Dr Anne Poelina, Managing Director of Madjulla Incorporated is a Nyikina Traditional Custodian from the Mardoowarra, Lower Fitzroy River. She has developed a deep understanding of issues impacting on Indigenous Australians living in remote locations from working in the areas of Indigenous health, education, language and community development.

Growing up in Broome, Derby and out on country has led to a love and respect for land, law and culture, and she has since studied the historical colonial context of development in the West Kimberley and how that impacts on contemporary Indigenous participation in decision making, governance, land and water reform. She has also explored different models of developing green collar jobs in the culture and conservation economy for the West Kimberley.

Anne was a finalist in the WA Rural Woman of the Year 2010, 2011 Peter Cullen Fellow for Water Leadership and is a signatory to the Redstone Statement that she helped draft at the 1st International Summit on Indigenous Environmental Philosophy in 2010.

In 2011 Anne was the Inaugural Chair First Peoples Water Engagement Council and later the same year she was elected onto the Broome Shire Council and became Deputy Shire President in her first term of office. In 2014 she was elected as Director to the newly formed Walalakoo Prescribed Body Corporate responsible for the integrated management of 27 000 sq kms of Nyikina and Mangala Native Title lands and waters.

In 2014 Dr Poelina was nominated as the Case Study Leader for Kimberley Case Study – Canning Super Basin, Fonds Pacifique Water Governance Project.

Dr Anne Poelina, Master Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Master Education, Master Arts (Indigenous Social Policy), Doctor of Philosophy ~ and Registered Nurse.