I am a professor of marketing with maternal connections to the Kalkadoon, Thanakwithi and Bwgcolman Aboriginal peoples of Australia. I am a saltwater woman, and I carry many roles, as mother, wife, aunt, daughter, niece, and friend. These relationships shape the way I show up as a mentor.

I was the first Indigenous doctoral graduate from my regional university over 20 years ago, and I am currently the only Indigenous professor of marketing in Australia. I know first-hand the challenges, responsibilities, and possibilities that come with carving new paths. As co-founder and co-director of the University of the Sunshine Coast Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre and co-lead of the Education and Economies theme of the Indigenous Futures Centre, my work is about lighting the path and keeping the doors of opportunity open.

My mentoring is guided by EveryWhen—an Indigenous sense of time that is non-linear, expansive, and deeply relational. Everywhen brings past, present, and future into dialogue, offering continual reminders to dream big, act with courage, and imagine futures that are thriving and just.

As a mentor, I walk alongside academics, helping them navigate complex systems while staying true to their own values and aspirations. Mentoring, for me, is about creating a space for reflection, encouragement, and practical strategies, so that each person can define and pursue their own vision of success.