Michelle Steele

2018 Cohort

Pronouns: she/her

Michelle is working in partnership with the Indigenous health sector, and continuing work to empower women, especially those exiting prison.

Michelle is a Gomeroi woman born in Moree (New South Wales), who is dedicated to creating pathways to economic development and social equity. She has more than 13 years of public sector experience with the Indigenous Land Corporation, the Department of Finance, and as Assistant Secretary in the Department of Health, Canberra, ACT, Australia - Ngunnawal Country - where she worked within the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce. Michelle is currently the Chief First Nations Officer at the Paul Ramsay Foundation.

Leading the Australian Government’s COVID-19 response and vaccine implementation as it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities as well as rural and remote communities. Michelle believes in using strong networks and genuine co-creation strategies and she continues to influence positive and enhanced policy and program outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

“In the future I see Indigenous people and communities living a prosperous life full of choice, equity, and happiness, that builds opportunities for intergenerational wealth creation.”

Social change work

While originally focusing on Indigenous womens' exit from prison, Michelle enhanced her thinking from creating structures to encouraging more accountability for existing ones. She maintains her commitment to empowering all women to be change leaders and encourages this through influencing and creating networks in advancing community-level change. Using her learning from the AFSE program, Michelle actively demonstrates and promotes co-creation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and organisations, as well as respectfully contesting policies and programs.