Meet the CDERP Team

Grounded Experts Driving Inclusive Employment Reform

Beyond our leadership and advisory team, CDERP supports a dedicated stream of Employment Counsellors and Customised Employment specialists who work daily with individuals, families, and organisations to deliver employment capacity building across Australia. These practitioners ensure that our frameworks are implemented with fidelity, responsiveness, and measurable outcomes: translating evidence into action at the frontline of practice.

Our work also extends beyond national borders. CDERP is the only organisation outside the United States accredited by the Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) to deliver training aligned with ACRE and APSE competencies. We actively collaborate with international researchers, educators, and policy leaders to promote Customised Employment, systems reform, and professional workforce development in line with the UNCRPD and Sustainable Development Goals. This global engagement ensures our work remains cutting-edge, informed by the best international practices, and adaptable to diverse contexts.

Mentor & Patron

Emeritus Professor Trevor R. Parmenter AM

PhD, FACE, FASID, FIASSIDD, FSSRI, FAHMS

Professor Parmenter is a globally recognised authority in intellectual and developmental disability. With a distinguished career spanning education, research, and public policy, he has shaped the field both nationally and internationally. As CDERP’s Mentor and Patron, he provides strategic guidance, thought leadership, and a foundational connection to the values of human rights, inclusion, and evidence-based practice.

Formerly the Foundation Chair of Developmental Disability at the University of Sydney and Director of the Centre for Disability Studies, Professor Parmenter’s contribution to disability services in Australia has been transformative. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to people with disability, education, and the community.

His mentorship ensures CDERP’s work is grounded in rigour, ethics, and the lived experiences of the people we serve.

Leadership Team

Dr Peter Smith

Director & Principal Researcher

PhD, MHlthSc (DD), BAppSocSc (Counselling), CESP, CPC

Dr Peter Smith is an internationally recognised leader in disability employment systems, Customised Employment, and organisational change. As Director of CDERP, he leads national and international consulting, research, and training efforts focused on the transformation of employment services through person-centred, rights-based practice.

Peter is the principal architect of several evidence-based frameworks, including the Equilibrium Systems Model of Employment (ESME), the Psychologically Informed Employment Counselling Framework (PIE-CF), the Personally Inclusive Employment Outcome Measure (PIEOM), the Discovery Experience Reflection Scale (DERS) and the Customised Employment Organisational Fidelity and Elevating Capacity Tool (CEOFECT). His work integrates counselling, systems theory, and human services design, offering a blueprint for sustainable employment systems aligned with the NDIS and Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA).

He is a Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP), Certified Practising Counsellor (CPC), and a long-standing advocate for the professionalisation of employment practice within disability systems.

Lauren Pavlidis

Chief Operating Officer & Strategic Projects Lead

BA-BEHP (Swinburne), GradCertPsychSc (ACAP), GradDipPsychSc (ACAP), B.PsychSc (Hons, ACU, in progress)

Lauren leads CDERP’s operational and strategic initiatives, with a strong focus on psychosocial disability, mental health, and workforce development. With over eight years of experience in the disability and community sectors, she is known for building high-integrity. These person-centred systems support employment participation for people with complex support needs.

She also serves as Mental Health Manager for Work First Employment, where she integrates trauma-informed approaches, family engagement, and Discovery principles into Customised Employment practice. Lauren’s academic background spans behavioural science, advanced psychology, criminology, and psychological research, with qualifications from Swinburne University, ACAP, and Australian Catholic University (honours thesis in progress).

Her work is grounded in real-world application, focused on bridging practice, policy, and lived experience to strengthen outcomes for individuals and service organisations alike. She leads the development of organisational systems, workforce capability, and stakeholder engagement to ensure CDERP’s services deliver measurable, sustainable outcomes. With a background in psychology and a strong focus on evidence translation, Lauren is integral to aligning CDERP’s consulting and research with sector reforms such as Inclusive Employment Australia (IEA).

Advisors & Associates

Peter Rhodes

Family Advocate and Advisor

Peter Rhodes brings a deeply valued perspective to CDERP’s work as a family advocate and systems advisor. With decades of lived experience navigating disability services as a parent and community leader, Peter champions the role of families as critical partners in service design and delivery. He advises on policy, family engagement strategies, and inclusive system development, helping ensure CDERP’s frameworks remain grounded in the everyday realities of the people we serve.

Dr June Alexander

Research Associate and Collaborator

Dr June Alexander is a long-time research collaborator with CDERP, contributing her expertise in systematic instruction, developmental education, and inclusive employment practice. She is one of Australia’s foremost experts in systematic instruction techniques and their application in supported and customised employment contexts. An accomplished researcher and educator based at Flinders University, June brings over 30 years of experience working at the intersection of evidence, training, and practice. Her contributions help ensure CDERP’s frameworks are not only theoretically sound but grounded in practical, person-centred teaching strategies that build real-world capacity for participants and practitioners alike. An accomplished author and advocate, June brings a lived experience lens to systems analysis, ensuring that individual voices inform broader structural reform. Her work supports CDERP’s commitment to embedding person-centred narratives within research, training, and policy influence.

Why Our Team Matters

We don’t just research or consult from the sidelines: we live what we do. Every member of our team is deeply embedded in the real-world practice of inclusive employment. Our frameworks are not abstract theories; they are researched, developed, tested, and refined through direct engagement with people, organisations, and systems.

We understand that real systems change requires more than policy alignment. It needs capability, collaboration, and deep sector knowledge. That’s what we bring. Proven expertise in Customised Employment, Discovery, Employment Counselling and Organizational Change across the NDIS and IEA environments.

• Pioneers in systems modelling and organisational fidelity (ESME, CEQAF, PIE-CF)
• Educators and consultants are grounded in both theory and practice
• Ethical, person-centred, and aligned with UNCRPD, IEA, and NDIS reform

Want to work with us?

Contact us to explore consulting, training, or collaborative opportunities.