Recently, a new generation of Indigenous business leaders graduated from the Master of Indigenous Business Leadership program. They tell the story of resilience and creativity of First Nations communities. This year, 17 graduates are leaving their new stamps on the world. Kate Russell, Tristan Kennedy, William Trewlynn are just a few of the notable figures at the forefront of indigenous business practices and education, paving a path for future leaders.
Kate Russell, a proud Awabakal woman and founding CEO of Supply Nation, which connects and supports Indigenous businesses throughout Australia. In this respect, as Russell notes, Indigenous entrepreneurship can do much to enrich the social fabric of the nation by creating a common ground. She emphasizes that connecting with Indigenous businesses brings cultural safety and respect into workplaces.
“There’s so much that goes beyond dollars when talking about Indigenous businesses, a diverse business sector strengthens social cohesion and honors the cultural heritage of this country. When Indigenous businesses are included, we see more culturally safe workplaces, more partnerships built on respect and more decisions that reflect community priorities.” – Kate Russell
Tristan Kennedy, a proud Noongar man, is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Indigenous, at Monash University. He is the co-founder of , an Aboriginal Change Agency that focuses on cultural consulting, cultural training and narrative-based storytelling. Kennedy details this focus on place-based learning and how the program incorporates Indigenous knowledge into educational practices.
“Foregrounding Indigenous knowledges, Indigenous perspectives and Indigenous wisdom in tackling curriculum content, designing curriculum content, and establishing outcomes really makes it relevant and meaningful.” – Tristan Kennedy
Anaiwan, Dunghutti and Gomeroi man William Trewlynn takes great pride in advocating for his culture. He directs a rad, creative team of 14 strategic consultants and creatives at YarnnUp. Trewlynn is part of the first cohort to graduate from the Master of Indigenous Business Leadership program in 2023. In his work, he contemplates how they use First Nations knowledge systems to inform business practice.
“We refer to YarnnUp as ancestral intelligence. We’ve created a framework which applies First Nations knowledge systems into our business practices. And it’s having huge impacts from our partners all the way down to our communities.” – William Trewlynn
The Master of Indigenous Business Leadership program just began its fifth year. Monash University, in partnership with the William Cooper Institute, provides this groundbreaking program. Indigenous business leaders, Elders, and academics helped to co-design and continue to lead this program. Their participation is critical to making sure it remains focused on the needs of Indigenous communities.
Kaley has been another stand-out participant from this year’s cohort. As a 2025 grad, she has deep roots all across Victoria and New South Wales. She knows firsthand the ways that entrepreneurship can fuel self-determination.
“There is nothing more self-determined or self-determining than having your own business. You make every decision; the success and failure of that business really rests on your shoulders. And so that’s an incredibly daunting thing to think about, but also it’s so freeing.” – Kaley Nicholson
The graduation of these brave trailblazers represents a historic moment for Indigenous leadership within the business community and education sector. Through their dedication to maximizing cultural values in their business operations, they are paving the way for a more inclusive future for Australia’s economic landscape.
