Principal: Vanessa Lee-Ah Mat
growing up with family and our culture
one focus, two passions
recognise when it is time to change direction
Getting into these roles was not easy. Like many others, I faced institutional racism, and that really tested my passion. However, I was determined not to let it hold me back. Whether through initiatives like "Closing the Gap" or "Close the Gap" for First Nations Australians, as the only First Nations social epidemiologist at the time, I felt that I had a responsibility to try to make an impact. When COVID hit Sydney and life slowed down, I decided to publish my poetry collection, "Cockatoos in the Mangroves." In the hope it could inspire and uplift others. I bought a bunch of copies and gifted them to women of all races and backgrounds. Yes, it did put a dent in my finances, but my kids were all grown up.
Not long after, I found myself recognised as a cultural broker in the short animation "Darwin Story," which premiered in 2023. Working on that project opened my eyes to numerous creative ways to make a positive difference in the world.
My Dad’s Parkinson’s diagnosis had a significant impact on me, and as he was deteriorating, in 2019, I slowly began my consultancy. After caring for him from 2021 to his passing 18 months later, by 2023, I had moved entirely interstate and across to full-time consultancy.
I understand the importance of integrating our past experiences and education to create something meaningful. For me, this journey has involved bringing together my qualifications in public health and medicine with my passion for creativity, including completing a cert. iv in professional coaching while also exploring my artistic side through short courses in scriptwriting at AFTRS and a couple of theatre workshops. To round out my skills, I’ve completed a course in business advising.
Throughout this journey, I’ve been honored to receive two significant awards: the Australia Day Medal from the Thursday Island local government in 2005 and the Griffith Health First Nations Alumni Award from Griffith University in 2021. Each of these recognitions has been a reminder of the importance of our work and the impact we can have in our communities.
People often ask me, “Vanessa, how have you done this?”
I grew up in a creative family where dance, music, art, and traditional foods were the norm in our culture. This meant that time was not set aside to create dance or music, as there was always someone making a song, practicing dance, weaving costumes, preparing instruments, and rehearsing. It all happened naturally; I didn’t inherit the dance and music gene. My creativity came out in other ways. As my grandmother would say, “Some people are good at some things, and some people are good at other things. We are all good at something. You have to find it and follow your heart. “ One thing that I do know that I am passionate about is sharing my cultural knowledge to connect cultures and create positive change.