Lyn Henderson-Yates is an Aboriginal woman from the Shadforth family in Derby in the Kimberley. In 1978, Lyn commenced work as an Aboriginal Teaching Assistant at the Holy Rosary School in Derby. After studying as an external student, in 1986, she obtained a Diploma of Teaching (Primary) from Mount Lawley College of Advanced Education (now Edith Cowan University). She taught for a number of years in her home town of Derby then transferred to Perth and gained a Bachelor of Education and Masters of Education from Murdoch University. Lyn is currently completing her PhD studies at The University of Western Australia.

Working in Aboriginal Education for the past 30 years, Lyn has been employed as an Aboriginal teaching assistant, primary school teacher, deputy principal, education officer, Aboriginal studies consultant, researcher, writer, lecturer and manager. Some of her career highlights include working at Holy Rosary School, Derby, Clontarf Aboriginal College, Perth and the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University. In 2006, she returned to the Kimberley to take up an Associate Professorship at The University of Notre Dame Australia's Broome Campus as Assistant Dean in the School of Arts & Sciences and Director of the Centre for Indigenous Studies.

Lyn's teaching and research work include Aboriginal history, education, identity and oral history.

Bruce Gorring is a kartiya (non-Indigenous person) who was born in Awabakal Country, raised and educated in Wiradjuri/Waveroo Country, and has lived with his family periodically in Yawuru Country and Wajuk Country since 1998. Bruce's professional training is in geography and sociology, a lens through which he established, and has retained, an enduring interest in the relationship between people, ‘Country', and the cultural landscape.

Bruce has maintained an involvement in tertiary education over many years. On completion of his undergraduate studies, Bruce worked as a tutor, map librarian, and lecturer at the University of Newcastle (Australia). In 1995, he gained a lectureship at the newly established Centre for Indigenous Australian Cultural Studies at the Macarthur campus of UWS.

Subsequently, Bruce worked for the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) from 1998 until 2005, initially as a Project Development Officer, and then as Manager of the Native Title Services Unit. During his residence in Perth from 2006 to mid-2009, Bruce served as Assistant Director of the Land Branch in the WA Department of Indigenous Affairs where he managed the operations of the Aboriginal Lands Trust. In October 2009, he commenced as Research Coordinator in the Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies at the Broome campus of the University of Notre Dame Australia.

Bruce has a diverse range of teaching and research interests that include the politics of identity and representation, cultural studies, philosophy and ethics, native title and Indigenous governance, cultural and natural resource management, sustainability and conservation practice, urban and regional planning, and cartography. He is a member of the Editorial Board for the Australian Studies Centre at the Universitat de Barcelona.

 

Joe Edgar is descendant of the Karajarri and Yawuru peoples and an advocate for Indigenous people's rights and issues over the last 25 years. Accordingly, he has obtained broad experiences in areas of education, visual arts, media and cultural tourism.

Joe's involvement with community and grassroots organisations such as the Karajarri Traditional Lands Association (RNTBC), Mamabulanjin Aboriginal Corporation, Radio Goolarri (Goolarri Media Enterprise) and the now-defunct Kimberley Aquaculture Aboriginal Corporation/Manbana Multi-species Hatchery has given him invaluable knowledge and understanding of issues affecting Indigenous people.

Joe has multiple roles at Notre Dame: as a lecturer of Indigenous studies; the campus' Indigenous Community Liaison Officer; and as a researcher with the Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies.

 

Terri Hughes has been working in education for the past 20 years. She began teaching in bi-lingual education programs in the Northern Territory firstly on Milingimbi Island in Arnhem Land with Yolngu people and then at Lajamanu Community School in the Tanami Desert with the Walpiri. During this time Terri worked predominantly with youth and trainee teachers. In 1991, she took up a position in Jakarta, Indonesia delivering academic English programs and working with Indonesian English language teachers.

Terri returned to Australia in 1996 working with the then Adult Literacy Bureau, the Ministry of Justice and adult education programs within the TAFE system. During this time she worked on a number of small scale research projects in the field of adult education, and specifically in adult Indigenous education.

Terri has worked at the Broome Campus of Notre Dame since 2007.

Steve Kinnane has been an active researcher in Aboriginal Studies for 20 years.  He has lectured about and worked on community cultural heritage, history and community development projects.  His interests are diverse, encompassing Aboriginal history, the arts (non-fiction writing, documentary film and stills photography), politics, cross cultural identity, sustainability and belonging; how we make sense of our connections with each other and with place.  Steve is a descendant of the Miriuwung people of the East Kimberley and was raised in Noongar country in the south-west of Western Australia. 

Anna Dwyer is a descendant of the Karajarri people of the West Kimberley. Her primary language is Karajarri. Anna was born in Yawuru Country (Broome) and grew up with her family in Bidyadanga. She was educated at St Mary's Primary School, Broome District High School and Pundulmurra Indigenous College in South Hedland. In 2005, Anna was awarded an Advanced Diploma of Arts (Language and Linguistic Studies) from the Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Language and interpreting plays a big part in Anna's life and she is proud of her ability to speak, maintain and teach her language.

Anna has extensive professional experience in the fields of Indigenous affairs, education, health, language, art and cultural affairs. In 1982, she commenced as a ‘Trainee Co–Coordinator' at the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Cultural Centre in Broome. This opportunity enabled Anna to develop a valuable understanding of the relationship between land, law and culture. From 1985 to 1988, Anna worked as a Clerical Assistant and Receptionist at the Yuri Yungi Aboriginal Medical Service in Halls Creek. Given the genuine pleasure Anna derives from meeting and catching up with people, she was always in high spirits when she observed Yuri Yungi being used by Countrymen from communities in and around the Halls Creek area. In 1990, Anna was appointed as a Receptionist at the Kimberley Land Council in Derby. Soon after commencing this role, she was asked to perform a range of other duties which continued throughout the 14 years spent at the Kimberley Land Council.

Anna worked for the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing at the University of Western Australia from 2004 to 2008. She was employed as a Project Officer on two projects: the Indigenous Dementia Prevalence Project based in Derby, and the Dementia Services Study based in Broome. These projects primarily involved determining the prevalence of dementia and other conditions (i.e. falls, incontinence, diabetes). People over the age of 45 years that were living in Derby or one of six targeted communities were tested using the KICA (Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment) Tool. Subsequently, female and male community health workers were trained to use the KICA Tool and learn about Dementia in the Kimberley.

In 2009, Anna took up an appointment as a Research Assistant in the Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies at the Broome campus of the University of Notre Dame Australia.