ABB Board
Dr. Zhila Hasanloo
Zhila – Executive Director & Board Member
Zhila is a dedicated disability rights advocate and researcher with a PhD in Education from the University of Sydney, specializing in disability rights and the Disability Arts Movement. Her innovative project, Hope Springs Eternal, a radio drama based on real-life experiences of blind and low-vision individuals, was broadcast in both English and Persian.
Zhila has led impactful initiatives, including Sexual Lives and Respectful Relationships, which focused on violence prevention for people with intellectual disabilities. She has worked with the NSW Department of Education’s Disability and Inclusion Program and served as Chairperson of the Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association for three years.
Since 2024, Zhila has served as Executive Director of Ability Beyond Boundaries, where she combines creativity and leadership to promote inclusion and empower marginalized communities. She is also an active member of Multicultural NSW’s Regional Community Network, advocating for Persian and multicultural communities.
Zhila envisions a more creative and inclusive society where everyone’s strengths are celebrated, and people of all abilities can fully participate with pride and confidence.
DR. ZHILA HASANLOO
Zhila is the Founder and Director of Ability Beyond Boundaries which aims to promote the inclusion of people with disability in society with a specific focus on raising awareness for Persian communities. As a leader and ambassador for people with disability, she takes every opportunity to protest against the societal negative attitudes and discrimination against disability.
Zhila says: “With being proud of who we are, with the heads up, we embrace our identity as disabled persons, and participate in our communities. We are disability ambassadors and believe awareness stimulates tolerance and diversity for everyone”.
Richard Silberer
A former Electronics Engineer by profession, Richard has graduated from University of Technology Sydney. He has worked for Australian Defence Force for 10 years and in Europe for leading telecommunication businesses such as Siemens for over 20 years prior to his retirement on Disability grounds.
Richard strongly believes that with the right tools people with disability can live a fulfilled life and reach their goals. Returning from Europe after 23 years, Richard is a keen participant and advocate for NDIS in fulfilling the life of people living with disability through identifying and reaching their goals and aspirations. “NDIS make their lives easier in their own homes rather than in an institution and in engagement in society in a way that can change societal attitudes towards disability for a win win situation for all” Richard says.
With a keen interest in the issues of parents with disability and child relationship with the parents, Richard believes that there is a need for family awareness in this field.
Being passionate about welfare of people living with disability Richard is sitting on Cumberland Council Access committee to contribute his personal experiences about what people with disability face in their lives.
RICHARD SILBERER
Dr. Nuredin Mahmoodi
Over the past 12 years Nuredin has obtained a wealth of knowledge about issues of disability and disability rights as he has been part of several disability related projects. With the assistance of people with disability themselves and also having close collaboration with them, most of these projects reflect on the unspoken stories of people.
Nuredin has achieved his PhD in Philosophy of Education from Tehran University. In his Dissertation, his main focus was on a model on enhancing creativity and arts in education. As a proactive scholar, he has been involved in various projects like developing the creative mind of the children and also on empowering people with disability and he is an author of several books and journal articles on such topics.
DR. NUREDIN MAHMOODI
Dr Armita Adily
Armita has extensive experience in public health and health services research, focusing on specific needs of priority populations including people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and Aboriginal peoples. Her work has informed policy and practice to improve services for children and adolescents with mental health problems, carers of children with hearing impairments, offenders with serious mental illness, vulnerable groups affected by domestic violence, and elderly people with hearing impairments at risk of loneliness and social isolation.
In her projects, Armita collaborates with diverse stakeholders-including the community members, service providers, policy makers and other researchers-to identify the specific needs of target populations. Through this collaborative approach, she co-designs and evaluates interventions to deliver improvements in health outcomes and equity.
Armita’s academic pursuits extend to capacity-building initiatives to strengthen the health workforce. During her doctoral studies, Armita explored the capacity for evidence-based policy and practice in Australia’s population health workforce. She was also commissioned by Western Australia General Practice Education and Training (WAGPET) to assess the vocational training needs of medical doctors entering general practice. In addition to her research, Armita is a dedicated educator and mentor with teaching and supervision roles.
A proud member of the Iranian-Australian community, Armita is passionate about Persian literature and art. She has made contributions to the Persian-speaking community by creating ration programs focused on health promotion, Persian poetry and current affairs.
Dr Armita Adily
Dr Nicky Hannan
A member of the board of directors at Ability Beyond Boundaries since 2023, Dr. Nicky Hannan combines expertise in education and the arts with a passion for community engagement. He holds a PhD and an extensive background in teaching at the University of Sydney. Apart from his advisory role, he has also contributed to the organisation through workshop facilitation and as the English-language MC at ABB events.
In his current role as an educational designer at the University of Sydney, Nicky specialises in accessibility and the implementation of universal design for learning (UDL) principles. His work focuses on enhancing user experience (UX) to ensure educational materials are accessible to all learners, reflecting his commitment to inclusivity.
Dr Nicky Hannan
ABB Team
Gelareh Zafar
Gelareh is a vibrant 42-year-old mother of two with a rare blend of analytical expertise and creative passion. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a Diploma in Management and Event Management, she seamlessly combines strategic thinking with a deep love for community building. Since 2009, Gelareh has been an integral force in Persian-speaking communities across Australia, contributing to numerous initiatives, including her collaboration with Ability Beyond Boundaries.
As a Family and Service Facilitator at an in-home care agency, Gelareh provides compassionate support, empowering families to overcome challenges with confidence. Known for her talent in organizing cultural events and leading poetry workshops, she creates welcoming spaces where individuals connect, express themselves, and find a true sense of belonging.
Gelareh Zafar
Amir Madadi
Amir is a Software Engineer with a strong background in art and community activities. He has led several workshops in Sydney, including calligraphy, cybersecurity, and music performance. Amir has significantly contributed to the development and maintenance of community websites for organizations such as AICO (Australian Iranian Community Organisation), Aknoon Cultural Center, and the Persian Library, as well as for individual Iranian artists living in Sydney.
He has also organized Persian calligraphy workshops for the Farsi writing community and cybersecurity workshops for various groups, including MICS (Multicultural Integration Community Support). Amir has been an active member of several community organizations, including MICS and Aknoon, and is currently a board member of the Persian Library in Sydney.
Additionally, Amir collaborates with ABB as a community adviser, where he supports website maintenance and helps raise awareness for community events.
