Chair

Ray Ingrey is a Dharawal and Dunghutti man from the La Perouse community in Sydney. He has been involved in Aboriginal education for more than two decades through the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (NSW AECG), where he currently serves as President. Ray has led Dharawal language reclamation for over 23 years and is a Board member of the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust.

Director

A proud Bangerang and Wiradjuri woman, Aunty Geraldine has been a driving force for Aboriginal education reform for more than 40 years. She is a long-time leader of the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI) and a respected national advocate.

Director

Professor Mark Rose is a proud Gunditjmara man and a senior leader in Aboriginal education across higher education, schooling and national policy. He represents the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated.

Director and Treasurer

Christine Thyer is a Ngarrindjeri woman from the Coorong region in South Australia. She has worked for more than 15 years across public education systems and First Nations education. Christine currently serves as CEO of the South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Council (SAAETCC).

Director

Donna Henry is a Quandamooka woman living on Kaurna Country and the current Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Council (SAAETCC). She brings experience across education, child protection and community governance, including her role as Chair of the Aboriginal Family Support Service, and is a committed advocate for Aboriginal children’s rights and cultural connection.

Director

Anne Dennis is a Gamilaraay woman from Walgett with more than 30 years’ experience in teaching and Aboriginal education advocacy. She is the Vice President and a Life Member of the NSW AECG. Anne also contributes to several Aboriginal organisations, ensuring community voices shape education and local priorities.

Director

Ned David is a Kulkalaig man from Tudu in the Central Torres Strait with deep ties across Iama, Mer and Saibai. He chairs Gur A Baradharaw Kod and leads both the Torres Strait Islanders Regional Education Council (TSIREC) and Malu Lamar RNTBC. Ned brings long experience in government and community governance, including as former Chair of the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Indigenous Repatriation.

Chief Executive Officer

Shas Jurud (they/them) is a non-binary Bardi Kija person from the Kimberley in Western Australia and the inaugural CEO of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation. With education degrees from the University of Notre Dame Broome and the University of Oxford, they have worked for more than a decade in First Nations education, leading key initiatives at both national and state levels. Shas currently serves on the boards of the Stronger Smarter Institution and the Aurora Education Foundation, and is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia.

Deputy Chief Executive Officer - Strategic Reform, Membership and Engagement

Anton Schirripa (he/him) is a Ngarabal man from Tenterfield and Emmaville in Northern NSW. Anton has degrees in Secondary Education, First Nations Education and Youth Mental Health, working as a science and english teacher for over a decade before moving into supporting young people with complex and challenging behaviours. Anton has extensive experience in trauma-informed, culturally responsive education practices, and multisystem approaches to education success, specialising in recognising the vital role community and ACCOs play in learning settings. Anton is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer - Strategic Reform, Membership and Engagement, bringing extensive education experience to inform national policy and strategy development, and building partnerships between NATSIEC and youth and education centred Aboriginal Communtiy Controlled Organisations.

Lead – Strategic Operations and Governance

Bianca Brim (she/her) is a proud Anmatjere and Alyawarre woman from the Northern Territory, with strong family connections to Queensland. She is an experienced leader with more than 15 years’ experience across government, policy, governance and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs.

Bianca is currently the Strategic Operations and Governance Lead, where she leads governance, compliance and strategic operations. She has previously held senior roles with the Coalition of Peaks, AIATSIS and the Commonwealth Government, bringing extensive experience in First Nations policy, education, stakeholder engagement and working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations.

Executive Officer

Jacinta Onus (she/her) is a proud Bindal and Gunditjmara woman with family connections to both Townsville and Portland. Born and raised in Townsville, she has lived and worked on Ngunnawal Country for the past decade. Jacinta’s background has been in First Nations education policy and program development, with a strong commitment to advancing educational outcomes for mob. She currently serves as Executive Officer to the CEO within the Office of the CEO, where she provides strategic and operational support across a broad range of organisational priorities. Jacinta also works in the governance space, contributing to board and organisational governance processes.

Policy Reform Officer

Emily Lynam (she/her) is a Gangalidda person, whose people hold the native title rights and interests in land and sea country in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. This area stretches east from the Northern Territory border to the Leichhardt River near Burketown. Emily also has close family ties with Kalkadoon and Mitakoodi peoples. She is currently living in Gurambilbarra, the lands of the Wulgurukaba and Bindal people. Emily has worked throughout her career in the Indigenous affairs space, with particular focus on supporting First Nations people and strengthening outcomes for their communities. She is currently working as a Policy Reform Officer, determined to improve First Nations education outcomes through policy reform.

Education Reform Officer

Charlotte Panarello (she/her) is a Wiradjuri, Kullilli woman from Darlington Point, NSW with strong ties to Griffith and Wagga Wagga. Charlotte is currently living in Canberra on Ngunnawal Country. Charlotte is an experienced primary school teacher with 10 years’ experience in education. Charlotte is the Education Reform Officer at NATSIEC working in the Education Systems Reform team.

Senior Project Officer

Serena Barton (she/they) is a Wuthathi, Yadhaigana, and Gurindji person from Cape York and Central Northern Territory with traditional connections to Waibene, Thursday Island in the Torres Straits, and Ngāti Porou from Te Toka a Taiau in East Gisborne to Potikirua in Aotearoa. Serena is located in Naarm, living and working on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nations, but is originally from Garramilla, Darwin on the lands of the Larrakia people. Serena's background is in strategic reform and policy development with a focus on anti-racism and cultural safety. Serena is the Senior Project Officer at NATSIEC working in the Strategic Reform, Membership and Engagement team.

Governance Support Officer

Joe Cavanagh (he/him) is a non-Indigenous man and former teacher who has worked within the schooling, university and Aboriginal community-controlled education sectors for the past 20 years. Joe holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Social Science. Joe is currently working part time for NATSIEC, providing governance support.

Lead — Education Systems Reform

Derek Kinchela (he/him) is a proud Gamilaroi and Yuggera man with family connections across Queensland and New South Wales. A qualified secondary teacher, he has experience across higher education, schools, national education policy and system reform, supporting First Nations student success, cultural responsiveness and institutional change.

As Lead, Education Systems Reform at NATSIEC, Derek leads engagement in national education reform and intergovernmental processes, strengthening First Nations leadership, governance and influence in policies shaping education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, educators and communities.

Communications and Engagement Officer

Bronte Charles (she/her) is a Bundjalung and Mununjali woman whose family comes from Beaudesert. She holds a Bachelor of Marketing and Media from Macquarie University and has a background in journalism and communications, having worked as a Cross Platform Journalist at NITV/SBS across news, current affairs and digital storytelling. Bronte is the Communications and Engagement Officer in the Project and Engagement Team at NATSIEC, working across communications, media and engagement.