Our People

Ben brings more than a decade of experience shaping disability support, statutory schemes, and service transformation across some of Australia’s most complex, regulated environments to his Head of Operations role at Leisure Networks.

He is a considered and purposeful leader who prioritises trust, high standards, and decisions that deliver real outcomes for people with disability, grounded in a genuine commitment to participant-centred models of care.

Ben has held senior roles at the Transport Accident Commission and Gallagher Bassett, where he led large, multidisciplinary teams through major reform programs and complex business integrations. His work has spanned catastrophic injury support, long-term disability services, and high-integrity decision-making environments, consistently delivering improvements in service quality, compliance, and participant outcomes.

His experience integrating teams, systems, and operations following business combinations, alongside deep expertise in regulatory navigation and organisational strategy, equips him well to lead through periods of significant change.

Ben holds a Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma of Business Administration from Deakin University and is completing his MBA.

Roxie Bennett is a strategic relationships and community engagement specialist with a strong background in the media; communications, events, and marketing; and the disability sector. A high-level communicator and relationship builder, Roxie spent the bulk of her career as a radio presenter, predominantly in Geelong. She often combined radio with other roles including a decade managing events, business development and projects for Karingal (genU) and managing marketing at Kids+; successfully running her own boutique events, PR, and marketing agency; and a couple of roles in the corporate sector as an engagement specialist. Roxie decided to leave radio and the corporate world behind to follow her passion for equity and inclusion and that led her to with Leisure Networks. Roxie described starting at Leisure Networks like “coming home”.

Wende has a background spanning over 18 years in Human Resources, complimented by 13 years within the disability sector. Wende’s ability to impact extends beyond the professional realm, as evidenced by her instrumental roles in 2 voluntary community positions, from 2013 – 2016 she was a committee member of the Mercy Health Community Advisory Group and she is currently (and since 20180, a volunteer speaker for Beyond Blue, helping to reduce the stigma of mental health .

Backed by a Masters of Business Administration (MBA), she has consistently championed inclusivity, organizational excellence, community engagement, diversity and employee well-being allowing her to consistently make a lasting and impactful impression across every endeavour undertaken.