Board
Traditional Owner Corporations that are Federation members are able to appoint up to two directors to the Federation’s Board.
People
Cassandra Lewis (chair)
Staff
The Federation’s staff’s capabilities span policy, strategic planning, government relations and advocacy.
Kaley Nicholson
CEO
Kaley is a proud Koorie woman with family ties to Traditional Owner groups across Victoria, including Barapa Barapa, Bunurong/Boonwurrung, Latji Latji, Mutthi Mutthi, Taungurung, Wamba Wemba, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta. She is Co-chair of Ngaweeyan Maar-oo, Chair of Taungurung Land and Waters Council, and the Taungurung reserved seat holder on First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, and has 15 years’ professional and academic experience spanning governance, public policy, sociology and community development.
Lisa Hawkins
Team Lead – Strategy, Process and Delivery
Lisa brings over 20 years’ experience in policy, planning and community development roles, most recently in New Zealand as Taranaki Regional Council’s policy manager. manager. In New Zealand she worked closely with Tangata Whenua on matters of natural resource management, specifically freshwater. She leads the Federation’s secretariat support to the Cultural Fire Leadership Group. Contact Lisa.
Ben Gordon
Operations Manager and Company Secretary
Originally from New Zealand, Ben has over 25 years’ experience working in senior policy and operational roles in Indigenous economic development, governance, and organisational change. He oversees the Federation’s secretariat support to Traditional Owner governance fora and is the organisation’s company secretary. Contact Ben.
Kurt Sutton
Senior Advisor, Nation Building and Natural Resource Management
Kurt is a former lecturer and natural educator working with Traditional Owners to develop the systems and strategies required to decolonise land management and reinstate ancestral caring for Country practices. Since 2020, he has supported Traditional Owners to realise their self-determined priorities through the Nation Building Resource Pool grant program. Contact Kurt.
Stephanie Smith
Senior Advisor, Natural Resource Management
Steph has worked at the intersection of Indigenous land rights, natural resource use and management, and socio-economic development from Canada’s remote Yukon territory, to Guatemala, and sunny Queensland, where she most recently worked in native title claims resolution. Since joining the Federation her focus has been on water and critical minerals policy and supporting a Traditional Owner-led governance forum. Steph holds a PhD in Indigenous Studies and a Master of Social Policy from the University of Melbourne. Contact Steph.
Daniel McIntyre
Senior Advisor, Aboriginal Economic Development
Daniel contributes to the Federation’s economic development policy work, focused on renewable energy, critical minerals, revegetation, climate change, and Closing the Gap. Originally from Perth, where he worked in community cultural development, he has experience working in the Asia-Pacific region in Indigenous rights, climate justice and sustainable forest management and agriculture. He holds a Master of Environment from the University of Melbourne. Contact Daniel.
Gabby Maher
Policy and Law Reform Advisor
A former Pilates instructor, Gabby retrained in law to fulfil a deep ambition to support Traditional Owner-led management of Country. She contributes to the Federation’s Closing the Gap and workforce development policy outputs, working part-time while completing practical legal training. Contact Gabby.
Sophie Raynor
Senior Communications and Media Advisor
Sophie has 10 years’ experience in not-for-profit communications, media and writing, and holds degrees in journalism, law and arts. Originally from Perth, she has communicated the work of community services, environmental groups, literary not-for-profits and international fundraising projects between home and tropical Timor-Leste. Contact Sophie.
Ken Kennedy
Administration Coordinator
Ken is a proud Palawa man with more than two decades of corporate services experience in Indigenous organisations. He joined the Federation in 2025 after 21 years with First Nations Legal and Research Services, most recently as corporate services manager. Contact Ken.
