Speakers
Speakers
Commissioner Dale Agius
South Australia Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
Commissioner Dale Agius
South Australia Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People
Dale Agius is a proud Kaurna, Narungga, Ngadjuri and Ngarrindjeri man who carries deep respect for the cultural knowledge, stories, and resilience of his people. With strong ties across four language groups, Dale has dedicated his career to creating lasting change for Aboriginal communities in South Australia. Over the past 20+ years, he has worked across correctional services, Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation. He now serves as the South Australia Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, a role that places him at the forefront of advocating for the rights, safety, and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people across the state.
Dale was previously South Australia’s Commissioner for the Voice to Parliament. Dale is deeply connected in community life and is driven by a commitment to social justice, self-determination, and community empowerment. His passion is to ensure Aboriginal voices are not only heard but lead decisions that shape the future. He envisions a future where Aboriginal children grow up strong in culture, surrounded by opportunity, and where systems are shaped with, not just for, community. With every role he takes on, Dale is building a South Australia where respect, equity, and truth-telling are at the heart of how we live together.
Amanda Barker
Head of Corporate Sustainability and Social Impact,
Aware Super.
Amanda Barker
Head of Corporate Sustainability and Social Impact, Aware Super.
Amanda leads Aware Super's sustainability and social impact function, helping the fund create positive outcomes for members, communities and broader stakeholders while supporting the organisation's governance and sustainability objectives. She has led Aware Super from day one with their Reflect RAP, their Innovate RAP and now with their Stretch RAP.
She provides guidance to companies that Aware Super invest in on their reconciliation journey and provides leadership in the sector, sharing insights from Aware Super’s journey so far. Previously at the start of her career she was a specialist financial counsellor to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities in the Top End.
Amanda Barnes
A/ Director, Yamagigu
Amanda Barnes
A/Director, Yamagigu
Amara Barnes is a Wiradyuri yinaa, strategic advisor and social impact leader with more than 15 years' experience across corporate, government, media, higher education and community sectors. She has led major initiatives in reconciliation, organisational transformation, stakeholder engagement and cultural capability, supporting organisations to build trusted relationships and respond to the priorities and aspirations of First Nations peoples and Communities.
As acDirector with yamagigu, an Aboriginal-owned consultancy specialising in First Nations strategy, governance, engagement and social impact, Amara partners with organisations across Australia to embed First Nations perspectives into strategy, decision-making and practice, and build trusted relationships, creating meaningful and lasting change.
Amara is also a Non-Executive Director of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, contributing to the organisation's governance and strategic direction to support literacy and learning outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.
Jane Brook
Founder & Director, Third Camp
Jade Brook
Founder & Director, Third Camp
Jade Brook is proudly Kaurna and Narrungga, with bloodlines running through Ngarrindjeri and Barkindji Country. The first-born daughter of her family and a mother, Jade carries a deep responsibility to Country, Culture and Community.
Jade is Founder and Director of Third Camp, a 100% Aboriginal woman-owned, Kaurna-led organisation and an industry leader across education and early
years. Third Camp is influencing how educators, organisations, designers and architects work with Aboriginal Communities, standing firm that on Kaurna Country, Kaurna voices come first.
Jade’s work spans education, policy, strategy, community, allyship, co-design and the built environment, helping shape culturally safer places, systems and ways of working with Aboriginal Community. Her leadership is grounded in truth-telling, relationship, Country and Third Camp’s framework of Healing • Connecting • Knowing.
Recognised as the 2024 South Australian Active Citizen of the Year, Jade is guided by Elders and the ancestors who paved the paths she has the privilege and responsibility to walk today.
Commissioner Selwyn Button
Commissioner, Productivity Commission
Commissioner Selwyn Button
Selwyn Button is a Gungarri man from south-west Queensland and a Commissioner with the Productivity Commission. An accomplished leader, he brings extensive experience across health, education, governance and economic development in the public, private, not-for-profit and community-controlled sectors.
Throughout his career, Selwyn has worked with organisations to drive meaningful social, economic and community outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. He has held senior leadership roles including Partner at PwC Indigenous Consulting, National Registrar of the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, Assistant Director-General for Indigenous Education in Queensland, Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, and Chair of the Lowitja Institute.
Selwyn has led major policy, governance, service delivery and legislative reforms and is widely recognised for his ability to build strong partnerships across government, business and communities. He has also made significant contributions through board and advisory roles spanning health, education, early childhood, arts, culture and sport.
A respected advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and self-determination, Selwyn brings a wealth of experience in governance, reform, economic participation and community development.
Shaun Childs
Cultural Engagement Manager/Acting CEO, Reconciliation South Australia
Shaun Childs
Cultural Engagement Manager/Acting CEO, Reconciliation South Australia
Shaun is a proud Kokatha Wirangu man whose ancestry ties are from the far west coast of South Australia, dedicated to driving systemic change through education, truth telling, and cultural accountability. He has strong cultural and community connections, working across
government, business, not for-profit organisations, and the community sector.
Shaun’s leadership helps ensure that Aboriginal histories, perspectives, language, and lived experiences are presented with cultural integrity, care, and purpose.
Todd Condie
Editor,
Koori Mail
Todd Condie
Editor, Koori Mail
Todd Jigarru Condie is the editor of the national Indigenous newspaper, the Koori Mail, a position he first held 28 years ago.
