Photo © Daniel Hunter
Our Board
Our Board brings together Aboriginal leaders with deep connection to Country, community and culture. Each member carries their own knowledge and responsibilities, shaped by the work they have done over time.
Together, we share responsibility for caring for land, sea and sky Country and for guiding SAALSMA in a way that reflects the voices of members and the priorities of southern Aboriginal Nations. Our Board also brings the skills and experience needed to support the Alliance to grow well and remain strong over time.
The Board is supported by a Cultural Advisory Committee made up of Elders and knowledge holders who offer guidance, cultural direction and accountability. Together, we work to ensure decisions are shaped by the right people, in the right way.
Garry Goldsmith is a proud Narungga saltwater man from Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, with a deep connection to Sea Country and the responsibilities that come with caring for it. He brings strong leadership across community, government and industry, working to ensure Aboriginal voices are heard in decisions that affect Country. As Managing Director of Miri Kawi Services, Garry supports connection, collaboration and shared understanding across sectors.
Garry has held key leadership roles within his community, including as former Chair of Narungga Nations Aboriginal Corporation, and continues to create space for culture and community through initiatives like the Gynburra Festival.
Garry Goldsmith Co-Chair
Professor Emma Lee OAM Co-Chair
Professor Emma Lee OAM is a Trawlwulwuy woman from Tebrakunna Country in north-east Tasmania, with a strong commitment to ensuring cultural authority guides how we care for land and sea Country. Her work brings together cultural knowledge, research and advocacy, supporting pathways where Aboriginal knowledge and leadership shape decisions and practice.
Emma is an internationally recognised leader in Indigenous methodologies and has contributed to work at both national and global levels. She continues to support approaches that centre culture, strengthen community-led solutions and create lasting change for Country.
Dr Chels Marshall is a Gumbaynggirr woman from the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, with a deep connection to Sea Country, and the knowledge systems that guide how it is cared for. Her work is grounded in culture, drawing on the teachings of Elders and the responsibilities carried across generations. She works at the intersection of knowledge and practice, bringing together cultural and contemporary approaches in ways that support strong outcomes for Country.
As a leading Indigenous Systems Ecologist, Chels has worked across government, research and community for many years, focusing on how Aboriginal knowledge can guide environmental decision-making, particularly in the context of climate change. She is known for advocating for approaches where cultural authority is central, and where care for land and sea reflects relationships with Country.
Dr Chels Marshall Director
Emmalene Richards is a Barngarla woman from Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula, with strong cultural connections to Barngarla, Nauo and Wirangu peoples. Her work is grounded in culture and shaped by a deep connection to Country, carrying forward knowledge, language and relationships that guide how Country is understood and cared for. She shares these perspectives through her work, helping others understand that care for Country is based on connection, responsibility and reciprocity.
She brings experience across cultural education, community leadership and enterprise, creating opportunities for people to connect with Aboriginal knowledge in meaningful ways. Her focus remains on community, culture and future generations, ensuring that cultural authority continues to guide how we care for land and sea Country.
Emmalene Richards Director
Dr Doc Reynolds is a Senior Saltwater Knowledge holder and Traditional Owner of the Esperance Tjaltjraak (Wudjari) people of the Noongar Nation. His knowledge has been shaped through a lifetime of learning from Elders, grounded in Country and Community.
He has held many leadership roles across local, state and national levels, always guided by cultural authority. Doc remains deeply committed to ensuring Wudjari knowledge continues to be shared and applied, strengthening care for Country and supporting future generations.
Dr Doc Reynolds Director
David Collard, also known as Wardong, is a Wadjuk/Ballardong Nyungar man from the south-west of Western Australia, with a deep connection to Country and culture. He has worked across government, community and land management, supporting Aboriginal people to take up opportunities arising from native title and strengthening their role in caring for Country.
David continues to focus on sharing knowledge, supporting community, and bringing forward two-way learning approaches that strengthen both cultural and contemporary practice.
David Collard Director
Dr Jack Pascoe is a Yuin man living on Gadabanut Country, with a strong focus on caring for biocultural landscapes, where culture and ecology are deeply connected. His work brings together research and practice, supporting approaches that recognise Aboriginal knowledge as central to caring for Country.
Through his leadership across research and advisory roles, Jack contributes to strengthening Aboriginal-led approaches to biodiversity and land management.