2025 First Nations Strong Women, Employment & Training, Business Enterprise Conferences

Trudy Hart serves as the Director of Business Solutions at Indigenous Business Australia, a role she commenced in 2023. Leading a team dedicated to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, she facilitates business workshops, access to resources, and commercial finance to support entrepreneurs in starting and growing their businesses.

Before joining Indigenous Business Australia, Hart held the position of Acting Deputy Under Treasurer at Queensland Treasury, where she was responsible for attracting and stimulating investment in priority industries. Prior to her move to Queensland in 2022, she held diverse leadership roles within the Victorian Government, overseeing commercial, economic, and budget functions at the Department of Treasury and Finance while also supporting health services across metropolitan, regional, and rural Victoria.

With over 20 years of experience as a senior government executive in the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, Hart has built and led multiple teams, developed strategic policies across commercial, budget, and social sectors, and implemented significant financial management reforms. With Central American heritage, she remains deeply committed to reducing inequality and increasing economic participation.

Ebony Henderson, a proud Palawa woman residing on Wurundjeri Country, is a strategic leader in Indigenous employment and workforce development. In her previous role as Director of Indigenous Research at Monash University, she built a pipeline of Indigenous academics and created employment pathways that drive long-term advancement within the university and in communities. Now serving as Associate Director of the Office of Indigenous Employment and Development at the University of Melbourne, she oversees daily operations, manages strategic initiatives, and represents OIED in key University-wide projects.

With over a decade of experience in higher education, Henderson has held key HR leadership roles, driving Indigenous employment, capability-building, and inclusive workplace strategies. She has led award-winning initiatives that break down barriers to Indigenous employment, earning recognition from the Australian HR Institute (AHRI).

Passionate about workforce equity and community-driven impact, she works to strengthen engagement between institutions and First Nations peoples, ensuring sustainable career opportunities and long-term development.

Julie Matricardi-Old, a proud Yorta Yorta woman and direct descendant of social justice advocate William Cooper, is deeply committed to continuing his lifelong work for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's rights in education and economic sustainability. Residing on Dja Dja Wurrung Country, she previously spent 10 years in the secondary education sector as a TAFE educator for VETDSS and an accredited Associate Careers Practitioner, managing career-based pathway programs.

As the manager of the Melbourne Indigenous Professional Employment Program (MIPEP), Julie brings extensive expertise in business, employability, and traineeship development. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the Australian Catholic University, she has also worked as an Indigenous Academic with Moondani Balluk at Victoria University, where she taught a core curriculum subject in Australian Humanities for the Diploma of Education, before transitioning to the University of Melbourne, where she landed her "dream job."

Charged with reviewing and revitalizing MIPEP as part of the University’s commitment to Indigenous employment through the Indigenous Strategy Murmuk Djerring, Julie has successfully increased participation by 200% and delivered a first-year retention outcome of 100%—a milestone in the program’s history. Dedicated to expanding Indigenous participation and eliminating barriers to success in Western workplaces, she has Indigenized recruitment practices and introduced culturally enriching wrap-around support services, establishing best practices in Indigenous professional employment.

Bernice Hookey’s family lineage traces back to the Waanyi people from the Lower Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland. She embodies courage despite the fear that occasionally arises. As a solo mother, aunty, sister, cousin, colleague, and friend, she is deeply passionate about challenging the status quo.

An accomplished Lead Facilitator for an Indigenous National Women’s Empowerment program via Tranby, Bernice is also the Founder of MZB Empowerment. She is widely recognized as a Changemaker, Difference Maker, and Cycle Breaker, as well as a published author, mentor, and multi-award winner. Her achievements include being a finalist for national and international awards that celebrate Indigenous Excellence and Leadership.

Bernice has overcome challenges related to disempowerment, feelings of unworthiness, and well-being depreciation, navigating limited opportunities and barriers to self-expression within cultural spaces. Through experiential learning, she has lived these realities firsthand and continues to thrive.

As both a participant and now a Fellow of a globally recognized top 10 leadership program, Bernice has developed invaluable leadership skills that have strengthened her confidence. These skills, combined with her grassroots-led leadership approach, drive her mission to advance generational equity. Above all, she remains a steadfast cheerleader for families and communities, inspiring those around her with her unwavering dedication and vision.

Jyi Lawton is a proud Bidjara man from Central West Queensland and the Chief Executive Officer of AEMEE, the leading industry body for Indigenous businesses in the resources and renewable energy sectors. Under his leadership, AEMEE drives sustainability, economic growth, and genuine Indigenous outcomes across these industries.

Bringing extensive experience from operational and senior leadership roles in both State and Federal Government, Jyi has a multidisciplinary academic background spanning Architectural Design, Law, Justice, and Business. His career has traversed various sectors, including serving as CEO of Triple A, an Indigenous community-controlled multimedia organization, and leading the National Indigenous Business program for Indigenous Business Australia.

Beyond his executive roles, Jyi has contributed significantly to Indigenous governance and advocacy, serving on the Boards of the National Indigenous Radio Service, ATSICHS Brisbane, and Karalumba. He is also the founding Chairperson of the Queensland First Nations Media Coalition and a Member of the Australian Institute of Corporate Governance.

Guided by a vision that economic development through Indigenous-led businesses can be a powerful catalyst for change, Jyi champions entrepreneurship as a pathway to sovereignty, opportunity, and lasting impact. His leadership reshapes business practices by embedding sustainability, equity, and Indigenous cultural knowledge at the core of economic systems—ensuring Indigenous voices are central to solutions that benefit all.