A member of the Wakka Wakka nation, Dr Sandra R. Phillips is a respected academic, researcher, editor, and former publisher. Currently lecturing in communication and publishing studies at QUT Creative Industries, Sandra’s research interests are in Indigenous story and its publishing, its readership, and its communities of practice. Once Deputy Chair of the former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council, Sandra has held many leadership roles in the arts and culture sector.

Desmond Crump is the Indigenous Languages Coordinator at the State Library of Queensland. His family origins are from South-West Queensland. As well as Indigenous Languages, Des also has an interest in Queensland history as well as boriginal soldiers in WW1.

Alec Doomadgee is an Aboriginal activist, respected leader and advocate for Aboriginal rights. He is highly regarded amongst his people and peers as a Tribal Lore man and Warrior for the “Knowledge Keepers”. He began his career in radio, later breaking into television presenting and acting, and more recently became a much sort after motivational speaker, Emcee and mentor. Alec was recently seen in the ABC series Cleverman, and starred in the award winning TV series Redfern Now (2012) and co-presented the ABC3 series On the Edge (2010). He hosted music TV show Volumz for NITV and has become a well-respected and much loved TV personality among Aboriginal people. In 2015, Alec performed Street Theatre at the famous Venice Biennale, Italy. Later that year, one of Alec’s career highlights was giving a TEDx talk to a packed out concert hall at the Sydney Opera House and a global audience via a live internet stream. His feature film Zach’s Ceremony, which he created and co-produced, is currently receiving critical acclaim around the world.
 

Amanda Hayman grew up in Logan city, Queensland and has Aboriginal cultural connections to Kalkadoon and Wakka Wakka Country. She has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in contemporary art.  Amanda is also a part of the BlakLash Collective, a small business that provides innovative curatorial approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and artist engagement.  Amanda has over 12 years’ experience of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in the field of storytelling through art and technology. She is currently the Manager of kuril dhagun, the Indigenous space and public programming unit at the State Library of Queensland.

Cheryl is Manager in EY’s People Advisory Service and Indigenous Sector Practice (ISP). The People Advisory team services all sectors to provide advice and support with people systems and strategy. Cheryl’s personal interest is in leadership development and Indigenous employment, recruitment and retention strategies. The ISP vision is to empower Indigenous prosperity by working with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, representative organisations and businesses, and to advise corporate clients and government to support the delivery of better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.