Indigenous Development & Employment Program (IDEP) 

From nurturing young minds as a PDHPE teacher to shaping the future of Indigenous talent, Shane’s career path reflects a deep commitment to development and empowerment. With over 17 years of experience spanning education, leadership, and training systems, he brings a unique perspective and dedication to his current role as Chief Development Officer at JY Australia.

Over his 13 years of service from 2009 to 2021, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Australian Navy, he developed and refined his learning and development and leadership skills. He fulfilled various roles, such as ab-inito training, naval aviation, and overseas deployments, showcasing his versatility. His exceptional leadership abilities were acknowledged with his appointment as Lead Instructor Leadership at the Royal Australian Naval College, where he shaped future leaders of the Navy.

Now, Shane champions the cause of Indigenous talent development. Leading the Indigenous Development and Employment Program, he provides strategic leadership, tailored mentorship, and career advancement opportunities to help Indigenous Australians excel within the Australian Public Service, Defence Industry, and rural communities. This commitment stems from his strong belief in building a more inclusive and equitable society.

A lifelong learner at heart, Shane embraces a growth mindset and actively seeks knowledge beyond traditional avenues. He leverages online resources like YouTube and podcasts to stay informed on industry trends and best practices, complementing his formal education with a Bachelor of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. This dedication to continuous improvement fuels his passion for empowering others, as he believes personal growth is a cornerstone of individual and collective success.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Shane enjoys an active lifestyle on the South Coast with his wife Summa and daughter Imogen. Whether surfing the waves, crafting custom surfboards, or scaling rock faces, his adventurous spirit reflects his enthusiasm for life and his ability to inspire others.

Kate is a Gamilaraay, Ngarabal and Dunghutti woman, born on Dharug Country Sydney, and currently living and working on Ngunnawal/Ngambri Country in Canberra and Googong NSW. Kate comes from a military family with Army service from both her Grandfather’s, and Naval service from two Uncles, her Father and husband.

Kate began working for Defence in the APS in 2016 after graduating from University with a Bachelor of Communication and Advertising. Her experience ranges across various areas including communications, strategy, project delivery, policy, events, HR, WHS, programs, contract management, reporting and governance.

Kate spent 7 years working in a variety of roles in Defence with the majority of her time spent in First Nations, diversity and culture areas. She has led teams focused on implementing strategic Department wide commitments under Pathway to Change, the Defence Transformation Strategy, the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and Reconciliation Action Plans.  Kate received a bronze commendation for her work in leading the development of the Defence Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-2022, which was Defence’s largest commitment to Reconciliation to date.

Her time in Defence also included working within the Youth Directorate within Joint Capability Group. There she established a new team focused on providing pathways to youth from diversity groups such as First Nations, female, CALD and STEM. The team has continued to expand and complements the Defence work experience programs, providing development opportunities, leadership camps, and skill building workshops to youth from diversity groups, to empower them in their career decision making and expand their career opportunities.

Kate also spent some time working for NSW State Government in the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust, where she led the policy and research team which focused on supporting Aboriginal communities in NSW with their languages reclamation and revitalisation efforts, in addition to leading the Trust’s commitments to the National Agreement, and managing their responsibility as the NSW State Government lead for target 16.

Kate carries a strong passion for First Nations affairs and is drawn to work that has a positive impact on people’s lives. She is an avid lifelong learner and is currently completing her Masters in Strategic Communication with her sights set on a PHD in the future. She has completed the Brene Brown Dare to Lead course and holds a Certificate IV in Indigenous Leadership from the AILC. Kate also has an interest in writing children’s books, and has completed the AWC writing children’s picture books course and is currently completing the writing chapter books for 6-8 year olds course.

Kate has two children, Blaire and Brock, and dog Galumaay with her husband Chris. In her spare time she loves cooking, weaving, art, music, stand-up comedy, weightlifting and running.

Rhiannon is a proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Woman from a small town of Normanton, located in remote North Queensland in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Rhiannon served in the Australian Regular Army for over 14 years as a Marine Specialist. Rhiannon had a diverse career in the ADF, taking up postings outside her specialisation at the 1st Recruit Training Battalion as a Recruit Instructor and the Defence Force Recruiting in the Specialist Recruiter Team for Indigenous personnel.

As a Marine Specialist, Rhiannon worked on Army watercraft such as LCM8’s and LARC’s, operating in domestic and international waters. Rhiannon also spent an extensive amount of time working alongside the Australian Navy as well as supporting Amphibious Operations in multiple roles which included the Amphibious Beach Team, Watercraft Operator on LCM8s and Liaison Officer providing advice on Watercraft and Beach Operations. Rhiannon’s experience with Amphibious Operations has enabled her to understand a wide range of different capabilities within the ADF.

