Co-design: delivering better outcomes for South Australia

Catherine Liddle is an Arrernte/Luritja woman from Central Australia and has been Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC), since January 2021. SNAICC is the national peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

She first and foremost describes herself as a storyteller, weaving narratives and cultural perspectives that promote the strengths and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

Catherine joined SNAICC with a strong background in senior management roles with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, government and media.

She has experience leading multidisciplinary teams, managing workplace transformations and advocating for policy and system reform.

As CEO of SNAICC, she is focusing her leadership on ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s rights are upheld to ensure their safety, development and wellbeing.

Catherine’s motivation has always been to drive change that leads to positive outcomes and options for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Catherine is excited to be continuing to build the organisation’s strong platform in representing the voice of the next generation – our children.

Dana is Aboriginal/Chinese and a descendant of the Ngarrindjeri people in South Australia and has a passion for working with Aboriginal people and communities.

Dana has over 20 years’ experience working across the public and not for profit sectors in the areas of health, families and child protection.

Dana went on to work in a number of senior roles with the SA public sector in which she had responsibility for program management, service delivery, policy development and strategic planning and worked with The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI) where she held the role of Principal, Social Services, Systems & Aboriginal Policy and Director of the Family by Family program.

Dana’s current work includes supporting organisations to plan for the future and elevating the voices of living experience to make service and systemic change through co-design and other approaches.

In addition, Dana recently completed a two-year mindfulness meditation teacher’s course with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach and is committed to making this accessible to organisations and communities in South Australia and bringing a strong First Nations and Ngarrindjeri lens to mindfulness practice.

Appointed on 1 July 2014, Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri works passionately towards creating a world-leading public sector that serves South Australians well, does what it says it will do, and to which every public servant is proud to belong.

With the role of the public sector being to serve and support South Australia to thrive, Erma leads sector-wide reform to modernise the public sector and continue to build on its value and service to the South Australian community.

Erma has worked for more than 30 years to help organisations optimise productivity and employee wellbeing. She was named a 2014 Telstra Business Woman of the Year as SA Winner of the Telstra Community and Government Award for her role in leading transformational change throughout the public sector.

With a key focus on flexibility, diversity and leadership development to ensure the public sector is positioned as an Employer of Choice, Erma continues to challenge cultural and structural barriers to drive innovative, collaborative and connected services for the community.

Jackie Bray is the Chief Executive of the Department for Child Protection.

Prior to this, Jackie was the inaugural Head of the Office for the Early Years, which was established as a single point of strategic leadership for universal early years, services across government, NGOs, and the broader Early Childhood sector.

Jackie has worked in the public and private sector across several senior executive positions both in the United Kingdom and South Australia including UK Health Services, Department for Families and Communities and as the Deputy Chief Executive in the Department for Correctional Services. It was while working in the UK Health Service that Jackie found her passion for major service delivery reform around changes that affect the community services.

Jackie is a professional and strategically minded executive, with an extensive knowledge and experience of creating partnerships, policy development and strategic reform within the South Australian public service.

Jackie is passionate about developing a transparent and accountable department, one with strong and effective leaders and a highly capable workforce equipped to meet their challenges and succeed within a positive organisational culture.

Jason is the current Chief Executive Officer for Reconciliation SA. He is a values-based leader and has been in the role for 2 years and leads a team of committed professionals under the guidance of the board. He is focusing on organisational growth and change to meet a growing shift in the reconciliation movement focusing on proactive leadership, staff development and professional service delivery.

Jason has 20 years working across the South Australian government working in more than six departments over his career, with a strong expertise in Stakeholder engagement, Policy, Facilitation, Mediation, Reconciliation and Economic participation. Overall, Jason has 30 years’ experience working with all Aboriginal groups across South Australia and many groups in the Northern Territory Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.

Leeroy Bilney is a proud barngala, kuprun, wirangu, kokatha, mirning and noongar person. Leeroy was born in Port Lincoln and lived most of his life in Ceduna, South Australia, on an Aboriginal community ‘Tia Tuckia’. He has spent his working career servicing the community, being involved in many employment sectors, committees, initiatives, and projects.

