Me-Mel transfer committee

Shane Phillips

Shane was born and raised in Redfern and has cultural connections to the Bunjalung, Wonnarua, and Gringai peoples.

Shane is the CEO of Tribal Warrior and has focussed on making it a source of pride, employment, and empowerment for the Redfern community. Tribal Warrior's activities are designed to contribute to a Redfern that is strong in its history, proud of its achievements, and economically self-sustaining into the future.

Shane is an outstanding community leader, respected by the Aboriginal and broader community for his integrity, hard work and determination to get things done.

'I want this island to be accessible, used and shared for the community from all over.'

Amanda Jane Reynolds

Amanda is a Guringai curator, cloak-maker, storyteller and multimedia artist passionate about cultural healing and connection programs, community-based collaborations, exhibitions, public art and publications.

Amanda has had the privilege of working with cloaks and cultural reclamation for over 20 years. She initially assisted in delivering possum skin cloak workshops for over 2,000 Aboriginal people in Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and South Australia through Banmirra Arts before graduating to become a possum cloak teacher.

Amanda's curatorial career spans 3 decades - she began in national and state museums and cultural institutions before starting her own business, Stella Stories, in late 2010.

'It is a great honour to be involved with the Me-Mel Goat Island Transfer Committee, and I will do my best to honour our Ancestors, Country and future generations.

It is particularly important to me that Aboriginal Owners of Sydney clans can engage in the research and community engagement we are undertaking and work together respectfully with the great knowledge base in our Aboriginal communities and community organisations.

I welcome the support of the NSW Government ministers and agencies in establishing the Advisory Committee to conduct research and make recommendations for the return of the Island into Aboriginal management.'

Elizabeth Tierney

Elizabeth is a Dharawal woman belonging to the La Perouse Aboriginal community in coastal Sydney. Elizabeth is a descendent of the Timbery family and has an ancient and unbroken ancestral and cultural connection to coastal Sydney, including Sydney Harbour, through her ancestors Susan Mitchum-Edwards, Hannah Lyons and George Timbery.

Elizabeth is the manager, projects and consulting for the Gujaga Foundation, and has previously worked as the finance and operations manager for Bangarra Dance Theatre, as project officer for Local Decision Making initiative for the La Perouse community and has also taught traditional, contemporary and commercial dance to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and communities across Australia.

Ash Walker

Ash is a Dharawal/Dhurga man belonging to the La Perouse Aboriginal community in coastal Sydney. Ash has an ancient and unbroken ancestral and cultural connection to coastal Sydney, including Sydney Harbour, through his ancestors Betsy Madden and Mary-Ann Lyons.

Ash is currently the CEO of the Gujaga Foundation but has previously worked as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group, a corporate lawyer at Gilbert + Tobin and as acting CEO of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council. He holds a Master in Business Administration (Distinction) from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Laws/ Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales. Ash is also an adjunct associate professor at the UTS Business School.

Jennah Dungay

Jennah is a proud Wiradjuri/ Dhungutti woman and ABSEC Youth Ambassador. She is an Aboriginal trauma specialist counsellor and currently completing a post graduate degree in Human Services. Jennah is an active member in her local community of Redfern and Waterloo and an advocate for social justice. Jennah brings weaving into her work with community groups.

Nathan Moran

Nathan is a proud Biripi Thungutti Goori who has worked in government and non-government with and for NSW Aboriginal communities for over 25 years.

Nathan has been CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council since June 2014, previously working with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, NSW Department Education, Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council, NSW Aboriginal Land Council, TAFE NSW and Aboriginal Housing Office NSW.

He has served as Director or Board member on several identified and mainstream organisations, including the Mid North Coast Regional Aboriginal Land Council, Association Resource Cooperative Housing (NSW), Redfern All Blacks, Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance and Werrin Medical Service.

Allan Murray

Allan is a descendant of the Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi nation, where his parents belong. His father is a stolen generation, and he comes from the Cummunga village on the Murray River. Allan has held both the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson role of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and has been a member of the Land Council for more than 25 years.

Allan is tasked with bringing change and striving for economic and self-determination to 17,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who reside in the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council boundaries.

Eunice Roberts

Eunice is a proud Gomeroi woman and lives in Sydney. Eunice has been an active Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council Board Member since 2011.

Since 2002, Eunice has been involved with Innari Homeless Care for Aboriginal people.

Heidi Hardy

Heidi is a proud Ngemba and Ualaroi woman from Brewarrina, North West New South Wales.

As the Executive Director, Community Outcomes at the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Heidi provides strategic advice to Local Aboriginal Land Councils concerning land acquisition and activation matters.

It's an important role that allows Heidi to help communities make informed decisions about their land and property. For Heidi, it's a privilege to work in this field, and she is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of Aboriginal people across New South Wales.

'The Me-Mel project has immense potential to promote and share Aboriginal Culture and Heritage and create economic benefits for the Aboriginal community. I'm excited to see the positive results that will come from it. It's an honour to be involved in such a significant project.'

NSW Aboriginal Land Council representative

Raymond Kelly is currently the NSW Aboriginal Land Council's nominated representative for the committee.

Jonathon Captain-Webb

Jonathon is a NSW Government Senior Executive working at Aboriginal Affairs NSW within the Premier's Department. He is Gomeroi and Dunghutti man from the Redfern Aboriginal community, with a passion for Aboriginal Affairs, Land Justice and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. In his current role, Jonathon leads the NSW Government's commitment to Aboriginal Land Justice initiatives including Aboriginal cultural heritage, Aboriginal land rights, and natural resource management and protection. Jonathon has both lived experience and a demonstrated history working with the complex social issues within Aboriginal communities and brokering cultural, social, and economic outcomes for Aboriginal clients and communities.

Angie Stringer

Angie is the Director Aboriginal Partnerships, Planning and Heritage Branch for National Parks and Wildlife Service, a role she has held since 2017. Her focus is Aboriginal partnerships, environmental management and heritage conservation. Previously, she has held leadership roles at the Lord Howe Island Board and the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and managing World Heritage projects.

Deon van Rensburg

Deon is the Director Greater Sydney Branch. He leads 4 operations branches and the Fire and Incident Operations Branch responsible for the on-ground management of more than 7 million hectares of land in national parks and reserves across New South Wales.

Deon joined the National Parks and Wildlife Service in 2001, after several years in senior roles in protected area management in South Africa. Deon holds several South African and Australian tertiary qualifications in environmental management and has focussed on coastal and estuarine management and restoration.

Nikki Williams

Dr Nikki Williams has over 20 years of professional experience in the public sector, academia and private sector consultancy and drives strategic and settled outcomes to contested public policy issues through collaboration. Nikki works in The Cabinet Office NSW and leads a team to deliver cross-agency initiatives and provide evidence-based solutions to complex natural resource allocation issues.