Board of directors

  • Stephen van Leeuwen is a proud member of the Busselton Noongars, Harris Family and a respected South West Boojarah Wadandi man.

    Stephen represented the aspirations of all South West Boojarah Noongars on the Working Party and is also a member of the South West Boojarah Charitable Trust Advisory Council.

    Stephen was a member of the Noongar leadership team negotiating the Settlement and the drafting of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement.

    He is passionate about Closing the Gap on Aboriginal disadvantage and achieving self-determination for all Indigenous Australians. Stephen believes that for Noongars to achieve this outcome it is critical that decisions about Noongar livelihoods, wellbeing, business and most importantly culture, heritage and boodja need to be made with or by Noongars, far too often these decisions are made without a Noongar voice.

    Stephen is a botanical ecologist and is currently the Chair of Biodiversity and Environmental Science at Curtin University.

  • Chontarle (also known as Chonnie), is from Wadandi Country. On her matrilineal side, she descends from strong women who are grounded in culture and self. She holds a deep respect for her Elders.

    Chontarle has an extensive background in conservation and land management, heritage and education. Her ability to lead and influence in her current role with Bush Heritage Australia is evident in the healthy working relationships with Traditional Owner representative groups.

    Chontarle strives to make a difference for people and Country. She believes that by working together we can create opportunities for our community. Her focus is on job creation, healthy country, and cultural programs.

  • Anthony (Tony) Hansen is a Noongar Elder, father and role model.

    Tony is a member of the Stolen Generations. He was forcibly removed and placed in state care in 1970, were he then spent the next fifteen years in the out of home care system; known in those days as Native Welfare.

    Tony is sought after for his deep, lived understanding of the Stolen Generations. He is the current Co-Chair of Bringing Them Home WA Ltd. (BTHWA).

    Tony was a founding executive member of the WA Stolen Generations Alliance which is now the well-recognised West Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation (WASGAC) T/A Yokai Healing our Spirit.

    He is also a founding member of Reconciliation WA and is currently on the National Stolen Generations Reference group of the Healing Foundation in Canberra.

    Tony is Chair of the Carrolup Elders Reference Group, which involved representing survivors of Marribank/Carrolup Mission at an international event in New York.

    He is regarded for his strong disclosure of personal experiences of surviving a stolen childhood, and of creating understandings of and a way forward through contemporary Aboriginal disadvantage.

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  • Ju-Lin is a lawyer and adviser with over 20 years’ experience in native title negotiations and settlement implementation, corporate governance, heritage and legislative reform. She has worked in NSW, the Northern Territory, Victoria and now resides in Perth

  • Expert director

The first member-elected directors began their term at the end of the first general meeting, which was held on 2 July in Busselton and online.

Cultural Advice Committee

The female members of the cultural advice committee are: Gail Airey, Suzanne Kelly, Jenny Wallam, Penelope Williams.

The male members of the cultural advice committee are: William Thompson, Dennis Colbung, Mark Colbung, Jack Hill, Damien Colbung, Eric Hayward.