Our directors

As a specialist Investment Adviser with a wealth of knowledge built up from over 27 years of industry involvement, Ian brings his experience in every investment cycle and skills in managing the external investment managers to maximize the returns while minimizing the risks for the short, medium and long-term benefit of all Gumala members.

He has managed the investment, banking and financial service operations for two banks, financial services and alternative wealth and asset management organizations.

Ian graduated from UWA and on entering the investment sector gained a post graduate Diploma of Financial Services. He is also licensed by ASIC as a Securities Dealer and Financial Planner.

As Chair of the GIPL Board, Ian is committed to helping GIPL embrace the diversity of views, inspire new thinking and to execute strategies that strengthen and grow GIPL. In addition to his investment expertise, Ian also specialises in strategy, finance, compliance and governance which helps the identification and augmentation of the right tools and capabilities to deliver holistic and consistent Member experiences across Gumala

Jeff has over 16 years’ experience as an Independent Director working with Native Title holders in Trust Fund investment, and social and commercial development. He has extensive experience working alongside Indigenous leadership, negotiating Native Title, development, industry and community outcomes.

He is a long-term member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a current Justice of the Peace. His prior roles include his time as a WA State Public servant and his work as a Local Government Councillor, with over 30 years spent in leadership positions. This includes his time as Chief Executive of the Kimberly Development Commission, during which he was awarded the Public Service Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his “Outstanding public service as a leader in the regional development in the Kimberley region of Western Australia”.

Jeff has spent over 40 years living in remote Northern WA, and he brings this wealth of regional and cultural understanding to his new role as Independent Director on the GIPL Board.

Yale comes to GIPL with extensive prior experience as a Director, including his time with Miriuwung Gajerong Community Foundation Trust, Boab Health and Kimberley Community Legal Services. He is also a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Bringing over 20 years' experience as an Accountant, Yale is a registered Certified Practicing Accountant and a Chartered Secretary, and holds a Masters in Commercial Law and a Bachelor of Business. He has spent over a decade living and working in remote communities across the North of Australia and he now works in the not-for-profit sector in education.

Outside of his Directorship, Yale has interests in aquaculture on the East Coast of Australia and is passionate about all things aquatic, including diving, fishing and surfing. He also enjoys coaching his children's' AFL and Cricket teams over the weekends.

Claire is a Nyiyaparli woman who was born in Marble Bar, where she spent her early childhood years.

She has worked in various types of industries throughout her life, including seven years in health, and has a ten-year serving with the police, where she achieved the rank of Senior Constance with the Queensland Police Service. She is currently working to provide support to Indigenous candidates who are seeking employment opportunities in the mining industry.

Claire has held various directorships for Aboriginal Corporations over the past 20 years, including her role in a non-for-profit organization that provides Health and Educational assistance to youth and elderly in the Pilbara. She brings this experience and passion to her role in Gumala Investments Pty Ltd, where she has been a Director since November 2019.

Ever since she was young, Claire has been passionate about using education and community development as effective ways to accelerate social change. She enjoys supporting the Nyiyaparli people through employment opportunities that make positive impacts on their lives and is motivated to get more community driven programs and projects started.

In her spare time, Claire enjoys spending time with her family.

Helen is a local from the Pilbara. She worked as a primary school teacher for several years and was one of the founding members of Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) when it was established following the successful negotiation of the Yandi Land Use Agreement (YLUA) in 1997. She became an inaugural Bunjima representative Director on the Board of GAC and worked hard to assist with the development of Gumala’s first office in Tom Price and the organisation of many community meetings, several of which took place on country. Her commitment to managing governance aligned with culture grew with the long journey she has been on in the last 20 years of working within the frameworks of committees and boards, including being an inaugural Director of IBN Corporation Pty Ltd when it was established in 2001.

Helen brings to the role as a GIPL Director, extensive mainstream knowledge and experience as well as cultural knowledge and sensitivity in working with the Yinhawangka, Nyiyaparli and Bunjima people and within the structures for which they came together to form and grow. She understands the challenges of managing trusts and believes in delivering appropriate and effective services in meeting the objects of the Foundation to alleviate the stress and poverty and to make a positive difference for the beneficiaries.

Roy Tommy (Pitithangu, meaning dry leaf) grew up on Mininer, Mount Vernon and Pingandy pastoral stations. His Yinhawangka name was given to him in traditional song by his grandmother, Maggie Bimba. His mother was the last fluent speaker of Yinhawangka, and in 1980 commenced recording the language, songs, stories, genealogy, birth and burial places, and the names of Yinhawangka lands.

He was a Yinhawangka representative on the YLUA negotiating team, one of the founding 25 members of Gumala Aboriginal Corporation, one of its inaugural Governing Committee members, and has served on the boards of Gumala Aboriginal Corporation and Gumala Enterprises Pty Ltd on a number of occasions.

Pitithangu is currently working on a project for the preservation of Yinhawangka with assistance from Wangka Maya Language Centre, IBN Corporation, the Yinhawangka Trust and the Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity.