I love the sense of belonging that my Aboriginal identity gives me and feel strongly connected to people, place and culture in my mother’s Alyawarr country in Central Australia, but also to Victoria where I was born and have lived for most of my life. I have strong connections to the Victorian Aboriginal community through my family and through my professional and volunteer activities.
My work history has been for many years in the health sector as a social worker, hospital executive, bureaucrat, researcher and currently as an academic tutor and lecturer in social work. Access to culturally responsive health services that listen to the voices of Aboriginal people has been a driving force for much of my work. I feel strongly that health care workers and students have access to education and professional development that strengthens their ability to develop cultural competency and responsiveness to enable them to work alongside Aboriginal people.
I am proud to join the board of the First People’s Health and Wellbeing which as I see as a positive contemporary example of self-determination where the voices of the community can be translated into a practice that responds to community needs and which recognises the resilience of Aboriginal people and communities.
Memberships
Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal Policy Committee Victorian Branch ALP
Member of the Ethics Committee of the Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Member Willum Warrain Gathering Place Hastings
Member Community Advisory Committee Royal Women’s Hospital
