Kristy Masella is a Murri, South Sea Islander woman from Rockhampton, Darumbal country in Central Queensland. She has worked in Aboriginal Affairs for more than 30 years across many portfolios in New South Wales, Queensland, ACT and the Northern Territory.
Kristy is the Managing Director of the national Indigenous recruitment and training company, AES, which empowers Aboriginal people through employment and community development. Prior to this role she was the head of Social Justice for Aboriginal Affairs NSW and led a major review of the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act.
Kristy has been named one of Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review and Westpac. She is an award winning Author and was a Finalist for the 2021 NSW Woman of Excellence Award and the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year.
Kristy has a background in journalism, holds a Masters in Human Rights Law and Policy at the University of NSW specialising in Indigenous rights and is a Harvard scholar. She is the Chairperson of Tranby National Indigenous Education and Training; Director of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation; Deputy Chairperson of Wunanbiri Incorporated, one of the most successful independent Aboriginal community preschools in NSW; Executive Council member of Just Reinvest, and; a Member of the Redfern Aboriginal Alliance. She was a member of the inaugural Committee of Sydney University’s National Centre of Cultural Competency to establish the Community Council, is a former co-chair of the NSW Reconciliation Council, and was a Finalist for the NSW Justice Award.
