We acknowledge the many people who have contributed to IndigenousNCDs.
Tania Brown​​

Tania Brown is a proud Wonnarua Aboriginal woman, and a dedicated advocate and leader in Aboriginal health and community services.

With over 30 years of experience in Aboriginal Affairs, Tania is focused on systemic change and addressing the social and cultural determinants of health.

A strategic consultant with TWB Consultancy, Tania specialises in community engagement, cultural safety, and policy development. Tania works alongside organisations to deliver meaningful, strengths-based outcomes, with a strong focus on Aboriginal communities, and her approach is grounded in integrity, respect, and a commitment to amplifying community voices and driving sustainable change. As a key figure in the development of partnership agreements that include provisions for Indigenous intellectual property, Tania has been instrumental in fostering collaboration and building partnerships that respect and elevate Indigenous knowledge and rights. 
Summer May Finlay

Associate Professor Summer May Finlay (CSCA, BSSC, GC-EDHE, MPHA, PhD) has over 20 years of experience working in and with the tertiary sector, state and federal governments, and Indigenous organisations. Over the last 10 years, Finlay has established an extensive and unique research program in Indigenous health. Her program or research, with a focus on Indigenous health service delivery, policy and overcoming health disparities, is driving change. It encompasses young Aboriginal people, mixed methods health services research in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary care, and evaluations and women’s health, offering a fresh perspective on these critical areas. Finlay has extensive experience engaging with the state and the Australian governments on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing policies. Her contributions in Indigenous health have been recognized with three awards from the Public Health Association of Australia (Presidents Award 2017, Fellowship 2020 and President's Award 2021), and she was also the University of Wollongong Open Access Week Indigenous award winner in 2024.
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Finlay has extensive leadership experience. Her leadership roles include Chair of Thirilli (2025-current), Editor of the Australian New Zealand Journal of Public Health (2020-2025), and Co-Chair of the UOW Indigenous Research Strategy Committee (2024-current). She has also served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW Human Research Ethics Committee (2020-2025), Co-Chair of the World Federation of Public Health Associations Indigenous Working Group (2019-2023), and Vice President (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) of the Public Health Association of Australia (2017-2021). 
Katie Hunsberger

Katie Hunsberger (she/her) earned a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in Political Science at Elmhurst University followed by a master's degree in public policy at Loyola University Chicago, where her research was dedicated to Tribal policy in the United States. Katie has taken many courses abroad to further gain experience in cross-cultural communications. Her internship roles working for refugee and Indigenous non-profits has given her the opportunities to be an advocate for Native culture and peoples. She has spoken at several United Nations events such as the United Nations Civil Society Hearings and NGO CSW Women’s Forums, where she spoke on topics relating to Indigenous non-communicable diseases. Katie has worked closely with Native communities for 10 years on Turtle Island (United States). She has worked in public and private Portland school districts for Indigenous elementary, middle school, and high school students and has built summer camp curriculum based around Native teachings, traditional foods, and mindful meditation. At her tribe, she created a 35 page Foster Caregiver Handbook that was implemented through Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Tribal Council.
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            Katie joined the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board in September 2020 and served the 43 tribes in the Pacific Northwest area as the Behavioral Health Aide (BHA) Program Manager. She has incorporated her knowledge in working in direct services and school systems to provide opportunities and insight into the building of the BHA Education Program. She has contributed to the recruitment of over 75 Indigenous adult-learners, retention of BHAs throughout their 2-year educational journey, and works with the academic institutions to foster program sustainability. Katie is also in pursuit of her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Postsecondary Education at Portland State University. This degree has contributed to her knowledge of building successful educational programs designed for Indigenous students on Turtle Island. With an emphasis on trauma-informed care, relationality, and cultural connectedness, she hopes to work alongside other Native leaders in transforming educational spaces through restorative justice. 
​Kate Armstrong (B Med, DCH, MPH, FAFPHM, DrPH) is a Public Health Physician and non-Indigenous ally, working as a Medical Advisor with NACCHO (the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) in Australia. With a background in clinical and public health medicine, Kate has special interests in Aboriginal and Child Health, as well as Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the importance of an inclusive, rights-based, community development and life-course approach to the prevention and management of NCDs in resource poor settings. Kate’s DrPH (through Flinders University) focused on a Health Needs Assessment to better understand the challenges and burdens facing children and families living with Nephrotic Syndrome in Vietnam.
 
Kate lives on the lands of the Wallemedegal peoples of the Eora Nation, in Sydney Australia. Kate works in a voluntary capacity as the Founder & President of CLAN (Caring & Living As Neighbours – www.clanchildhealth.org), an NGO committed to equity for children living with chronic health conditions in resource poor settings. CLAN is formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (formerly UNDPI/NGO); in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC; a participant in the WHO’s Global Coordinating Mechanism (GCM) and Communities of Practices (CoP) on NCDs; a member of the WHO CSO; and the founding Secretariat of NCD Child and IndigenousNCDs. 

Acknowledgement of Country.

In the spirit of reconciliation and respect, IndigenousNCDs acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, skies and communities throughout Australia and honours the enduring connections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country, culture, kinship and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and recognise the strength, resilience and leadership of First Nations peoples across Australia and Indigenous peoples around the world.

As a global Indigenous-led organisation, IndigenousNCDs acknowledges the diversity, cultures, knowledge systems and rights of Indigenous peoples internationally and stands in solidarity with Indigenous communities worldwise in advancing self-determination, health equity and social justice.