The First Nations Expert Advisory Panel

Cherie Johnson, Founder, Speaking in Colour

Cherie is a Gamilaroi woman, residing on Awabakal country in Newcastle, NSW.

Cherie has dedicated her career to education, firstly as a cultural teacher, then as a high school History and Art teacher. She now is the Founder and Managing Director of Speaking in Colour which started in 2016 to support educators to embrace and implement Aboriginal perspectives into the classroom. Since then, the business has grown developing a strong corporate and programs arm providing support from the board room to front-line staff.

Cherie is a member of the local business chamber and several boards including the Yadha Muru Foundation and Allambi Care. Cherie has mentored Aboriginal people starting or scaling their business and her business is currently supporting 13 microbusinesses to establish and market their products.

Jocelyn King, Director Indigenous Strategy and Engagement, Westpac

Jocelyn is a Bundjalung woman, born on Gadigal Country.

Jocelyn has dedicated her career to economic development in Aboriginal communities. She was a founding supplier of Supply Nation and founding CEO of First Australians Capital Ltd. She started Fivegrants Consulting in 2006 to provide support to Indigenous social enterprises to access capital. Her business has supported more than 400 Indigenous businesses and organisations.

Melissa Fletcher, CEO, Fletcher International Exports Pty. Ltd. 

Melissa is a Kamilaroi woman from Moree, NSW, residing in Dubbo, NSW.

Melissa started and commissioned a new processing plant for the 100 per cent Australian family owned and operated Agribusiness, Fletcher International Exports, in Albany, WA, at age 22. She briefly left to start and run another business – Smoked Garage, a small events business based in Fortitude Valley – before returning to the family’s Dubbo operations in 2015.

Melissa is an advocate for economic development of Aboriginal communities in regional and remote New South Wales. She is a member of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation Board, Deputy Chair of the Australian Meat Processing Corporation and sits on the Meat Women’s Business Committee.

Nareen Young, Associate Dean, Indigenous Leadership and Engagement, UTS Business School

Nareen is a descendant of the Eora and of CALD immigrants who was privileged to grow up on Dharawal and lives on Gadigal land.

Nareen has dedicated her career to employment diversity, with a focus on Indigenous people. Previously, Nareen was a Professor of Indigenous Policy at the UTS Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. She founded the Indigenous People and Work Research and Practice Hub that focuses on policy, research and law reform based on the leadership and experiences of indigenous people.

Nareen has held roles as employment lead at PwC’s Indigenous Consulting and CEO of Diversity Council Australia. Nareen also served a three-year term as Director of Indigenous Business Australia and is a member of Indigenous advisory boards for IAG and NAB.

Sharon Winsor, Founder, Indigiearth

Sharon is a Ngemba Weilwan woman born in Gunnedah, NSW, and residing in Mudgee, NSW.

Sharon is a highly respected and valued leader in the native foods sector with more than 27 years of experience. Sharon has worked hard to build a successful Aboriginal owned and operated enterprise with a sustainable supply chain, while actively supporting Aboriginal women running native foods businesses across Australia.
Sharon is also the Director of the First Nations Bush Foods and Botanicals Alliance, Black Duck Foods and the NSW Indigenous Tourism Council. Sharon was awarded the 2020 SheEO Global Award Australia and 2013 NSW Business Leader of the Year (First Aboriginal recipient).