Jody Broun, Co-Chair A Yindjibarndi woman from the Pilbara, Jody Broun has dedicated herself to the service of Australia’s First Peoples in her 25 year career, spending much of that time in senior public service positions. She has been the Executive Director of Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure at the Department of Housing and Works (WA), Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment(WA), Executive Director of Policy and Coordination at the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority (WA) and Director General of the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs.Jody is also a well-known and respected artist. She explores the stories of her family and country in her art and was the winner of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award in 1998 and the Canberra Art Award in 2005.

Les Malezer, Co-ChairLes Malezer is from the Butchulla/Gubbi Gubbi peoples in southeast Queensland. He has extensive experience in campaigning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and has represented community interests at local, state, national and international levels. Les is a former head of the Qld Department of Aboriginal and Islander Affairs and is currently Chairperson of the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action (FAIRA) and in that role he is a delegate to United Nations forums on Indigenous issues.In 2008 he won the Australian Human Rights Award, and his contribution to coordinating Indigenous Peoples’ advocacy for the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the UN General Assembly is well known and respected.

Brian Butler Of Aranda and Loritja descent, Brian Butler was born and lived in Bagot compound in Darwin and was then sent to St Francis House in Adelaide. Brian has been advocating for the rights of his people since 1952 mainly in the areas of health, children and families. He was a founding member of several Aboriginal organisations including the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) and the Aboriginal and Islander Stolen Generations Alliance (SGA) and he was the ATSIC South Australian Zone Commissioner for 3 years.

Now, nearly 60 years later, Brian continues to advocate for his people ranging from infants right through to elders, constantly pushing for justice and encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples to stand on their own feet and take charge of their own lives.

Venessa Curnow Venessa Curnow is an Ait Koedal and Sumu woman, tracing her ancestry from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait and Keith in South Australia. She has been involved in the health and aged care industry for the past sixteen years and has held various positions as a registered nurse, clinical nurse and consultant in urban, rural and remote areas. She is currently working as a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer for Alzheimer’s Australia and secretariat for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dementia Advisory Group (NATSIDAG).

Venessa is passionate about caring for older people and people with long term care needs. She sees this work as an important part of strengthening the social fabric and culture within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, improving health outcomes and as an integral part of sustainable holistic community development.

Dennis Eggington A proud member of the Nyungar Nation from the South West Region of WA, Adjunct Professor Dennis Eggington has over 20 years’ experience as an advocate for First Nations Peoples in the justice system of WA. Currently CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, he also established the West Australian Aboriginal Media Association and developed a State Aboriginal Education Plan through the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. He has 35 years of board and organisational governance experience with numerous federal, state and community organisation memberships at all levels.

Passionate about human rights, social justice and education, he has influenced policy in the areas of justice, education, health, language, media, housing, accommodation, arts, culture and nation building. He won the WA Citizen of the Year Indigenous Leadership Award in 2011 and was National NAIDOC Person of the Year, 2010.

Rod Little Rod Little is from the Amangu and Wajuk peoples of Geraldton and Perth areas of WA but is a long time resident of Canberra. He has a long employment history in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs holding senior leadership positions across several social policy areas in the Australian Public Service for 15 years. He recently worked for Principals Australia Inc, on its Dare to Lead project which works to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student education outcomes through leadership.

He is currently Chairperson of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, Vice President of the ACT Council of Social Services and a board member of the Winnunga Aboriginal Medical Services. He is also a member of the ACT Local Hospital Network and the ACT Circle Sentencing panel.

Tammy Solonec Tammy Solonec is a Nykina woman from Derby, WA and now lives in Perth. She has a passion for social justice and has been involved in advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples at local, national and international levels in human rights, law and justice, housing, consumer protection and culture and the arts. She has attended three United Nations forums. At the time of her election to Congress, Tammy was the Managing Solicitor of the Law and Advocacy Unit of the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, working on policy, law reform, community legal education, international law, prisoner support, coronial inquest preparation and verification of Aboriginality.

Tammy is also currently the Vice Chairperson of NAIDOC Perth and Shelter WA, a member of the Law Society of Aboriginal Lawyers Committee and a member of the National NAIDOC Committee (commencing August 2011).

Daphne Yarram Daphne Yarram is a proud Noongar woman, born at Gnowangerup in South-West WA. Now living in Sale in Victoria, she has been involved in Aboriginal Affairs in Victoria since she was sixteen years of age. She is passionate about raising the profile of rural communities and has worked hard to ensure that Aboriginal individuals, families and communities are supported and encouraged to develop local solutions to respond to issues that impact on their daily lives.

Some of the organisations she has worked with include: the Victorian Indigenous Leadership Network, Sale Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation, Gippsland Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee, Premiers Aboriginal Advisory Council, and the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum. She continues to promote and support the establishment of Aboriginal owned and run businesses for self-sufficiency, autonomy and strong economic bases.