‘Jigarru’ means ‘lightning storm’ in the Yidinji language of Far North Queensland.
Todd is a member of the Wadjanbarra and Bundebarra clans of the Yidinji Nation, specifically the Atherton Tablelands.
Since he left the Koori Mail in 2004, Todd has been on a 21-year interstate adventure continuing his passion of working with and for First Nations people.
He worked in Darwin in the Northern Territory in the media unit for one of the peak Aboriginal land councils, the Northern Land Council, for five years.
An opportunity to work in an urban community came up and he relocated from the tropics to the middle of winter in Victoria.
During his time in Melbourne, Todd developed and implemented Reconciliation Action Plans for the City of Port Phillip in St Kilda and for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, also in Melbourne, for 14 years, 2009 to 2022.
Leone Cottam-Williams
Chief Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
Engagement Officer, Anglicare WA
Leone Cottam-Williams
Chief Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer, Anglicare WA
Leone is a proud Wonnarua woman with ties throughout the Hunter Valley in NSW on her maternal side, and throughout the UK on her father’s side.
She is passionate about reconciliation, education, the arts, justice, child protection, diversity and inclusion for all.
Leone brings both strategic insight and practical experience to conversations about working differently, leading differently and creating space for Aboriginal voices and knowledges to influence the systems and organisations that affect Aboriginal people, families and communities.
Leone has spent the last three decade in the education, communications and reconciliation spaces, serving both the community services and education sectors.
Currently working for Anglicare WA as Chief Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer, Leone loves her work with people/s across Western Australia! From Ballengarra Country in the North to Minang Noongar Country in the South.
Maria Dimopoulos AM
CEO, Settlement Council of Australia
Maria Dimopoulos AM
CEO, Settlement Council of Australia
Maria Dimopoulos AM has spent decades shaping national and global conversations on cultural diversity, gender equality, human rights, and belonging. Her work sits at the intersection of policy, lived experience, and systems change, spanning government advisory, international development, and community leadership across the Asia–Pacific.
As Chief Executive Officer of the Settlement Council of Australia, Maria leads the national peak for the settlement sector, representing over 180 organisations supporting refugee and migrant communities. She positions settlement not as a transitional service, but as a foundational pillar of democratic participation, safety, gender equity, and long-term social cohesion. Under her leadership, SCOA drives policy reform, cross-sector collaboration, and evidence-informed advocacy grounded in the realities of intersectionality, alongside a commitment to truth-telling as a shared responsibility and relational practice central to reconciliation between migrant communities and First Peoples.
Her leadership has been recognised through her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia, the Victorian Premier’s Award for Multiculturalism, and the Amnesty International Human Rights Award. She is widely regarded as a leading voice on intersectionality, belonging, and the transformative power of inclusive systems.
Di Ellis
Senior Indigenous Affairs Manager, NRMA
Di Ellis
Senior Indigenous Affairs Manager, NRMA
Di Ellis is a proud Wiradjuri and Torres Strait Islander woman, cultural strategist and Senior Indigenous Affairs leader with more than 25 years’ experience across community, government and corporate Australia.
As Senior Indigenous Affairs Manager at The NRMA, Di leads reconciliation work across governance, employment, procurement, cultural learning, community partnerships and organisational change. Her work is focused on moving reconciliation beyond commitments on a page and into the way organisations lead, make decisions, build relationships and create real opportunities with First Nations peoples and communities.
Di is an active member of Reconciliation Australia’s RAP Industry Networking Groups (RINGs), where she contributes to shared learning, collaboration and stronger practice across organisations and industries.
Grounded in Yindyamarra, meaning respect, Di brings lived experience, cultural knowledge, community connection and strategic leadership to her work. She is passionate about practical change and authentic impact that honours culture, strengthens community connections and supports future generations.
Gerry Finnigan
Senior RAP Implementation Advisor, Fred Hollows
Foundation
Gerry Finnigan
Senior RAP Implementation Advisor, Fred Hollows Foundation
Gerry was born and raised on Kirrae Wurrung / Peek Wurrung / Gunditjmara Country in far southwest Victoria. He has lived in Naarm (Melbourne) for 27 years, mostly on Bunurong Country.
Gerry has been mentored by Aboriginal people most of his life. For the last 27 years, he has worked in professional roles with Aboriginal communities at local, state and federal government levels.
He spent 15 years managing Aboriginal student re-engagement programs, liaising with traditional owners, and formulating policy at the Victorian Department of Education.
Prior to this, he spent 5 years working with Aboriginal communities doing qualitative research and field work to support their native title claims at a native title representative body.
He has also worked in academia teaching Indigenous Rights courses, and in Aboriginal student liaison offices at various universities, tutoring Aboriginal students.
Cath Gillespie
Director, Evans
Head and Woodburn Preschools
Cath Gillespie
Director, Evans Head and Woodburn Preschools
Cath Gillespie is an experienced early childhood educator and Director of Evans Head and Woodburn Preschools, living and working on Bandjalang Country. With a strong commitment to reconciliation, cultural safety and social justice, she leads through relationships, deep listening, truth-telling and meaningful action. Cath works alongside Aboriginal educators, Elders, families and community partners to embed Bandjalang language, culture and perspectives in everyday practice. She has championed the preschool’s Narragunnawali Reconciliation Action Plan since 2018 and written and supported initiatives including the Cousins Program, Boogal Jugoon Nature Classroom, Bandjalang Language Program and Cup of Tea with Aunty Simone. In 2025, Evans Head–Woodburn Preschool received the national Narragunnawali Award for Early Learning, recognising its long-standing, community-guided approach. As RAP Champion and Co-Chair of the Northern Rivers Preschool Alliance RAP Working Group, Cath supports preschools across the region to develop authentic reconciliation commitments. Her leadership is grounded in humility, accountability and the belief that reconciliation is daily work, a shared responsibility and an enduring journey of learning.
