2023 Aurora International Study Tour

After a break in study tours due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were thrilled to be able to support participation in the March 2023 Aurora International Study Tour to the United States by Sharna Bartley, Juanita Kelly-Mundine, Kishaya Delaney, Rachael King and Renee Briggs.

Clockwise from top left: Juanita Kelly-Mundine, Sharna Bartley, Rachael King, Renee Briggs and Kishaya Delaney.

Juanita Kelly-Mundine is a proud Bundjalung and Yuin woman who currently holds the position of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conservator at the Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW). Juanita has a passion for the arts and safeguarding the legacy of First Nations’ artistic and cultural practice. She has a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Art History and Italian, as well as a Master of Cultural Materials Conservation, Paintings and a Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law.

Sharna Bartley is a proud Wuluwarra and Pitta Pitta woman, born and raised in Mt Isa, Queensland. She has a Graduate Certificate in Business, Public Administration from QUT and a Master of Public Policy from ANU. Sharna’s motivation is to learn how government can work better with communities when developing and implementing policies and programs. She aims to continue challenging the status quo and to ensure the public service effectively seeks partnerships with communities.

Rachael King is an Aboriginal woman with Warmuli heritage who graduated in 2021 with a double degree in Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) and Bachelor of Education (Secondary) from Macquarie University. She has worked both as a high school mathematics teacher in state public schools, as well as a data analytics graduate at a major bank. Her ultimate aim is to pursue a postgraduate study in pure maths, business analytics, data science and education, then to either move back into the corporate world or into education at a tertiary level.

Renee Briggs is a proud Gomeroi woman from northern NSW. She graduated from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Public Health, and from the University of Sydney with a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion. Her goal is to close the gap in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, and to establish culturally appropriate healthcare systems and treatment options.

Kishaya Delaney is a proud Wiradjuri woman who graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Law (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Communication. She is currently working as a pro bono solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehills. Kishaya is particularly passionate about strengthening First Nations influence in policy and decision-making and is a member of the Uluru Statement Youth Dialogue.

Congratulations to these five fabulous women on their achievements so far and their aspirations for the future.