Speaker Profiles

Noel Pearson was involved in the establishment of the Cape York Land Council, Cape York Partnerships, Apunipima Cape York Health Council and Balkanu Development Corporation.

He is now the Director of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership, a body that drives new directions in public policy on indigenous issues working closely with the Queensland and Commonwealth governments.

In addition to his work with the Cape York Institute, Noel also sits on the board of "Adai" Cape York Fishing Company and Cape York Partnerships Projects.

Since 1999 Noel has campaigned for Welfare Reform in indigenous communities. In 2008 the "Welfare Reform Project: driven by Cape York Institute and Cape York Partnerships, will be implemented in 4 pilot communities in Cape York.

Noel continues to work in close association with all Cape York Regional organisations and the philanthropic sector on issues of economic development, education, health and justice. His end goal is to enable Cape York's indigenous people to have the capacity to choose the life they have reason to value by reinstating the rights of Aboriginal people to take responsibility for their lives.

Descriptions of these ideas can be found in Noel Pearson's monograph "Our Right to Take Responsibility" (self-published, 2000) as well as his recent papers.

Renée Coffey is Programmes Director at the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) – a non-profit organisation that provides boarding school scholarships and career pathways to empower Indigenous children to build a future through quality education and careers.

AIEF aims to provide scholarships to educate 2,000 Indigenous children at some of the leading schools in the nation and equip them to pursue productive careers when they finish their schooling.

Renée has been involved in the Australian Reconciliation movement for over ten years, having first established Young Australians for Anti-Racism and Reconciliation (YAARR) in 1998 with a fellow secondary school student. Renée went on to obtain first class honours in Australian history at the University of Queensland with her thesis on frontier conflict, and was the non-Indigenous youth speaker at Corroboree 2000 in the Sydney Opera House. She has worked for the Queensland Government in various roles since 2000, specialising in marketing, communications, sponsorship, strategic partnerships, events and project management. From 2006-2008 Renée was the State Manager of Reconciliation South Australia and completed her Graduate Diploma of Education specialising in Aboriginal education. Renée was also a delegate of the Indigenous stream of the 2020 Summit where she met Andrew Penfold, the Chief Executive Officer of AIEF.

Since working with AIEF, Renée has witnessed first hand the stunning results being achieved by the Indigenous students and schools that AIEF works with.

David was named the 9th most influential Aboriginal Australian by The Bulletin magazine in 2007 and 2008. David was recognized among West Australia's Inspirational people of the Year in 2008 in Scoop Magazine and in 2009 received the award for Young Western Australian of the Year.

Shane Williams works as a Branch Manager for DEEWR in the Queensland State Office in Brisbane, Queensland.

The role involves providing strategic leadership and state wide management of Indigenous employment programs; and the broader school education and youth attainment and transition programs and initiatives across the state of Queensland.

Shane also operates a Senior Indigenous Advisor for the DEEWR Queensland State Office Network.

Shane's work in the field of education and training spans 25 years and includes having worked in the state schooling sector, TAFE and university systems within Queensland and New South Wales.

In recent years Shane's work has focussed specifically on providing leadership, research, policy and advice on a range of social issues, specific to the development of policy reforms at state and national levels.

Shane provides an innovative and creative approach to improving DEEWR's strategic responses and delivery of employment, education and youth services to a range of key stakeholder groups in Queensland that focus on a more systematic, holistic and transformative approach.

His key focus is leading the development of flexible, innovative policy solutions that enable Australians to acquire the skills to engage as active citizens in a knowledge economy and learning society.

John has a Diploma of Teaching (Primary) and a Bachelor of Arts (LaTrobe Uni).

John is currently the Deputy Principal (Junior School Teaching and Learning) at Haileybury.

In the preceding four years he was the Head of Campus for Haileybury College at Berwick. John previously taught in the Victorian Government School system for nearly 30 years. He started his teaching career at Greenbrook Primary in Melbourne. He then taught at Princes Hill, Thomastown West, Lalor North and Preston Primary Schools. In 1992 he was appointed as the Assistant Principal to Bellfield Primary School. All these schools were classified as disadvantaged schools serving communities from low socio-economic backgrounds. Bellfield however was one of the most disadvantaged schools in the whole of Australia. John became Principal in 1996. The school had issues with student behaviour, engagement and academic performance. John set out to change the culture of the school. In 1996 Statewide Achievement Data indicated that over 85% of the students at the school were failing dismally in literacy and numeracy. Through a clear vision, determination and passion the school implemented a structured, sequential, data driven curriculum to turn this around. By 2005 Statewide data indicated that the average student at Bellfield was at the top of the State in all areas of literacy and numeracy.

Dr. Ruth Wallace is the Director of the Social Partnerships in Learning Research Consortium at Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT. The consortium was established in 2007 to support and research the interagency and interdisciplinary relationships that enable effective learning in different disciplines, workplaces and training sites.

Ruth's particular interests are related to engaging in research that improves outcomes for workforce stakeholders in regional and remote Australia. Ruth's research focus is in vocational education and training (VET) practice and workforce development in regional and remote contexts. She has extensive experience in innovative delivery of VET programs in regional and remote areas across Northern Australia.

Ruth has undertaken research into flexible learning, engaged learning and developing effective pedagogy, materials and assessment for marginalized students. In particular, this work explores approaches that focus on recognising marginalised learners' strengths and developing systems that connect to and value learners' diverse knowledge systems. Her research examines the links between identity and adult's involvement in post-compulsory schooling and development of effective pathways through flexible learning and recognition of diverse knowledge systems.

Kate trained as a social worker and served her first role in Grenfell in rural NSW. For the next ten years she worked in a variety of roles with the health sector as well as the non-government welfare sector.

