We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
Common Ground is excited to welcome new Board Members and Communication Director as it continues a new season of leadership.
Joining Rona Glynn-McDonald and Cormach Evans on the board are Jazz Money, Renee Phillips, Brooke Collard, Lynda-June Coe, Lulkbudia Mclean Gerrard and Drew Paten; and joining as Communications Director is Vanessa Morris.
To commence this new season of leadership alongside recently appointed CEO Gemma Pol and COO Katena Valastro, the board gathered in Mparntwe on Arrernte Country in September to connect, collectively reflect and strategically plan for Common Ground’s journey moving forward.
The diversity and wealth of expertise and experiences new board members bring to Common Ground will continue to strengthen its commitment to change systems through storytelling by amplifying and backing First Nations voices, strengthening the storytelling ecosystem, and educating and building accountability.
Wiradjuri poet and artist Jazz Money shared thoughts on joining the board having previously collaborated with Common Ground on projects including Dreamy.
As Common Ground begins a new era under new leadership, I am excited to be joining as a board member in this season of growth. As someone who is deeply invested in the power of stories to change lives and affect our material reality, I know that Common Ground plays an incredible role in sharing the stories of our deadly communities.
Gunai/Kurnai man, Koorie Youth Council’s Community Development Manager and Talwali’s Co-Founder and Director, Drew Paten spoke about his inspirations behind joining the board.
Common Ground’s mission to shift mindsets and catalyse systems change through storytelling inspires me. In this next chapter, I’m excited for how we’ll deepen efforts to empower First Nations storytellers, embedding truth-telling and accountability into public consciousness, reshaping narratives for systemic change and justice.
Miriwoong Gajerrong artist and organiser, Lulkbudia Mclean Gerrard, reflected on their alignment with Common Ground’s ethical and cultural values to change systems through storytelling.
I admire Common Ground’s work because their ethical and cultural values are at the forefront of everything that they do. I joined the board because I feel aligned with their ways of operating and I wanted to see how young Mob run a successful and impactful organisation on their own terms. Our stories carry our history and have been passed down generation after generation to keep our culture and old people alive. It’s only right that we harness the strength of storytelling to challenge the colonial systems that exist around us still today.
Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri woman Vanessa Morris spoke about how joining Common Ground as Communications Director combines their extensive experience in communications and media, and passion for First Nations storytelling to drive change.
As a longtime admirer of Common Ground, joining the journey to drive change through First Nations storytelling felt somewhat like a dream. I’m excited for what's to come and hope I can bring my experience across communications and media to make a meaningful contribution for effective change for community.
Find out more about our Board Members and Communications Director here.
Common Ground’s all-First Nations board is responsible for the strategic direction, leadership and governance of the organisation, as well as bringing in a diverse lens of lived experience and expertise.
Board members include:
We are a First Nations not-for-profit that exists to centre First Nations people, Country and truth-telling. We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
