Dr. Bianca Beetson is a proud Kabi Kabi, Wiradjuri, and Ngemba woman. In 2023, she was appointed Executive Director of First Nations at the Queensland Museum. Before this, she held key roles at Griffith University as the Director and Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Research and Contemporary Indigenous Australian Art. Dr. Beetson has also served as the Kabi Kabi Cultural Heritage Coordinator, a Native Title Claim Applicant, and worked with Brisbane City Council as an Indigenous Community Development Officer and Arts Project Officer. With over 29 years of experience as a practicing artist, she works across diverse media including painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, photography, fibre arts, and public art.

In 2018, Dr. Beetson earned a Doctor of Visual Art from the Queensland College of Art at Griffith University. From 2022 to 2024, she was a member of the Interim Truth and Treaty Body in Queensland, where she co-designed the ‘Path to Treaty Bill 2023, and a former member of the Arts Queensland First Nations Arts and Cultures Advisory Panel.Her current roles include serving on the Board of Trustees for the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art and its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel. She is also the Chair of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, and a recently appointed as a committee member of the National Advisory Committee for Indigenous Repatriation

Associate Professor Francis Bobongie-Harris is a 3rd generation Australian South Sea Islander with family connections back to Malaita in the Solomon Islands. Her family includes the Bobongie, Fewquandie, Fatnowna, and Mooney families from Mackay. She is an Academic Researcher with the School of Education, at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. She has 25 years experience as an educator and practitioner. She is passionate about maintaining her cultural and family connections across the Pacific through teaching and working with schools in New Zealand, Australia, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Recently, Francis was awarded $1.53 million dollars over 5 years (2025-2029) from the Australian Research Council to lead research that will focus on writing Ethical Guidelines and Framework for research in Australian South Sea Islander Communities, Strengthening Academic capacity amongst Australian South Sea Islander professionals and academics, and Community Led Approaches to develop a framework to teach Australian South Sea Islander history and culture as part of the Australian Curriculum.  

Sharelle Johnson is a proud second-generation Australian South Sea Islander. Her family’s roots trace back to Malaita in the Solomon Islands, where her grandparents and great-grandparents originated. Her parents are John and Doris Bobongie (née Motto). In 1975, Sharelle completed Enrolled Nurses training at Mackay Base Hospital. For the past fifty years, she has dedicated herself to working within the health system, retiring in 2022. Following retirement, Sharelle became actively involved as a volunteer with Mackay North Rotary. Her commitment to community service has included multiple visits to the Solomon Islands, specifically to the Western Province, where she participated in projects supporting various schools. Sharelle was honoured to serve as an ASSI Link Worker, during which 283 surveys were conducted to assess the health of our Australian South Sea Islander people. Since retiring, Sharelle continues to serve the community in various capacities. Additionally, Sharelle is a member of the Health Equity Advisory Group at Mackay Health Service, where she contribute to advancing health outcomes for her community.

David MacLaren is the son of migrants from Scotland. He grew up in Mackay, where as a boy, he established strong links with the Australian South Sea Islander community. He now lives on Yirrganydji Country north of Gimuy/Cairns with his wife Michelle Redman- MacLaren. David has undergraduate qualifications in medical laboratory science and postgraduate qualifications in Public Health and Medical Anthropology. David has lived and/or worked on Malaita, Solomon Islands since 1992, working with local communities and health service leaders to understand the complex interplay between biomedicine, health service provision and socio-cultural understandings of health to improve community health and environmental outcomes. David was privileged to be at the Australian South Sea Islander Recognition Ceremony at Queensland’s Parliament House in 2000 with Michelle and their oldest son. David has ongoing collaborations across a range of community health, cultural and environmental projects in Australia and the Pacific.

Robbie Mann is a proud Australian South Sea Islander and Darumbal man, coming from Rockhampton and Joskeleigh. Robbie is a strong supporter and advocate for his South Sea Islander community. Having strong eldership around him, Robbie is grounded in grass roots up bringing and guidance from his family and elders of his community. Robbie has been a resounding voice for his community on many platforms over the years, as well as a stronger support of community groups and initiatives. Robbie is also a musician and singer, having performed on many stages locally, nationally and internationally Robbie shares his story everywhere he goes.

Associate Professor Michelle Redman-MacLaren has Irish, Scottish and English ancestry and lives on Yirrganydji Country north of Gimuy/Cairns with her husband David MacLaren, who grew up in Mackay. Michelle and David have two adult sons.

Michelle grew up on a farm on Gomeroi Country, and then went to Uni in Brisbane where she met a lot of her Australian South Sea Islander friends. She has lived and worked on Malaita, Solomon Islands, PNG and Aotearoa New Zealand as well as in the Torres Strait Islands, Cape York and on Dunghutti Country, NSW. Michelle now works as a researcher using participatory, story-based methods.

