Maureen Abbott is from a family of Indigenous artists and is a painter herself.  She created the painting/logo for NMC2021.  She is Co-Chair of NMC2021.

Maureen (Mpitjana in Western Aranda clan group; Nampijinpa in Lutitja clan group) is an Elder and Traditional Owner from Urana Land Trust west of Alice Springs (Mparntwe), and belongs to the clans from the west of Alice Springs in Central Australia.  She was born at Hermannsburg Mission (now known as Ntaria Community) in the 1950s, and was raised in Mparntwe with her six brothers - she has remained a resident of Mparntwe where she has raised her own family.  Maureen has worked in various NGOs and government departments and has been actively involved in Indigenous organisations.  She has served as a Board Member in several organisations (eg, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress [“Congress”], Aboriginal Legal Aid [now Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency], and Aboriginal Housing NT [AHNT]).  She has also worked as a Family Consultant delivering mediation work at the Family Court of Australia, and with the Community Justice Centre where she managed an innovative Family Group Mediation Conferencing program in which complex multi-party family plans were developed and implemented for Indigenous families, that took into account important family and community relationships and cultural considerations.  Maureen is a NAATI accredited interpreter in Western Aranda language in which capacity she works for the ABC’s Multi-Lingua telephone service.

Maureen is an expert in Indigenous conflict management and has conducted mediation training for Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory and the APY Lands in South Australia.  She was involved in NMC2010 (Adelaide), and, since 2019, has been a Director of NMC Ltd and Co-Chair of NMC2021.

Veronica Perrule Dobson AM is an Eastern Arrernte Elder, often sought out for her expertise in language, culture and the environment.  Born in Alrtunga, Northern Territory, Veronica moved to Alice Springs at the age of 16 and her language skills led to her becoming the head of the Interpreting Service.  A strong advocate for teaching Aboriginal language and culture in schools, Veronica has taught countless children the Arrernte language.

Passionate about the environment, Veronica has worked with the CSIRO on numerous projects.  She is the author of Arelhe-Kenhe Merrethene: Arrernte Traditional Healing (2007), and co-author of a number of works.  She is co-author of the recently revised Eastern and Central Arrernte to English Dictionary (1994, revised 2019 and 2021), and of Anpernirrentye - Kin and Skin: Talking about Family in Arrente (2013).

In 2011, Veronica was awarded an Order of Australia for her work as a linguist, naturalist and ecologist.

Dr Patricia Miller was appointed to the Centre for Remote Health Board in 2008.

Patricia was born and raised in Alice Springs in a prominent local family, growing up on a cattle station until the age of 12 years. She is the former CEO of the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service, commencing as a filing clerk, and rising to the position of CEO, holding the position for 35 years until 2015. The Service provides legal aid for Centralian Aboriginal people.

In 2002, Dr Miller was appointed Deputy to the Administrator of the NT.  In this role she carried out a range of ceremonial duties on behalf of the Administrator in Central Australia. Dr Miller has made a significant contribution to Central Australia as member of a variety of committees, including Women’s Committee House, Central Australian Aboriginal Childcare Agency, Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association, Red Cross Alice Springs, and Chair of Imparja Television Board.  In 2004, she was named NT Australian of the Year.

Marlene was born in 1961 in Alice Springs and grew up at Amoonguna community, east of Alice Springs where she went to school.  Marlene is the daughter of Wenton Rubuntja the well-known painter and activist - it was her father who fought for the rights of people to settle in Town Camps in Alice Springs.  In the 1970’s her family, the Rubuntjas, along with the Ebatarinjas and the Lynches were the original families to settle Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp.  Marlene has been at Larapinta ever since and she is proud to call this place home.  She is sister to the important watercolour artist Mervyn Rubuntja.  Marlene learnt to sew at Yirara College in Alice Springs; however, she only began making soft sculptures at Yarrenyty Arltere in 2009.  She says she draws inspiration for her soft sculptures and her works on paper from what she sees around her in her daily life at Yarrenyty Arltere Town Camp.  She also draws inspiration from her father’s country and from her husband’s country at Wave Hill.

Kumali Riley is an Arrernte Elder from Alice Springs who has strong spiritual connections to the Land. She has many years experience teaching Arrernte Language in Alice Springs primary schools, as well as through adult education, and has contributed to language and picture dictionaries. 

Kumali is a recognised interpreter and translator, and provides guidance on Indigenous protocol, etiquette, and cultural awareness.