Daphne Yarram

Daphne Yarram – who lives with her family in Sale in Gippsland, Victoria – was awarded her Leadership Fellowship in 2006.

For more than 24 years, Daphne has championed the cause of the Victorian Indigenous community in voluntary, government and private sector roles.

She was the Chairperson for the ATSIC Binjirru Regional Council. In this role, she learnt that there is still a long way to go until unity is established within Australia for Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Other organisations Daphne has undertaken leadership and governance roles supported, helped establish and worked with are Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Victorian Aboriginal & Islander Education Incorporation, is a Respected Person on the Koorie Magistrates Court and Gippsland Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee, and the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum.

She also helped establish one of the first Indigenous family violence healing services – Yoowinna Wurnalung Healing Service – to support the communities of East Gippsland.

Daphne was a foundation member and elected to the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples Board for three terms, which has been developed over a number of years to be the representative body to support the voice and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia.

She is passionate about developing programs to support Indigenous children, young people and women build their self-esteem and confidence, and assist them in reclaiming, embracing, understanding and being proud of their cultural identity. Through her work and practice, she implements these principles on a daily basis.