Consumer Advisory Council

Annmarie Harris, fondly known as Ann, has always embraced life’s challenges with a spirited and adventurous attitude. Born prematurely, with vision loss resulting from medication taken during pregnancy, Ann was always encouraged by her parents to pursue independence through activities like horse riding, bike riding, and swimming. Working in various fields throughout her life, Ann’s journey led her to roles at Vision Australia and Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, plus kitchen attendant and factory worker positions as she explored her blossoming interests and career.  

Becoming a GDV Client in her 20s, Ann is a proud Guide Dog Handler, navigating life with her beloved Guide Dog, Meg, by her side. Ann joined GDV’s CAC to give back to the community that supported her and is passionate about improving services and advocating for people with low vision or blindness. She connects with the community through her extensive volunteer work at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. Ann hopes to blend the positive and negative aspects of disability advocacy to foster meaningful change, all while enjoying adventures with Meg, and playing with her two cats, Cloudy and Sunny. 

Cameron Algie joined GDV’s Board in July 2023. His subsequent appointment as Chair of the CAC was a natural choice. His first goal was to overhaul the CAC Charter and ensure it reflected the needs of the blind and low vision community.  

Cameron first followed his family’s tradition of farming in West Gippsland but shifted paths after being diagnosed in 1969 with the degenerative eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Initially studying law at Monash University, Cameron didn’t pursue this career path until 1994, ultimately serving on the Minister of Planning’s Planning Panels Victoria. He went on to lead the Australian Cooperative Housing Societies’ industry body as CEO for 14 years.  

With his vision loss, Cameron recognised that peer groups are extremely important in coming to terms with the psychology and traumas of losing vision. For ten years to 1991, Cameron served as National President of the RP Foundation. Later, he worked for 14 years with Vision Australia as facilitator with peer support groups. He uses his lived experience to encourage other individuals to “be different, to take on challenges and dismantle stigmas.” In 1993, Cameron’s commitment to advocacy and empowering others earned him recognition as a Member of the Order of Australia. His work and life experiences, and those of Clients, now form the basis of his resource book, I Can See Clearly Now.  

Outside of his professional work, Cameron loves travelling and cooking, and finds joy in writing poems and short stories. His loyal Guide Dog, Paula – or Princess Paula as she’s affectionately known – accompanies him on all his adventures. 

Erin Goedhart is many things. A wife, mother of two, GDV Client, loving Handler of Guide Dog Jett, and a dedicated advocate for removing the barriers in life that individuals with low vision or blindness face. 

Her journey with GDV began eight years ago when her vision loss progressed, inspiring her to give back to give back to the community that supported her. Erin’s passion lies in Client engagement and empowerment, striving to be part of an even better future for those coming behind her. 

She actively volunteers as a public speaker, educating and advocating for the blind and low vision community. Erin has intentionally built a supportive network of blind or low vision friends to connect and better represent their needs. Her commitment and lived experience make her a valuable and ideal fit for GDV’s CAC. 

Outside of her advocacy work, Erin enjoys reading, gardening, travelling, skiing, and is a devoted Temporary Carer for GDV’s Puppy Raising program. She is also currently studying for her Diploma of Dementia to complement her work in aged care. 

Peter Sumner is a Guide Dog Handler and longtime advocate for people living with low vision or blindness. After losing his sight at 19 in a workplace accident, he became one of the first in Melbourne to receive long cane training, sparking years of advocacy work and forging a close connection with the low vision and blind community. Peter values GDV’s holistic approach to personalised mobility training, with an appreciation for how Guide Dogs empower people through greater independence and new opportunities in all aspects of life.

He is especially passionate about improving services for seniors with vision and hearing loss and increasing awareness of the support available to them through the Australian Government’s Home Care Package Program. Peter and his wife Pearl, who also lives with vision loss, co-founded an international aid and relief organisation, CBM Australia, which continues to serve people with low vision, blindness or other disabilities in developing countries through education, rehabilitation and prevention. In his personal time, Peter is an avid reader, studying ancient Indian philosophy, and cultivating a collection of Bonsai miniature trees. 

Rob Fletcher is an activist for the blind and low vision community, with over 30 years of global experience in commercial finance and advocacy. Having lived in Singapore and the US, Rob excels in using his background in high-level international relations across the Asia-Pacific to guide strategic decisions for the GDV CAC. 

