The Community Reference Table oversees the Learning the Macleay Backbone Team and comprises representatives from local service providers, Aboriginal community controlled organisations, non-government agencies, education and local government.
This team provides support and guidance to the Backbone Team and reports back to their individual organisations with recommendations from community that their organisations have influence over.
The Community Reference Table currently consists of two co-chairs both of whom work and live locally; Debbie Swanson and Ricky Rudder.
Learning the Macleay will recruit a third co-chair in 2025.
Debbie Swanson
Director, Director of Dalaigur & Scribbly Gum Dalai
Is a local woman who has lived in the Macleay Valley all of her life and has raised her family in this wonderful community.
Has been an Early Childhood Educator since the 1990’s in the Macleay Valley, having obtained a Bachelor of Teaching and more recently a Graduate Diploma in Inclusive Education.
She started her employment at Dalaigur Pre-School in 2014, to work with children and their families who needed extra support in their development and learning. In 2020, she became the Managing Director of Dalaigur & Scribbly Gum Dalai leading both services into achieving high Aboriginal Early Educational results statewide.
She is passionate about her community and the unique position she is to advocate for the benefits of Early Education especially that for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children to grow with their culture and become the best versions of themselves.
Ricky Rudder
Business Development Operations Manager, Aboriginal Employment Strategy Ltd
Ricky is a proud Dunghutti man, born and raised in Kempsey. His passion is supporting community, especially in terms of finding meaningful employment and the positive impacts this creates across the entire community.
Our apologies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as there may be references or photographs of deceased persons.
