Shifting the system

Research Fellow, Centre for Indigenous Policy Research, ANU

Mandy Yap is a Fellow at the Centre for Indigenous Policy Research at the Australian National University. She is passionate and committed to working with communities and individuals to develop indicators and measurement frameworks which give priority to their lived realities and perspectives on the ground across the areas of wellbeing, poverty, gender equality and sustainable development.

Since 2013, she has been working in partnership with the Yawuru community in Broome to co-develop culturally relevant indicators of Indigenous wellbeing. Between 2020 and 2025, she has collaborated with Nyamba Buru Yawuru, Nagula Jarndu, Garnduwa Amboorny Wirnan and the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre to co-create a monitoring and evaluation frameworks which capture how culture, art, nation-building and sports contribute to the wellbeing of Aboriginal people in the Kimberley.

In NSW, Mandy worked on an Aboriginal Affairs NSW funded project with NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Regional Alliances and assemblies to create a survey which will enable the reporting of whether the working relationship between communities and the government is improving as a result of the OCHRE Local decision-making initiative.

Yawuru Jarndu Aboriginal Corporation

Eunice Yu is a Yawuru and Bunuba woman employed as Manager at Yawuru Jarndu Aboriginal Corporation in Broome Western Australia since 2018. She has extensive experience and active involvement across community for the past 30 years, working to facilitate change through strategic research and innovative policy development.

She has lengthy administrative and managerial experience gained whilst working for the Australian Government for over 20 years.

She is a former Councillor with the Shire of Broome (2013) and former Board Member of the Kimberley Development Commission (2018). Eunice is an Advisory member on the Round Table for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Ipsos Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group.

Professor of Australian and Indigenous History, UNSW

Heidi Norman is a descendant of the Gomeroi people of north-western NSW.

She is a professor at UNSW and a leading researcher in the field of Australian Aboriginal political history. She has published widely on histories of Aboriginal land rights, Aboriginal participation in Rugby League, studies of media representation, the history of Aboriginal working life in cities and political history of Aboriginal affairs administration.

She is the director of the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group and has advised government and Aboriginal peak bodies. Most recently, she contributed to development of the Australian Government’s First Nations Clean Energy Strategy.

Owner, Think. Know. Do

Professor Deen Sanders OAM is internationally recognised as an Indigenous leader and expert in law, economics and leadership. A Professor in Law, with PhD's in Law and Complexity, and recipient of the Order of Australia Medal, Deen brings deep academic rigour together with practical experience across government and global business.

Through his specialist Indigenous consultancy and in his role leading the Economic Strategy practice for Deloitte Access Economics, Deen works with corporations and governments to address complex, large-scale challenges with a focus on the role of Indigenous knowledge, science and culture in building better economics, better decision making and solving the world’s big problems.

First and foremost, Deen is a Worimi Giparr (cultural man) from the mid North Coast of New South Wales freshwater and saltwater people. His cultural knowledge and Indigenous worldview underpin his work at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems and sectors including law and government, environment and climate change, resources, the space industry, community development, tourism, leadership and emerging industries.

As one of the leading global Indigenous voices in governance and systems thinking, he Co-Chairs the World Economic Forum’s Natural Capital Council, is a Board member of the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute, the Centre for Policy Development and a range of cultural and community organisations. A sought-after international speaker and advisor, Deen is known for his ability to bridge worlds with clarity, authority and cultural depth.

School of Social Sciences, College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania.

Maggie Walter (PhD; FASSA) is a Palawa woman and Distinguished Professor of Sociology (Emerita) at the University of Tasmania. She is the author of seven books and over 100 journal articles and research chapters in the fields of Indigenous sociology, Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Indigenous methodology.

Recent publications include Indigenous Sociology (Oxford 2023, lead editor with T. Kukutai, R. Henry & A. Gonzales) and Indigenous Quantitative Methodologies: from data deficit to data sovereignty (Routledge 2025 with C. Andersen, T. Kukutai and C. Gable).
Maggie is a founding member of the Australian Indigenous Data Sovereignty Collective (Maiam nayri Wingara) and an executive member of the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (GIDA).

From 2021 to 2025 Maggie was a Commissioner on the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Australia’s first truth telling Commission, inquiring into injustices against First Peoples in Victoria since colonisation.

Chief Executive Officer, Barang Regional Alliance

Vickie Parry is a proud Gomeroi woman from Moree, NSW, who moved to the Central Coast Darkinjung Country in the early 60's. Vickie is the Chief Executive Officer of the Barang Regional Alliance working with Empowered Communities Nationally and NSW Aboriginal Affairs Local Decision Making aiming to improve outcomes and empower Aboriginal people living on Darkinjung Country.

She is the Current Chairperson and has been a long-term board member of Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services which is named in honour of her mother Eleanor Duncan.

Vickie has a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) and multiple tertiary qualifications in Community Services, with a strong focus on empowering Aboriginal people through access to health, education, training, employment and participation.

Associate Director, Dilun Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership

Paul Paton is a proud Gunai, Monero-Ngarigo & Gunditjmara man. Paul is an Associate Director at Dilun Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership.

He has held several Director, Executive and Management roles in both community organisations and government departments working with Victorian Traditional Owners in areas such as land justice, economic development and language revival.

As Associate Director, Paul has responsibility for the Centre’s overall operational management and planning plus development and implementation of systems, policies, and procedures, as well as managing resources to ensure the Centre’s effective and efficient functioning.

Yarpa Hub

Shannon Mallison is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Central West NSW and the Director of Yarpa Hub.

Shannon has close to two decades of experience devoted to advancing and empowering First Nations communities and brings a wealth of expertise to her role as the Yarpa Hub Director.

Shannon is dedicated to the economic progression of First Nations people.