Meet the Members and Engagement Team
Jidah Clark
Jidah is a Djab Wurrung man also with Kirrae Wurrung, Peek Wurrung, Boon Wurrung, Wemba Wemba, Taungurung and Palawa ancestry.
Jidah is a lawyer with strong policy expertise, having worked for over a decade across the private, public and community sectors. His professional experience crosses commercial litigation, official inquiries, human rights, systemic and organisational change, youth justice, child protection, community development, and business.
Jidah has made significant contributions to social and transitional justice and brings strong cross-cultural understanding, a breadth of leadership skills and a proven track record of successful project management and strategic policy advice to the Treaty Authority. Jidah is also dedicated to First Peoples’ cultural resurgence.
Dr Petah Atkinson
Petah is a Yorta Yorta woman with strong family connections to Wurundjeri, Taungurung and Waywurru people.
Petah has an extensive background in the Aboriginal health sector. She has worked for more than 25 years in the Aboriginal health sector, including leadership roles in Aboriginal Community Control Health Organisations. From 2015-2023, Petah worked in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University, where she taught health professionals, students and educators about ways they can work meaningfully with Aboriginal people.
Petah has a PhD in medical education, specialising in Aboriginal health. Her research is situated within an Indigenous Research Paradigm and Indigenous Standpoint Theory.
Importantly, Petah brings highly valued expertise from her cultural safety work in academia and on-the-ground experience working with community to the Treaty Authority.
Thelma Austin
Thelma is Djab Wurrung, Kirrae Wurrung, Gunditjmara woman from Framlingham in Victoria’s south-west who has long dedicated herself to the advancement of First Nations peoples through a series of roles across community, government, not-for-profit and the private sector.
Thelma’s work over 25 years is broad. She has experience as a cultural advisor and manager in Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations, Government and the corporate sector. She has a strong commitment to cultural integrity and understanding of cultural nuance.
Andrew Morgan Jackomos
Andrew is a proud Yorta Yorta man, with direct heritage to the Gunditjmara, Taungurung and Boandik nations. He is also proud of his heritage from the Greek Island of Kastellorizo.
Andrew’s career showcases his unwavering commitment to self-determination and empowerment. Andrew has an extensive and rich history of serving the community, championing fairness, and driving self-determination initiatives. From the late 1970s, Andrew has worked across the Commonwealth and Victorian governments, leading First People’s community development and social justice policies and programs, driving self-determination through partnerships and community development.
From 1999 to 2013 Andrew led the development and implementation of three iterations of the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement. He became the inaugural Victorian Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People in 2013 where he led Taskforce 1000, a landmark review into the impact of the child protection system on Aboriginal children and young people.
In 2018 as the Special Adviser on Aboriginal Self-Determination to the Victorian Government, Andrew led the development of the Guiding Principles on Self-Determination for the state. In 2019, he led Aboriginal Economic Development initiatives with the Victorian Government. In 2022, Andrew was an executive officer with Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games leading First Nations initiatives.
In recognition of his work in the field of social justice Andrew in 2006 received the Public Service Medal and was acknowledged by the Institute of Public Administration Australia as a Victorian Fellow and a National Fellow in 2013.
Duean White
Duean is a Biripi woman (NSW) and former consultant who has worked across the corporate, government, not-for-profit and community-controlled sectors. Her legal, commercial and dispute resolution expertise will be invaluable to the Treaty Authority. She has a law degree and postgraduate qualifications in business management (MBA), leadership and coaching, and career development.
Duean is an experienced facilitator, trainer and nationally accredited mediator. Before joining the Treaty Authority, she was a panel mediator with the Victorian Small Business Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality and the Native Title list of the Federal Court, and a member of the Review Panel for the Victorian Stolen Generations Reparations Fund and various government and community boards.
Duean is excited about the potential for Treaty to deliver meaningful impact across multiple areas including in Aboriginal economic advancement.
Engagement team
Murrie Kemp
Manager, Community Engagement
Mafi Kailahi
Community Engagement Officer