Gina Milgate

Gina is a Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri Woman and uses her cultural values to guide her leadership approaches in policy design, delivery, and practice in the public service. As an esteemed member of the community and a committed advocate for the rights of First Nations Women in Australia, she promotes rights-based, strength-based, and place-based responses in her professional activities. She is passionate about creating learning spaces where the stories, rights, and knowledges of First Nations Women are the foundation for being, connecting, and creating with others.

She is a published author and editor, with a chapter on building empowering partnerships between schools and communities in the book published by Oxford University Press titled Learning and Teaching in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education, as well as editing the book titled, Two Way Teaching and Learning, toward culturally reflective and relevant education. Gina has shared her research and facilitated professional learning across Australia, as well as in New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, United States of America, and Italy on the topics of women on boards, organisational values and culture, school community partnerships, educational leadership, and wellbeing.

As a Public Servant, Gina has created safe and empowering spaces for her peers to reimagine how they feel, think, plan, deliver, and evaluate policy by using First Nations knowledges, stories, and processes. Her contribution to the public service was acknowledged in 2022 when she received the Department of Education Secretary’s Marrung Award for Professional Leadership. She received the UNE Alumni Achievement Award in 2014 for her practical contributions to education and wellbeing in Aboriginal communities across Australia.

Gina holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Diploma in Business Studies, and Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education, all from the University of New England. She is presently studying the topics of women and governance alongside peers across Australia.