Sean Gordon AM
Executive Director of the Yadha Muru Foundation and Director of Gidgee Group Consulting
Sean Gordon AM
Executive Director of the Yadha Muru Foundation and Director of Gidgee Group Consulting
Sean Gordon is a Wangkumarra and Barkindji man. Sean is the founder Executive Director of the Yadha Muru Foundation and Director of Gidgee Group Consulting and Partnerships Pty Ltd. Sean is applying his considerable leadership skills to drive Indigenous development to establish independence through creating real opportunities and benefits for individuals, organisations, and communities.
Sean is a strong advocate of self-determination for Indigenous communities, and for social, cultural, and economic empowerment. He has completed an Atlantic Fellowship for Social Equity at Melbourne University and in 2016 he was awarded the UTS Alumni Award for Excellence. Sean was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2023 and was a key architect and signatory of the Uluru Statement From The Heart.
Ian Hamm
Chair of the
Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, Chair of the First Nations Foundation
Ian Hamm
Chair of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, Chair of the First Nations Foundation
Ian Hamm is a Yorta Yorta man and a respected advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. With a distinguished career spanning government and the community sectors, he has been instrumental in contributing to Closing the Gap and advancing Aboriginal representation in high-level decision-making.
Ian has led strategic reforms in government and numerous organisations and remains deeply committed to advocacy and mentoring. He is, amongst others, the Chair of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, Chair of the First Nations Foundation, a Board Director of The Healing Foundation, and former Chair of Connecting Home Ltd, a Victorian Stolen Generations service. In recognition of his work , Ian was recently awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business by Swinburne University of Technology.
Tanya Hosch
Director, GO Foundation
Tanya Hosch
Director, GO Foundation
Tanya Hosch is a nationally respected leader and advocate with extensive experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, social inclusion, governance and public advocacy.
She most recently served as Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy at the Australian Football League (AFL), where she was the first Indigenous person and only the second woman appointed to the AFL Executive.
Tanya was Joint Campaign Director of Recognise, the movement for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and served on the Referendum Council, which led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017. She was also a prominent
campaigner for a Yes vote in the 2023 Voice Referendum.
Currently, Tanya is a Director of the GO Foundation, Co-Chair of the National Australia Bank First Nations Advisory Group, and Deputy Chair of the National Library of Australia.
In 2026, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community through social policy and advocacy for diversity and inclusion and in 2021 Tanya was named 2021 South Australian of the Year.
Dr Jackie Huggins AM
Lifelong advocate, academic and author
Dr Jackie Huggins AM
A Bidjara (Central Queensland) and Birri-Gubba Juru (North Queensland) woman, historian, author and lifelong advocate, Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA was a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and later served as Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia.
She was also a co-commissioner for the landmark Bringing Them Home inquiry and, more recently, co-chaired Queensland’s Path to Treaty process.
Shannon Keating
Practice Advisor and Cultural Lead,
Youth Empowered Towards
Independence
Shannon Keating
Practice Advisor and Cultural Lead, Youth Empowered Towards Independence
Shannon Keating an Aboriginal (Eastern Kuku Yalanji) woman with historical connections to Yarrabah, North Queensland. Shannon is the Practice Advisor and Cultural Lead at Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI), a Cairns-based non-government organisation dedicated to enhancing the social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of young people. Shannon has worked at YETI for eight years holding several positions within the organisation. She is also a part of YETI’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) working group and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group. Shannon has 30 years' experience working in the Community Sector (Tharpuntoo Cape York Legal Service/ATSILS and Wuchopperen Health Service) and has been an advocate for her people in this time. She has two Diploma's and is in the process of enrolling in a Diploma of Indigenous Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Courtney Kelly
First Nations Lead, Wesfarmers
Courtney Kelly
First Nations Lead, Wesfarmers
Courtney is a proud Djiru woman from Innisfail, North Queensland with family connections to the Djabugay people from the Kuranda and Barron Gorge areas.
Courtney is a corporate affairs professional with experience across the mining, resources, and retail sectors, spanning Indigenous affairs, social investment, communications, operations and engineering.
Courtney completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) at the University of Queensland (UQ) and was the first Indigenous woman to graduate from UQ’s School of Mining and Metallurgy. She remains an independent member of the Australian Network of Mining Engineering Educators’ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sub-committee, influencing educators to embed Indigenous perspectives in engineering curricula nationally.
Since 2023, Courtney has been First Nations Lead at Wesfarmers, driving reconciliation outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across the Group’s seven divisions through the Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan, spanning procurement, employment, career development, community partnerships and capacity building.
