Ben is a Garramilla (Darwin) based journalist, correspondent, and creative writer. He publishes across a variety of international and domestic networks and publications, including VICE, The Saturday Paper, IndigenousX, The Guardian, CH4 and The Project. His work predominantly sits at the juncture of Indigenous rights, environmental justice and institutional malfeasance. Harnessing his executive leadership skills, Ben is currently a board member of the online education platform, Victoria University Online, and the Director of Strategy & Investments at First Nations Futures. He is in the formative phases of establishing Planetary, an Indigenous-imagined and led activist short-selling fund. Ben was formerly a rookie with the Melbourne Stars rookie and Deputy CEO of the Indigenous non-profit, AIME.
Rona is a proud Kaytetye woman from Central Australia who works with high impact organisations to create systems that centre First Nations people, knowledge and solutions.
Rona is the founder of Common Ground and brings 7 years
of professional experience working across First Nations organisations and not for profits. Rona was previously the Director of First Nations at YLab, a social enterprise that puts young people with diverse lived experiences at the centre of designing and developing innovative and impactful solutions
to complex social issues. Over her career, Rona has worked in policy at the Central Land Council, the Research Unit for Indigenous Languages at the University of Melbourne, Reconciliation Victoria, and the Foundation for Young Australians.In 2020, Rona was a finalist for the Victorian Young Achiever awards, was awarded a Westpac Social Change Fellowship. In 2019 Rona won a Diana Award and was named a 'Woman of the Future' by Women's Weekly.Through her work with First Nations communities across Australia, Rona aims to create future systems that centre First Nations people, knowledge and cultures.Rona currently resides in Mpartnwe on Arrernte Country.