Casey Fowler is the proud father of Very Important Breeders’ Blitz and Molly, and the Uncle to Empower Ambassador Jazmin Bromley. As a nurse at the children’s hospital Casey has seen first-hand the difference that an assistance dog can make in the life of a child. An experienced MC, Casey is excited to be returning for his 3rd Dog’s Dinner, Empower Charity Gala event.

Not only is Jon Raven a breeder family flor Empower, he was the Deputy Mayor of Logan City and represents Division 5 in council, he is also the Chair of the City Planning, Economic Development and Environment Committee. Division 5 includes the suburbs of Marsden, Berrinba, Waterford West and parts of Crestmead. He was first elected to council in 2016. In May 2019 Logan City Council was put into Administration after seven Councillors and the Mayor were charged with Fraud. Jon was one of the remaining four former Councillors who was not charged. He was then appointed to assist the Interim Administrator as part of the Interim Management Committee. Jon was successfully re-elected in the 2020 Local Government Elections.

Jon has been a member of the Logan Community for nearly 15 years as a business owner and volunteer. Jon is an active supporter of our local multicultural communities in Logan and knows how important it is to focus on what we have in common with each other. Jon understands that our city’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths and that culture, language and faith are so important to the vibrancy of our community. Jon has been working to break down the social barriers in our community and wants Logan to be known as an inclusive and welcoming city.

Peter has over thirty years of experience as a passionate educator. While completing his Maters of Educational Studies at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, A Graduate Certificate in Boy’s education, a Bachelor of Education and Diploma of Educatiion in Primary Teaching. He has enjoyed teaching and leading from Prep to Year 12. Peter thoroughly enjoys working with all jarjums, developing their exceptional talents while providing an outstanding jarjum experience. Most recently Peter served as the Head of Co-Curriculum at Moreton Bay Colleges and previously was the Headmaster of John Paul College in Daisy Hill, one of the largest Co-educational schools in Australia. A Head of Year at Brisbane Grammar School and a Senior Housemaster at Canberra Grammar School. He is currently the Principal of Hymba Yumba Independent School in Queensland, a majority First nation’s school that strives for excellence in 21st Century education for all jarjums and is proudly ‘First nations’ in culture.

Peter is immersed in his community and familiarizes himself with the unique needs of a school. He believes wholeheartedly that every jarjum deserves a quality education and that only occurs when the school and the families work together for the best interests of all students.

He has been the Chair of the ‘The Associated School Sports Association’, Director of the Queensland Christian Schools Sports Association, the Queensland Education Leadership Institute Ambassador and was a member of the Independent Schools Queensland - “Schools Advisory Committee”. Peter is a lover of dogs, having thee of his own with his partner Lee, A A 14 yr old King Charles Cavalier, an 11 yr old mini Groodle and a 3 yr old German Shepherd. He loves travelling through France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Peter believes that his main responsibility is to place his Jarjums and teachers in the best possible position to achieve their goals and aspirations in a global world, as they will in turn put them in the best possible position to lead in both worlds.

When people say that ‘A Dog is Man’s Best Friend’, Ryan Anderson is the man they’re talking about. What began as a social media ruse to snap a photo with every single dog breed in the world (currently sitting over 100 breeds!) soon turned into a lifetime achievement of animal rescue and dog advocacy. In 2017 Ryan was the winner of Cosmopolitan X Tinder Bachelor of the Year and was the much anticipated intruder on The Bachelorette 2019.

Famously known as the ‘World’s Biggest Dog Lover’ Ryan lives up to his famous moniker every single day. He currently works as an animal welfare inspector with the RSPCA which sees him volunteer, foster and promote animal advocacy and adoption on social media and in the real world.  In his current role he investigates and prosecutes cruelty cases and promotes educational approaches to encourage responsible pet ownership. Working alongside major brands and pet organisations, Ryan has become a frequent speaker and influencer in areas of dog training, rescue advocacy and breed education.  He has also worked as an Animal Management Officer in remote Indigenous communities and has extensive knowledge of legislation surrounding this type of work.

