Champion for disability rights and social justice

15 February 2024
Associate Professor Jennifer Cullen standing in front of a tree
Associate Professor Jennifer Cullen

By Tiahna Fiddling

CQUniversity alumnus Jennifer Cullen has been honoured with the prestigious Order of Australia (AM) for service to people with disabilities and her invaluable contributions to the community. 

As Chief Executive Officer at brain injury organisation Synapse Australia Ltd, and an adjunct associate professor across multiple higher education institutions, she is a driving force behind brain injury advocacy and research.

"At Synapse, our vision is to rethink brain injury and drive societal change," Assoc Prof Cullen explained.

"We operate across various systems, including justice and domestic family violence, to underscore the significant impact of brain injury and push for more inclusive policies and practices."

As a proud Bidjara and Wakka Wakka woman, Associate Professor Cullen also leads initiatives supporting Indigenous Australians. 

She serves as a Non-Executive Director of the MJD Foundation, offering support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians affected by neurodegenerative diseases Machado-Joseph Disease (MJD) and Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 7 (SCA7). 

Additionally, she lends her expertise as a member of the Parole Board Queensland, providing crucial insights into disability and its implications for parole conditions.

Associate Professor Cullen said her journey has been deeply influenced by her upbringing, having grown up in regional Queensland with parents who cared for children with disabilities. 

"My parents fostered children from diverse backgrounds, including those with disabilities," she said.

“We were all treated as kids, that could do anything we dreamt of doing. This instilled in me the belief that segregation wasn’t right, and that we all belonged in the world together.”

Associate Professor Cullen commitment to championing disability rights led her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts at CQU in 1991.

She emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary education in fostering a holistic understanding of social issues, a perspective that has been instrumental in her work.

"Studying arts provided me with a solid foundation across social sciences and humanities," Assoc Prof Cullen said. 

"It equipped me with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the social services sector."

As her career has progressed, Associate Professor Cullen stressed the significance of combining academic learning with practical experience. 

"There are ongoing challenges of working across fragmented systems that fail to provide integrated responses to disability issues,” she explained. 

“When faced with these obstacles, it is important to find your career tribe and draw wisdom from Elders who have left footprints for us to follow.

 “I have been fortunate to have inspiring Elders, mentors and bosses who have believed in me.”