Noongar woman Krista Dunstan and Yamatji woman Donna Bridge have been awarded scholarships to the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School.
The international business school scholarships, awarded by the Chief Executive Women in partnership with the Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Foundation, recognise outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women leaders in management positions.
Krista and Donna will participate in high-level professional development programs at the leading American business school later this year.
Krista, who works as a Principal Policy Officer at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage will attend the Emerging Leaders program, while Donna, who is the Principal of Fitzroy Valley District High School, will attend the Creating Collaborative Solutions: Innovations in Governance program.
Chief Executive Women (CEW) is the pre-eminent organisation representing more than 550 of Australia’s most senior women from the corporate, public, academic and not-for-profit sectors. Through advocacy, targeted programs and scholarships, CEW works to remove the barriers to women’s progression and ensure equal opportunity for prosperity.
For more information on the scholarships, visit https://www.cew.org.au and https://www.robertasykesfoundation.com
As stated by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt:
“As we celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal people during NAIDOC Week, I am delighted and proud to extend my congratulations to Krista and Donna for their success in being awarded these CEW scholarships.
“These are two talented and inspirational Western Australian Aboriginal women who are at pivotal stages in their careers.
“Both are regarded in their areas of work for their professional contribution to helping build a positive future for their cultural communities.
“Krista’s work on Native Title policies and the State’s Aboriginal Lands Trust Estate is very much recognised within my portfolio.
“I wish them both all the best as they embark on this outstanding development opportunity.”
As stated by Education and Training Minister Sue Ellery:
“It’s a great pleasure to acknowledge the achievements of two outstanding local recipients of these CEW scholarship awards.
“Donna’s role as a high school principal in the State’s far north has seen her make a great difference to the local Fitzroy community. Donna has spent her professional career improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal students in remote and regional areas.
“This is a significant professional opportunity that will have far reaching benefits for not only the recipients themselves but also the wider community.”
