Qualifications: Bachelor of Business (University of Technology Sydney), Graduate Certificate of Research and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Western Sydney University).

Melissa is a descendant of the Bundjalung People located in Northern NSW. Since August 2018, Melissa has been the Chief Executive Officer at Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, which is constituted under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) (the Act). Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies whose objects and functions are set out in the Act. Section 51 of the Act provides that Gandangara’s objectives are to improve, protect and foster the best interests of all Aboriginal persons within the Council’s area and other persons who are members of the Council.

Melissa oversees Gandangara’s controlled entities: Gandangara Health Services Limited - All Community Medical Practice, Gandangara Transport Services Limited - Patient and Community Transport and Marumali Limited, one of two health brokerage services in Australia.

Previously a Director at Western Sydney University, Melissa's Office won the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) Fons Trompenaars Award for best people management initiatives and strategies in the management of a diverse or multicultural workplace. Before this, Melissa held big-picture roles, including Industry Director for Telstra’s Media, Entertainment and Hospitality market within Enterprise and Government and Marketing and Market Research Roles at Optus Communications. Melissa is also a Director on the Board of Family Planning NSW.

Melissa believes that the best way to predict the future is to invent it while honouring the past and paying respect to the oldest living culture on this planet. Melissa’s ambition is to create a methodology that can engage, recognise, and value the unique history, place, and contributions of First Peoples as a core part of Australia’s nation-making in the 21st century.

Welcome to our website. We hope that, over the years to come, you visit us regularly, get to know us, engage with us and enjoy the benefits of all our many services. 

Even though we are an Aboriginal member-based organization, we are here to provide much needed support for everyone in our community, regardless of whether you’re Aboriginal or not. Please take the time to visit all the featured sections of our website to familiarise yourself with the many aspects of our professional health, transport and community services. We have created this website to make it as easy as possible for you to understand, access and book our services for yourself and your family, so please take advantage of them.

Also, if you are an Aboriginal person, who is currently not a Member of the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, we warmly encourage you to consider becoming one, to enjoy the many benefits of being a Member. 

If you need any more information about us and our services, or a personal explanation of what we offer and how we can help you, please feel free to visit us at our offices at 64 Macquarie Street, Liverpool, NSW 2170 or to call us on 02 9602 5280

We want everyone in our community to feel free to connect with us, to have a place where they belong and to thrive in their lives. Please come. We look forward to seeing you.