Fiona Jose Appointed Executive Co-Chair
Cape York Partnership has announced the appointment of Fiona Jose as Executive Co-Chair, serving alongside Danny Gilbert AM to lead the next phase of the Cape York Reform Agenda.
Nearly twenty years ago, in 2008, Fiona first sat at the Cape York Institute board table as a Board Observer during her training at the Cape York Leadership Academy. Today, she is driving some of the nation's most successful and enduring Indigenous reforms as the new Executive Co-Chair.
Her journey reflects one of the Partnership's founding convictions that the strongest institutions develop the leaders who will one day lead them.
More than three decades ago, the Old People of Cape York set out an ambitious agenda for our families. Their goal was to ensure that every person had the opportunity to build the capability to lead their own life, provide for their family, participate in the real economy and shape the future of their community.
Cape York Partnership was established to help achieve that ambition − schools that expect excellence, enterprises that create real jobs, organisations and innovations that strengthen families, and leadership initiatives that prepare Cape York Indigenous people to drive reform.
Fiona Jose is one of the leaders those institutions have produced.
From the Cape York Leadership Academy, she progressed through successive leadership roles, managing the Cape York Leaders Program, Cape York Institute, leading major reform initiatives, and ultimately as Group Chief Executive Officer.
Her appointment as Executive Co-Chair is both a personal achievement and demonstration that the long-term investment in developing First Nations leadership is bearing fruit. The Leadership Academy was established to identify talent, develop capability and progressively entrust greater responsibility. Fiona's journey embodies that purpose.
As Executive Co-Chair, Fiona will lead the next stage of the Partnership's reform agenda, with a focus on building capability through personal responsibility and quality opportunity − good education, sustainable local enterprise, creating real jobs, strengthening families and developing the next generation of leadership.
“Too few Cape York children currently complete Year 12, yet every child deserves this life-making opportunity. Education develops the capability young people need to shape their own future. Completing Year 12 must become the baseline expectation for the next generation,” Ms Jose said.
Over more than a decade, Fiona has created and strengthened entities that create opportunity and build capability across Cape York, including:
• Djarragun College and the Cape York Girl Academy
• Cape York Opportunity Hubs
• Mayi Market
• Ngak Min Health
• Bama Services, Cape York Timber and Cape York Employment
• Cape York Solutions
• Pama Language Centre
A defining focus of Fiona's leadership has been creating work opportunity as the fundamental stabiliser for families. She has proved that real jobs can be created in some of Australia's most challenging labour markets. She is now leading the next stage of that work towards a comprehensive work guarantee across Cape York.
“Work and enterprise are fundamental to capable lives. Enterprise creates jobs. Jobs enable people to provide for their families, develop skills, contribute to their communities and participate fully in the economy. Strong communities are built on productive work and a growing local economy, and expanding opportunities for both remains central to the Partnership's reform agenda,” Ms Jose said.
It was Co-Chair Danny Gilbert AM who introduced Fiona to the Board back in 2008, and he is proud to walk alongside Fiona in this next chapter.
“She is an outstanding First Nations leader, working through the multiplicity of issues that confront the full empowerment of the people of Cape York and our First Nations citizens across Australia more generally. I very much look forward to continuing to work with and support Fiona in all these endeavours,” Mr Gilbert said.
Cape York Partnership also enters this next stage with a strong executive leadership team:
• Kirsty Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Cape York Institute for Policy & Leadership
• Rose Manzini, Chief Executive Officer, Cape York Solutions
• Dr Michael Barton, Executive Principal, Djarragun College
• Agnes Lloyd, Director, Program Management Office
Fiona will continue to serve as Chair of Empowered Communities, bringing national reform experience to the Partnership while strengthening the connection between local innovation and national policy reform.
She says her work ahead is clear, “More children succeeding at school. More adults in real jobs. More Indigenous, not black cladded, enterprise. Stronger families. Stronger communities. More First Nations leaders prepared to carry responsibility for the future.”
Fiona Jose’s appointment is proof that the institutional architecture built by Cape York Partnership is working. It is developing capable First Nations leaders prepared to do the hard work of reform for the next generation in front of us.
FOR THE LOVE OF OUR CHILDREN
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Cape York Partnership before 30 June. Your donation will create real opportunities for First Nations families to take responsibility and build a stronger future.
