THE SAGE STORY
With a background in humanities and a passion for helping people achieve their NDIS goals, Sages' experience and success add up to a positive step for you when engaging their services.
KELLY RYAN
Director/Specialist Support Coordinator
BA Arts, (Hons) Politics, Diploma of Counselling, Cert IV in training and assessment, Accredited Mental Health First Aider.
WORK HISTORY
Kelly Ryan is Sage’s Specialist Support Coordinator and Owner. Since 2015 Kelly has delivered Complex Support Coordination for families living in the Geelong and Surf Coast regions.
Prior to working in the disability sector Kelly was delivering a parenting program within the correctional space. For the 10 years before that Kelly was developing and proactively advocating training and coaching programs that were based around capacity building.
QUALIFICATIONS AND PASSION
Kelly’s specialities include complex families, Autism, Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health. Kelly has qualifications in counselling, and an Arts degree with Honours – focusing on humanities.
Kelly has a large network across the disability sector and is extremely passionate about working with participants and their families to assist them to achieve their NDIS goals. Driven by creating opportunities where everyone is able to experience life equally. Kelly’s core passion is embedded in having a deep commitment to people.
EMILY RADFORD
Senior Support Coordinator
Accredited Mental Health First Aid
WORK HISTORY
Emily has over a decade of first-hand understanding of the achievements and frustrations that came from seeking unique, disability related supports, for members of her own family. She has channelled a passion for personal empowerment and lateral thinking, along with her understanding of the legal and health care systems, plus the DHHS, Centrelink and NDIS structures to forge a career assisting other families who live with disability.
Emily has attained certificates in Individual Support, is currently learning AUSLAN and has gained vast NDIS experience in her previous role as a Local Area Coordinator. These opportunities have enabled her to tailor individualised supports, foster greater independence, develop a wide network of connections and gain deep understanding of how meaningful change is always possible.
She develops a respectful comprehension of each person’s situation through actively listening to discover what matters most. She partners with the families and important people, uses creative problem-solving strategies, performs comprehensive research and takes an empathetic approach to each individual’s needs, so she can deliver high calibre support.
When Emily is not working, she can be found playing with her two dogs, three children and exploring family friendly spaces. She is keen to uncover more new places across the Greater Geelong, Surf Coast and Bellarine regions, after relocating here six years ago.
ADELLE McCASKILL
Support Coordinator
Cert IV Disability, Accredited Mental Health First Aid.
WORK HISTORY
Adelle has 9 years’ experience working as a Disability Support Worker. She has Cert IV in disability and a current First Aid Certificate.
Adelle is a passionate Support Coordinator who loves working with participants and their families to assist them with finding the right supports that help individuals do what they want to do to enjoy a meaningful life.
Outside of work Adelle loves exploring the outdoors with her daughter and dog. Adelle’s attitude to having an active, healthy, happy family lifestyle is something she transfers to her role as a Support Coordinator, to help people lead a fulfilled life.
Adelle is always eager to take part in and seek out professional development opportunities to further her skills.
NGAIRE YOUNG
Support Coordinator
Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University, Accredited Mental Health First Aid
WORK HISTORY
Ngaire is new to Sage and has transferred to the Disability sector after a long career in Finance and Corporate Coordination. Ngaire is now using her skills in financial systems, partnership building and communications as an asset in her role as Support Coordinator.
Ngaire has a passion for ensuring that people with disability are given opportunities to achieve their goals and lead a life of their choosing and to that end, she is tenacious in her pursuit of positive outcomes for the NDIS Participants she works alongside.
Outside of work Ngaire spends her time chasing after her three children, three chickens and one crazy Labradoodle. She loves spending long lazy days at the beach.
REBEKAH ASH
Support Coordinator
Cert IV in Youth Work, Accredited Mental Health First Aid
WORK HISTORY
Bek is Sage’s newest recruit. Having come from her role as LAC (Local Area Coordinator) – Bek has complex NDIS knowledge, specialising in the field of Assistive Technology and Home Modifications, enjoys working primarily with families, and has a passion for empowering people with a disability.
Prior to working in disability Bek provided support to Youth, working in DHHS residential homes, where Bek gained experience in assisting individuals with complex trauma, and built upon her knowledge of environmental disability.
Bek has a wide network within the disability sector, and through her time at Latrobe Community Health, Bek has forged many respected working relationships, which enables her to stay up to date on current and upcoming supports which gives her the advantage of tailoring supports to individuals based on their needs, and to get supports started sooner!
When Bek isn’t working, you will find her spending time with her three kids and her husband, or meeting up with friends and family. Family is extremely important to Bek, and this transfers into her work in Support Coordination as she understands the role that family has in the life of people living with disability, and promotes support not only for the individual but for their informal network as well.
MICHAELA RODGERS
Support Coordinator
Bachelor of Youth Work, Cert IV in Alcohol and other Drugs
Cert IV in Disability , Cert IV in Mental health
WORK HISTORY
Michaela originally studied and worked in the youth work field but found her passion within the disability industry, when she was finishing off her study placement hours working on camps with children. From that moment she was hooked and while still working within the youth work sector, she continued to volunteer at camps on her weekends off.
When her temporary job in youth work came to an end, she was approached to work at an organisation that ran group-based activities for adults with ASD. There she gained an enormous amount of experience working with people with complex support needs.
Throughout her 10 year career she has gained a range of different knowledge and experience within the industry and has worked in all areas such as: respite, recreation, working alongside the LGBTIQ+ community, camps, holiday activities, community participation, mental health, education, group based activities and has recently enjoyed her time in management within supported accommodation.
Michaela is enthusiastic and passionate about ensuring all participants that she works with have their goals and needs met by thinking outside of the box and using a holistic approach. She enjoys watching people grow, learn, gain confidence within themselves, and lead happy and successful lives (however that looks for them!).
In her down time, Michaela enjoys going on day trips with her partner, snuggling on the couch with her cats, and spending time with her close-knit family.
JAKE JANSON
Support Coordinator
Cert IV in Youth Work, Accredited First Aider, Accredited Mental Health First Aid
WORK HISTORY
Jake has an ever-growing passion for supporting people and helping them achieve their goals. Originally starting his journey within the youth sector, Jake volunteered as a mentor with the non-for-profit organisation, Ocean Mind. His role with Ocean Mind continued to evolve until he became the first paid employee as a program coordinator, running surf therapy programs.
Jake found the most value in spending one on one time with the youth in Ocean Mind and began running a disability support business ‘Believe and Achieve Youth Support’ to provide more in-depth support tailored to his clients. As a disability support worker, Jake worked with a diverse range of people to help them achieve their goals and provide the support and care they needed. Jake has extensive understanding of working with complex participants and through his individualised work, has had extensive exposure to Child Protection, Justice and other interfacing systems, where he has developed further understanding and created professional networks to assist him in his professional development.
Jake has been recognised for his work within the local community, being nominated for Surf Coast Youth Awards in 2019 and later being named as the winner of Westfield Geelong Local Heroes in 2020.
In his spare time Jake enjoys keeping active, and loves spending time with his partner and their fur babies, often travelling and seeing the coast. Jake looks forward to working with individuals and helping empower them to make informed decisions and choices, in order for them to live their best lives!