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 CEO of the Aboriginal Community Elders Service. James’ previous employment was as CEO 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. He is currently the CEO of Aboriginal Care Services (ACS), which is the largest aged care service provider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders in Adelaide and South Australia.

Prior to his 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.

Rachel is a palawa woman from lutruwita (Tasmania) and has worked in her community and Aboriginal affairs for over 30 years. Rachel is the CEO of Karadi Aboriginal Corporation in Hobart where she has been for the past 16 years. Karadi provides intergrated health and aged services to the Aboriginal community of southern Tasmania.  

Karadi have provided integral support to elders and their families for the past 33 years and continue to grow their aged care services around the state.

Lisa Orcher (Ogolo) is a proud Murruwarri woman from far western NSW and grew up in a small remote community called Goodooga.

Previously, she was CEO at Biripi Aboriginal Corporation Medical Service in Taree, NSW which includes aged care services.

Before that she was CEO at Tobwabba Community Controlled Health Service and Manager for Aboriginal Health at Hunter New England District Health for 6 years. She has also held a director position on the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council board and been Chairperson of the NSW/ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Training Committee since 2015, reporting to the Board of GP Synergy

Tom Nightingale is the Membership and Communications Manager at NATSIAACC. He has worked in media and communications for 15 years, including at Australian Red Cross, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), and the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission.

He was previously a journalist with ABC News in Sydney, Melbourne, Alice Springs, Adelaide and Hobart over 10 years with the national broadcaster. He grew up in Shepparton, Victoria.

Walter (Wal) Dorrington is a proud Ngemba man from Far Western NSW and currently lives on Ngunnawal & Ngambri lands in Canberra. He joined NATSIAACC in April 2023 and has over 25 years’ experience as a senior Aboriginal executive officer and company director.

He has held leadership roles in both the non-government sector and the Australian Public Service. Walter’s knowledge of healthcare, his engagement skills, and experience delivering cultural education and corporate governance training across the local, regional, and national levels, underpin his role as NATSIAACC’s Cultural Safety Senior Adviser.

He has also worked at the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) as Senior Policy officer on Cultural Safety training, and GP Synergy delivering cultural education and accredited training to GP’s enrolled in the Australian General Practice Training (AGPT) program; and supported them during their clinical placements in Aboriginal Medical Services across NSW and ACT.

Walter has a genuine commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through supporting their aspirations and self-determination. He is dedicated to leading and driving change in systems to support the health and wellbeing of First Nation Peoples as determined by them, especially our Elders and the Stolen Generation and their descendants.