What is your current role, where is it and what brought you to it?:

Regional Director, NSW Aboriginal Land Council, working for my people.

How long have you been in your career?:

3 years current role, 10 years at the organisation

Who helped you get to where you are? Who inspired you? Who spurred you on? :

Firstly my parents, husband and children and secondly my extended family (Hall and Thorne’s from Walgett NSW) who have accomplished extraordinary things for our people that were so groundbreaking they are still very well known and have many articles about them over the years.

How did you get where you are, what struggles did you have to overcome?:

I didn’t finish high school and had my first child at a young age, I had to start working when my first was 6 months old, I knew I needed to work harder than others. I also knew I needed an education, I started OTEN and completed many courses (approx 8-10), I then realised I had gone as far as u could with TAFE, so I decided to enrol into University at 35. While I was studying via correspondence I was working fulltime and raising my 2 daughters.

What are your strongest memories of studying at Charles Sturt?:

All the support I received, especially from the course director Alain who was always helping me with any issues and the Indigenous Academic Success Program.

What is the best thing about what you do and what is still to come?:

I love working with my community and supporting my people, I am now doing my MBA and looking at one day moving into a role I can make real change.

What do you get up to outside your current job?:

Netball (my fav), just spending time with my family.

Were you the first in your immediate family to attend university? :

No as I mentioned I stand on the shoulders of giants in my family, but I wanted to show my girls the importance of working hard for what you want.