A proud Torres Strait Islander woman, Carla is a Kubin (Moa Island) descendent whose family call Waiben (Thursday Island) home. Raised on the Australian mainland, Carla retains strong family and community ties to the Torres Strait.
Carla brings a wealth of experience in Indigenous public policy and collaborative leadership. She is currently the Chair of Get Up! and Blakdance and works as an independent consultant.
Previously she has worked as the Program Director at the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE), Head of Sustainability at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE), and as the Relationship Manager at Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME).
Carla has also been the Co-Chair of the NSW Reconciliation Council, Vice-Chair of Australian Youth Affairs Coalition (AYAC), Board Director of Flashpoint Labs and the George Hicks Foundation, Member of The Smith Family Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel and a Public Member of the Australian Press Council.
Carla loves to eat foods connected to her culture and support native food entrepreneurs. In the past, she supported her friend Suzanne Grech when she ran Purple Goanna - a First Nations led native foods cafe in Redfern. In her role at the NCIE, Carla also often commissioned Kool Purple Kooks a First Nations led native foods cooking program designed to engage young people (run by Corey Grech).
Carla has a deep interest in native botanicals and nutraceuticals.
A native food Carla is loving right now: Turtle