WHO WE ARE
Paisley Group are global leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), culture and leadership - backed by science and all through an intersectional lens.
Founded in 2012, Paisley Group develops custom solutions for complex business challenges. We offer a comprehensive approach, building change management capabilities now and for the future.
MEET THE EXPERTS
Our outstanding multidisciplinary team are all experts in their field adding to the intersectional strength of Paisley Group. We are not an ordinary consultancy. We live our values everyday.
We believe in the importance of excellence AND lived experience. Our experienced Facilitators are culturally sensitive, trauma-informed and come from a range of backgrounds and geographic locations. Some of the groups we have representation from include First Nations, migrants, Women of Colour, living with a disability, carers and neurodivergent people.
We also have strong links with community partners with lived experience across LGBTQIA+, veterans, multigenerational groups, regional and rural representation and many more groups. We believe community-centered solutions are the most effective. If we believe we are not right for the role, we are happy to recommend someone who is.
Learn more about some of our team members below.
Dr Michaels is CEO and Founder with over 15 years of experience in intersectional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), culture and leadership. She has developed and led impactful multimillion dollar programs shaping culture, developing inclusive leaders and breaking systemic barriers, co-creating research and programs through an intersectional lens.
With a PhD in Intersectional Identities, Dr Michaels is an inclusive leader, international educator, published academic and Director of the Women of Colour Safety and Work Research Institute (WoCSAW).
Working with organisational leaders, Dr Michaels and her team create forums where Boards, executives, managers and employees find meaning and develop self-awareness to confront complex issues and enact change. But meaningful change cannot happen without meaningful engagement. With extensive experience co-creating research and programs with marginalised communities, she lives her values.
Dr Michaels's passion stems from her own living experiences that cut across multiple intersections as a neurodivergent Woman of Colour, second-generation migrant and carer with a multi-ethnic, multi-faith family.
Tekan is a proud Kooma and Yuwaalaraay woman with Torres Strait Islander heritage.
Tekan has a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Masters of International Relations, focusing on neoliberalism’s impact on Indigenous Peoples.
Working closely with traditional Elders and members of the Stolen Generations, Tekan played a pivotal role creating and managing the Victorian Stolen Generations Reparations Package at the Department of Justice and Community Safety. She has also served as Executive for Tarwirri, a not-for-profit association which supports First Nations peoples in law.
Currently, Tekan is a committee member of the Indigenous Issues Committee for the Law Council of Australia, co-chairs the Law Institute of Victoria’s (LIV) Reconciliation Advancement Committee and is an active member of the LIV Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group.
A community builder and champion for justice, Tekan is experienced applying a First Nations lens to workplace policies and initiatives across the HR lifecycle, developing RAPs and building leadership capabilities.
Dr Holden is a certified expert and educator specialising in emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence and diversity in leadership. With a PhD on the implications of cultural intelligence and psychological distance and over 13 years educating leaders and working with organisations, she brings a wealth of academic knowledge and practical experience.
Dr Holden is Director of the Women of Colour Safety and Work Research Institute (WoCSAW) bringing academics, communities and organisations together to develop cutting edge research, as well as Senior Lecturer at Kaplan Business School in Adelaide. She is an experienced facilitator, educator and researcher.
As a staunch advocate for diversity and inclusion, Dr Holden has pioneered initiatives to understand and embed diverse people and perspectives in the workplace. Her initiatives include the formation of the Women in Leadership Matters Association (WILMA) and several women's mentorship programs.
Dr Holden is committed to dismantling barriers and biases that hinder professional growth, particularly in multicultural communities. As a migrant from Iran, then Malaysia, and Woman of Colour, she wants the legacy of her work to have a lasting impact on lives across the world.
Benjamin has had a varied career that has pushed his abilities to the limit, as he was born with a rare disease, Nail Patella Syndrome, that dictates his daily life. Living with chronic pain and increasing physical limitations, he had to retire from a successful career and take a new direction, focusing on a health-first mission.
As an artist, speaker and consultant, Benjamin advocates for people living with a disability through multiple mediums. He works directly with individuals living with a disability, as well as organisations and governments to build systems and spaces that enable people to survive and thrive.
Benjamin manages his chronic pain through various art forms including photography, woodwork, stand up comedy, poetry and writing. He incorporates his art into his advocacy and has exhibited his artwork in galleries and medical facilities in several countries. His shows and events are regularly sold out, as he delivers his trademark balance of humour, empathy and humanity.
Benjamin is based in Germany and Luxembourg and works across the globe, both in-person and online.
You can follow his Daily Pain Journal on Instagram (@Bennyj_artist).
