Our Board is First Nations led and grounded in deep community knowledge, lived experience and cultural leadership.
Karen Milward AM (Yorta Yorta)
Chair
Karen is a proud Victorian Yorta Yorta woman, born and raised in Melbourne. She owns and operates Karen Milward Consulting Services and has done so since 2004.
Karen holds an MBA, and is also Chair of Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place, Chair of Kinaway Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce and a Director of Yarra Valley Water.
She has extensive experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities at grassroots and organisational levels - right through to peak body representative level.
She regularly undertakes complex projects commissioned by government departments and their agencies. This involves assisting those who have lead responsibility for policy and program development and service delivery impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Ian Hamm (Yorta Yorta)
Director
Ian is a Yorta Yorta man who has been actively involved in the Victorian Indigenous community in a personal and professional capacity for over 30 years.
He has had a wide exposure to, and led, policy reform and program implementation for both the State and Federal Governments at executive level, mostly notably in Aboriginal Affairs. Since 2000, Ian has been a board member of a range of NFP’s, including a number as Chair.
He has led some of these organisations through change and adaption to ensure they are well placed for the challenges of improving the lives of people in a rapid changing environment.
Ian is Chairperson of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, First Nations Foundation, and President of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. He is also a Board Director on The Healing Foundation, Yarra Valley Water, Inclusive Australia, Australian Red Cross, the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Aboriginal Housing Victoria. Ian is also a sessional panel member on the Australian Financial Complaints Authority and Planning Panels Victoria.
Lauren Ganley (Kamilaroi)
Director
Lauren is the Head of Telstra’s First Nations Strategy & Engagement where she leads the strategy and ongoing governance of engagement with First Nations people and communities across Australia. Lauren’s work involves providing strategic advice, leading programs and business activities to improve digital and social inclusion and advocating for better outcomes for First Nations people and communities.
Lauren has contributed actively in the community for many years, holding Director roles on the Boards of Community First Development, Kakadu Tourism, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, Agency Projects, Darwin Festival, and Northern Territory Major Events. Lauren is a graduate and Fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Lauren believes in Community First Development’s philosophy of making a difference in the right way, every day.
Karen Jacobs (Whadjuk)
Director
Karen is a bloodline descendant and a Traditional Owner of Whadjuk Country in the Perth area, Western Australia. She is a single parent of three adult children, grandmother of two beautiful grandchildren, and great grandmother of one.
Karen is the owner of Indigenous Economic Solutions Pty Ltd, trading as IES Cultural Heritage, IES Enviro Scapes, IES Enviro Clean. She has a primary focus on developing and encouraging Aboriginal people’s involvement in enterprise and business opportunities.
Karen has an extensive background in Aboriginal cultural heritage and practices, environmental plans and management, cultural tourism, education, and former lecturer at the UWA, School of Social Science in the Foundations to Heritage Management.
Her career has led to the provision of Indigenous Specialist Services: Incorporating the cultural heritage narrative in Design and Placemaking within urban design, construction and infrastructure projects; the analysis of probity and procurement; financial management; and marketing and promotion of Aboriginal people’s engagement and participation in plans and strategies across all industries and business sectors. Karen has also been appointed to the State Design Review Panel.
Desmond
Kyle
A message from our Board
Hear from Director, Ian Hamm, as he reflects on the collective effort behind our work, acknowledging the supporters, volunteers, funders and philanthropic partners who support community-led change.
