Our Team
We are an experienced, Aboriginal-led team dedicated to place-based change.
We value and advocate for our community and bring our collective years of experience and wisdom to the table to hold space for the community to meet their aspirations.
Wayne Miller
Chief Executive
Wayne is a proud Wirangu man from Ceduna, South Australia.
He is a respected Indigenous leader, policy advisor, and community advocate whose work is transforming lives across Far West South Australia and shaping policy at the highest levels of Australian government.
As Chief Executive of Far West Community Partnerships, Wayne brings decades of expertise in building meaningful partnerships between Indigenous communities and government, translating complex challenges into practical, sustainable solutions. His work spans Aboriginal reoffending, economic development, education, community development, socio-economic reform, and Indigenous empowerment - always guided by a fundamental belief that communities thrive through choice, not chance.
A multiple recipient of the South Australian Premier's Award for outstanding contributions to volunteering, community service, and improving the lives of Aboriginal people across South Australia, Wayne's impact is both recognised and enduring.
At the heart of everything Wayne does is a deep commitment to his family, his wife and three daughters - and to the next generation of Indigenous leaders. He is driven by a vision of empowered communities, where young people are equipped and inspired to lead.
Bianca Mitchell
Operations Manager
Samara Jaeger
Business Manager
Mica Sleep
Executive Assistant
Samara, originally from Streaky Bay, is the Business Manager at FWCP.
With nearly 20 years of experience in administration and business management across various sectors, she is committed to supporting her team and driving change in the Far West region.
Now living in Ceduna with her partner, Samara focuses on business improvement projects, strategic planning, financial management, and industrial relations.
She values collaboration and believes in empowering her team to foster innovation. Describing her role as supportive and behind the scenes, she aims to unite the team for regional progress while balancing her fun-loving personality with a strong work ethic.
Mica is an admin guru with a strong background in administration, finance and team management.
Maintaining a seamless and organised workflow is Mica’s strength - she keeps the wheels turning so that we can meet our organisational goals.
Mica has lived and worked in the Far West Region for the past 14 years with her young family. Together, they enjoy getting out in the community to explore our beautiful country and coastline.
'It is such a rewarding experience to be able to be a part of the future shaping of the region.
I would love to be an all-rounder support to the FWCP crew. I am definitely more of a behind the scenes type of person but you’ll always hear me cheering the loudest because validating and providing support for personal and professional growth is such a huge focus for me.' - Mica
Michele Jacobsen
Chief Operating Officer
Michelle Duregon
Project Officer -
Service Development
Bianca is a born and bred Ceduna/Smoky Bay local who spent a few years shuffling up and down the coast, from Yalata to Port Lincoln. 5 years ago, she followed her partner to Darwin and recently returned to Ceduna as a family of 4.
Bianca’s skillset is predominantly with case management and events, however her favourite skill is building relationships and values how important and transferrable that skill is. She believes that the people that she has met, the stories that she has heard and the places she has seen, is a true privilege.
Bianca comes to us as a solutions-based thinker, so if you are going to her with a problem, you can expect solutions for positive changes to be thrown your way!
‘I love that the organisation is led by community voice. I am so happy to be creating and implementing projects that the community have voiced the need for. Being a part of Joy, Hope, Future encourages me to promote positive change in all my contributions.’ Bianca
Coming soon.
Michelle is a local woman who has lived and spent all her life in Ceduna. As a child she was luck enough to travel with her family and learnt from a very young age that we live in a beautiful part of the world.
Michelle's career has been varied ranging from admin roles, small business manager, youth/family case worker, working with children and families in various settings and team management.
Michelle enjoys collaborating with others to achieve common goals from making someone's day that little bit brighter to bringing about bigger picture positive change.
Michelle values her time with family and friends, enjoys the outdoors and it is the simple things in life that brings to her the most is happiness.
Michelle is looking forward to gaining a deeper understanding of 'The Change Agenda' and is excited to be a part of an organisation that aspires to bring positive change that is community led.
