Gningala Yarran-Mark joins Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Board of Directors

Gningala Yarran-Mark has been engaged as a board director for Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), bringing extensive legal, director, change management and cultural competency experience to the global leader in conservation.

Gningala has had a successful career working across the resources, health, education, justice, employment and economic sector and AWC is looking forward to the contribution she will bring to its ambitious plans to improve conservation and community outcomes across Australia.

Nick Butcher, Chairperson of AWC’s Board of Directors, noted that achieving conservation at scale will require partnerships across all sectors of society and that Gningala’s depth of experience and understanding of diversity, cultural intelligence, change management and stakeholder relations will add significant value to the organisation.

“It is a true pleasure to welcome Gningala to our team,” Nick said. “Gningala’s board director experience with organisations such as Edith Cowan University Council, the Water Corporation and Derbarl Yerrigan Health Services will provide valuable insights and capability to our decision-making.

“Gningala also provides a unique perspective from her commercial experience in the resource sector and her deep connection to the challenges and opportunities facing First Nations communities.”

It was AWC’s commitment to knowledge sharing and collaboration with First Nations people that attracted Gningala to the not-for-profit.

“Protecting the species that co-habit our world is vitally important and challenging,” Gningala said. “The deep understanding of stewardship of country our communities can provide to enhance the scientific approach from AWC has enormous opportunity to bring balance to our natural world.”

“As an Indigenous woman I am very cognisant that in working across AWC’s footprint that I will be a visitor in many parts of the country and this understanding can help bring respect and a knowledge bridge to help facilitate two-way learning.”

“In particular, I am enthused to encourage young Indigenous Australians who wish to work in conservation to weave our traditional knowledge with science and marry the two for enormous benefit to our endangered species and Australia as a whole,” Gningala said.

Gningala’s appointment is immediate and she is already contributing to AWC’s strategic planning.