Melo Kalemkeridis

Peer Facilitator

Melo lives in Sydney with his wife, 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. It is daughter Victoria, who has a significant intellectual disability, ADHD and physical challenges, that is the reason Melo now works in the disability sector. He does so in an effort to ‘pay it forward’, due to the positive impact other parents have had on his own parenting journey.  

After decades of studying consumer behaviour and team performance, for the last ten years, Melo has been delivering parenting programs on Secure Attachment, Emotion Coaching and Family Leadership. He feels fortunate to not only do this in Australia, but also abroad, in New Zealand, Finland, Canada and the US. Melo currently sits on the Reference Group for Children, Families and Young People Advising the IAC to the NDIS, and also the Integrity Working Group as well as the Participant Reference Group to the NDIS, and is part of the Carers Advisory Group on Intellectual Disability for Clinical Innovation to NSW Health.  

Melo is particularly interested in supporting fathers to be better partners, parents and people. He is also part of a co-design team from Melbourne University working on a research project to explore how to better support fathers of a child with a disability. He previously led a dads group for over five years, providing resources and a place for dads to connect.   

Outside of work, Melo enjoys watching his son play soccer, and getting out into the community with his daughter to a farmers’ market, a shopping centre, or a café. Victoria has a huge energy and desire for social connection, which has helped Melo realise that ‘Anywhere there are people, is somewhere Victoria can thrive.’ 

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