Wendy Knight
Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Practice and Partnerships, Life Without Barriers
Wendy Knight
Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Practice and Partnerships, Life Without Barriers
A proud Aboriginal (Barkindji) woman with an unwavering commitment to Aboriginal families and communities - ensuring the promotion of our mob’s voices on issues affecting our jarjums, families, and communities in today’s society. As Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Practice and Partnerships with Life Without Barriers, Wendy leads a vibrant and creative team of First Nations staff driving restoration/reunification of jarjums back to their families and transitioning the care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and their carer households from Life Without Barrier to community, our ACCO’s, across Australia.
Wendy is an accomplished Senior Executive with over 25 years’ experience in the social service sector, results and outcomes driven. With extensive experience in the child protection, out of home care and contract management in both government and non-government roles.
With proven success providing effective management of human, financial and physical resources with a high level strategic and operational management as well as organisational change leadership, Wendy ensures the achievement of strategic goals, financial sustainability, progressive change and meaningful service delivery.
Wendy is a confident and articulate communicator with extensive sector networks to support sustainable outcomes in Not for Profit’s, government, and external organisations at both State and National level. A resourceful problem solver and innovative change manager with ongoing commitment to excellence and best practice, my personal attributes include honesty, sincerity, integrity, and empathy.
Travis Lovett
Executive Director, Centre for
Truth-telling and Dialogue (UniMelb)
Travis Lovett
Executive Director, Centre for Truth-telling and Dialogue (UniMelb)
Travis Lovett is a Kerrupmara, Gunditjmara and Boandik man and Executive Director of the Centre for Truth-telling and Dialogue at the University of Melbourne, where he leads work to embed truth-telling, cultural authority and systemic reform across institutions.
Previously, Travis served as Deputy Chair and Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, helping deliver Australia’s first formal truth-telling inquiry and contributing to landmark reports that informed Treaty negotiations and justice reform. He has also held senior roles across government, including First Peoples State Relations, Aboriginal Victoria and the Department of Justice, leading reforms in the Koori Courts, water law and cultural safety.
In 2025 and 2026, Travis led the historic Walks for Truth, journeys that carried the voices of First Peoples across Country. An internationally recognised speaker and advisor, he continues to mentor Aboriginal leaders and guide institutions in advancing reconciliation and self-determination.
Kerry Ludwig
Strategic Programs Coordinator | Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement, Flinders
University
Kerry Ludwig
Strategic Programs Coordinator | Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement, Flinders University
Kerry Ludwig is a proud Kokatha woman and Strategic Programs Coordinator in the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement at Flinders University. With more than 23 years of service at the University, Kerry has worked across a range of areas, primarily within Humanities, Creative Arts and Social Sciences, developing strong relationships and supporting initiatives that enhance student and staff experiences.
In her current role, Kerry leads the coordination and delivery of Flinders University's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to advance reconciliation, cultural inclusion, and meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She recently played a key role in the development and launch of the University's new RAP and is co leading the development of a University Elders
Program, strengthening connections between Elders, students, staff, and the broader community.
Kerry is passionate about creating opportunities that promote cultural understanding, Indigenous leadership, and respectful partnerships that contribute to lasting positive change.
Britt Madafferi
Principal Governance and Strategy, BHP
Britt Madafferi
Principal Governance and Strategy, BHP
Britt Madafferi is a proud Aboriginal woman, born and raised in Alice Springs, and a descendant of the Allawa-Marra people of South Arnhem Land (Gulf Country) in the Northern Territory. After spending more than two decades living and working in Port Hedland, Britt relocated to Perth to be closer to family.
As Principal Governance and Strategy within BHP's Indigenous Engagement team, Britt leads BHP's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) governance and performance, working across the business to strengthen accountability, drive continuous improvement and support meaningful progress towards reconciliation.
With over 16 years of experience at BHP, Britt has held a range of operational and leadership roles across the business, including within Port Maintenance Operations. She is recognised for her ability to bridge strategy and delivery, bringing together governance, stakeholder engagement, data-driven insights, and continuous improvement to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Britt has played a key role in leading and shaping major advocacy and employee engagement initiatives, including National Reconciliation Week (NRW), NAIDOC Week celebrations, and the BHP FIRE (First Peoples, Inclusion, Recognition and Excellence) Awards, BHP's national Indigenous employee awards program.
Deputy Premier Kyam Maher
Deputy Premier of South Australia and Minister
for Aboriginal Affairs.
Deputy Premier Kyam Maher
Kyam Maher is the Deputy Premier of South Australia and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.
He is a proud Aboriginal man who is honoured to serve as the Aboriginal Affairs Minister in both the Weatherill and Malinauskas Labor Governments. He has
helped guide important reforms such as being the first state in Australia to commence Treaty negotiations with Aboriginal Nations, implementing a Stolen Generations reparations scheme, and establishing the First Nations Voice to Parliament.
Kyam was elected to State Parliament in 2012 and has held the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio in both government and opposition since 2015.
Kyam enjoys spending time in regional SA, cycling (slowly), mowing the lawn and has a particular fondness for a good sausage roll.
Ceharnie Martin
First Nations Partnerships and Growth Manager, Enterprise and Training Company Limited
Ceharnie Martin
First Nations Partnerships and Growth Manager, Enterprise and Training Company Limited
Ceharnie Martin is a proud Torres Strait Island woman whose cultural heritage comes through her Great Athe Elia Ware's bloodline from Moa Island and her Great Aka Sorbie Oth from Mer (Murray) Island in the Torres Straits. Born and raised on Kombumerri Country on the Gold Coast, where she continues to live, work, and raise her children, Ceharnie is passionate about cultural identity, truth-telling, and advancing reconciliation through meaningful relationships between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians.