He is an experienced professional with a proven track record of working with Indigenous communities and advocating for their voices to be heard. With a background in various leadership roles within Aboriginal health organisations, government agencies, and community development projects, Leeroy brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. His passion has remained the same in working with community people and alongside them in achieving true capacity building. With a background in performing arts, he takes advantage of the opportunities to share his stories, in advancing others to explore their journey.

Leeroy is currently the Regional Manager, Australia, for International Funders for Indigenous Peoples, the Presiding Member for South Australia’s inaugural First Nations Voice to State Parliament and Chairperson of the Spinifex Foundation South Australia, formerly known as the First Nations Philanthropic Working Group. He has held positions as a Director of NACCHO (National Aboriginal Community Controlled health Organisation). He was the former Chairperson of Yadu Health Aboriginal Corporation, and previously held a position as a Director on the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA).

Pauly is a proud Wirangu and Kokatha man from South Australia's Far West Coast, whose journey has been shaped by a deep passion for empowering young people, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth. Growing up in the remote regions of South Australia ignited a commitment within him to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.

From a young age, Pauly embraced the power of sport and education. Despite the distance from his hometown to Adelaide, he pursued his dreams in basketball, eventually achieving a professional career in the National Basketball League (NBL) with the Canberra Cannons. But his ambitions stretched far beyond the court. During his sporting career, Pauly was also deeply involved in Aboriginal Affairs, setting the foundation for a future of leadership and advocacy.

After his athletic career, Pauly dedicated over 16 years to various government roles across health, housing, and education, including managing South Australia’s Aboriginal Community Housing program.

His leadership journey continued at Power Community, (the Community arm of the Port Adelaide Football Club) where he elevated the Indigenous programs to become the gold standard for youth engagement in Australia’s professional sports industry.

In 2021, Pauly was appointed National Diversity Talent Manager for the AFL, a testament to his influence and leadership in promoting Aboriginal engagement and well-being. Alongside this, Pauly cofounded the Tjindu Foundation and founded the Aboriginal Basketball Academy, further empowering Aboriginal youth through education, sport, and cultural pride.

But Pauly’s vision doesn’t stop there. His most recent ventures, Munda Wines and Wanna Mar Produce, are expressions of his belief in the fusion of Aboriginal traditions with contemporary business. Munda Wines serves as a global platform to share stories of Aboriginal land, culture, and people through the medium of wine, while Wanna Mar Produce extends this philosophy, highlighting the role of Aboriginal agricultural practices in fostering sustainability and community resilience.

Pauly’s work is driven by his dedication to long-term, positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, promoting self-determination, pride in culture, and the creation of inclusive opportunities. His vision is for a 'third space'—a place where non-Indigenous Australians fully embrace Aboriginal culture, leading to a future where reconciliation and unity are not just ideals but lived realities.

Through his leadership in sport, business, and community initiatives, Pauly is building bridges between cultures, shaping a future where all Australians walk together with pride and shared understanding.

Rick Persse AM was appointed to lead the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in December 2024.

An accomplished public sector leader, Rick joins the department after a successful period from April 2022 as South Australia’s Under Treasurer leading the Department of Treasury and Finance.

Prior to Treasury, Rick was Chief Executive of the Department for Education for 6 years, after leading the Attorney-General’s Department for 4 years.

With expertise in policy and strategy development, transformation, public sector reform and major project delivery, Rick’s knowledge of public administration comes from an expansive career building and leading teams as an executive at a variety of South Australian central government agencies.

Prior to being appointed to the role of Chief Executive, Attorney-General’s Department, Rick worked with government and non-government clients as a Big 4 Consulting firm SA Government and Health Leader.

Rick has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Adelaide and a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management from Griffith University.

Sandy is an accomplished public-sector leader, with experience leading agencies to make significant contributions to public policy and deliver outcomes that improve people’s lives.

As Chief Executive of the South Australian Department of Human Services, Sandy is dedicated to promoting inclusion, independence, community support and modern services. Sandy is Chair of the Motor Accident Commission, a board member of the Institute of Public Administration SA and an active member of International Women’s Forum Australia.

