The Board of Directors of Interchange WA advises that Justin O’Meara Smith will conclude his service as Chief Executive Officer on 30 June 2026, having completed his second contract as CEO since commencing in 2017.
Justin has shared the following message, “It has been an honour to have served as CEO of Interchange WA during a time of significant change, reform and growth. I sincerely value the trust, leadership and support of our Board of Directors and the three Chairs I have worked with, Angie Paskevicius, John Bouffler, and most recently Mal Cronstedt. I thank the values-led staff who work every day to help people with disability live great lives.”
Over the past decade, Interchange WA has focused strongly on its core purpose: supporting people with disability to live as active citizens in their homes and communities. Under Justin’s leadership, the organisation has expanded opportunities for people to exercise choice and control, build meaningful lives, and live in ways that reflect their aspirations, relationships and community connections. This has included strengthening personalised supports across Home & Living, Shared Management and Individualised Living Options, and expanding Supported Independent Living following the merger with Diversity South in 2024. These developments have enabled more people with disability to live in homes of their choosing, participate in their communities, and experience greater independence, safety and belonging.
Central to this work is the trust placed in Interchange WA by people with disability and their families. The Board recognises this trust as foundational to the organisation’s success and remains committed to honouring it through strong governance, stable leadership and values-led service delivery. Interchange WA enters this leadership transition with a clear strategy, experienced executive leadership and a strong organisational foundation. The Board is confident in the organisation’s direction and its capacity to continue delivering high quality, person centred supports.
The Board will shortly commence recruitment for the CEO role, with a focus on continuity, long-term sustainability and alignment to Interchange WA’s purpose and values. Throughout the transition period, Interchange WA’s experienced Executive team, Chief Operating Officer Anne Mecham and Chief Financial Officer Gautam Gupta, will continue to provide stable leadership and services.
Justin will take a short break following the end of the financial year before commencing his next role as CEO of Nulsen, where he will continue to contribute to leadership and capability across the disability sector.
On behalf of the Board, I thank Justin for his leadership and contribution to Interchange WA, and I acknowledge the ongoing trust and partnership of people with disability, families, staff and stakeholders.
Mal Cronstedt
Board Chair, Interchange WA