Over the past eight years with ETC, Ceharnie has played a pivotal role in strengthening the organisation's commitment to reconciliation, helping guide and support ETC's Reconciliation Action Plan journey through community engagement, cultural leadership, partnership development, and organisational capacity building. In her current role as First Nations Partnerships & Growth Manager, she leads strategic partnerships across Queensland and New South Wales, creating opportunities that strengthen employment, education, and community outcomes. Drawing on extensive experience in community and employment services, she is committed to fostering culturally responsive practices, genuine dialogue, and collaborative approaches that empower communities and create lasting social impact.
Professor Adrian Miller
Vice-President Indigenous Engagement, CQUniversity
Professor Adrian Miller
Vice-President Indigenous Engagement, CQUniversity
Professor Adrian Miller is a proud Jirrbal man and nationally recognised First Nations leader. He brings more than 30 years' experience across university leadership, research, government policy and community engagement. As Vice-President Indigenous Engagement and a member of CQUniversity's Executive, he provides strategic leadership across reconciliation, First Nations student success, workforce participation, research and partnerships with communities, government and industry. Professor Miller has held senior leadership roles at six Australian universities and has contributed to more than $37 million in competitive research funding. His research spans Indigenous health and wellbeing, higher education and community-led methodologies, with more than 100 scholarly outputs. A member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts, he brings extensive experience in embedding reconciliation into institutional strategy and translating research, policy and partnerships into action that advances First Nations self-determination and lasting organisational change.
Kylie Monteleone
Contemporary artist and designer
Kylie Monteleone
Contemporary artist and designer
Kylie Monteleone, a proud descendant of the Western Arrernte people, is an Indigenous woman and contemporary artist who shares stories handed down through generations. As a qualified Interior Designer and Colour Specifier, she uses colour intuitively to elicit memories, moments, and emotions.
Kylie’s approach to working with Winya Indigenous Commercial Furniture is guided by a deep connection to Country, which she passionately shares, intending to bring Country, Culture, and intentional colour to the forefront of urban design.
Karen Mundine
CEO, Reconciliation Australia
Karen Mundine
CEO, Reconciliation Australia
Karen Mundine is from the Bundjalung Nation of northern NSW. As the CEO at Reconciliation Australia, Ms Mundine brings to the role more than 25 years’ experience leading community engagement, public advocacy, communications and social marketing campaigns.
An architect of the landmark Australian Reconciliation Barometer, Ms Mundine works with governments, the business sector and civil society to advocate for change.
Over the course of her career, she has been instrumental in some of Australia’s watershed national events including the Apology to the Stolen Generations, Centenary of Federation commemorations, Corroboree 2000 and the 1997 and 2021 Australian Reconciliation Conventions.
Ms Mundine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and was the winner of the 2021 Indigenous Australian UTS Alumni Award. In 2023 she was declared the National Winner of the Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership.
She is a member of the Council of the National Museum of Australia, a Company Director of Sydney Festival and the Council of First Nations and is a Member of Chief Executive Women.
Ngarra Murray
Co-founder, Matha
Ngarra Murray
Co-founder, Matha
Ngarra Murray is a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung and Dhudhuroa woman, First Nations leader and treaty expert whose leadership is grounded in deep cultural authority, political experience and a powerful legacy of Aboriginal activism.
As an inaugural member and former Co-chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria (2019-2026), Lead Negotiator and signatory to Australia’s first treaty, Ngarra has been at the forefront of building the foundations for treaty-making in Victoria and advancing a new era of Indigenous self-determination.
Her work sits at the intersection of culture, politics and systems change bringing together cultural authority, strategic leadership and practical expertise to navigate complex relationships between First peoples, governments and institutions. She is deeply committed to nation building, strengthening Indigenous governance and creating pathways for First Peoples to exercise their inherent rights, sovereignty and aspirations. Ngarra’s leadership extends beyond Australia through longstanding relationships with Indigenous peoples and movements internationally.
She is the co-founder of Matha, an Indigenous collective established with Te Rau Kupenga, providing cultural and practical expertise working in the middle space between First Peoples, governments, and communities. Matha works to navigate the Treaty era, build the relationships and pathways for a new future, and create the conditions for lasting transformation.
Nikolina Kovacevic
Sustainability Manager – Customer and Community, The GPT Group
Nikolina Kovacevic
Sustainability Manager – Customer and Community, The GPT Group
Nikolina Kovacevic has been part of the sustainability team at The GPT Group – one of Australia's leading diversified property groups. for four years. In this time, she has worked closely with GPT's shopping centre and office building teams to shape assets that are welcoming, inclusive, and genuinely connected to the people who use them.
She leads GPT's Reconciliation Action Plan and drives social sustainability across the organisation, championing an approach rooted in authentic relationships and shared purpose. Nikolina also leads GPT's social procurement work, reflecting her broader commitment to creating meaningful impact through the way the business operates and spends.
After completing a Bachelor of Social Science in Criminology and Social Policy, Nikolina began her career in the community sector – working in fundraising and case management across a range of youth organisations before transitioning into the corporate world. That foundation continues to shape the way she thinks about collaboration and impact.