Prior to transitioning from the ADF, Rhiannon was familiar with JY Australia through their generous support to the ADF Indigenous Football Program. Following this, Rhiannon was formally introduced to the company and became increasingly familiar with the company’s vision, mission and goals. After meeting with JY Australia’s CEO – Brendan, Rhiannon better understood JY Australia’s commitment to “Closing the Gap” and knew it was a company she wanted to be a part of. Through JY Australia’s Veteran Transition Program, Rhiannon was provided with the support and understanding she needed and was able to smoothly transition out of full time Army.

Rhiannon loved her career in the Australian Army and is very excited to use her experience and knowledge to mentor and assist the Indigenous Development and Employment Program, as well as learning to understand the fundamentals of Defence Industry and representing JY Australia in CASG. She is committed to enhance her skills through the professional development opportunities and guidance offered by JY Australia.

Rhiannon is also a passionate and experienced Football player, who has represented the Australian Army and ADF, as well as playing in other leagues Nationally. More recently, playing in the VFLW in Melbourne. She is the Program Manager for the ADF Indigenous Football Program and uses this role to further her passion to make positive change within our communities and is continuously seeking pathways and opportunities for our Indigenous Youth.

Leanne Bristow served in the Australian Regular Army for 7 years before transitioning to the Army Reserves where she served four years in Brisbane. As a well-respected member of the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, Leanne fulfilled the role as an Operator Supply Chain serving domestically and on operations internationally in both the United Arab Emirates and Iraq. On operational deployment, Leanne provided mission essential logistics support to the war fighter, ensuring that they were sustained across all supply commodities.

Following her Australian Regular Army service, Leanne has fulfilled full time employment in freight forwarding, mining sector, Victorian Corrections and within the Queensland Police as an APS member. Leanne joined the JY Australia team in 2020 utilising her skills and qualifications gained within the ADF as a Logistics Consultant in the Integrated Logistics Team managed by Team Downer on the LAND-200 project. Her strong understanding of Defence Logistics and Defence operating systems ensured her transition into project work was a seamless process. Leanne has now moved into the position of the Indigenous Development Employment Program (IDEP) as Operations Officer – Indigenous Programs. This position pulls Leanne’s experience in management and leadership and her passion to assist others to reach their full potential.

Outside of her employment, Leanne has been able to complete her Graduate Certificate in Management which compliments her Bachelor of Business specialising in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. JY Australia has provided Leanne with further professional development opportunities and has funded a Leadership course, Dare to Lead, to increase her skills whilst facilitating on the Indigenous Programs workshops.  

Alix is a proud Aboriginal woman who grew up on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.

She began her career as a youth worker with the Queanbeyan City Council, where she coordinated and facilitated an alternative education program for at-risk youth. She developed tailored programs that engaged and empowered young people, helping them build essential skills and regain confidence, supporting their journey into adulthood. This experience solidified her passion for working with people and set a strong foundation for her future endeavors.

Alix joined the Department of Human Services in 2014 as a trainee, through the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program. She then transitioned to Defence where she took on various administrative roles within the Defence Indigenous Affairs Directorate (DIA). During her time in DIA, she played a vital role in supporting initiatives like the Defence First Nations Network, Indigenous entry-level programs, the Jawun Program and the delivery of Defence’s Reconciliation Action Plan.

Her journey then led her to Work Health and Safety, where she focused on enhancing safety and wellbeing across Defence. She provided crucial support in WHS reporting and data analysis and her analytical skills helped identify trends and issues, enabling the Defence community to respond proactively to health and safety concerns.

Next, Alix’s passion for diversity and inclusion continued in her role with the Graduate and Entry Level Programs Directorate. Here, she jumped back into the management of Defence’s Indigenous entry-level programs, working tirelessly to ensure that First Nations people had equitable access to career opportunities within Defence. The knowledge and understanding gained in this role has been pivotal to her role as Administration Manager within JY Australia.

Alix has also gained valuable experience with the Australian Communication and Media Authority and the Department of Veterans Affairs, primarily in HR roles, supporting diversity and inclusion, and veteran employment and health and wellbeing. Her commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces has been a constant throughout her career, and she remains dedicated to creating environments where everyone feels valued and respected.

