ATSILS Board

Governance

Our Board is comprised of nine directors elected from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander membership. Specialist directors are also appointed to provide additional guidance in the areas of finance and corporate governance. Our Staff Executive team is comprised of a Chief Executive Officer; Principal Legal Officer; Chief Financial Officer and Director of Sector Engagement & Communications, who look to our Board of Directors for strategic direction and advice.

Kenny Georgetown

Chairperson

(Member of Nominations Committee)

Qualifications

• Diploma in Community Service
• Cert IV in Business (Governance)
• Member Australian Institute of Company Directors

Experience

• CEO of Murri Watch Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation (29 years).
• Board member of Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation (15 years)
• Board member of Murri Taipans Sporting Association Incorporated (6 years)
• Active member of the community

 

Charlene Berndt

Vice Chairperson

(Member of Workforce Development Committee)

Qualifications

• Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
• Grad Cert (Business Management)

Experience

• Extensive government experience at senior officer/governance level.
• Change agent and HR lead with a focus on Organisational capability and diversity and inclusion, particularly cultural agility.
• Active member of the community.

 

Gary Lui

Treasurer

(Member of FARM Committee)

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology)
• Bachelor of Laws
• Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors

 

Experience

• Past experience as a solicitor general practice
• Experience in native title law and practice
• Indigenous sea country policy experience
• Experience in supporting Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate – AKA PBCs
• Small business owner

 

John Farren

Secretary/Specialist Director

(Member of Workforce Development and Nominations Committees)

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor – UQ
• Bachelor of Commerce (IR and HRM) – Griffith University
• Graduate Diploma Professional Legal Education and Training – UQ
• Legal Practitioner of the Supreme Court of Queensland
• High Court of Australia Register of Practitioners

Experience

• Solicitor

 

Nyoka Fetoa’i

Director

(Member of Workforce Development Committee)

Qualifications

• Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Diploma of Leadership & Management
• Diploma of Community Service Coordination
• Cert IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Cert IV in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Primary Health (Community Care)
• Cert IV in Youth Work
• Accredited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aider

Experience

• Operations Manager, Beyond DV Ltd – current
• Executive Director, Programs and Community, Kambu Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Health 2022-2023
• CEO of Darumbal Community Youth Services Inc. 2013 – 2022.
• Community Representative, Qld First Children and Families Board 2018-current
• Director, Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Qld 2023-current
• Corporate and Peoples Director, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service (3 years)

Julie Go Sam

Director

Qualifications

• Justice of the Peace (Qualified)
• Mental Health First Aid Certificate

Experience

• Coordinator, Tablelands Community Justice Group
• Board Member:
• Brisbane Women’s ATSI Women’s Service;
• One People of Australia League, Brisbane;
• Qld State Arts Committee, Brisbane;
• Harold Blair Project, Sydney;
• Wabbabudda Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, Tablelands
• Girringun Aboriginal Corporation, Cardwell
• Muluridji Tribal Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, Mareeba. 2019-2021
• Chairperson, Mamu Health Service Limited 2022-2024.
• Chairperson – Steering Committee
• Indigenous Youth Connection to Culture Program – Addressing Youth Suicides
• Active member of the community.

David McKeering

Specialist Director

(Member of FARM Committee)

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of International Business
• PRINCE2TM Foundation Certification
• MSP (Managing Successful Programmes) Practitioner certification

Experience

• Enterprise Strategy
• Operations Transformation
• Digital and Technology Innovations
• Corporate Function Transformation
• Risk and Regulation

 

Jack Dempsey
Director

(Member of Workforce Development Committee )

Qualifications

• Leadership Coach – (LCI)
• Cert IV – Frontline Management
• Cert IV – Youth work
• Diploma – Community Welfare Work
• Diploma – Community Services Management

Experience

• Cultural Support Coordinator (Child Protection – NGO)
• Snr Practitioner (Child protection – NGO)
• Manager (Child Protection – NGO)
• Team Leader (Child Protection – NGO)
• Cultural Advisor – QLD based (Child Protection – NGO)
• Case Manager (Child protection – NGO)
• Case Worker (Toowoomba Legal Service)
• Court Support / Sport & Recreation / Youth Worker (Youth Justice)Brisbane Children’s & District Courts
o Sir Leslie Wilson Youth Detention Centre
o John Oxley Youth Detention Centre
o Westbrook Youth Detention Centre
• National Achievement Award (Hon – John Howard) – Community development project (1998)
• National Achievement Award (Hon – John Howard) – Best Community Needs Project (1999)

 

Gary Wallace

(Member of  Nominations Committee)

Qualifications

– Medical Doctor – Psychiatric Registrar Qld Health
– Grad Dip Legal Practice
– Bachelor of Laws
– Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

Experience

• 30 years experience as a Director / or Managing Director of private company’s.
• Public Speaker – Sport and Corporate.
• State and International Professional Coach – Rugby League and Rugby Union.
• Property Developer – specialising in JVs for Commercial and Residential developments.
• Past Director on the Board Tarwirri – Indigenous Law Students and Lawyers Association of Victoria (ILSLAV).
• Law & Sports Lecturer (Sports, Corporate, Property, and Contract law).

 

Avril Yeatman
Director

Qualifications

• Certificate IV – Business Administration
• Certificate of Completion Risk Management & Fraud – Local Government Association Queensland
• Australian Government APS Centrelink Systems Testing
• Certificate of Completion – Financial Management in Practice of Local Government
• AP2 Australasia’s Certificate Engagement
• Australian Rural Leadership Foundation – Milparanga Established Leadership Program
• Member of Institute of Community Directors Australia (ICDA)
• Enrolled to complete MBA (Leadership) – CQU

Experience

• Business Services Manager – Gindaja Treatment and Healing Indigenous Corporation
• Director (Secretary & Treasurer) Yarrabah Seahawks Rugby League Football Club
• Currently serving on the Wugu-Nyambil Board in Yarrabah.
• 8 years local government sector experience.
• 2 years state government sector experience.
• 12 years federal government experience.
• 30+ years of involvement with community-based and not-for-profit organisations.