Francis Nona
Director, Just Ripples
Francis Nona
Director, Just Ripples
Francis Nona is a proud man of the Dhoeybaw Clan of Saibai, with ancestral ties to Badu in Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait). Francis holds a Senior Lecturer role in the School of Medicine at QUT and is Director of an Indigenous-led, for-purpose consultancy called Just Ripples. Francis’ consultancy specialises in helping organisations strengthen leadership, cultural capability, reconciliation, evaluation, and meaningful systems change. Just Ripples is driven by the social mission of empowering future generations of Indigenous communities, one relationship at a time. In less than five years in academia, Francis has secured more than $12 million in competitive funding, reflecting the impact and relevance of his work at the intersections of health, equity, and Indigenous rights.
Francis held senior leadership roles in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisation in regional Queensland, including Clinic Manager and Acting CEO. He is also a registered nurse and has practised across youth detention centres, rural and regional hospitals, rehabilitation, and aged care settings. Francis contributes widely to sector leadership through board membership on national and international organisations, as well a serving on several Advisory Committees concerned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination.
Dean Parkin
Head of Indigenous Strategy
& Engagement, Westpac Group
Dean Parkin
Head of Indigenous Strategy & Engagement, Westpac Group
From the Quandamooka peoples of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), Dean Parkin is Head of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement at Westpac, where he has led the bank’s first Indigenous Strategy and sixth Reconciliation Action Plan. He previously led the 2023 YES23 referendum campaign as CEO of Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition, which mobilised 60,000 volunteers and secured 6.2 million ‘Yes’ votes. His national leadership grew from his role co-facilitating the dialogue process that produced the Uluru Statement from the Heart in 2017. Dean has broad networks across public, corporate, not-for-profit and political sectors, with experience in strategy, engagement, and co-design in Australia and the UK. He holds a degree from the University of Queensland, is a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Fellowship for Social Equity and is a former director of the Library Board of Queensland.
Kylie Penehoe
CEO, National Indigenous Employment and Training Alliance
Kylie Penehoe
CEO, National Indigenous Employment and Training Alliance
Kylie Penehoe is a proud Wonnarua and Wiradjuri woman and the inaugural CEO of the National Indigenous Employment and Training Alliance (The Alliance). She is committed to advancing meaningful social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through Indigenous-led solutions and systemic change.
Kylie brings extensive experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, with expertise in program design, business development, communications and evidence-informed strategy. Before joining The Alliance, she held executive roles at AFL SportsReady and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, leading programs supporting First Nations education, employment and economic development.
Kylie has also worked in the Queensland Government and held senior roles with ASX-listed organisations, including Transpacific and Virgin Australia. She is known for her ethical and authentic leadership, commitment to co-design and ability to build trusted relationships.
Kylie holds a Master of Business Administration specialising in Social Impact and a Bachelor of Communications.
Mel Raby
Head of Social Impact, John Holland
Mel Raby
Head of Social Impact, John Holland
Mel Raby is Head of Social Impact at John Holland, where she leads strategies that deliver lasting benefits for communities. She works closely with social benefit suppliers, community organisations, industry partners and government clients to turn goals into practical outcomes. With extensive experience in social procurement and inclusion, Mel is passionate about creating opportunities for priority cohorts, increasing workforce diversity and delivering measurable social impact through a hands on, solutions focused approach.
Erin Rundle
Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations, Woodside Energy
Erin Rundle
Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations, Woodside Energy
Erin Rundle is a proud Wongatha woman and Senior Advisor Indigenous Relations at Woodside Energy, where she leads Indigenous strategy across Australia, the United States and Mexico. Her role focuses on shaping and delivering strategy that strengthens Woodside’s approach to Indigenous relations, reconciliation and sustainable business outcomes across its global operations.
With more than 15 years of experience across the resources sector, philanthropy and the not-for-profit sector, Erin brings extensive experience in Indigenous employment, economic participation, social investment, partnerships and supply chain opportunities. She works closely with leaders and stakeholders to translate Indigenous perspectives into practical strategy, meaningful commitments and measurable action.
Erin is passionate about creating genuine partnerships and influencing organisational change. She brings a strong focus on ensuring Indigenous perspectives are considered in business decision-making and that commitments are supported by strong governance, accountability and meaningful engagement.
Clinton Schultz
Director of First Nations Strategy, Black Dog Institute
Clinton Schultz
Director of First Nations Strategy, Black Dog Institute
‘Associate Professor Clinton Schultz is a Gamilaraay man, father of three, and registered psychologist with more than 15 years’ experience in social and emotional wellbeing. He has a keen interest in lore, culture, planetary health, and holistic wellness, particularly the wellbeing of workers in health and community services. Clinton obtained his PhD from the Griffith University School of Medicine, titled Winanga-li-gu (Higher order listening), Guwaa-li-gu (Higher order speaking), Maruma-li-gu (Higher order healing): Factors of holistic wellbeing for members of the Aboriginal health and community workforce. Clinton received the award for academic excellence in a thesis from Griffith University for this work, previously been awarded IAHA Allied Health Professional of the year (2019), and Griffith University Indigenous Alumni of the year (2018). He is the Director of First Nations Strategy at the Black Dog Institute and a Senior Researcher with UNSW.’
