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Head of External Engagement
Australian Psychological Society
Paula Rowntree is Head of External Engagement at the Australian Psychological Society and a consultant and trainer specializing in cognitive diversity and AI applications for event professionals.
She works with associations, corporate clients, conference organizers, venues, destinations and PCOs to design accessible, neurodivergent-inclusive experiences and integrate AI tools into event workflows.
Paula is the lead architect of the Australian Psychological Society’s Neurodivergent-Inclusive Event Guidelines, co-developed with clinical psychologist Angela North and co-endorsed by the American Psychological Association. Through this work, she has trained event professionals around the world on practical, budget-conscious inclusion strategies.
She also leads the APS Endorsed program, which provides independent third-party validation for event products and services, giving her unique insight into what makes inclusive event design both commercially viable and attractive to partners.
Paula regularly speaks and writes on neurodivergent accessibility, inclusive event design and the strategic use of AI in events.
Date
Explore how neuroinclusive guidelines were applied in the delivery of a large-scale member symposium, moving from theory into real-world practice. Gain behind-the-scenes insight into how program design, physical spaces, communications and the on-site experience were adapted to support diverse cognitive needs—while still meeting commercial objectives and stakeholder expectations. Learn what worked, what didn’t, and how inclusive design can be embedded into core event strategy to create better experiences for everyone.
Learning outcomes:
Understand what neuroinclusive design looks like in a real event environment
Identify practical, implementable changes across the event lifecycle
Balance inclusivity with operational, budget and stakeholder considerations
Move beyond checklists and discover how thoughtful design choices around sensory load, communication, structure and choice can create more inclusive, effective events. Grounded in psychology and real-world delivery, focus on what works for both neurodivergent and neurotypical attendees.
Learning outcomes:
Understand how neurodiversity appears in event environments—beyond labels and assumptions
Identify design choices that unintentionally create barriers, even when well intended
Apply practical, scalable strategies to improve experiences for all attendees
This session is approved for the following certifications.
* ICCA Skills Domain CICS/CICE: 0.75
* CMP/CEU Approved: Domain H: Event Design, 0.5 credits
* CSEP Approved