About Us

Kat is a descendant of the Mer and Mua peoples of the Torres Strait Islands and of German and Scottish heritage. She has built a diverse career across Australia and the United Kingdom, gaining experience in multinational, government and tertiary institutions in Sydney, London and Edinburgh. Her professional background includes roles with leading public and private sector organisations such as ABN AMRO, the City of Sydney, UNSW and the University of Melbourne in Australia, and EY, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, The Pensions Regulator and the City of Edinburgh Council in the UK.

Today, Kat is an Indigenous entrepreneur specialising in Indigenous business development, governance and investment. She has designed and delivered some of Australia’s most innovative leadership development programs and public-impact initiatives for First Nations peoples and People of Colour. Her work includes the Indigenous Executive Leaders Program at AGSM and Political Candidate Training for Women of Colour at Pathways to Politics for Women.

Kat has an extensive record of service across the gender equity, Indigenous and business development sectors. She has volunteered with UN Women Australia, served as a Board Director for Women for Election, the Indigenous People’s Organisation Australia, and Bankstown Women’s Health Centre, and currently sits on the Inaugural Advisory Council for the Wiyi Yani U Thangani First Nations Gender Justice Institute. She also serves as Indigenous Advisor to Women & Leadership Australia and Generation Women.

Marie is a proud Dunghutti and Gamilaroi woman, a mother of 5 Grandmother of 10.  

Marie is CEO of Koori Kulcha Experience which provides Indigenous catering, cross-cultural training, team building workshops and Indigenous tourism. 

She is also Managing Director of Koori Kulcha Aboriginal Corporation, which runs Community Development Programs and is fully funded by Koori Kulcha Experience. 

Marie has several decades of experience working in NSW local and state government organisations.  

She is a Director of Illawarra Wingecarribee Aboriginal Alliance, a Director of Hume Coal Charity and lead negotiator for OCHRE, the community focused plan of the NSW Government.  Her passions include fighting homelessness and empowering marginalised women.

During COVID, Koori Kulcha provided over 500 pro-bono meals per week to Indigenous communities in the Illawarra Wingecarribee region of NSW and Western Sydney.