Annette Sharp
Regional Impact and Reconciliation Lead, Intrepid Travel
Annette Sharp
Regional Impact and Reconciliation Lead, Intrepid Travel
Annette Sharp is Regional Impact and Reconciliation Lead, ANZ at Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company and a certified B Corp. Intrepid holds a Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), reflecting the company’s commitment to meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
With extensive experience in reconciliation, human rights, community partnerships, and responsible tourism, Annette works at the intersection of business, impact, and First Nations engagement. While leading reconciliation initiatives across Australia and New Zealand, she also supports Intrepid’s global approach to reconciliation and Indigenous partnerships.
Annette has played a key role in developing and implementing Intrepid’s RAP commitments and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, communities, and tourism operators. She also represents Intrepid as a founding member of the Tourism Reconciliation Industry Network Group (Tourism RING), bringing tourism businesses together to advance reconciliation and create meaningful social and economic opportunities for First Nations peoples through collective action.
Mayor Bruce Simpson
Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
Mayor Bruce Simpson
Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
I am a proud Wakka Wakka and Wangan Cultural leader. My strong leadership is an example attributed to me by my ancestors, parents, elders, mentors, and of course, my peers and community.
I enjoy listening to music, reading, and researching leadership models.
My thirty years lived experience in leadership has given me the opportunity to be in high level positions ranging from Director, CEO, and my own consultancy, gaining the understanding to establish strong ethical governance practices.
I have strong self-determination values, to forge intentional leadership that can connect with state, federal and private sectors that foster strong partnerships to enhance community infrastructure, programs, and pathways to success and how these partnerships translate on-country.
Genevieve Sinclair
CEO, Youth Empowered Towards
Independence
Genevieve Sinclair
CEO, Youth Empowered Towards Independence
Genevieve Sinclair is the CEO of Youth Empowered Towards Independence (YETI), a Cairns-based non-government organisation dedicated to enhancing the social, emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of young people. With a deep commitment to the needs of vulnerable youth in Queensland, Genevieve is a passionate advocate for alcohol and drug and youth justice policy reform. She has led YETI for eighteen years. In addition to her role at YETI, Genevieve serves on the boards of The Loop Australia, Victoria’s key drug checking service; and has been the Chair of the Queensland Network of Drug and Alcohol Agencies for more than ten years.
Kirby Slade
Teacher, Evans Head Preschool
Kirby Slade
Teacher, Evans Head Preschool
Kirby Slade is an Early Childhood teacher who has been a dedicated educator at Evans Head Preschool for over 13 years. A strong and proud Bandjalang woman, Kirby brings cultural knowledge, community connection and Bandjalang language into her daily practice, enriching the learning experiences of children, families and the wider Evans Head community. Her work is grounded in nature‑based pedagogy, with a focus on slow, intentional learning that nurtures children’s curiosity, confidence and connection to Country.
Kirby is passionate about creating environments where children feel safe, valued and empowered to explore their world. She integrates place‑based learning, sensory exploration and cultural storytelling to support children’s identity and wellbeing. Through reflective practice and strong community relationships, Kirby continues to champion early childhood education that honours culture, Country and the voices of young learners.
Linda Smallwood
Acting Assistant Director, RAP Team
Australian Taxation Office
Linda Smallwood
Acting Assistant Director, RAP Team, Australian Taxation Office
Linda Smallwood is a proud Bindal and South Sea Islander woman from Townsville and currently serves as the Assistant Director of the Reconciliation Action Plan Team at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). In this role, she leads governance, reporting and accountability activities that support the delivery of the ATO's reconciliation commitments, while driving initiatives that strengthen cultural capability and inclusion across the organisation.
Linda has led key initiatives to build cultural capability across the ATO and strengthen engagement with First Nations communities. She is passionate about advancing reconciliation through meaningful partnerships, embedding accountability, and supporting sustainable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Through her leadership, Linda works to foster a more inclusive, culturally responsive and respectful organisation.
Ayla Smith
Assistant Director,
Indigenous Liaison and Strategy Officer, Australian Bureau of
Statistics
Ayla Smith
Assistant Director, Indigenous Liaison and Strategy Officer, Australian Bureau of Statistics
Ayla is a Gunditjmara, Djab Wurrung and Taungurung woman living and working on Bunurong Country, Victoria. She is the Assistant Director of Inclusion and Diversity, and the inaugural Indigenous Liaison and Strategy Officer at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). As a former student of Ballerrt Mooroop Koorie school (KODE) and a Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship recipient, she’s committed to advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander socio-economic outcomes, truth-telling and reconciliation. This is rooted in deep lived experiences, connections, and matrilineal cultural values.
Over the past decade, Ayla has developed a distinctive evidence-based practice grounded in co-design, grassroots knowledge and an understanding of systemic barriers. Her work combines evidence with strategic and cultural expertise, driving culturally responsive strategies, policies, and practices. She has led and influenced many reform pieces across the Public Sector, focusing on strengthened capability, accountability, cultural safety, equity, and self-determination.
Senator Jana Stewart
Labor Senator for Victoria
Senator Jana Stewart
Labor Senator for Victoria
Senator Jana Stewart is a proud Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman, with links to country all along the Murray River in North-West Victoria.
Jana comes from a long line of strong Aboriginal women, stretching back over sixty thousand years, and is a mother to Ari and Jude. She is the youngest First Nations woman to be elected to Federal Parliament and is the first Aboriginal Labor Senator from Victoria.
