Cassara Hardie is a proud Dunghutti woman from Northern New South Wales. Born and raised on Dharug Country, Western Sydney, NSW.
Cassara has been working within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Sector for the last 6 years, starting from working in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to a state peak body, whilst undertaking a Masters degree in Human Resources Management.
Cassara’s overall passion is to enhance career pathways for First Nations people in order to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Communities.
Monica was born on Dharug Country and now resides on Dharawal Country in New South Wales.
She has experience working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health with previous roles at state peak level, including the Aboriginal Health & Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC) as Executive Assistant and Company Secretary, and Executive Assistant at Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC).
Monica has achieved career milestones, by initiating the first Executive Assistant Network for ACCHOs in NSW and was the recipient of the 2023 Australian Assembly of Administrators award (Strategic Ninja category).
Most notably, her biggest achievement, has recently been becoming a mother to her precious bub, who was born at the end of 2024.
She is passionate about working to improve the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at all stages of their lives and believes in the need to see real change, fast.
Jaimee is a proud Wiradjuri woman who has travelled Australia and now resides on Ngunnawal Country, Canberra.
Jaimee has experience in working in government at a federal and state level and has worked in community taking a holistic approach to supporting Aboriginal and Torress Strait Islander people.
Some key work that Jaimee has undertaken has been around Indigenous health, mental health and supporting work in relation to best practice when working with Indigenous people in the legal system.
Jaimee has a diploma in Government and is currently completing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a major in Forensic Studies. Jaimee is passionate about supporting Indigenous people to help close the gap on health issues so that community can live their highest quality of life.
Seraphim is from Sydney and believes in the power of good policy to create fairer, healthier, and more connected communities.
With previous experience as a Policy Advisor, Seraphim brings a proven ability to build strong, genuine relationships with government stakeholders and achieve meaningful outcomes on key regulatory matters. His clear and direct communication ensured important perspectives were not only heard but acted upon.
Currently completing a Master’s in Public Policy at the University of Sydney, Seraphim is committed to supporting policies that deliver real benefits for communities across Australia.
Ankita Shrestha is a passionate healthcare professional with over a decade of experience in nursing, public health, aged care, disability services, research, and policy advocacy. She started her journey with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in India and went on to earn a Master of Public Health from Southern Medical University in China. Ankita also holds a certificate in Health Care Economics from Harvard Business School, reflecting her drive to create meaningful change in healthcare policy and practice. Previously, she has worked in a variety of roles, including as a Policy Adviser at the Australian Medical Association and a Policy Officer at the Australian College of Nursing.
Driven by a deep commitment to equity and innovation, Ankita combines her expertise and compassion to improve healthcare systems and ensure better outcomes for individuals and communities alike.
Kenneth Knox is a proud Gomeroi/Kamilaroi man from Northwest New South Wales, raised on the Black Soil Plains of the Gomeroi/Kamilaroi Nation.
With over ten years of experience in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, Kenneth has undertaken a variety of roles, both paid and voluntary, including governance positions with his local ACCHO and at the state level with the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW.
His unwavering commitment is focused on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, working tirelessly to close the gap and create a brighter future for our people.