Our Board

“The Munarra Centre gives us another opportunity to practice our inherent rights by making sure that we are looking after both country and people, what we’ve done for thousands of years.” -Travis

Travis is a proud Yorta Yorta and Wamba Wamba man from the Goulburn-Murray region of Victoria/NSW and the chairperson of Munarra Limited.

He has been an active member of the Aboriginal community since 2001, having worked in Health, Cultural Heritage Management, Natural Resource Management, Education and Community Engagement at various local & state organisations and government. 

Travis is a board member of Boards of Management Inc., Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Rumbalara Football Netball Club, and Munarra Limited.

Travis is a member of the First Peoples Assembly of Victoria.

“We’re reconciling our history and designing our future as we go. The Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence is a way of walking towards our future. Having a vision is critical to be able to pull us out of the crisis elements of our community.” - Paul

Paul is a proud Yorta Yorta man based in Shepparton. Building with his community on the foundations set by his elders such as renowned Yorta Yorta leaders Sir Doug Nicholls and William Cooper OAM, Paul’s leadership contributions are across sectors including social welfare, health, sport, education, economic and regional development.

Paul is the founding chair of the Kaiela Institute, First Nations Advantage Credit Union, First Nation Foundation, Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), and the AFL Indigenous Advisory Committee. Paul was the first Aboriginal person elected to University of Melbourne Council.

In 2024, Paul received the Order of Australia for service to the Indigenous community in the areas of sport, education, health, and employment.

Paul is dedicated to the vision of building a sustainable, inclusive and engaged community, one that secures a prosperous future for First Peoples.

“Clubs like Rumbalara Football Netball Club play a vital role in building knowledge and nurturing resilient, connected Indigenous communities. By embracing Indigenous culture while breaking down barriers, clubs like Rumba are paving the way for a more inclusive future region for all Australians.” - Josh

Josh is a proud Yorta Yorta man and is President of the Rumbalara Football Netball Club – an Aboriginal led sporting club located in Shepparton, Victoria.

Janice is a Yorta Yorta, Waddi Waddi and Ngarrindjeri woman who has worked across a range of Aboriginal community sectors.

As an academic, she holds a Master’s in Public Health. Janice has built her career in higher education working on a variety of community research projects that include strengthening service provision in Aboriginal community-controlled organisations. She has recently retired but remains engaged in community projects and activities. 

Janice is currently a board member of the Njernda Aboriginal Corporation, Munarra Limited, Kaiela Institute, and the Traditional Owner Land Management Board for the Barmah Forest.

Janice is also a practising artist and cultural knowledge holder. 

Lyn is the Deputy Academic Registrar (Student Complaints and Grievances) at the University of Melbourne and has Commerce and CPA qualifications plus substantial experience as a senior executive particularly in commercial and general management. Lyn is a member of the University’s RESPECT Committee and has experience as a Company Director in both Not for Profit Organisations and small business.  Lyn is committed to supporting the work of our indigenous leaders and communities.

 Lyn’s previous executive roles have been in large corporate organisations and prior to that professional service firms where she led and managed big teams. She has experience in delivering significant change and organisational projects across multiple jurisdictions, and brings highly developed skills in strategic planning, leadership, communication and change management.

Larissa McLean Davies is Deputy Dean and Professor of Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne.  Larissa's research spans the fields of teacher education and professional learning, and literacy and English education. Her scholarship is concerned with the ways in which teacher knowledge is built and developed, particularly in the context of justice, anti-colonial, and sustainability imperatives. Larissa is known for her strong partnerships with governments and not-for-profit organisations which are mobilised to support large-scale projects to improve educational outcomes for diverse learners.  Since 2019, Larissa has co-directed the Literary Education Lab https://literaryeducationlab.org/, which hosts a range of interdisciplinary projects focusing on the role literature plays in shaping national and global narratives and building new disciplinary and pedagogical understandings of major social and environmental challenges.