I am a proud Yuin and Gunai Kurnai woman and mother of 4, born in Nowra and raised between Bomaderry and Coomaditchie, with deep roots in the Illawarra where I have lived since my early teens. I worked for 12 years supporting families in my role at Barnardos South Coast before moving into the Ngaramura Program at Coomaditchie, the organisation founded by my mother, Narelle Thomas, and her sisters Aunty Lorraine Brown and Donna Castagna. After four years in Ngaramura, I stepped into the Centre Manager role, where I’ve spent the past three years strengthening the organisation’s capacity and community impact. Alongside this, I facilitate cultural awareness training with Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Healt District, run my own bookkeeping business, serve as Treasurer at Waminda, and also on the First Nations Advisory Group at Merrigong Theatre.

