Cátia Malaquias is a lawyer, a board director, a mother of three young children and advocate for the human rights and inclusion of people with disability.

In 2013 Catia founded Starting With Julius, a not for profit organisation committed to promoting the equal representation of people with disability in advertising, media and education.  She has worked with retail giants Kmart and Target, major banks and other organisations, to help them develop sustained approaches and policies to embed the representation of people with disability in their regular advertising within a broader diversity framework.

In 2016 Catia also co-founded the Global Alliance for Disability in Media and Entertainment (GADIM), and All Means All – The Australian Alliance for Inclusive Education.

Catia also sits on the boards of the Attitude Foundation and Down Syndrome Australia.

In 2017 Catia’s won a National Disability Award for International Day of People With Disability. She was also a Finalist for an Australian Human Rights Commission Tony Fitzgerald Memorial Award in 2017 and in 2016 and a Finalist for Western Australian of the Year in 2016.

In 2016 Catia spoke at the United Nations in New York and Geneva about disability inclusive advertising and media.