Michelle is currently supporting research about community-led approaches to teaching the history of Australian South Sea Islanders and assisting higher degree research by Australian South Sea Islanders, including supervising PhD candidate Ms Zia Youse who is exploring ideas about identity with Australian South Sea Islanders. Michelle was privileged to be at the Recognition Ceremony at Queensland's Parliament House in 2000 and also attended the 25-year Recognition event this September.

At this conference, Michelle will co-present findings from the recent Lived Experiences study, conducted in partnership with Australian South Sea Islander communities and funded by the Queensland Government.

Uncle Gordon is a respected 2nd generation South Sea Islander. His paternal grandfather is from Buka Buka, Western Solomon Islands and maternal grandfather is from Malaita, Solomon Islands. Deeply rooted in serving community and culture, Uncle Gordon has dedicated much of his life to supporting and uplifting Australian South Sea Islander, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Mackay and beyond. He played a pivotal role as a link-worker on the PHN Health project in Mackay, helping to bridge cultural understanding and improve health outcomes for local communities. Uncle Gordon also serves as an Advisory Elder on the Queensland United Australian South Sea Islander Council (QUASSIC), where his wisdom continues to guide strategic and cultural initiatives. Known for his humility and commitment, Uncle Gordon enjoys doing what he can to strengthen and advance the well-being, recognition and cultural identity of Australian South Sea Islanders.

Dany Williams is a Senior Wo’nai (Carpet Snake) Man from the Dau’wai Kav’ai (Stringy bark and Native Bee) People of the Mary River watershed, with traditional family connections in the Eastern Torres Straits, Ambrym and Pentecost Islands.

Dany has spent his life working with Senior Elders and First Nations communities on the protection and care of Sites, Ancestral Remains, Secret Sacred Material and general Cultural Heritage. 

Dany has been involved with the Queensland Museum since the early 1990’s, working directly with the Ancestors and Restricted Material and the First Nations collection.

In 2020 he permanently joined the Museum as the Senior Manager, Repatriation and now heads up the Repatriation Unit, working to provenance, care for and return Ancestors, Secret Sacred Material and General Collection Material from the Museum and from collections within Australia and Overseas. 

Zia is a proud 3rd generation South Sea Islander raised in Mackay with strong family ties to Rockhampton. Her families are Quakawoot, Manaway, Williams, Vea Vea and Willie with ancestral ties to Buka Buka, Malaita, Malekula, Ambrym, Gaua and Lifou. Zia was a key researcher on the Multicultural Affairs Queensland-funded research project, investigating the lived experiences of Australian South Sea Islanders, in Queensland. Her work contributes to a growing body of knowledge that centres community voices to inform culturally-centred policy and practice. Currently undertaking a Doctor of Philosophy, Zia’s mixed methods research explores the complex factors that shape Australian South Sea Islander identity in Queensland. Her work is grounded in community, culture, and a deep commitment to intergenerational knowledge sharing. Outside of academia, Zia enjoys yarning with family and sharing culture with her four children, keeping their own stories alive, promoting identity and purpose for future generations.

Gigi is the founder of Instinct Organisational Development, a Queensland consultancy that partners with community and not-for-profit organisations to strengthen governance, leadership, and organisational capability in ways that honour and reflect culture and community.

 She has spent more than thirty  years working alongside diverse communities across Queensland, including Australian South Sea Islander, First Nations, Pasifika, and multicultural organisations.

 Gigi is currently partnering with QUASSIC on the Capacity Building Project, which focuses on strengthening leadership, governance, and community engagement across Australian South Sea Islander organisations, supporting community-led change that is culturally grounded, practical, and sustainable.

Aunty Sally Vea Vea is a respected Darumbal Elder and Custodian dedicated to preserving Darumbal culture and Country. She serves as an Elder of Darumbal Enterprises and the Darumbal Peoples Aboriginal Corporation (RNTBC).

As Chairperson of the Gawula Aboriginal Land Trust and the Capricorn Coast Indigenous Mob, Aunty Sally provides strong cultural leadership and community guidance. She is also a member of the Darumbal TUMRA Working Group, contributing to the protection of sea Country and the continuation of Darumbal traditions.

Raeleen Willie is a proud Australian South Sea Islander woman with ancestral ties to Ambae, Pentecost, Malaita, Ambrym, Gaua, and Lifou Islands. She is the daughter of Royce Willie and Leslie Gabey (née Leo) and comes from generations whose ancestors were blackbirded from Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.

With more than 37 years of experience across Australia and internationally, Raeleen has worked in both the public and private sectors. In 1994, while working in Canberra, she witnessed the federal recognition of Australian South Sea Islanders as a distinct cultural group—a moment that filled her with deep pride.

After 19 years with Services Australia, Raeleen became the Senior Community Engagement Officer (ASSI identified) with Multicultural Affairs Queensland in 2022. She is honoured to advocate for the Australian South Sea Islander community and strengthen connections across Queensland.