She joined TAFE as the first full-time welfare teacher in Western NSW, providing training through many of the Colleges in the region, after which she was promoted to the role of Head Teacher and Faculty Director. In May 2010 she was appointed as the Institute Director for TAFE NSW Western Institute.

She holds a Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Social Administration, Master of Education, Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Graduate Diploma in Vocational Education and Training.

Lenore is a Kungarakan woman from Darwin and has extensive experience in the public, private and community sectors.

From 1990 until 1997 she was the Director of the Aboriginal Development Unit in the Northern Territory Government, where she was involved with employment, training and economic and community development programs.

She has run her own small business since 1997 designing and retailing clothing and textiles, assisting with project management activities and mentoring Aboriginal people wanting to get into small business.

Some of the board positions Lenore has held include President of the North Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service, Chairperson of Yilli Rreung Regional Council of ATSIC, Member of the Board of the NT Employment and Training Authority and member of the ATSI Arts Board of the Australia Council.

Lenore is currently employed by the Department of Education and Training in Darwin as the Manager CDEP Transition Programme.

Kerry has worked with in the low vision rehabilitation industry both as a senior orthoptist and a consultant. She is Associate Professor of Orthoptics and Associate Dean Academic within the Faculty of Health Sciences, Latrobe University.

Is a Dunghutti man from Kempsey on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.

In 1990 he was appointed Aboriginal Development Manager for the North Coast Institute of TAFE in NSW.

In 2003 he became the Regional Aboriginal Employment Consultant for the North Coast Public Sector to develop recommendations for the North Coast Public Sector Aboriginal Employment Strategy.

He was then appointed Coordinator Indigenous Employment and Training with the MacDonnell Shire Council in Alice Springs where he is still in that substantive position.

David is currently on Secondment with the Local Government of Northern Territory developing a Workforce Development Plan for remote Shires and Regional Councils in the NT He became one of the first 8 people in NSW to obtain the Associate Diploma in Adult Education (Aboriginal) and was appointed to the review committee.

Susan Ruffles (Diploma of Teaching with Distinction; Bachelor of Education) is a dedicated public primary school Principal with over 30 years experience as a successful teacher and educational leader in NSW rural schools.

Susan is passionate about improving children's learning outcomes and providing outstanding well-being programs for young people within NSW Department of Education & Training schools. Susan has lead Narrandera Public School (51.1% Aboriginal student enrolment in 2011) to achieve success across a range of programs with key emphasis on quality teaching and genuine partnerships with community groups and families.

As Sales and Marketing Manger for Sunshine Coast TAFE and the Team Manager for the Indigenous Support Office, I have been affiliated with Indigenous programs and communities for many decades. Our team has worked hard to ensure we are the first TAFE Queensland Institute to establish a Reconciliation Action Plan.

Wendy has consulted for many Indigenous Community programs (funding programs, communications strategies, business strategy) and have assisted participation in training and employment in partnership with Indigenous communities. This has also included setting up programs to provide cultural awareness for Indigenous and Non Indigenous Children through Primary and Local High Schools; working with Indigenous artists to build and provide sustainable and economic benefits to the artists and their communities; and working with community elders to assist students with pathways from primary school to University. Wendy has also Managed Indigenous Art Exhibitions for Queensland State Library, Road Show to Cairns and Townsville, Convention Centre Brisbane.

Louise has been working at Job Futures since 2004, initially as a project officer working with women transitioning from prison back into the community, assisting them find employment and training opportunities. She then worked as a social policy officer within JF for a further 4 years, working on research projects such as 'why the long term unemployed can't get a job' and a pilot study into employment retention and advancement. In her current role she is the Coordinator of the Indigenous Leadership Program. Louise has a degree in arts and social work and has previously worked as a health promotion officer and drug and alcohol counselor at NSW women's correctional centres – Mulawa and Emu Plains and as a Community Development worker Legal Aid.

Catherine joined KPMG 5 years ago in a new role for the firm. As Director, Corporate Citizenship, Catherine is responsible for the strategic direction of KPMG Australia's citizenship vision and community investment. This includes KPMG's extensive work with Indigenous communities, management of the firm's external community partnerships, internal programs for KPMG's people, and the firm's environmental initiatives.

Catherine represents the Australian firm on KPMG's Global Corporate Citizenship Leadership Group and the Global Strategy Working Group.

Prior to joining KPMG, Catherine worked for more than ten years in the not-for-profit sector, specialising in arts and culture. She held a number of senior business development and sponsorship roles with organisations including the Australia Business Arts Foundation, Sydney Opera House Trust, the Museum of Contemporary Art and PowerHouse Museum.

Catherine participates on a number of committees including the United Way Sydney Community Impact Committee, BCA Indigenous Network and is Deputy Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Australia Board.

I was born in Taree, my people are from the Bunjalung and Worimi nations. I am 30 years old and am currently the Centre Manager at Tirkandi Inaburra Cultural Development Centre Inc. I have occupied this position for almost 12 months. Prior to this I was a Senior Constable with the New South Wales Police. I graduated from the Police Academy in 2003, I was posted in far western New South Wales in Broken Hill. I completed six years there then transferred to Darlington Point for twelve months. I am currently enrolled in a bachelor of Indigenous Mental Health with Charles Sturt University.

Since graduating from Griffith University at the age of 62 Lloyd has worked with community educating children and adults (Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal) passing on his life experiences and his love of storytelling through art. These successful programs have taken him all over Queensland and New South Wales. Lloyd's Artworks are in demand and sold to buyers from local, interstate and international destinations such as the USA, Canada, South Africa, Germany and the UK.