members receiving free access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Disability Leadership Institute (DLI) operates a membership-based leadership development ecosystem for disabled people, offering multi-month leadership programs (Future Shapers, Executive Mastermind, Foundations of Disability Leadership), one-to-one coaching via a panel of disabled coaches, online courses, and a National Register of Disability Leaders that connects member talent with organisations. The organisation also delivers paid consulting, training, and CEO one-on-one consultations to government agencies and companies seeking to develop or recruit disability leaders.

Product overview

The Disability Leadership Institute offers a comprehensive suite of leadership development programs and services for disability leaders. The core portfolio includes Future Shapers (a premier 9-month vertical leadership program), the Executive Mastermind (for executive-level leaders), and Foundations of Disability Leadership (an 8-week foundational program). Supporting offerings include one-to-one coaching, the Represent online course on representation skills, and the CEO Internship Program. Additional services encompass the National Awards for Disability Leadership, the annual Disability Leadership Oration, Effective Networking short courses, premium membership with National Register listing, DLI Consulting for organisations, the Disability Business Directory, and Board Info Sheets. All programs are designed from a disability perspective and delivered virtually to ensure accessibility for disabled people everywhere.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Future Shapers A 9-month premium vertical leadership development program for high-potential disability leaders using adult vertical leadership development principles and embracing disability as a leadership asset. Includes 2 years of premium membership, vertical leadership assessments, coaching sessions, and lifelong alumni privileges. Priced at $9,950 AUD +GST.
• Executive Mastermind An executive-level peer-led co-learning program for disability leaders in senior management positions, including 3 intensive full-day workshops, ongoing alumni forum, and access to the DLI Library. First year $3,000 +GST, then $250 +GST annually for premium membership to retain alumni benefits.
• Foundations of Disability Leadership An 8-week fully virtual program teaching the foundations of disability leadership, how to operate as a leader, and using disability as a leadership asset. Includes 2 years of premium membership and the Represent course. Priced at $2,000 +GST.
• Coaching for Leaders Intensive one-to-one coaching delivered through the DLI Coaching Panel covering leadership, career, recruitment, wellbeing, governance, and executive coaching. Individually designed packages with optional Global Leadership Profile assessment add-on ($1,350 +GST including 1-hour personal debrief and full report).
• Represent A 6-module online course teaching effective representation skills from grassroots through to the United Nations, covering representation skills, message clarity, political forums, and implementation. Free to DLI members.
• CEO Internship Program A paid internship pairing high-potential disability leaders with C-suite aspirations alongside CEOs or executive teams of major Australian organisations, providing first-of-its-kind executive-level experiential learning.
• Premium Membership Program Annual premium membership providing access to member groups, online courses, resources, the DLI Library, networking, and listing on the National Register of Disability Leaders. $250 +GST per year after the first year of Executive Mastermind, with bundled inclusion in major programs.
• DLI Consulting Specialist consulting and training services for organisations delivered exclusively by disabled DLI members, including in-house disability leadership programs, workshops, coaching, and organisational change management. Sold directly to government agencies and corporate clients.
• CEO Meetings Paid one-on-one consultations with CEO Christina Ryan available as 15-minute ($99), 30-minute ($198), 45-minute ($297), or 1-hour ($385) video meetings, with in-person options for longer meetings when the CEO is in the same location. Booked via Stripe payment links.
• Effective Networking A 3-part short course helping disability leaders build confidence in networking, including workbook, networking kit preparation, and follow-up strategies. Free to DLI members.
• National Register of Disability Leaders A directory listing DLI members as disability leaders available for board appointments, C-suite roles, conference speaking, and media engagements. Organisations use the 'Find A Leader' service to advertise opportunities to the Register. Free for members to list; organisations pay for access to the talent pool.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Broadcast partner for the Disability Leadership Oration. ABC broadcasts the Oration via Big Ideas podcast and Listen App, with support from the Australian Government for IDay programming. This partnership extends reach of disability leadership thought leadership to mainstream audiences.
• Various Host CEOs and OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organizations host CEO Interns for paid internships alongside their CEO or executive team members. Inaugural partnership with Yooralla established this program. DLI and partners co-learn about designing executive roles that optimize impact of disabled leaders.
• YoorallacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for inaugural CEO Internship Program. DLI partnered with Yooralla to provide first-of-its-kind internship experience for disability leader with C-suite aspirations to work alongside CEO, informing future program development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD): US national disability-led membership organization advancing the economic power and leadership of people with disabilities; comparable to DLI in serving as a membership-based hub for disability advocacy and leadership development.
• The Valuable 500: Global disability business collective focused on disability inclusion at the leadership level across 500+ major companies; comparable to DLI in its mission to advance disability representation in executive ranks, with overlapping corporate consulting and talent matching services.
• PurpleSpace: UK-based membership community for disability employee resource groups and disability champions; comparable to DLI in serving as a peer-led professional community for disability leaders advancing inclusion in workplaces.
• Specialisterne: Global organization focused on employment and careers for people with autism and neurodiversity, with consulting and talent-matching services; comparable to DLI's career-advancement mission for people with disabilities, though narrower population focus.
• Disability:IN: US-headquartered nonprofit advancing disability inclusion in business; operates a similar talent marketplace (Disability Equality Index) and corporate consulting services comparable to DLI's National Register and DLI Consulting, focused on disability leadership pipeline development.

Broad incumbents

• Catalyst: Global nonprofit advancing women in leadership through research, consulting, and corporate membership; serves as a model for how DLI could scale as a category-defining leadership organization, though for a different underrepresented population.

Regional players

• Diversity Council Australia: Australian independent diversity and inclusion think-tank and membership body; comparable in mission (advancing workplace inclusion and diverse leadership) and Australian geographic focus, though broader than disability-specific.
• Leadership Victoria: Australian leadership development organization offering programs, fellowships, and community for emerging leaders; shares the Australian geography and the leadership development program model, though not disability-specific.
• Australian Network on Disability (AND): Australian membership organization enabling employment and inclusion of people with disability across corporate Australia; serves the same Australian market as DLI with overlapping employer-facing services and disability talent pipelines.

Others

• JobAccess: Australian government-funded employment service for people with disability; addresses the same disability-employment intersection as DLI from a government-funded rather than membership-based model, and represents an adjacent ecosystem participant in Australia's disability employment landscape.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DisabilityLead
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDOaNO7IOhyymA6gqiOJgqg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Disability-Leadership-Institute-1707257385952912
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/disability-leadership-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Disability Leadership Institute