Rebecca Webbern, Employer Engagement Specialist with CVGT Employment, and Kaye Jones, Employment Service Lead at Guide Dogs Victoria, will present together on creating meaningful employment opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision.

Through the partnership between Guide Dogs Victoria and CVGT Employment, they are working to improve accessibility, challenge misconceptions and connect talented job seekers with sustainable employment opportunities.

For World Sight Day, Rebecca and Kaye will share both sides of the employment conversation, highlighting the unique hard and soft workplace-ready skills that people who are blind or have low vision bring, while exploring the barriers they can face and the important role employers can play in creating more inclusive workplaces.

Maurice Gleeson OAM is Chief Executive Officer of Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria (BSRV), where he has dedicated more than three decades to creating opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision to participate in sport, recreation and community life in a meaningful way.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and equal opportunity, Maurice’s outstanding contribution to the blindness and disability sectors has been recognised through numerous honours, including the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), the Victorian Disability Awards Lifetime Achievement Honour Roll and, most recently, being named Blind Australian of the Year in 2025.

Maurice continues to champion the belief that every person with vision loss should have the opportunity and choice to participate in the sport or recreational activity of their choosing.

Doug Sloan has dedicated more than five decades to the blind and low vision community, with a remarkable commitment to blind sport, volunteering and advocacy.

Doug lost his sight in May 1969 following a car accident. After undertaking 18 months of rehabilitation, where he learned Braille and mobility skills, his involvement in blind sport began in October 1969 with his first blind cricket activity.

In 1971, Doug joined his first Blind Cricket committee, beginning an extraordinary 55-year contribution to blind sport and recreation. He went on to serve as President of Blind Golf Victoria for 24 years and President of Blind Cricket for 17 years, helping create opportunities for people who are blind or low vision to participate in sport, develop friendships and achieve their goals.

In 2026, Doug celebrates 55 years as a volunteer and continues to support Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria as a BSRV Ambassador.

Robert (Rob) Fletcher is President of Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria and a passionate advocate for creating greater opportunities for people who are blind or have low vision. Following a distinguished 31-year career with ExxonMobil, where he held senior leadership roles across Australia and the Asia Pacific region, Rob retired in 2021 to focus on community leadership, volunteering and advocacy.

Having lost 96% of his vision due to a genetic condition in 2009, Rob has become a leading voice for accessibility, inclusion and participation. A highly accomplished blind tennis player, Rob represented Australia at the 2024 World Blind and Low Vision Championships in Italy, coaches emerging athletes and serves on the Tennis Australia Disability Advisory Council.

Rob is passionate about demonstrating that vision loss does not limit opportunity, using his lived experience to inspire greater confidence, understanding and inclusion across sport, workplaces and the wider community.