Thirty years is a long time to stay anywhere.
In today’s world, leaders move quickly. Roles change. Organisations shift direction. Three decades in one place is rare. Three decades leading with consistency and purpose is rarer still.
This year marks 30 years at WISE for our Group CEO, Matt Lambelle. It is a milestone that speaks not just to time served, but to commitment, steadiness and belief in the work.
Matt joined WISE in the mid-1990s in a frontline role. Inclusive employment was not widely understood then. The sector looked different. Expectations were different too.
He has often shared that he started on a short-term contract, calling employers and trying to open doors for people with disability. It was practical, hands-on work. It was also deeply human.
That first opportunity shaped him. It grounded his leadership in lived experience rather than theory.
Growing with the organisation
Over the past three decades, WISE has expanded across multiple states and internationally, diversified its services and grown into a multi-national enterprise supporting tens of thousands of people each year.
That growth did not happen overnight. It was built through reform cycles, mergers, new contracts, economic shifts and moments of uncertainty. Through it all, the core question remained the same. How do we grow without losing who we are?
Those who have worked alongside Matt describe a leader who holds both performance and purpose in view. Chair Patsy Toop has spoken about Matt’s ability to balance commercial discipline with genuine care for people. That balance has helped WISE strengthen its governance and scale its impact, while staying true to its mission of helping people earn, learn and live well.
He did not inherit a large organisation. He helped build it.
Backing people to lead
One of the lesser known parts of this 30-year story is the number of leaders who began their journey at WISE under Matt’s tenure.
More than 250 people have stepped into their first management role within the organisation during this time. Many have gone on to build long careers in the sector. That ripple effect matters.
Matt often talks about playing the long game. For him, leadership is not about short-term wins. It is about building something that will outlast any one individual. Investing in emerging leaders has been a practical way of doing exactly that.
When people are trusted with responsibility, they grow. When they grow, the organisation grows with them.
A culture people gravitate towards
Former executive Tim Potter once reflected that people do not avoid Matt. They move towards him. Team members line up to share ideas, challenges and stories. That accessibility is not incidental. It shapes culture.
In a purpose-driven organisation, presence matters. Being visible. Being available. Listening.
Jim Dinuccio, General Manager of Clean Force, recalls meeting Matt during a merger and noticing that the first priority was not structure or reporting lines. It was the wellbeing of employees and how they would be supported through change.
That approach has left a lasting imprint.
The impact behind the numbers
Over 30 years, WISE has supported hundreds of thousands of people into employment. The number is significant, but the real story sits behind it.
Each placement represents someone rebuilding confidence. Someone gaining independence. Someone contributing in ways they may once have doubted were possible.
Matt has consistently reinforced that employment is not just about income. It is about dignity, connection and participation. That belief continues to guide decisions across the organisation.
A milestone worth recognising
Thirty years at WISE is more than a personal anniversary. It reflects continuity in a sector that often faces uncertainty. It reflects steady leadership through change. It reflects belief in people.
WISE today carries that history in its culture, its partnerships and its communities.
The work continues. So does the commitment.
And for those who have been part of the journey, this milestone is a moment to pause and acknowledge what sustained leadership can quietly achieve over time.