No more surviving. Let's thrive instead…let's make things better.
Hannah Diviney is a writer, disability advocate, actress, screenwriter, author and media personality.
Her disability advocacy has garnered global attention thanks to both a viral petition encouraging Disney to create a disabled Disney Princess and a successful campaign encouraging both Lizzo and Beyonce to change ableist lyrics.
Her debut book, I'll Let Myself In, a collection of personal essays chronicling what it means to come of age in a world not built for you, was released in 2023.
As a writer, her work has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Mamamia and The Guardian, among others. She’s the former Editor in Chief of global grassroots media company, Missing Perspectives, which she also co-founded, dedicated to platforming and making space for the lived experience of women and girls around the world.
As if that wasn't enough, she's also an actor, having made television history as the first disabled person in Australia to do a sex scene on television, thanks to SBS Digital Originals series, Latecomers. She made her feature film debut in the SXSW premiere pick Audrey.
Talking Points
Breaking the System: Disability, Work and Why Inclusion Still Hasn’t Happened
Hannah shines a light on the real barriers disabled people face in the workforce—from physical inaccessibility and biased recruitment practices to outdated assumptions and lack of meaningful accommodations. Drawing from her own experience navigating education and employment systems not built with disabled people in mind, Hannah challenges the low expectations that keep 45% of disabled Australians living near or below the poverty line. She shares what true inclusion looks like—and why it starts with listening.Breaking the System: Disability, Work and Why Inclusion Still Hasn’t Happened
Key Takeaways:
• The economic and social cost of failing to include disabled workers.
• How to create accessible workplaces that move beyond checkbox compliance.
• Why lived experience must be part of leadership and decision-making.
• Actionable steps for hiring managers, HR teams, and executives to enhance recruitment, retention, and support of disabled talent.
The Power of Showing Up: Leadership, Identity and Living Your Values
Hannah shares her personal journey from growing up with a disability to becoming a leading voice in media, advocacy and representation. This Keynote explores how lived experience can become a powerful leadership asset—and why authenticity is essential to driving change. Hannah offers practical insight into how individuals and organisations can lead with purpose, create space for diverse voices, and move beyond performative inclusion to genuine impact.The Power of Showing Up: Leadership, Identity and Living Your Values
Key Takeaways:
• How to lead and influence from a place of lived experience and integrity.
• A practical understanding of equity vs. equality in leadership and culture.
• Steps for building inclusive, values-aligned workplaces and platforms.
• Why authenticity, accessibility and diverse perspectives drive better outcomes.
Mental Health, Media and Identity: Why the Stories We Tell Matter
Hannah explores the deep connection between mental health, identity and representation—particularly for young people and marginalised communities. Drawing on her own lived experience with disability and mental health, as well as her background as a writer and media company founder, she unpacks how outdated stereotypes and underrepresentation in media, advertising, education and public life perpetuate harm. This Keynote challenges audiences to consider the real-world impact of the stories we amplify, and how inclusive storytelling can create meaningful change, connection and resilience.Mental Health, Media and Identity: Why the Stories We Tell Matter
Key Takeaways:
• A deeper understanding of how media and representation shape mental health outcomes.
• Why inclusive storytelling is a responsibility, not a trend.
• How to build content, culture and environments that support wellbeing and belonging.
• Practical frameworks for representation, psychological safety and meaningful engagement.
Topics
Video
IN FULL: Hannah Diviney's Address to the National Press Club of Australia
Hannah Diviney, Writer, Disability Advocate, Actress, Screenwriter, Author and Media Personality Addresses the National Press Club of Australia in partnership with Women in Media on "Wheels In Motion: Inside A Storyteller's Brain".Hannah's here to change the world. Let's get out of her way. ... keep reading Zoe Foster-Blake
