Wayne is a Torres Strait Islander whose family heritage is from the islands of Mabuiag and Iam (Yam). He was born in Brisbane, has a Bachelor of Business degree (Accounting), is an Adjunct Professor with the University of Queensland, and has been a Commissioner for Declarations for over 30 years.
Wayne is proud to be part of the Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community as demonstrated by his 40 years’ experience working in Indigenous Affairs throughout Queensland. This has included a decade of work in the Commonwealth Government with agencies such as the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Public Service Commission and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
He also has over 18 years senior executive experience within the Queensland Government, including roles with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing, Social Housing, the Public Sector Management Commission, and Indigenous Education. His government experience has been complimented by working in the community controlled health sector over the past 15 years.
This included roles as the CEO of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane Limited (ATSICHS), the General Manager, Sector Development with the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC), and the dual role of Executive Director, Corporate Services at the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and the CEO of the Moreton Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (MATSICHS), which has responsibility for five primary health care clinics in Moreton Bay and the local program delivery of Family Wellbeing Services, Social Health, Youth Services and Deadly Choices. More recently from 1 October 2024 he has taken on the role of CEO at the IUIH.
Wayne’s career has been focussed on Indigenous health, housing, education, and employment. He is a strong advocate for community controlled services and the benefits it can achieve in terms of both improved service delivery and outcomes, but also the employment and career development opportunities that it can provide for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.