Before entering politics Jana worked at the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care agency in the child protection system and trained as a family therapist with the Bouverie Centre at La Trobe University – the first in her family to attend university. She has also worked for the Victorian government, within the justice system, and with Traditional Owners across the state.
Jana has served as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs since February 2024 and is currently leading the inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In July 2025, she was appointed Chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee.
Shannon Thorne
Founder & Director, Many Tribes One Mob
Shannon Thorne
Founder & Director, Many Tribes One Mob
Shannon Thorne is a proud Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri man, devoted Aboriginal advocate with more than 23 years of experience across Aboriginal health, child protection, advocacy, community services and organisational reform. His leadership is grounded in lived and professional experience, cultural identity and a deep commitment to creating safer, stronger systems for Aboriginal people, families and communities.
Shannon became the first Aboriginal Advocate for Children and Young People in New South Wales, using his role to elevate the voices of children and young people who felt unheard or invisible. He later served as Mission Australia’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy Manager, leading advocacy and strategic work across the country.
Today, Shannon is the Founder and Director of Many Tribes One Mob, a 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned social enterprise. Through cultural consultancy, training, cultural supervision, mediation and systems reform, he supports organisations and leaders to move beyond good intentions and take practical, accountable action.
Rachelle Towart OAM
Managing Director, Pipeline Talent
Rachelle Towart OAM
Managing Director, Pipeline Talent
Rachelle Towart OAM is a proud Wonnarua woman, born in Blacktown, NSW, and a nationally recognised leader in Indigenous leadership, governance, and education. Inspired by her own experience of leadership development through mentors, family, and public service roles, she has dedicated her career to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Joining the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre in 2004 and becoming CEO in 2007, Rachelle transformed the organisation by tripling revenue, more than doubling enrolments, and elevating Indigenous leadership onto the national agenda. She trained thousands of Indigenous leaders and received numerous honours, including Westpac Community CEO of the Year and Australian Financial Review Women of Influence in 2014.
In 2016, she founded Pipeline Talent to provide tailored support, recruitment, and leadership pathways for emerging Indigenous executives. Under her leadership, the company has become a respected force for advancing Indigenous careers. In 2018, Rachelle was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her outstanding contribution to Indigenous leadership development nationwide.
Sam Webster
Head of First Nations Affairs, NAB
Sam Webster
Head of First Nations Affairs, NAB
Sam Webster is the Head of First Nations Affairs at NAB, where she leads the bank’s work to support First Nations economic empowerment. With nearly two decades across Commonwealth and state government and the university sector, Sam’s career has been shaped by listening deeply, working alongside communities, and weaving together policy, partnerships, and lived experience to enable practical, long-term change.
A proud Torres Strait Islander woman with Scottish and Kiwi ancestry, Sam focuses on backing First Nations peoples’ economic empowerment by using the power of banking to support self-determination, build wealth, and contribute to generational change. She works alongside communities, partners, and colleagues to grow strong, thriving First Nations businesses and economies.
Scott Wilson
CEO, Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council
Scott Wilson
CEO, Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council
Scott Wilson is CEO of ADAC, the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (South Australia). He is also an Adjunct Professor with the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at La Trobe University and, until April 2023, was Joint Director of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Indigenous Health and Alcohol at the University of Sydney, Chairperson of the Penington Institute in Melbourne & Deputy Co-Convenor of Coalition of the Peaks (CoP) and Lead Convenor of SAACCON. Scott’s personal & professional experience in substance misuse has made him a valued member of nearly every major governmental & non-governmental committee in Australia for over 30 years.
Professor Nareen Young
Director, Centre for Indigenous People and Work (UTS)
Professor Nareen Young
Director, Centre for Indigenous People and Work (UTS)
Professor Nareen Young is Associate Dean, Indigenous Engagement and Leadership, Business School, University of Technology Sydney, Professor Indigenous Policy (Indigenous Workforce Diversity) at UTS Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research and Director of the UTS Jumbunna/UTS Business School Centre for Indigenous People and Work.
As one of Australia’s most respected workplace diversity practitioners and thought leaders, Professor Young is responsible for introducing many valuable concepts to Australian diversity practice over the years, for which her leadership has been acknowledged with many awards and accolades.
Bringing her First Nations and culturally diverse heritages to all her work, Professor Young continues to hold numerous governance and advisory positions in the community, government and corporate spheres.
Annette Sharp
Regional Impact and Reconciliation Lead, Intrepid Travel
Annette Sharp
Regional Impact and Reconciliation Lead, Intrepid Travel
Annette Sharp is Regional Impact and Reconciliation Lead, ANZ at Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company and a certified B Corp. Intrepid holds a Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), reflecting the company’s commitment to meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
With extensive experience in reconciliation, human rights, community partnerships, and responsible tourism, Annette works at the intersection of business, impact, and First Nations engagement. While leading reconciliation initiatives across Australia and New Zealand, she also supports Intrepid’s global approach to reconciliation and Indigenous partnerships.
Annette has played a key role in developing and implementing Intrepid’s RAP commitments and strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, communities, and tourism operators. She also represents Intrepid as a founding member of the Tourism Reconciliation Industry Network Group (Tourism RING), bringing tourism businesses together to advance reconciliation and create meaningful social and economic opportunities for First Nations peoples through collective action.
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