Stephen is an F4B founding Director, Board member and current appointed CEO.
F4B is Steve’s vision and legacy to families of children with functional and intellectual disabilities, including his own family. Steve and his wife, Amy, are parents to six children, with their eldest son diagnosed with an obscure seizure disorder with associated functional and intellectual disabilities. Steve is a career police officer working across State, Commonwealth and international jurisdictions; with a background in operational leadership/management positions in hospitality; event & venue security; and SME business start-ups.
Steve values the contribution evidence-based research brings to informing better-practice and improving the lived experience of individuals and communities. He strongly subscribes to practitioners ‘walking the talk’ and holds Bachelor and Master/s Degrees in social sciences, business management and applied law. He has worked as a close personal protection officer with State, national and international security and intelligence agencies – including the United States Secret Service and Scotland Yard – protecting a range of dignitaries from the Prime Minister of Australia; Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II; to the President of the United States. He is a qualified Psychological Operations (Psyops) Staff Officer with the Australian Defence Forces and has assisted in developing ‘hearts & minds’ campaigns in support of live theatre (military) operations in Iraq. He has been recognised for developing and delivering training to the Australian Department of Defence and British military personnel on the application of Psyops doctrine within non-military, law enforcement environments. He has contributed to policy development at government and industry levels; and acknowledged for his contributions to research in a ‘Lowy Institute for International Policy Brief paper’.
In 2016, Steve attained his 3rd Dan Taekwondo black belt from Kukkiwon World Taekwondo Headquarters, South Korea and is an accredited World Taekwondo Federation Instructor. He has managed the operation of multiple Taekwondo centres across Brisbane; having trained students of all ages and abilities from beginner to black belt. Steve is a police representative on the ‘Law Enforcement Torch Run – Queensland Committee’ which supports local and international fundraising activities for Special Olympics Australia. In 2018, Steve achieved a career goal – combining his policing expertise and his passion for championing disability sports – culminating in his selection to lead the Australian Federal Police security response as Forward Commander at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in the Republic of Korea.
Steve is impassioned to improve the lived experience of families of children with functional and intellectual disabilities through participation in sports and life-skills pathway programs.