Autism Association of WA 2026 Annual Report

Clinical Professor Harvey Coates AO Clinical Professor Coates AO is a former Paediatric Otolaryngolo gist and Clinical Professor at the University of Western Australia, specialising in the medical treat ment and research in ear disease in remote Aboriginal children. After training at the Mayo Clinic, he worked for 38 years as a Consul tant at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. He co-founded the first Paediatric Otolaryngology Society in Australia and was a Board mem ber of the Telethon Kids Institute. He worked with the Commonwealth to develop the ear health roadmap; and worked with the World Health Organisation. Professor Coates was honoured with appointment to the Officer in the Order of Australia in 2005.

Professor Stephanie Fryer-Smith Professor Fryer-Smith holds both Bachelor and Master degrees in Law from the University of Western Australia. She was admitted to the Su preme Court of Western Australia as a barrister and solicitor and accredited by LEADR as a mediator. She has worked in private legal practice, as a Registrar and Native Title Coordinator at the Federal Court of Australia in Perth and for six years was Registrar and Chief Executive of the National Native Title Tribunal. Professor Fryer-Smith has extensive experience in the higher education sector and international education. She has lectured in native title law and has published articles on a range of indigenous land rights issues. In 2021, Professor Fryer-Smith joined Federation University Australia as Director, Governance and Strategy, most recently holding the position of Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow.

Mr Mark Altus

Mrs Michele Thomas

Mr Sean McGurk

Mr Altus has held a number of senior positions in his career. He is a former chair of the Curtin Busi ness School Advisory Board for the School of Economics and Finance. He was a Director of LLL Australia Ltd, an APRA-regulated Authorised Deposit Taking Institution. As a former Public Servant, he has held a number of positions in the WA Department of Treasury, including Director of Revenue and Intergovernmental Relations. He also undertook a secondment to the University of Western Australia as its Chief Financial Officer. He was also a member of the Univer sity’s Senate Strategic Resources Committee. Mr Altus is a graduate of the Aus tralian Institute of Company Direc tors and currently chairs Lutheran Homes Foundation (WA) Inc.

Mrs Thomas is a Registered Psy chologist and Specialist Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner who has worked with Autistic children, adults and their families for over 30 years. Mrs Thomas has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and a Master of Arts (Psychology). She has undertaken post-graduate studies in Coun selling and Psychotherapy, and several Autism related courses.

Mr McGurk is a former audit part ner with more than 30 years’ expe rience in audit, financial reporting, governance and risk. He spent more than 25 years as an audit partner with Grant Thornton, subsequently Crowe, in Perth, working extensively with boards and organisations across the not for-profit, government, private and listed sectors. He was inaugural Chair of Crowe’s National Audit & Assurance Group, subsequently Chair of its Not-for Profit Group, and represented Asia Pacific on Crowe Global’s Audit & Accounting Committee.

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