'I believe that my colleagues past and present describe me as a team player, dedicated, helpful, good listener, values fun and laughter in the workplace. I like to think outside the box and explore new initiatives. - Michelle
Tracey Miller
Project Officer -
Community Development
Emma Burnett
Project Officer -
Impact Measurement
Stephanie Dudley
Engagement Officer
Tracey is a proud resident of South Australia's Far West Coast, having grown up in Ceduna and attended Crossways Lutheran School before boarding at Immanuel College in Adelaide.
She currently lives in Ceduna with her family and previously worked as a youth coordinator and mentor, a role she finds deeply fulfilling as she advocates for local youth and seeks empowerment opportunities within the community.
Tracey enjoys spending time with her family, sharing experiences like hunting and fishing, and is passionate about youth well-being and education.
Her colleagues see her as a balanced person who brings both humor and focus to work.
Excited to be part of the Far West Community Partnerships team, she looks forward to collaborating on grassroots strategies for community growth and advocating for future generations.
Beth Wallis
Administration Officer
Emma is a Kamilaroi woman from NSW. She was raised in Roxby Downs before moving to Adelaide to attend boarding school, followed by her Bachelor of Social Work at UniSA. Emma recently relocated to Ceduna with her husband, a born and bred local man, and their daughter. She now considers Ceduna to be home.
Emma comes to FWCP with 12 years experience in Child Protection. Emma worked tirelessly to try and prevent children from entering the system and for better outcomes however, she found there was little room for flexibility and creativity to create positive change.
Emma is a friendly and passionate team member, who doesn’t believe that pineapples belong on pizza and hates donuts!
‘Being a backbone organisation allows for so much more flexibility, freedom, and ability to help support community. I want to be a part of something that is truly community led and genuinely meets the needs of the Far West Community, so we can all be happy, healthy and wealthy.’ - Emma
Raylene Coleman
Community Navigator
Stephanie is a proud Wirangu/Kokatha/Mirning/
Adnyamathanha woman who has grown up most of her life in Ceduna and Port Lincoln, before settling at Koonibba with her partner and daughter.
Stephanie’s skillset is in administration and is excited to take on her new Community Engagement role and build her skills in all areas of work at FWCP, while also building on her strengths and learning to thrive in a workplace environment.
Stephanie is passionate about spending time with her family, being on country and travelling, she also loves supporting the community through sporting events.
‘I like how FWCP is community orientated and is striving to make the Far West Coast better. I am excited to be able to work in community to get feedback and voice what the community needs.’ - Stephanie
Cleo Sleep
Communications and Support Officer
Originally from Canberra, Beth relocated to Ceduna in 2015 to be with her partner, where they now reside together.
Beth has an extensive background in administrative roles, allowing her to leverage her skills and experience to support various initiatives effectively.
Her colleagues describe her as a dedicated and hardworking individual, which has contributed to her reputation for excellence. Known for her friendly demeanor and proactive approach, Beth consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that operations run smoothly.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Beth enjoys exploring the unique landscapes of Ceduna, from its stunning beaches to the breathtaking inland vistas.
She is always eager to learn and grow within her new environment.
Raylene grew up in the remote community of Coonana, Western Australia, and has frequently traveled between South Australia and Western Australia, currently residing in Ceduna.
Raylene's professional background is primarily in retail, having worked at the Community Store, where she served and assisted members of her community. In addition, she has experience working with children in an educational setting.
Raylene enjoys participating in community events, particularly local football games on weekends. She also values spending quality time with her family, engaging in camping trips and hunting activities.
Raylene is often described as quiet and is a remarkable achiever when it comes to supporting her community.
Raylene's perspective on the organisation and her desire to contribute to our goal of fostering a happy, healthy, and prosperous community, Raylene appreciates the Far West Community Partnership (FWCP) for its focus on community well-being.
Originally from Ceduna, over the past nine years Cleo has lived in Bali, Lombok, the USA, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Lisbon and Adelaide.
