2025 First Nations Elders Wellbeing and First Nations One People, One Voice Disabiliy Care Conferences

Joedie Saunders, a local Biripi woman and artist, has been creating contemporary Aboriginal art for over 30 years. Her artworks deeply reflect her culture, stories of her country, and a range of emotions and feelings. Joedie is passionate about sharing her art and loves seeing the connections others make with her creations.

As a proud Biripi woman, she draw strength from her roots – a lineage of resilient mountain women, the Wimara, known for their strength and wisdom. Joedie worked tirelessly in juvenile justice and child protection, confronting the harsh realities of sexual abuse in remote communities.Transitioning into cultural heritage conservation, she spent years advocating for our land and traditions, eventually becoming the first woman CEO of the Land Council in Taree. Currently, she works as Manager of Community Engagement & Investment at the Department of Premier & Cabinet and felt privileged to continue the work of her late brother, advocating for the revival and preservation of Aboriginal languages statewide. It's a tribute to his legacy and our shared dream of cultural preservation. Joedie stated, 'In everything I do, I pay homage to my family, my community, our culture, and our land. Together, let's walk forward, honoring the past and shaping a brighter future'. Joedie is a mother of two beautiful boys.

Aunty Erica Eurell is a Traditional Custodian from the Yugambeh Language Region of the Gold Coast, with ancestral ties to the Aboriginal people of Wollumbin (Mount Warning). Her work is deeply rooted in cultural connection, community engagement, and the transmission of knowledge.

With a strong passion for fostering understanding and respect for Aboriginal culture, Aunty Erica actively supports the growth of Indigenous artists and craftspeople. Her practice spans weaving, painting, language revival, and performance-based projects—each serving as a conduit for cultural exchange and empowerment.

Through these creative and community-led initiatives, she has cultivated a deep understanding of cultural protocols and the evolving needs of Indigenous youth. Her commitment to cultural continuity and intergenerational learning informs her ongoing contributions to community development and business growth.

Sophia Eurell is a 18-year-old Traditional Custodian from the Yugambeh region, descended from the Tweed River people and Wollumbin. A proud cultural ambassador, she has sung in Yugambeh language since age 8 as a leading member of the Yugambeh Youth Choir. Sophia has performed Welcome to Country ceremonies at major events, including the 2018 Commonwealth Games and with the Wallabies Rugby Union Team.

She graduated from Keebra Park High School as Indigenous School Captain, Valedictorian, and top student in English, Law, and Geography. Sophia is now enrolled at the University of Queensland to study criminal law, while working as a youth trainer at the Preston Campbell Café in Dreamworld—mentoring the next generation of Indigenous leaders.

Uncle Thomas Callaghan is a proud Koori man and descendant hailed from Biripi country (Taree) and Kempsey Dunghutti country in New South Wales. He grew up on Old Burnt Bridge Aboriginal Mission, just 8km west of Kempsey NSW and until his late teenage years. As a young adult, Tom returned to his grandmother's and family home traditional of the Biripi people where he lived on Purfleet Aboriginal Mission just 9Km South of Taree NSW. Today, he is the oldest living grandchild of Thomas Benjamin Callaghan, late of Bellbrook West of Kempsey and grandmother, Cinderella Callaghan (Richie) late of Purfleet south of Taree NSW. Over the years, Thomas established Aboriginal Medical Services, owned varied business enterprises, worked as professional fisherman, professional motorbike racer, Prime Minister Keating's team member and worked at UNHCR setting up refugee settlement camps across the Africas and the Middle East.

Maria Callaghan is a nurse-midwife and a proud descendant of the Bol-anon tribe from her mother’s side and the mountain-dwelling Higaonon tribe from her father’s heritage. She completed her Australian Migration Law degree at Australian Catholic University. With over three centuries of Spanish rule and occupation of the Philippines, Maria knows too well the long-term effect of colonization the most devastating consequences for her people were the loss of cultural identity as her ancestors were chronically stripped of their unique traditions and languages from forced assimilation, coercion into adopting Spanish culture, Catholicism and cultural suppression that led to significant disconnect with their ancestral roots. The encomienda system, which granted Spanish colonizers control over Indigenous labour subjected her ancestors to brutal working conditions often without fair compensation and exploited their country's resources which continues to shape the social, economic, and cultural dynamics of the Philippines today. Maria has more than 20 years of experience in nursing and midwifery, health management, workforce development, event management, law and business. She’s passionate about building compassionate communities and has trained more than six hundred compassionate community connectors to date from Weipa in the Cape & Torres to Birtinya in Sunshine Coast where mobilised community connectors are making a difference and supporting families in communities one at a time. 

Dr. Amber R. Logan is a traditional Kahungunu Māori wahine, a New Zealand Health Psychologist and Doctoral Fellow in Public Health at Otago University. She teaches health psychology course work at the University of Auckland & Otago University and is well-known in New Zealand for her work in methamphetamine education and community activism. She is a consummate grant writer, health services evaluator and health services program designer. She has presented extensively in Australia, Canada, and the USA at Harvard University, the University of Washington, and to the US Federal Government.

Dr. Joseph B. Stone, PhD is an Anasaki-pikuni ceremonialist and traditionalist and member of the OKKAN (Sundance), the Last Star Thunder Medicine Pipe and Beaver Lodge. Dr. Stone works at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga – a Kaupapa Māori Health Provider; Awhina Whanu Family Services, and the Napier Family Centre all located in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. He has clinical experience with adult prisoners & corrections and juvenile justice in both New Zealand and USA. He is affiliated with the National Centre on Trauma and Project Making Medicine – Indian Health Service Assessment and Treatment of Child Abuse at Oklahoma State University. He has presented to, and served as consultant to, the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs of Native Youth Suicide. Dr. Stone’s publications include articles on trauma, suicide, and other cultural & behavioural issues.