2024 Aurora Study Tour

We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Aurora Education Foundation through supporting their Study Tour to the United States. The 2024 Scholars are Banok Rind, Hannah McCleary, Isobella Rafty, Madelaine Sealey and Nicole Hutton. You can read more about them below.

Banok Rind is a proud Badimaya Yamatji woman from the Badimaya Barna, Mid-West, and Murchison region of Western Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing from RMIT University and has completed an Executive Education course in Leadership in the 21st Century: Chaos, Conflict, and Courage from the Harvard Kennedy Business School. Commencing her career in health as a Registered Nurse, Banok now works at the Productivity Commission as a Senior Policy Advisor, providing independent research and advice to the Government on economic, social, and environmental issues affecting all Australians. As part of the Study Tour, she will explore a Master in Public Health or a Master of Public Policy in the hope of further honing her skills and knowledge to better inform policies impacting Indigenous Australians.

Hannah McCleary is a proud Palawa woman of the Lutruwita Nation in Tasmania. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Laws from the University of Tasmania and is currently enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. Presently, she works as an Academic Coordinator at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, supporting young Indigenous Australian women pursuing an education in STEM. Hannah joins the Study Tour to explore postgraduate opportunities within the field of law and educational leadership. Her goal is to gain insight and knowledge to address issues of jurisprudence, legal ethics, social justice, the accessibility of the law and the value of educational leadership to support the next generation of young First Nations people.

Isobella Rafty is a proud Dunghutti woman from Wauchope, New South Wales. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Business Management from the University of Queensland and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University. Isobella works for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has recently completed a placement in Chile. Passionate about adopting culturally appropriate conflict resolution strategies and exploring advocacy for First Nations peoples through the lens of intersectionality, she joins the study tour to explore masters programs that will enable her to build the skills and knowledge to support Indigenous organisations to successfully navigate government institutions and processes to achieve their aspirations and community priorities.

Madelaine Sealey, a proud Wurundjeri woman from Canberra, holds a Master of Development Studies from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Journalism and International Studies from the University of Canberra. She works in the Indigenous Higher Education Unit at the Australian Catholic University and is passionate about education and advocacy for Indigenous Australians. She joins the Study Tour to explore opportunities for a Ph.D. in public policy and community development, focusing on Indigenous communities and regional development. Madelaine aims to make a positive impact on Indigenous communities by challenging prevailing government policies in Australia that perpetuate neoliberal and neocolonial discourses while acknowledging the historical experiences and systemic racism endured by Indigenous Australians.

Nicole Hutton is a proud woman of the Garawa people from east of Borroloola, Northern Territory. She is enrolled in her final year of a Bachelor of Screen Production and works as a content creator for the advocacy group GetUp! Nicole is passionate about supporting more Indigenous Australians to thrive in the storytelling, screenwriting, and filmmaking industry, as well as exploring how film and television can be used to promote First Nations peoples’ way of being, knowing, and doing. She joins the Study Tour to explore postgraduate study opportunities in film, storytelling, and advocacy, aiming to develop the practical skills and industry connections needed to contribute further to including First Nations’ perspectives in the film and television industry.