Associate Professor Sadie Heckenberg is a proud Wiradjuri woman, living and working on Nipaluna Country.

Sadie is a member of Ember Connect's Board, and has recently been appointed to the position of Academic Director (Aboriginal Engagement) at the University of Tasmania.  Sadie is the President of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium and sits on the Universities Accord Ministerial Reference Group and the Australian Research Council’s College of Experts. A Wiradjuri scholar, Sadie was awarded her PhD in 2018, entitled Nothing About Us Without Us: Protecting Indigenous knowledges through oral histories and culturally safe research practices. Sadie also sits on the board of Black Duck Group, and on the Universities Australia DVC Corporate Committee. Sadie is the Lead CI for Australian Research Council’s Linkage Project: Empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Girls, Changing Communities.

Eve has over 40 years of business experience in technical, managerial, executive and board roles in the UK and Australia including being an Executive Vice President of Woodside Energy Ltd and Managing Director of Apache Energy Ltd. 

She has previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Downer EDI Ltd, MMA Offshore Ltd and Buru Energy Ltd as well as a Board Member of the Fremantle Port Authority, West Australian Ballet and the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd. 

She is currently a member of the International Advisory Board of the University of Western Australia’s Public Policy Institute. Eve holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Geology and Mathematics from King’s College, London University and an MBA from Heriot Watt University (Edinburgh Business School). She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

As the Chief Executive Officer, Jody oversees Reconciliation WA and maintains strong stakeholder networks across the reconciliation community, prioritising Aboriginal voice. She leads the Reconciliation WA team to implement the strategy and objectives of our organisation.

Katie Kiss commenced as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on 3 April 2024.

Commissioner Kiss is a proud Kaanju and Birri/Widi woman who grew up in Rockhampton, Central Queensland on the lands of the Darumbal People.

She was previously the Executive Director of the Interim Truth and Treaty Body supporting Queensland’s Path to Treaty, and held senior positions in the Queensland Government, including Chief of Staff to the Minister for Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Premier.

Commissioner Kiss also worked for eight years at the Australian Human Rights Commission, where she was the Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Team. 

Liza Fraser-Gooda is a Bidjara, Ghangulu and Iman woman from Rockhampton, QLD, with extensive senior management experience and directorships across diverse sectors. In 1999, she launched Jinnali Productions, co-producing the first Aboriginal women’s calendar and creating pathways for young Aboriginal women in fashion.

She co-founded Redspear Safety and Safespear, delivering critical products to mining, medical, and oil and gas sectors. Safespear supported Australia’s COVID-19 response with innovative isolation room technology. In 2017, Liza was appointed a judge for the Telstra Business Awards.

Liza is passionate about community and economic development and serves as a director for the Spear Foundation, Foundation for Indigenous Sustainable Health, and BINAR Sports—organisations focused on targeted support for children, youth, Elders, and the justice system.