Helping kids with hearing loss learn how to listen and speak

Dr Aleisha Davis was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of The Shepherd Centre in January 2023. The Shepherd Centre is a leading not-for-profit organisation in Australia dedicated tocsupporting children with hearing loss and their families. Aleisha joined The Shepherd Centre in 2003 as a speech pathologist after completing her Masters in Applied Linguistics at Cambridge University in the UK. Before taking on the CEO role, for 12 years she has led the clinical and research teams and facilitated the growth in services from under 100 children and families, to now working with over 900 young people. Aleisha led the design and commercial launch of HearHub, a digital platform to empower hearing healthcare professionals globally, and has been awarded NSW Business Leader and Not-For-Profit Manager of the Year. She is passionate about leadership challenges in the not-for-profit sector, supporting teams to realise their potential, empowering and building healthy organisations through multiple perspectives and challenges to assumptions.

Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position

I spent quite a while figuring out what I wanted to do—I definitely wasn’t someone who had it all planned out in Year 12 or even during university. I started at ANU studying science and economics, but quickly realised it wasn’t the right fit. I ended up graduating with a degree in Arts and Asian Studies, majoring in linguistics and Japanese.
I was fortunate to go on and complete a Master’s in Applied Linguistics at Cambridge University in the UK. Around that time, my two-year-old cousin wasn’t speaking, which sparked my interest in child language development and communication challenges. That experience led me back to Australia to pursue a Master of Speech Pathology at Macquarie University.

During my studies, I had a placement at The Shepherd Centre—and it completely changed my perspective. Instead of the traditional model of weekly 30-minute sessions with a child, they focused on coaching and guiding parents to support their child’s learning in everyday settings. It made so much sense to me, and I saw firsthand how effective it was. The approach of building capability and empowering others really resonated.

I was lucky to start my career as a new graduate speech pathologist at the Wollongong centre, commuting from Sydney for three years because it truly felt like a dream job. I loved working with families and still remember my first playgroup—expecting it to be quiet, only to find it filled with joyful noise, singing, and laughter.
From there, I went on to manage the clinical program, complete a PhD focused on supporting parents and professionals to track children’s listening development, and launch HearHub—The Shepherd Centre’s digital learning platform for professionals. In 2023, 20 years after I first joined TSC, I stepped into the CEO role.
It’s an incredible privilege to work alongside such a passionate and dedicated team, and with families who trust us to walk alongside them in helping their children thrive. Watching young children grow into confident individuals—proud of their deafness and identity, and ready to take on the world—is one of the greatest joys of this work.

What keeps you going in your work?

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of families, and their strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment to their children continue to inspire me. Being a parent myself, I understand how challenging it can be to navigate the unknowns of early childhood—let alone when your child is diagnosed with hearing loss. It’s unfamiliar territory for many, and often overwhelming.

What drives me is knowing that we’re walking alongside families in a way that’s meaningful to them—supporting their choices, respecting their values, and helping them achieve what’s most important for their child. We’re not just providing services; we’re empowering families and building capability so that children with hearing loss can listen, speak, and truly have a voice in the world.

One of the most rewarding parts of my journey has been seeing the long-term impact. I’ve watched children I worked with as babies grow into confident young adults—now at university, travelling the world, pursuing their passions, and even returning to work with us. That full-circle moment is incredibly powerful. It reminds me that what we do matters—not just today, but for generations.

It’s this sense of purpose, of being part of something bigger, that fuels me. I want us do better every day—for the families who trust us, for the children who deserve every opportunity, and for the team I’m privileged to lead. Because when you see a child thrive and ready to take on and make their mark on the world—it’s impossible not to be inspired.

What do you think makes a strong non-profit leader?

Firstly, passion, commitment, and an unwavering belief in the mission and the people you serve. Leading in the for-purpose space is deeply rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. Resources are often limited, wins can be hard-earned, and success requires a great deal of creativity, resilience, and adaptability. I think a strong non-profit leader stays grounded in purpose—never losing sight of why the work matters. That clarity of mission becomes the anchor, the compass and the direction through uncertainty and complexity – which there is a lot! It’s about being able to zoom up to the balcony and see the bigger picture, while also staying close to the people and communities you’re here for.
I would say though that purpose alone isn’t enough. A good leader also understands that every organisation—whether for-profit or for-purpose—must be sustainable, accountable, and results-driven. That means making tough decisions, building strong systems, and ensuring the organisation is financially sound and strategically focused, which I think is even more important in the for-purpose sector. Lastly I would say it’s also so much about people. I think great leaders lead with empathy, build trust, listen deeply and create a team where everyone feels connected to the mission.

If you could go back in time, what piece of advice would you give yourself as you first embarked on your career

When I first started out, I didn’t have a clear roadmap. I didn’t know where I was headed or how things would unfold. But what I’ve learned is that you don’t need to have it all figured out from the beginning. Each step you take opens up the next, and often the most meaningful opportunities come from simply being open to possibility. There’s a magnet I have had next to my desk for a long time, that to be honest, for a long time, I didn’t understand. It states ‘some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.’ Now I get this. So I’d say to my younger self – embrace the unknown and where you’re at. The next step will come.

How do you unwind after work?

Since moving to the Southern Highlands a few years ago, my commute home has become a ritual of transition. It’s my time to decompress, reflect on the day, and shift gears. There’s something grounding about turning off the highway, rolling down the window, and breathing in that crisp Highlands air—it’s like a reset.
Once I’m home, I’m all in with my family. I spend time with my boys on the sports field, cheering them on or just kicking a ball around. Our border collie Banjo is always up for a run, and looking after my bees has become a surprisingly meditative hobby, they teach me how it important it is in how you show up. It’s a slower pace, full of fresh air, connection, grateful moments —and it helps me recharge so I can show up fully again the next day.

Newtown, Sydney – 9th September 2016. Aleisha Claire Davis from The Shepherd Centre has won the reginal award for Business Leader in the 2016 NSW Business Chamber Awards. (Model release: ER20160915-Award Winner Shepherd Centre-00390.jpg, ER20160915-Award Winner Shepherd Centre-00389.jpg)