Biography
Dr Bronwyn Fredericks is a Murri woman from South-East Queensland, Australia. She is a National Heath and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (Indigenous Health) with the International Public Health Unit in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. Dr Fredericks is additionally a Visiting Fellow with the Indigenous Studies Research Network, Queensland University of Technology and a Research Fellow with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO). VACCHO is the peak body organisation for some 24 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations (non-government sector) in the Australian State of Victoria. Bronwyn’s current research interests focus on the socio-psychological aspects of chronic disease, Indigenous women’s issues and research that privileges Indigenous knowledges, methodologies and worldviews. She has published across several disciplines and within academic and community sources. Bronwyn has worked in the health care and human service arena at Federal, State and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisation and Sector levels. She has undertaken roles as an educator, manager, chief executive officer, project officer, activist and change agent and has been actively engaged with Indigenous controlled, community based non-government organisations for over 25 years.

Statement
I am honoured that people think of me in such a way as to ask me to put my name forward for the 2010 ballot for the office of Nominations Committee member.
In 1993 I attended the World Indigenous Women’s Conference held in Christchurch, New Zealand. That was my first international Indigenous gathering and the first time I experienced what was possible when we as Indigenous peoples from many nations come together to share our knowledge, stories, cry a little and celebrate. I have attended many such gatherings since then held in Australia and in other parts of the world.
I attended my first NAISA meeting in Athens, Georgia and made the commitment at that time that I wanted to be part of NAISA and assist in its development. I gained a sense of the vision as it was shared and have seen it grow. I am firmly committed to us having a professional association and to contributing in ways that strengthens the association over time. I indeed look forward to many more gatherings where we can dialogue, share, rejoice and celebrate the successes of each other and of our nations.
I bring with me nearly 30 years of working with Australian Aboriginal community controlled organisations (also called NGOs) mostly in the health and human services areas. My experience is that of an employee, elected office bearer and advisor. For example, I was elected and served as chairperson of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health organisation for over 9 years and I am currently working as a Research Fellow with the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled health Organisation (VACCHO). VACCHO is the representative peak body for over 24 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations in the State of Victoria. These roles demonstrate my capacity to work with Indigenous elected boards and committees. I have also worked with institutional boards and committees, for example, I was also elected to the Research Advisory Committee of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and appointed to the National Indigenous Research Committee with the Australian Catholic University (ACU). I am aware in these circumstances what is required of me by institutions. I am able to draw on my experiences in working with committees and boards within Indigenous contexts to the work required of me by NAISA. I will strive to work in a way that is inclusive all the while maintaining the objects of the Association.