Niboddhri Ward
Assistant Director Indigenous Advisor
Engagement and Capability Uplift Specialist
First Nations Branch
Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Niboddhri Ward is a Nuennone woman with many years’ experience working with and for First Nations people. Career highlights have included interning at the United Nations (UN) reviewing global trends in Indigenous microenterprises, environmental stewardship through youth education in developing countries and mapping disaster risk-reduction strategies in disaster-prone regions. She also had the dubious privilege of being the oldest graduate at the Department of the Prime Minster and Cabinet – more than a decade ago.
Recent experience includes working on community safety programs in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory and supporting First Nations women’s economic empowerment initiatives. A recent role focused on seeking opportunities to embed Indigenous ecological knowledges into the Australian Government’s conservation agenda and supporting the development of a new narrative which places First Nations science perspectives at the heart of decision-making.
Her current role is working with a team to develop a capability uplift program for the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Niboddhri applies a systems-thinking approach to solving problems and believes that a principle is only as good as the action that follows.