Dr Jackie Huggins AM is a Bidjara (central Queensland) and Birri-Gubba Juru (North Queensland) woman from Queensland who has worked in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs for over thirty years. Jackie left school at age 15, but returned to study at 26 and three degrees later finished tertiary education. Jackie is an author and consultant on indigenous affairs, whose career has included the University of Queensland, serving on the boards of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, Reconciliation Australia and the inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal Children from Their Families. Jackie is now co-chair of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.