Jill Gallagher AO is a proud Gunditjmara woman from Western Victoria who has worked within, led and advocated for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Victoria for all her life.

Jill is a highly respected leader who has dedicated her life to advocating for self-determination outcomes on behalf of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Jill is the CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation where she has spent the past 25 years advancing Aboriginal health and wellbeing. Jill was recognised for her outstanding contribution to community when she was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2009, awarded the Order of Australia in 2013, and inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll in 2015.

Jill was also closely involved in leading the Victorian journey to treaty serving as Victoria’s Treaty Advancement Commissioner from 2017 to 2019.

Lesley Nelson is a proud Noongar woman from the Balladong and Whadjuk clans in Western Australia.

Lesley holds over 25 years’ experience in various Senior Executive leadership roles within the Aboriginal health sector, the most recent being her current role as CEO of the South West Aboriginal Medical Service, a Noongar Community Controlled Health Organisation that supports Community in Western Australia.

Lesley has a strong drive to influence, collaborate and engage across the sector, and has directly contributed to greater health outcomes for Aboriginal people living in the region. Lesley brings a passion for the South West Community and holds several Board director positions enabling her to consistently advocate for this beautiful region of Australia, both nationally and locally.

Lesley’s work to date has laid solid foundations for a strong and sustainable organisation as she continues to strongly advocate and work towards creating positive health outcomes for Aboriginal people within the region.

James is a Yorta Yorta/Bangerang man who is currently employed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Community Elders Service. James’ previous employment was as Chief Executive Officer of the Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative and as Manager of Koorie Education with the Department of Education and Training.

James has a great deal of organisational experience and has served on Boards at a state and national level.

James has been a VACCA Board Member for 19 years. He was one of the founding members of the first Victorian Aboriginal Youth Advisory Committee and a participant in the Koorie Leadership Program.

Graham Aitken is a Yankunytjatjara man born in Oodnadatta South Australia. Graham is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Aboriginal Community Services (ACS), which is the largest aged care service provider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders in Adelaide and South Australia.

Prior to Graham’s current role, Graham worked for over 15 years with various Commonwealth and State Government Departments and programs specifically designed for Aboriginal people.

Graham completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Adelaide’s Flinders University as a mature aged student with majors in International Business and Human Resource Management and a minor in Business Economics.

Graham has a passion and commitment to ensure that during the current Aged Care Reforms, all Elders have access to reliable and consistent aged care services, no matter where they might live.

Deal Roberts is a proud descendant of the Bundjalung and Dunghutti Nations in New South Wales.  Deal has over 20 years experience in various senior leadership positions in roles within the Aboriginal Housing, Aged Care, Local Land Council arenas.  Deal’s current role is as Chief Executive Officer of Ngambaga Bindarry Girrwaa Community Services based in Bowraville on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales which delivers and implements Aged Care and Disability services.

Deal is passionate about influencing change, collaborating and engage in developing long lasting pillars of change that will safeguard current and future Elders to live a quality of life.  Deal has been on several committees in the past but have decided to make a full commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders to advocate for better aged care supports, inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to be on par with the wider community.

Deal’s current and future aim is to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to be prepared and have business acumen so that they remain sustainable and viable into the future.

Rachel Atkinson is a proud Yorta Yorta woman who is dedicated to improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

She is a qualified Social Worker with over 25 years’ experience as CEO of large community-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations delivering health, and child and family services. She has been the CEO of Palm Island Community Company since its incorporation in 2007 and has overseen its growth to become the largest non-government service provider and employer on Palm Island.

Ms Atkinson is the current Co-Chair of the Queensland First Children and Families Board, Co-Chair of Family Matters Queensland, Board Director of SNAICC and Deputy Chairperson of Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council. She is a previous Chair of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak and CEO of Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service.

Natasha McCormack is an Arrernte, Warumungu, Alawa (NT) and Kija (WA) woman with strong ties to Mparntwe (Alice Springs) through both her mother and father.

With multiple qualifications and over 20 years’ experience in governance, policy, advocacy, community development, social justice and organisational systems change, Natasha’s career spans the commercial, government and non-government sectors. Having lived and worked in both urban and remote regions of the Northern Territory, she has a lived experience of the systemic issues and ongoing impacts of colonisation and intergenerational trauma for Aboriginal people, and the barriers to accessing essential services when living remotely.

A wife, mother of five, postgraduate student, netball coach and founder of her own cultural consultancy business, Natasha joined the Purple House as Co-Deputy CEO in July 2024. Natasha’s passion to enable and inspire positive change is the driving force behind her commitment to supporting the development of people, policies and organisational change. She is excited to have joined the Purple House family, both to learn from its success and to contribute to its future growth.