Ryan is also a current ambassador for Empower Assistance Dogs where he uses his social media platform to educate about the importance of assistance dogs and how they enhance the lives of their handlers who live with disability.

Craig and Tracey Murray have been training Assistance Dogs in Australia since the year 2000 but their journey in this area actually began in the early 1990's - well before assistance dogs were widely recognised.  They were the first trainers in Australia to gain government certification as Assistance Dog Trainers in 2009 when the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dog Act came into being.  They continued their journey as individual trainers working under the Act until they formed Empower Assistance Dogs in 2016.  

By starting the Charity, it allowed Craig and Tracey to grow the program and commence a breeding program and bring on additional trainers to be able to provide more services to the community.  It also allowed them to form a solid group of volunteers who are the village behind Empower Assistance Dogs that give the support that allows the training team to concentrate on the job at hand.

Today Empower Assistance Dogs is gaining momentum within the service dog training community and your attendance at the annual Empower Assistance Dogs Charity Gala Ball is instrumental in helping to grow the charity into the future to be able to enhance the quality of life and independence of persons living with disability. 

Three decades serving country and community as a helicopter pilot, both with the Army in combat and civilian search and rescue, Kevin Humphreys knows tragedy and triumph. Leading large teams in diverse and complex environments both at home and abroad, he knows what it’s like to lead in difficult circumstances, confront risk and succeed, to hit rock bottom and excel.

Kevin’s moving story enables him to share powerful messages about leadership and mental illness leaving the audience empowered to move forward. Flying Blackhawk helicopters by age 21, he would go on to complete several deployments in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan plus humanitarian operations in Papua New Guinea.

Towards the peak of his military career, Kevin contemplated suicide and suffered a breakdown due to PTSD, depression and anxiety. However, it wasn’t the rockets or bullets that tore him apart, it was the workplace. Following his Army service and psychological recovery, Kevin moved into civilian search and rescue flying where he held numerous positions including Flight Instructor, Flight Examiner, Chief Pilot and Director of Operations. He shows that there is life after diagnosis and in fact, mental illness can be the catalyst for growth.

As a disabled mother of six, all of whom have autism, Sarah was already involved in advocating for children on the spectrum and their families. Her experience includes advocating for students and parents in schools, in community organisations and on anti-bullying forums. As a former registered nurse, used to government health agencies , Sarah was disappointed in how the NDIS failed to support children and their families on the spectrum. She had already started to advocate for them against the NDIS. When Sarah was advised by her youngest son’s medical team to look at acquiring an assistance dog to help mitigate his disability. She started the process of applying via the NDIS. The process was a frustrating minefield of paperwork, forms, reviews, reports, more reports and disappointments. There was no support or knowledge available about how to successfully apply for an assistance dog. In fact most people experienced in NDIS told her to walk away, that she could never win against the NDIS. But win she did, and her experience against the NDIS not only secured Jasper's assistance dog Scout, but drove her to become the only Support Coordinator who specialised in assistance dogs. Over the last 12 months her list of clients has grown, and includes participants from all across Australia. Each participant has a unique disability, lifestyles, families, friends, story and reason that they require an assistance dog. However all of them have one thing in common-they are facing the NDIS and the agonising process of accessing assistance dog funding.

We are a family of 7 with 3 inherited children & our 2 children who have a rare regressive disease called Mucolipidosis 3.

Our house is full of teenagers & sometimes very rambunctious, but also blessedly quiet when they chill out in their rooms! 

Since Damian (now 6) was very young, he has wanted a dog and because of his diagnosis we started the process of applying for an assistance dog! There were so many barriers! His age and then waiting lists closed because of everybody else wanting one. 

We were lucky enough to mention to Rowan Holzberger about our difficulties & he put us in touch with Empower Assistance Dogs. And here we are!