Our team

Robin is a professional non-executive director who has served on six ASX-listed boards, a number of Federal Government boards and not-for-profit organisations.  Robin was with PricewaterhouseCoopers for over 28 years where she was an audit and risk partner.  From an industry perspective, Robin brings expertise in areas such as financial services, technology and retail.

Robin mentors university students, company directors and has previously mentored high school students.  She has served on the boards of the Public Education Foundation and Primary Ethics and believes strongly in the power of education to unlock potential and to create opportunities that can be transformative.  Robin identifies strongly with the purpose and mission of Yalari and greatly admires the success and longevity of Yalari’s work.

Gomeroi

Kyol graduated from The Scots College in Sydney in 2011 as a Yalari Scholar. He continued his education at The University of Sydney while residing at St Andrew’s College. While at university, Kyol held the role of Indigenous Office Bearer and Councillor for two years in the Student Representative Council before being elected as its President. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Primary Education and has been a teacher and educator since. 

In addition to sitting on the Board of Yalari and Chairing Yalari’s Alumni Council, Kyol also serves as a  Board Director for the Midjuburi Youth Resource Centre in Sydney which provides educational and development services to youth within the community. 

Gomeroi

Ebonie is a creative professional and business owner with extensive experience in the agricultural and livestock industries. She holds a Bachelor of Visual Communications (Graphic Design) from the University of Technology Sydney, and is the founder of Eight Pointer Creative Agency, which specialises in graphic design, branding, videography, and photography for the agricultural sector.

A proud former Yalari student, Ebonie graduated from Calrossy Anglican School in Tamworth in 2011. Honoured to have come full
circle from student to director, she is deeply committed to giving back to Yalari. Ebonie strives to be a role model and mentor to both students and alumni and is dedicated to helping shape the next generation of Indigenous leaders.

Charlie has been a teacher and educator for over 40 years. He held numerous leadership roles throughout his educational career, the last being Vice Principal of Geelong Grammar School where he was responsible for the development and implementation of Positive Education. In 2018 the Australian Boarding Schools Association presented Charlie with the Premier Leadership Award for his achievements in education, in particular for his many initiatives in re-thinking educational philosophy and community wellbeing.

Having worked in leadership at one of Yalari’s partner schools, Charlie brings a unique perspective to the Yalari board. He is a
passionate advocate for students’ educational aspirations and how Yalari’s partner schools can help bring this to life.

John has a wealth of asset management experience, having spent more than 24 years in a variety of roles within the industry.  

John is Head of Australian Small Caps at Jeffries (Australia) and formerly Founder of Avoca Investment Management.   

John has worked in a broad range of roles within the industry including equity analysis, trading and sales at various financial institutions including UBS, Credit Suisse First Boston, Maple-Brown Abbott, Bankers Trust Australia and JP Morgan Private. 

John has been involved with Yalari for over a decade and in addition to sitting on the Board, is the Chair of the Yalari NSW Regional Council. 

Belinda is a professional non-executive director with particular experience in financial services and infrastructure. She was first a corporate law Partner at Mallesons Stephen Jaques and then Deputy Chair of ASIC with leadership of its governance oversight program.  

She is passionate about facilitating good education for young people, and matching that with Yalari’s mission to advance the schooling and leadership skills of Indigenous children from the remotest parts of Australia, has given her a deep personal purpose. She received a Menzies scholarship to Cambridge at the start of her career and sees her engagement with Yalari as part of her obligation to pay it forward. 

Alongside her husband Waverley, Llew has been a passionate force of nature in leading Yalari since its very beginning.  As the Managing Director of Yalari, Llew leads with clear focus, responsible for all student and alumni programs and operations.  Llew is an all-rounder leader, from leveraging on her past counselling experiences to curating the vitally important wrap-around support for our students through their secondary school years to running a care-focused and needs-driven organisation that puts our students, alumni and supporters at the centre of Yalari.   

With Llew’s deep knowledge and trust working with our Indigenous students, alumni and their families, she ensures that all aspects of running Yalari are sensitively considered, where Indigenous children are nurtured and supported to thrive within some of the best schools throughout Australia.  Having now spent half of her working life with Yalari, when she is not at her desk, you will find her working through the stock required for an upcoming camp or talking to an alumni over the phone about their latest achievements, challenges and adventures in life. 

Birri Gubba/Barunggam

As the Founding Director of Yalari, Waverley knows about the power of education.  As a young man, he was given the opportunity to attend Toowoomba Grammar School for his secondary school education, and it was this opportunity that started him on the Yalari journey.  

He has a passion for education and the empowerment of Indigenous children and has worked tirelessly to bring his vision to a reality. His role within Yalari includes responsibility for student selection, leadership and student development programs and external relations. 

Waverley is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and the recipient of a prestigious Churchill Fellowship for 2013. Waverley is a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia (General Division) for ’significant service to the Indigenous community through support for education’. 

Bruce is Executive Director of Davidson, a national company specialising in workplace performance for public and private sector organisations. Davidson provides business advisory, technology consulting and recruitment services.

Bruce has diverse experiences including as a Partner in a commercial law firm, CEO, Director and Chair of a range of entities, and advisor to a broad range of organisations across Australia.

In addition to his board role at Yalari, Bruce enjoys mentoring alumni, assisting with Yalari camps and spending time with the Yalari mob.