Leadership, capacity-building, media and communications, arts and culture, political representation… I have worked for our people in all of these areas, holding a range of high level community, not-for-profit and government positions.

You may know me from the 100% Aboriginal owned and controlled newspaper, the Koori Mail, where I have been the Editor (and sometime Managing Editor) since June 2006. However, I am on leave from my job while the Co-Chair nomination and election process is underway. I am grateful for the support of the Koori Mail’s board of directors, drawn from the Bundjalung nation.

I’m also currently a Director of Reconciliation Australia, a board member of the Australian Indigenous Communications Association (AICA), and a member of the Deadly Awards Executive Academy.

My previous roles include:

• Inaugural Executive Officer of the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre (AILC) in Canberra;
• Director of Tandanya – National Aboriginal Cultural Institute (NACI) in Adelaide;
• National Director of Public Affairs for ATSIC in Canberra;
• Media Advisor to Robert Tickner, Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs;
• Media & Communications Manager at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra;
• Editor of the regional newspaper, The Tablelander, in Atherton in far north Qld; and journalist with ABC Radio, the Koori Mail and the West Australian newspaper.

My achievements include:

• Being named in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac inaugural 100 Women of Influence Awards (2012);
• Being Editor of the Koori Mail when it was named 2011 Newspaper of the Year (in its circulation category of the PANPA Awards);
• Participating in the Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House, Canberra (April 2008).
• Jointly with the Koori Mail, winning the print media category of the 2008 Australian Human Rights Awards;
• Writing and directing a short film under Metro Screen’s Lester Bostock Film Mentorship Scheme (2005);
• Receiving a Centenary Medal for contribution to the Indigenous community and Australian life (2003), and an International Women’s Day Award for service to the SA community (2000).

Image caption: April Long, Leah Armstrong, Jodie Sizer, Merindah Donnelly, Kirstie Parker, Natalie Walker and Nareen Young at the Women of Influence Awards in 2012.

http://kirstieparker.com/my-bio/