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.
Travis is a proud Torres Strait Islander man from Ugar (Stephens), Iama (Yam) and Erub (Darnley) Island. He is also a proud gay man, part of the LGBTIQA+ community. He grew up in Mildura on Latji Latji country. Him and his father have a strong connection to this community and have been on a cultural journey with their Island families over the last 15 years.
Travis moved to Naarm after being successful in applying for the Indigenous Employment Program with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). He was very proud to be a part of organising the first ever NAIDOC event at the Dandenong ATO office. He also introduced an Acknowledgement to Country to the workplace, and worked on the cultural awareness program.
Travis completed the Evergreen Development program and the Advancement program where he worked in a corporate space. He noted how different it was and the attempts to make change was very hard. Travis was resilient and enjoyed working as an Executive Assistant for four years while co-chairing the Moondani – Indigenous ATO network for Victoria/Tasmania. Before moving to Meanjin, Travis worked in an Aboriginal Recruitment Business Partner role with the Department of Justice and Community Safety.
Travis has previously volunteered with Seed – Indigenous Youth Climate Network in the past and always wondered how his previous experience could fit in with his passion to protect Country. He started with Seed Mob in an Executive Assistant role and gained knowledge and experience working in the Operations Coordinator role and with the Community Organising team.
Travis is very passionate about ensuring First Nations peoples voices are heard by taking pride in our Country, land, sea and the people in our communities. He wants to help make change and work towards a culturally strong and empowering future for our next generations.
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.
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.
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