judging panel:
Emily Woodward

Emily Woodward is a proud Kamilaroi woman from North-West New South Wales. 

Emily comes from a big family, her childhood spent with her many cousins visiting family on a farm where her Aunty and Uncle lived just outside of Gunnedah. Also visiting family in Breeza, a tiny town where her great grandparents grew up. Her family is trying to document and reconnect with their Gamilaraay heritage, looking to create a dictionary of Gamilaraay words. She was recently lucky to attend a ceremony at AIATSIS where a sacred carved Dhulu (tree) was returned to her family from Switzerland to make the long journey to Boggabri, New South Wales bringing a restoration of identity, knowledge and cultural strength.

Emily is the Chief Information Officer, leading the ICT, Data and Systems Branch at the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). Emily is an accomplished leader of Technology and Digital Services that drive business success, with a proven track record in the public sector and private consultancy. She has extensive knowledge of, and practical experience in, delivering technology projects for Federal Government agencies and providing strategic technical advice and direction in large, complex front line agencies.

At NIAA, Emily is focused on delivering the technical elements of the Remote Jobs and Economic Development Program, the New Remote Employment Services and supporting NIAA’s Grants Management systems. She also works to ensure NIAA’s data is managed, protected and accessible to NIAA to support evidence-based decision making.