Dr Jeanine Leane is a Wiradjuri woman from South West New South Wales. She is currently the Education Research Fellow at AIATSIS. She was born in Wagga Wagga and educated in Gundagai, Wagga Wagga, Armidale and Canberra. She has a BA in Literature and History from the University of New England, Armidale (1983) and a Graduate Diploma of Education from the University of Canberra (1984). She was awarded a PhD by the University of Technology, Sydney in 2011. Her thesis, The White Man's "Aborigine" considered the 'Aborigine' as a construct of white imagination, and follows the trajectory of Anglo-European representations in literature, with particular emphasis on prominent authors and how their fictional portraits influenced generations of non-Aboriginal learners via school curricula from the 1960s onward. Jeanine is also investigating Aboriginal authors and the way their works are being interpreted in educational settings. She has three unpublished manuscripts which were shortlisted for the David Unaipon award in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, winning the award in 2010. In 2009 her collection of poetry, Dark Secrets: After Dreaming (AD) 1887-1961 was published as a PressPress Chapbook. Her collection of poetry, Purple Threads, won the David Unaipon award in 2010 and was published by UQP in 2011.

Elizabeth Hodgson is a Wiradjuri woman, born in Wellington, New South Wales and the award winning poet of the collection Skin Painting.

After spending many years travelling Hodgson decided to make Wollongong, New South Wales her home. She has been officially welcomed into Wadi Wadi country and has explored her Aboriginality and spirituality in depth since moving there over a decade ago.

Elizabeth has contributed to the organising of the annual 'Celebrating the Voice' readings in Wollongong, which is now in its ninth year and is specific to Indigenous cultures including Canada and New Zealand.

Elizabeth is a facilitator, mentor and writer for the South Coast Writers' Centre Aboriginal Oral History Project.

Irene Howe is a single mother of Aboriginal, Islander, and European descent. She begun her tertiary education after she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Irene graduated from The University of Queensland, with a Bachelor of Arts with an extended Major in Archaeology/Anthropology in 2010, and is currently doing her Honours degree in Archaeology, with an interest in Heritage management.

Dr. Jackie Huggins, The University of Queensland
Sam Watson, The University of Queensland
Dr. Ernie Blackmore, University of Wollongong
Associate Professor Tracey Bunda, Flinders University of South Australia

Dr Anita Heiss is a novelist, poet, satirist and social commentator. She is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and lives in Sydney. Anita was a member of the Australian Society of Authors' Committee of Management from 1998-2004 and 2006-2009 and was Deputy Director of the Warawara Department of Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University from 2005-2006.

Her PhD was published as Dhuuluu-Yala [To Talk Straight]: Publishing Indigenous Literature (2003). Her other published words include the historical novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937, and the chicklit novels Not Meeting Mr. Right and Avoiding Mr. Right. Anita has been published internationally and has performed her work by invitation in Japan, China, New Zealand, Spain, Austria, Tahiti, New Caledonia, the UK, the USA and Canada.

Yvette Holt is a member of the Bidjara and Wakaman Nations of central and far north Queensland (Atherton Tablelands). She grew up in the Brisbane community of Inala, where her family have lived for more than forty years.

A graduate from the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Yvette has a degree in Adult Education & Community Management (Business). In 2003 Yvette received the UTS Human Rights Award in the category of Reconciliation for 'her outstanding contribution towards the elevation of social justice for Indigenous Australians.'

Yvette holds a keen interest in social justice and leadership and development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, she speaks nationally and internationally on family and domestic violence, mentors youth and homelessness and facilitates community workshops on writing and Indigenous Australian literature.

In 2005 Yvette won the David Unaipon Award (Queensland Premier's Literary Award) for an Unpublished Indigenous Australian Author. Her collection of poetry titled Anonymous Premonition was published by the University of Queensland Press in 2008.

Carolyn Moylan is a Nyungar woman, married with two children and seven grandchildren. Carolyn has seven sisters (one deceased) and two brothers (one deceased) and her extended family members are the Haywards and Jacksons from the Southwest and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia. In 2001 Carolyn returned to study and completed a Bachelor of Communications and Cultural Studies (Honours) at Curtin University of Technology. Carolyn has been employed since 1996 at Curtin University of Technology as the Coordinator of the Aboriginal Bridging Course (ABC) and the Indigenous Tertiary Access Course (ITEC). As well as co-ordinating these courses, she also co-ordinated the Associate Degree in Science and Technology and the Associate Degree in Aboriginal Art in 2000-2003. Carolyn has been a Senior Manager of the Aboriginal Management Committee at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies (CAS) for over ten years. In 2005 she was nominated by the CAS for a NAIDOC award and in 2006 she was awarded a one year DEST Scholarship to pursue her interests in writing a book.

Josie is a Nynoogar woman who is a descendent of the Baladong and Wileman groups of the south east region from Brookton and Pingelly. As a Nynoogar woman she occasionally assists in cultural workshops and cultural site visits.

Josie is currently an Associate Lecturer in the Aboriginal Bridging Course at Curtin University lecturing in Aboriginal studies, as well as tutoring for Aboriginal Bridging students.

Samantha Faulkner is a Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal woman, from Badu and Moa Islands in the Torres Strait and the Yadhaigana and Wuthuthi peoples of Cape York Peninsula. She has worked with a number of public service agencies and community controlled health and research organisations across Australia. She has represented women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander interests on a number of local, state and national boards. She is the author of Life B'long Ali Drummond : A Life in the Torres Strait, published in 2007 by Aboriginal Studies Press.

Yaritji Green is an emerging writer and is training to be a librarian. She completed Certificate III in Creative Writing at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education in Alice Springs in 2002. By 2006, she completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Creative Writing) at Flinders University of South Australia.

Yaritji has done volunteer work with the South Australian Writers' Centre from 2004-2005. In this same period, she also coordinated the South Australian Indigenous Writers and Storytellers group. While working for both the South Australian Writers' Centre and the South Australian Indigenous Writers and Storytellers group, Yaritji was the co-ordinator of the Inaugural National Indigenous Writers' Festival 2005.

Janine Dunleavy is a mother and grandmother of Koori and Irish Catholic descent. She began her tertiary education after her first grandchild was born and graduated from The University of Queensland with a BA in Anthropology in 2007. Janine has an MA Environment from Griffith University, majoring in Environmental Education. For the last three years she has taught Indigenous issues and pedagogy course to tertiary students studying the Bachelor of Education degree at The University of Queensland. Janine's research interests relate to exploring the historical narratives that underpin contemporary white Australia's environmental understandings and how these impact on Aboriginal people's ability to safeguard and engage with their own environmental heritage. Her professional and personal interests lie in promoting positive views of Aboriginal people, society and culture in the mainstream community.

Jake Milroy spent much of his childhood growing up in an environment that encouraged creative artistic expression. His family and immediate family, including Sally Morgan and her three children, have been influential throughout his life encouraging him to be a positive and supportive member of the Indigenous community. As the son of musician, director, Native Title activist and internationally recognised Indigenous playwright David Milroy, it is no surprise that Jake has an imperative from within that propels him into the milieu of Aboriginal culture. He is completing a BA in History and Political Science & International Relations, whilst being active on campus in events that share Aboriginal culture with others. The BlackWords project is another way of continuing his passion.