Our directors

The Gumala Trust Pty Ltd Board is comprised of six Directors. Three of these Directors are independent, with no material business or relation ties to the Beneficiaries of the Trust. The other three Directors are Traditional Owner Directors, one from each of the Bunjima, Yinhawangka and Nyiyaparli language groups.

GIPL Directors are appointed by the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) Board. The positions are advertised and the appointment process is run and governed by the GAC Board. The term of a Director is five years.

To learn more about our Directors, please view their profiles below:

 

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.

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.

Lisa joins the GIPL Board with over 25 years’ experience within the finance sector, and 16 years’ experience in Contracting and Procurement. Her prior experience as a Director includes her time on the Gumala Aboriginal Board, and she brings her experience in the development of RAP plans.

She holds a Certificate III in Financial Services and is currently completing her Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. She also holds a Diploma in Procurement and Contracting.

As an advocate for Indigenous empowerment, Lisa has a focus on investing in Gumala’s Beneficiaries to achieve self-determination.

Joining us as the new Banjima Director, Andrew brings his prior experience as a Director of both the Banjima Aboriginal Corporation and Gumala Aboriginal Corporation Boards. Andrew brings his experience advocating for Indigenous Memberships and engaging with external stakeholders on their behalf.

Andrew holds a Juris Doctor Degree from UWA, and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

With a background in law, Andrew sat on the reference group committee for the Indigenisation of the Juris Doctor project, and has an interest in applying his knowledge to the legal space surrounding Trusts. He is committed to growing GIPL’s Investment Portfolio to maximise the benefits for Gumala’s Membership.

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.

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