Suzanne Coates

Manager, Recovery Outcomes – Aboriginal Culture and Healing | Emergency Recovery Victoria

About

Suzanne is a proud Yorta Yorta and Wamba Wemba woman raised in Geelong, as a member of the Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative.   Suzanne’s background, experiences and career highlights include:

• Early career experiences interning in Object Conservation at the Museum of Victoria, researching the revival of the Wadawurrung language and working for over a decade as a Ranger, while being operationally active as a general firefighter, with Parks Victoria.
• Leading strategy development of Pupangarli Marnmarnepu, as Principal Policy in self-determination reform, for the Victorian Government’s environment, land, water and planning sectors.
• Living in Patagonia for 3 years closely associated with the national park system and management.
• Suzanne is a recipient of a national Banksia Award for collaborative contribution to protecting threatened orchid species, a joint recipient of a Fire Readiness Award for partnership approaches in Traditional Owner cultural burning on Wadawurrung Country and in receiving a departmental Secretary’s Emerging Leader Award in among other achievements. 
• More recently, Suzanne has led Emergency Recovery Victoria’s Aboriginal Culture and Healing team in developing the Strategy for Aboriginal Community-led Recovery.
• Suzanne is currently studying a Master in Emergency and Disaster Management at Charles Darwin University.