DHAC Biographies
Donna Odegaard
Donna Odegaard is a member of the Larrakia language group in Darwin. She has an extensive background in Indigenous heritage, land and sea management, education, land rights, native title, leadership, Indigenous community development and business and media.
Donna has been the Chief Executive Officer of Radio Larrakia since 2006, directing the restructure of Radio Larrakia 94.5FM as the “Voice of Larrakia”, and the development of Larrakia Media & Arts. Donna is the co-founder and Chairperson of Larrakia TV, Australian Indigenous Radio (national radio), the Indigenous College of Business and Media Australia and InDiGiTel.
Donna has represented Larrakia and the wider Indigenous community on numerous boards, committees and groups and at various events, conferences and forums at local, national and international levels and negotiated land rights and native title.
Donna successfully completed a Masters Degree and PhD on Larrakia land claims and the treaty debate. Highlights include Welcoming Speech for the ‘First Train Celebrations’ of the arrival of the Ghan to Darwin in 2004 and awarded Royal Australian Navy, Naming Lady of NuShip Larrakia 2005, and Commissioning Lady of HMAS Larrakia 2006.
Professional career in higher education as an Indigenous researcher, lecturer and student mentor and tutor. Consultancies include Indigenous education, Indigenous heritage, land rights, native title land use agreements, business planning, strategic planning, Indigenous events and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Donna is a successful businesswoman managing a range of businesses for over thirty years in primary production, mining, fashion design and Indigenous business, and has assisted Indigenous groups and individuals in diverse business ventures including corporate development, Indigenous community development tourism, multimedia, manufacturing and the arts.
Central focus of Donna’s Indigenous community work is improving access to and increasing the number of Indigenous people in employment, training, education and business opportunities for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
