The committee

Stacie Piper

An active member of the Victorian community, culturally and professionally holding a number of positions including Community Engagement and Events for the Wurundjeri Tribe Land Council for 5 years managing major events around Melbourne, working closely with Elders and the wider community.

Prior to this Stacie held a position in Buying and Marketing for a major retailer for 9 years, where she gained skills and experience in the areas of business, communication,

relationship building, and professional development

With a love for community and the desire to support and witness the progress of First Nations Peoples, Stacie is excited at the opportunity to experience a role where Victorian First Peoples are recognised and acknowledged.

Aunty Pam Pederson

Aunty Pam is a Yorta Yorta elder of the Victorian Aboriginal community and has been involved in Vic NA!DOC since she was 17 years old. Her parents, Pastor Sir Doug and Lady Nicholls, along with a number of other Aboriginal community members, were instrumental in the establishment of Vic NAIDOC.

Aunty Pam is as an Elder on the Children's Koori Court, the County Koori Court of Victoria, the Melbourne Magistrate's Court, and the Heidelberg Children's Koori Court. Aunty Pam has also been appointed to the Adult Parole Board of Melbourne

Aunty Pam has been employed by the Jesuit Social Services in a capacity-building role that spans the organisation as well as the Victorian Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Prevention Service.

Aunty Pam is a passionate advocate for Aboriginal people and a master athlete in many sporting events especially half marathons! Her motto is "If you dream it, you can achieve it".

Aunty Alice Kolasa

Aunty Alice is a recognised Elder of the Wurundjeri Tribe who has been working for the Wurundjeri Tribe Land Council for almost 10 years. Aunty Alice is a proud Woiwurrung/Wurundjeri-Baluk woman who has been involved in helping coordinate Wurundjeri Council's NAIDOC, Wurundjeri Week, Moomba and other major cultural events.

Aunty Alice has also recently sat on the Yarra Ministerial Advisory Committee to help produce the new Yarra Protection Bill for the Victorian State Parliament and was the first Victorian Elder to speak in language, in Parliament in 2017.

Lesley Jackson

Lesley is a Wiradjuri woman from Gilgandra in Central West New South Wales. Lesley has been living and working in Melbourne for over 11 years, has been engaged in the community and was the runner-up of the Australian training Awards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander of the Year in 2013

Lesley commenced her career in Food & Beverage, working her way up at Crown Melbourne, holding various roles building her skills with the goal to achieve and set an example for Indigenous people. Over the year's Lesley has found her passion, in HR and recruitment where she is able to influence and negotiate best practices

Lesley is honored to work within a diverse environment and shares a passion and drive to succeed in closing the gap indigneous employment.

Maylene Slater - Burns

Maylene is a proud Kamilaroi, Wiradjuri, Djungan and Gangalidda yinarr/woman born and raised in Melbourne, Kulin lands working across multiple facets in community. 

Maylene is a singer - songwriter, mentor, writer, activist and community worker.

Maylene is the Deputy Chairperson of Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation the state peak body supporting Indigenous artists and music based in Victoria and a member of the Grasstree Gathering,

Away from work life, Maylene runs Mindful Mob, a platform to encourage healing in blackfullas, First Nations mob and allies and shares quotes, thoughts and inspirations relating to mindfulness, inner life balance, self-care, and spirituality

Maylene is also a Researcher and Genealogist in the Koorie Family History Service at The Koorie Heritage Trust.Maylene Slater - Burns

Benny Clark

Benny is a proud Gunai and Djabwurrung man living on Wurundjeri country.

Benny has spent 14 years working in high-risk youth work within out of home care, corrections, juvenile justice, street outreach, secure services, cultural work, and much more Benny currently works part-time at Australian Red Cross and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Project Lead.

Benny runs his own business Yenna Werna translated from his mother tongue of the Gunai people and means "To lift.Us.” These are a series of corporate, community. youth workshops and public speaking.

Benny is also a professional musician for the past 15 years and is currently working with Baker Boy and Dallas Woods.

Rudi Louis Taylor-Bragge

Rudi is a Kulin man born and raised on his traditional Boonwurrung country of Euro Yuroke (St Kilda). Rudi is passionate about Indigenous health and has studied psychology and counseling to a Masters level while building a retail plant nursery business from scratch with his partner Mishka. Rudi has previously worked and volunteered with youth in the mental health services, as well as in hospitality, music production, sport,

and retail sectors.

Currently, Rudi is working toward developing an Indigenous cultural centre for his local area which will feature a small cafe, art, and creative space to promote cultural empowerment for the Aboriginal community of Birraranga (Melbourne).

His connection to country and people fuels his commitment to closing the gap between Indigenous and on-Indigenous Australians and cites the youth suicide ses as a desperate call for immediate action.