Kerrie is a proud Aboriginal woman with Gundungurra heritage. Kerrie grew up in the Hunter Valley relocating to Sydney in 1997 to pursue a career in Human Resources. Over 20+ years, Kerrie’s HR career developed with multinational and blue-chip listed companies in Hospitality and Facilities Services in the Leisure, Business & Industry, Education, Defence and Health sectors including experience in the Logistics, Supply Chain, Not for Profit, Recruitment, Finance and Contact Centre industries.

It was during Kerrie’s 7 years at Compass Group where, with visible commitment from senior leadership, Kerrie developed a greater appreciation of how corporate Australia and she personally through her role, can make a real difference towards achieving our goal of economic independence for Australia’s First Peoples. She came to understand the challenges faced by Indigenous communities, their changing needs and the level of stakeholder engagement required to achieve meaningful and sustainable outcomes in both Indigenous employment and Indigenous business.

Kerrie is a positive, inspirational leader with a wealth of expertise in partnering with senior business leaders to identify opportunities for sustainable change and delivering solutions that enable business agendas and improve performance, profitability, growth, value creation and engagement.  Kerrie is known for her strength in building trusted business relationships and delivering results with passion, pragmatism, and commerciality.

Kerrie is deeply passionate about fairness and equality for all Australians and is driven by the belief that by working together, we can achieve a reconciled future for Australia. As iDiC’s Strategic partnership Manager based in Sydney, Kerrie is able to influence positive change and assist in developing a better future through collaboration with federal and state governments, leaders of corporate industry, key contractors, and Indigenous businesses.

Kerrie has completed a Diploma in Positive Psychology and Wellbeing with the Langley Group and a Certificate of Business Management with the Australian Institute of Management.

Kerrie enjoys travelling, learning, keeping fit, dining out and spending time with family and friends.

Owen is a proud Aboriginal man from the small regional South Australian town of Port Augusta.

Owen served in the Australian Regular Army for over 16 years as an Information Systems Technician. Owen had a diverse career in the ADF, enjoying postings throughout Australia from 1st Combat Signals Regiment, 16th Air Land Regiment, HMAS Canberra and finishing his career with 7th Combat Signals Regiment as a Sergeant. He held extra regimental duties over his career and was fortunate to be PMC of Club 16 at Woodside Barracks in SA as well as Indigenous Liaison Officer for 7th Combat Signals Regiment.

As an Information Systems Technician, Owen worked on Army’s Information Systems providing communication solutions to deployed customers, operating in domestic and international environments. Owen has deployed into the Middle East and has spent an enjoyable time working alongside the Australian Navy as part of the Ships Army contingent providing communications support with Amphibious Operations in multiple roles which included the Amphibious Beach Team and providing advice on internal communications solutions. Owen’s vast experience has seen him develop from a shy communications solutions team member to being a successful Troop Sergeant leading various teams which has enabled him to grasp and quickly understand a wide range of different capabilities and provide solutions where required within the ADF.

Prior to transitioning from the ADF, Owen was uncertain of his future employment opportunities and was fortunate to have JY Australia reach out to offer employment through their Veterans Transitions pathway program. Owen was introduced to the company and became increasingly familiar with the company’s vision, mission and goals all of which are inline with his own goals, beliefs and values. After meeting with JY Australia’s CEO – Brendan, Owen could not wait to play an active role in JY Australia’s commitment to “Closing the Gap” and knew it was a company he needed to be a part of. Through JY Australia’s Veteran Transition Program, Owen was provided with the support and understanding necessary to smoothly transition out of full time Army.

Owen has fond memories of his career in the Australian Army and is very excited to use his experience and knowledge to mentor and assist the Indigenous Development and Employment Program, as well as understanding the fundamentals of Defence Industry and representing JY Australia in various industry roles. He is glad to be closer to his family and friends once again being back in South Australia.

Danica Pedersen is a proud Aboriginal woman however she is still in the process of finding out exactly where her family are from.

In 2015 Danica joined the fulltime Army as a Cargo Specialist and was posted to Townsville. She joined the Army to develop her personal skills and to grow as a person whilst also serving her country and community.  Whilst serving in the Defence Force, Danica played AFL football for the Australian Army, she made lifelong friendships which she still leans on seven years later.

Since then, Danica has played VFLW for the Williamstown Football Club and was privileged to train on contract with the North Melbourne Football club AFLW.

Becoming a Police Officer has always been a dream profession of Danica’s. This is why in 2017 she discharged from the Army and moved back to Melbourne to undertake this new adventure. Danica still remains in the Army reserves and enjoys her time working with them. Danica always wanted to become a Police Officer because she enjoys helping people and the community. Danica feels helping people in the community correlates really well with JY Australia and what they’re trying to achieve. Danica loves the initiative that JY Australia have started and she wants to be a part of that.

