I am a proud Meuram man from Erub (Darnley Island, Torres Strait), with connections to Ngāti Awa (Māori tribe). I bring over a decade of lived experience growing up in the remote communities of the Torres Strait, absconding from school and then excelling in school, working in not for profits and for profits, working both ‘on the ground’ and in administrative roles, caring for my 14-year-old niece, and being a former athlete and now strong advocate for youth and social justice. I have a unique lived experience and perspective that would be valuable to this committee. This lived experience coupled with a passion for empowering and enabling the next generation of young people to thrive and navigate an abundance of life.

My background is diverse, spanning across fields including education, health promotion, case management, policy, and project management. I have established several businesses, which included coaching young people involved in out-of-home care, leading health and fitness programs, and am the co-owner of Effusive Label and Effusive Cookbook, which are fashion and lifestyle brands. In another life. I represented the Australian Indigenous Basketball team in three countries, and played semi-professional basketball for more than 5 years.

The path to becoming a practicing psychologist is long, but a journey I am committed to. However, this scholarship will enable me to take time away from work to focus on my tertiary education and maintain my active involvement with several leadership roles and networks, including being the co-chairperson of the Canteen Australia First Nations steering committee, member of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association youth steering committee providing youth perspectives into developing housing policy, and the youth lead for the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).

As an aspiring psychologist currently working at NACCHO, I am actively committed to addressing these disparities and contributing to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes. The health disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians are well-documented and deeply concerning. Mental health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing are critical aspects of overall health. I hope to enable Communities to navigate the challenges they face and support their equipment of mental health tools to thrive.

In addition to direct service provision, I plan to continue supporting the development of place-based and Community-led practical and therapeutic supportive frameworks, including (but not limited to) models of care, for our people. I believe that for these frameworks to be effective, they must be place-based, Community-led, and grounded in our cultures and traditions.

Semester 1, 2025 has been the most challenging period of my academic journey so far. I commenced the semester with a full-time study load, however, due to the intense and accelerated demands of my work with SNAICC, mostly because of the Federal Election, I felt compelled to reduce my study load to two subjects just before the census date. In Semester 1, my work required extensive travel, including to every state and territory in Australia, for a combination of accelerated project development, strategic planning and navigating the potential community implications from the election. Balancing this with my academic commitments was incredibly demanding, and although I reduced my enrolment to fewer subjects, the semester felt more intense than any before.

At this risk of reading like a motivational person, this semester reminded me that we can’t always plan every real-world scenario, particularly those outside of our control, including that life sometimes requires careful and considered responsiveness for whatever the reason – maybe it’s the continued pursuit of academic success, personal development, family commitments or something else altogether. For me, it was supporting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled space which required deeper focus on my work while trying to become a psychologist.

Moving into Semester 2, 2025, my employer agreed to support my study by offering various leave and work arrangements. I am very much looking forward to returning to a more balanced routine. The support from my workplace and family, in conjunction with what the Rotary community offers me are matters I am deeply grateful for in my continued pursuit of becoming a psychologist. These support systems allow me to refocus on my studies with renewed energy and consistency.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support. I am deeply grateful for the continued investment in my education and future.