Prior to this role, Sandy has served as Deputy Under Treasurer with the South Australian Department of Treasury and Finance and Deputy Chief Executive at the Department of Premier and Cabinet in South Australia and Victoria.

Sandy was the inaugural Secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Victoria, an agency which includes child protection, housing and homelessness, disability, family safety and women’s policy.
Throughout 2020 Sandy led the Victorian COVID-19 response, returning the state to COVID-19 zero.

Sandy first chief executive role was with the SA Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. She has held executive roles in the SA Department of the Premier and Cabinet, the UK’s Commission for Racial Equality, the South Australian Office for Women, the Commonwealth Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

In 2012, Sandy won the Telstra Businesswoman of the year ‘Community and Public Sector’ category, and in 2013 she was inducted as an IPAA National Fellow.

Educated at the University of Adelaide, and Mannum High School, Sandy has degrees in law and the humanities. She is kept busy at home by two children, and an energetic dog, Noodle the Labradoodle.

Scharlene Lamont is a proud Kaurna / Narungga woman and is the Executive Director of Aboriginal Services Directorate in the Department for Correctional Services (DCS).

Scharlene is responsible for the development of strategies for working with Aboriginal people managed by Correctional services as well as the Aboriginal community. The role of Executive Director, Aboriginal Services Directorate is an important executive leadership role that works across the agency to ensure that all policy, procedures and reform initiatives across the Department are considered in terms of their impact on Aboriginal offenders, their families and the community.

Through Scharlene’s leadership, DCS have developed The Aboriginal Strategic Framework and Action plans, with the vision of the Framework being to enhance rehabilitation outcomes for Aboriginal people in custody by recognising their diverse cultures and responding to complex issues and the high levels of intergenerational trauma.

Scharlene has been the DCS representative for the Closing the Gap Justice target negotiations with SAACCON and holds a number of key leadership roles across Australia including: the Aboriginal representative on the Corrective Services Administrative Council (CSAC), a Co-Chair of the CSAC Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori Working Group as well as the Co-chair for the Aboriginal Affairs Executive Committee Over representation of Aboriginal people in the Criminal Justice System Working group.

Scharlene is committed to providing strong leadership and working towards the wellbeing and achievement of economic independence and equity for Aboriginal people by providing avenues for Aboriginal people to achieve and become the best that they can be. This passion has been instrumental in creating DCS’s first Cultural Safety Framework and Aboriginal Employment, Retention and Professional Development Strategy working closely alongside Dana Shen. Both documents were launched in December 2024.

Scharlene has also held positions of Chairperson of National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) SA and Chairperson of Kaurna Heritage committee lodging the Kaurna Native title claim.

Scott Wilson is a well-respected Aboriginal leader and CEO of the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (South Australia) (ADAC) for more than 30 years. He is also a Professor in Public Health at the School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University.

Scott’s personal and professional experience in substance misuse has made him a valued member of nearly every major governmental and non-governmental committee in Australia for more than 30 years. He has received several awards including the Australian Centenary Medal'. Scott was the 2013 recipient of the Sydney University Graduate Medal the “Sister Alison Bush Medal” (Indigenous achievement).

In 2017, Scott was awarded the APSAD (Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs) First Peoples Award ‘for Excellence in Science, Research and Practice'.

His other past leadership roles include being Deputy Chair of both the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee and the Alcohol Education Rehabilitation Foundation (FARE).

Scott was elected the Lead Convener of the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) in 2019 and represents not only the specific needs of the SA Aboriginal community, but our NGO organisations at the National level, through the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation of Peaks (Coalition of Peaks), of which he is the Co-Deputy Lead Convenor.

The Coalition Peaks is made up of 80 Peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Organisations from across Australia.

Scott was also appointed Chairperson of the International Indigenous Drug Policy Alliance (IIDPA) in 2024 and was elected to the inaugural SA 'Voice' to Parliament in 2024.

Scott was also awarded the SA Network of Drug and Alcohol (SANDAS) First Peoples Award in 2024.