Antonio Vecchio

Community and Consumer Engagement Manager

Antonio has a background in psychological science, with a particular interest in the social impact of trauma. He is currently the Community and Consumer Engagement Manager at the Spinal Research Institute, where he is widely recognised, both in Australia and internationally, as an emerging leader in the field of consumer involvement in spinal cord injury research. His work has been published in leading academic journals, underscoring his commitment to aligning research with lived experience.

Antonio serves on several key committees, including the Executive Committee of the Australia and New Zealand Spinal Cord Society and the Governance Committee for the Engagement and Peer Support Special Interest Group of the International Spinal Cord Society. He is highly active in delivering presentations and education on consumer engagement and is passionate about the potential of digital and social media to transform the way academia connects with communities.

He has also contributed to policy development, having advised the Transport Accident Commission and, more recently, the Victorian Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

Antonio has strong ties to the community through nearly two decades of involvement in peer support and wheelchair rugby, bringing both professional insight and personal experience to his work in advancing inclusive and impactful research practice.