Danica is really looking forward to growing with and mentoring for JY Australia.

Tehlara Lovett is a proud Narungga woman from South Australia who served in the Australian Regular Army for 8 years as a Driver Specialist.

As a Driver, Tehlara played a key role in carrying cargo, personnel, and dangerous goods. Throughout her career, Tehlara was posted to Darwin in 2015 as part of a cargo troop, and in 2018, she was posted to Adelaide as a Transport Manager in an Infantry Battalion. During their her in Adelaide, Tehlara also supported the bushfires in Victoria from 2019 to 2020, and took part in a joint warfare series that involved being on a Navy ship for three months.

In 2021, Tehlara was posted to Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) where she became a Career Coach and Mentor, working alongside the Specialist Recruitment Team for Indigenous people and attending community events. Tehlara has been fortunate enough to play for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) soccer and football teams, and has also represented the ADF in volleyball in New Zealand.

Tehlara decided to leave the full-time ADF in 2022 and take up employment with the South Australia Ambulance services as an Ambulance Officer. Despite this change, Tehlara is still serving in the Army at DFR as an active reservist. Tehlara is excited to be a part of JY and thoroughly enjoys learning people’s stories, backgrounds, and helping them achieve their goals.

Murray Hall, proud Marra, Gubbi Gubbi, and Goreng Goreng man. Born and raised in Darwin before making his home in Rockhampton, Murray’s bloodlines extend through the vibrant landscapes of Southeast Arnhem Land and Central Queensland.

Murray served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), where he dedicated over a decade of his life as a Boatswains Mate. During his career, he had the privilege of serving on HMAS Toowoomba, Tobruk, Canberra, and various patrol boats. In the final stages of his Naval career, Murray transitioned to a project manager role at Fleet Support Unit Australia.

Beyond his military duties, Murray was a prominent member of the Indigenous Culture Dance Group, Bungaree. With Bungaree, he showcased his cultural heritage on a national stage, participating in significant Defence ceremonies and events. Murray’s service record reflects numerous deployments, from the Gulf to Southeast Asia, including humanitarian missions to Vanuatu and Border Protection Patrols in support of Operation Resolute.

Since departing full-time service, Murray has dedicated his energy to the Redfern All Blacks Football Club, where he serves as the assistant coach for his daughter’s football team. His involvement in the club underscores his commitment to community and family.

Murray’s career in the Navy provided him with invaluable skills in leadership, teamwork, dedication and a strong work ethic. These attributes drive Murray’s desire to impart knowledge and wisdom to the participants of the Indigenous Development and Employment Program.

In his current role with JY Australia, Murray finds fulfillment in mentoring First Nations Peoples, contributing to their personal and professional growth.

Nestled in Sydney’s Inner West, Murray is a loving husband and father to four daughters, a role he is the most proud of.

Fasheena is a proud Aboriginal and Islander Woman, she is a descendant from the Wonnarua people located in Singleton, Hunter Valley, New South Wales and from Papua New Guinea.

Fasheena has served in the Australian Regular Army for over 14 years as a Human Resources (HR) Administrator, mostly in North Queensland. Fasheena has had a diverse career within the Army, including postings to the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and 3rd Brigade Headquarters. Fasheena has also undertaken roles outside of her HR specialty, including time as a recruit instructor, deploying on Operation Accordion to the Middle East in 2015, as well as aiding the Papua New Guinean Defence Force as part of a Mentoring Training Team in 2013. Her career highlight has been her time accompanying her serving spouse to Beijing, China on his posting to the Australian Defence Attaché Office. This wonderful experience in China allowed her to develop her global networking skills, increase her professional development, give her a sense of global cultural awareness. Other career highlights for Fasheena are playing Army Rugby and for the Australian Services Rugby Union – Women’s team 15’s & 7’s, touring New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

With the exposure as a HR Administrator coupled with a diverse postings background, Fasheena embarked on a journey to further her tertiary education and will complete a Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education. Fasheena is known for her professionalism, pragmatism, and her leadership skills. Fasheena excelled in her role in the Indigenous Programs team at JY Australia, building efficiencies and strengthening the Indigenous Development and Employment Program. Since her departure from JY Australia, Fasheena has remained in a casual position mentoring the participants in the IDEP.

Fasheena is married with 3 young children, she enjoys family time and watching the rugby.