Rob melds his unique experiences of being a sighted person for 41 years, and losing vision after being diagnosed with Leber’s disease in adulthood, to empower and encourage others on similar journeys. Although he is the recipient of several local and state-based awards, Rob’s proudest achievement is fostering connections at key community groups and not-for-profits, to form unconsidered alliances and find practical solutions for people with low vision or blindness. 

Now retired, Rob gives back as an Ambassador at Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria, where his leadership, and engagement in Blind Tennis – which he plays at an international level – helps expand sports opportunities and promotes community connection, mobility, and mental wellbeing. With his unique blend of lived experience, corporate acumen, and his passion for uplifting everyone around him, Rob is an invaluable asset to the CAC and the broader public. 

Sally Armstrong brings a wealth of invaluable expertise to the CAC, spanning Orientation and Mobility, leadership, and customer support. Starting her GDV journey as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist, Sally now leads Support Coordination and Wellbeing Services and is passionately aligned with GDV’s mission to empower those with low vision or blindness to live a life without limits, advocating meaningfully for a more accessible and inclusive world for all.

Her 18-year tenure at GDV and her role on the Consumer Advisory Council allows her to connect with the community and gather valuable feedback, ensuring services are shaped by the needs and perspectives of those with lived experience. Outside of work, Sally finds balance in stand-up paddleboarding, beach walks, and sailing. She also lovingly shares her home with one of GDV’s Ambassador Dogs, Delphie, who spreads warmth wherever she goes while charming everyone she meets.

Sandra Knight brings a wealth of lived and professional experience to Guide Dogs Victoria’s Consumer Advisory Council (CAC), making her an invaluable addition to the team. Born with low vision, Sandra is a dedicated Guide Dog Handler who can’t imagine life without her loyal companion, Ishka. She attended the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind before completing her final years at Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar, and later earned a Diploma of Social Services (Welfare) as a mature student. 

Throughout her extensive career, Sandra has held key roles at Blind Citizens Australia (BCA), Vision Australia, and Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria, where she led initiatives that promote inclusion and accessibility for people with low vision or blindness. She is passionate about ensuring consumer voices are at the heart of service delivery and policy, advocating for co-design to improve services for the community. As Consumer Lead for the Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital’s CAC, Sandra plays an active role in shaping policies through consumer involvement. 

In 2024, Sandra’s significant contributions to the blind and low vision community were recognised with an Order of Australia Medal. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys nature walks, playing Blind Tennis and Blind Ten Pin Bowling where she has represented Australia twice in world championships for both sports, and spending time with her 10 grandchildren. A lover of crafts, Sandra also explores mixed media art and card making, always finding new ways to express her creativity. 

With 15 years of combined experience spanning the disability sector and call centre roles, Skye de Vent brings a unique blend of expertise to GDV’s CAC. Their first experience with GDV was in secondary school at the ‘City Limits’ children’s camp where they developed essential orientation and mobility (O&M) skills, proving invaluable during their Music degree at Monash University. Facing challenges navigating the campus due to their total blindness and right-side paralysis, Skye initially relied on a white cane, but after extensive use caused discomfort in their left hand, Skye explored Guide Dog mobility. 

Skye is passionate about ensuring the voices of consumers are central to service delivery. With experience in co-design work through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and their role as a peer educator with GCASA’s Peer Relationships Education Program, Skye is committed to disability pride and creating meaningful work for people with disabilities. They are currently completing certificates in training and assessment, and adult education, with career goals focused on both adult and peer education. 

In their free time, Skye loves reading Braille and playing Vision Impaired Table Tennis. Alongside their Guide Dog, Grant, Skye loves exploring their local area. Through their lived experience, Skye empowers others to live as they want, authentically and fully. 

Trudy Ryall is a devoted advocate for the deafblind community, co-founder of Deafblind Victoria, and long-standing GDV Client. Born deaf and diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (Usher syndrome type 2) in her 30s, Trudy’s lived experience as a deafblind person gives her unique insights and drives her advocacy work.

Passionate about making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities with a focus on mental health, neurodivergences and brain injuries, Trudy has dedicated over 20 years to advocating for changes that empower the deafblind community. Her extensive career includes roles on influential boards such as Women with Disability Victoria and various local councils. Trudy’s work on the GDV CAC aims to respond to the changing needs of Clients by enhancing resources, reducing barriers to accessibility, and supporting mental health, in alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). In her spare time, Trudy loves to travel and get creative, crafting mixed media collages. Her active engagement in community events, including Comic-cons and markets, highlights her commitment to connecting with others while fostering positive change to create a planet that’s accessible to all.