Monica McKenzie
Monica McKenzie is a Dharawal-Yuin woman, mother, and lecturer with years of experience in public education. She now conducts research and evaluation at the University of Newcastle.
Bottom
Monica McKenzie
Monica McKenzie is a Dharawal-Yuin woman and currently resides on Darkinjung Country where she has birthed and raises her two children.
After a decade long career in Education across NSW, she now conducts research and evaluation at the University of Newcastle, where First Nations methodologies and design are centred. As a product of public education in NSW and drawing from her owned lived experiences and background in education and research, she believes in the importance of ensuring First Nations stories are articulated and conveyed by those in the experience to impact public policy and structural reform.
As a direct descendant of the Stolen Generation and a survivor of the NSW Child Protection System, being forcibly removed at the age of 8years old and experiencing domestic and family violence, her commitment to advocating for children and young people being silenced and misunderstood is paramount.
Monica is the Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal Advisory Panel for Central Coast Council and a long-standing member of the National Education Standards Authority, Aboriginal Education Forum, leading extensive impact and advice on curriculum reform and professional development for teachers support across NSW.
Monica now describes her work, in Indigenous Evaluation, as being curious for a living and having permission to sit at the table. As she embarks of her PhD journey, her areas of interests lie in education, social justice and historical exclusion, equity and the reimagining of a world where children and young people are protected and cared for, with love and humility.