27th August 2025
Since 2012, REDARC has proudly supported the Governor’s Leadership Foundation (GLF) Program by sponsoring two half scholarships each year in honour of the late Dr Paul Collier.
Dr Collier was a leader in the disability arts community, founder of the Dignity for Disability Party, quadriplegic, and graduate of the 2009 GLF program who passed away in early 2010. The Dr Paul Collier Scholarships continue his legacy by supporting emerging leaders who either have a disability or work within organisations that support people with disability.
This year, REDARC is pleased to congratulate the 2025 scholarship recipients: Monique Russell and Kristy Kokegei.
Anthony and Michele Kittel, owners of REDARC, along with Emma Kittel who heads up REDARC’s Community Impact Team, recently met with the Leaders Institute Team, and the 2025 Scholarship recipients to hear how they’re going in the program.
About the Recipients
Monique Russell
Monique Russell is the Account Director at Blend Creative, a social inclusive, multi-service design studio creates opportunities for designers with disability through training and employment opportunities. Today, Monique leads a team of over 37 people, 32 of whom live with a disability, delivering commercial design work to clients across Australia.
She is now working to introduce nationally recognised training pathways, ensuring her team can gain formal qualifications alongside their on the job experience.
Monique believes one of South Australia's key challenges lies in improving workplace inclusion for people with disability. She is passionate about driving cultural change and sees a role for everyone in creating more inclusive environments. With significant reform on the horizon for the disability landscape and the Australian Disability Enterprise sector, Monique hopes the GLF Program will equip her to lead that change, take calculated risks, and deliver meaningful outcomes for the people she works alongside.
“The GLF opens your eyes in the way that other leadership programs don’t. From the moment of first contact you are immersed into better ways to understand yourself and those around you, and in that comes the ability to truly work collaboratively and innovate effectively. You look through an issue to a central point of pivot to discover, discuss, and enact real change. The scholarship provided by REDARC has enabled my participation in the GLF, allowing me to take the learning of the GLF and apply it in real time, in real ways. It has made me excited to step into the future.” — Monique Russell
Dr Kristy Kokegei
Dr Kristy Kokegei, Deputy CEO at the History Trust of South Australia was born with a craniofacial disability that has required numerous surgeries and exposed her to ongoing discrimination. As a child, she was shy and introverted, often underestimated because of her appearance. These early experiences pushed her to step outside her comfort zone, challenge expectations, and pursue opportunities beyond what others thought possible.
She brings a strong background in the history and cultural sector, and also gives her time to a range of organisations including Craniofacial Australia, the History Council of South Australia, International GLAM Labs, and local kids sporting teams.
Having seen the impact of the Governor's Leadership Foundation journey on others she knows, Kristy has been inspired by their transformation. She hopes the program will help her drive positive inclusive change in the cultural sector and deepen her social impact across the networks and communities she supports.
“The support from REDARC to undertake this leadership journey has been a turning point for me. The program has challenged me in ways I didn’t expect and brought real clarity to where I want to be. The GLF is unlike any program I’ve undertaken before. It is human-centred, hands-on, and every month you come away with new knowledge, perspectives, techniques, and practices to implement in your workplace. It has lifted my gaze and broadened my perspective on the systems-level complexity and challenges we face in achieving greater diversity and inclusion in South Australian society. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity, and I’m committed to using it to lead with greater empathy, courage, and impact.” — Dr Kristy Kokegei
Continuing the Legacy
Through the Dr Paul Collier Scholarships, REDARC is proud to play a part in empowering leaders like Monique and Kristy to create meaningful, inclusive change. Their journeys reflect the program’s vision: developing leaders who can tackle complex challenges and make a positive impact across South Australian communities.
For more information about the Governors Leadership Foundation Program visit www.leadersinstitute.com.au/the-governors-leadership-foundation-program
