Colleen Hayward

Professor Colleen Hayward joined Edith Cowan University (ECU) in 2009 as Head of Kurongkurl Katitjin, ECU's Centre for Indigenous Education and Research. In addition to this role, in 2012 she became Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Equity and Indigenous). Prior to joining ECU, Colleen was Manager of the Kulunga Research Network at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. Colleen is a senior Noongar woman with extensive family links throughout the south-west of Western Australia. For more than 30 years, Colleen has provided significant input to policies and programs on a wide range of issues, reflecting the needs of minority groups at community, state and national levels. She has an extensive background in a range of areas including health, education, training, employment, housing, child protection and law and justice, as well as significant experience in policy and management. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Applied Science in Aboriginal Community Management and Development and a Post Graduate Certificate in Cross Sector Partnerships from Cambridge University. Among her achievements, Colleen has been recognised for her long-standing work for and on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia by being named a finalist in the 2008 national Deadly Awards in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and by winning the 2008 National NAIDOC Aboriginal Person of the Year Award. Colleen is also a recipient (2006) of the Premier of WA's prestigious Multicultural Ambassador's Award for advancing human rights and anti-racism in the community, was inducted to the WA Women's Hall of Fame in 2012, and is the 2009 inductee into the WA Department of Education's Hall of Fame for Achievement in Aboriginal Education. In 2011, she completed her term as a foundation member of the inaugural Board of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.