Cleo loves travelling, experiencing the world and connecting with different cultures. She is deeply passionate about holistic health, wellness and healing, and is happiest under the sunshine or in the ocean.
Dedicated to her own personal growth, Cleo strives to be the best version of herself for both her own wellbeing and the people around her. She is enthusiastic about living life to the fullest and supporting others to do the same. Staff often describe her as energetic, bubbly and zen.
Cleo is committed to contributing to a happy, healthy and thriving community. She believes in taking care of herself first so that this naturally flows into how she connects with others. She is passionate about providing health and wellbeing services to the community and continues to support the students she has worked with over the years.
Cleo also loves capturing and sharing special moments through photos, videos and storytelling as part of her social media and communications work. Showcasing these moments helps celebrate the community, strengthen connections and highlight the positive work happening across the Far West.
Our Board
Our Board members are made of up the CEO's/General Manager of the five Aboriginal Communities in the Far West Region: Ceduna, Koonibba, Scotdesco, Yalata and Oak Valley (Maralinga).
Corey McLennan
CEO, Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation
Robert Larking
CEO, Scotdesco Aboriginal Corporation
David White
CEO, Yalata Anangu Aboriginal Corporation
Corey has dedicated his life to service of his community.
He started his career at the Far West Aboriginal Progress Association, later becoming an Aboriginal Education Manager at Ceduna Public School. He is a former player and manager and longstanding supporter of the Koonibba Football Club.
Bobby has been living and working with aboriginal communities in the Far West Region for almost 30 years.
He has specialist qualifications in financial management, community services management, governance, training and assessment. He is also chair of several local community organisations and on the Far West Aboriginal Communities Leaders Group
Kerry Colbung
CEO, Ceduna Aboriginal Corporation
Kim Gregory
GM, Oak Valley (Maralinga) Aboriginal Corporation
A distinguished Aboriginal leader with more than four decades of experience driving transformative change across complex initiatives, Kerry has made a profound and enduring contribution to Indigenous communities. Recognised with the Queen’s Honour Medal in 2009 for her service, she has led high‑level strategic engagement, negotiation, and reform in Aboriginal service design, delivery, and community engagement.
Her career includes several historic firsts, including becoming the first Aboriginal woman elected to Local Government in South Australia and the first Aboriginal woman appointed as Chief Executive of an Aboriginal Statutory Land Holding Body in Australia. She has served on numerous senior government boards, including in the role of Chairperson.
Widely respected as a decisive and visionary change agent, Kerry is known for her ability to revitalise underperforming organisations and elevate them to high performance within short timeframes. Her leadership is characterised by integrity, strategic insight, and an unwavering commitment to advancing Aboriginal rights, outcomes and changing economic narratives.
Kim brings to FWCP a genuine connection to the Far West region of South Australia. Her home spans Port Broughton on the Yorke Peninsula, Ceduna on the Far West Coast, and Oak Valley community in the Maralinga Tjarutja Lands, and it is this lived understanding of regional and remote Australia that underpins everything she does.
Between 2014 and 2018, Kim worked across Yalata, Oak Valley and Koonibba delivering the Remote School Attendance Strategy, achieving successful program outcomes in all three communities. Mentoring local teams and building sustained partnerships with schools and agencies was at the heart of her approach, with consistency and relationships the foundation for that success. It was those same relationships that eventually drew her back to community. Kim went on to serve as the Director of Student Services at Uni Hub Spencer Golf, championing access to higher education for regional South Australians, before being appointed General Manager of Maralinga Tjarutja Incorporated and Oak Valley (Maralinga) Aboriginal Corporation in late 2023. She is humbled by the confidence the community placed in her and does not take for granted the privilege of representing the Maralinga Tjarutja lands, which cover over 11 per cent of South Australia's land mass.
Kim recently completed her Bachelor of Business with Flinders University, becoming the first in her family to graduate with a university degree. She was an Elected Member of the Barunga West Council and has a lifelong commitment to volunteering in her local community. She brings that same energy and dedication to her work with FWCP and the communities it serves.