Members of ATSIAAG Executive

Mark Elliott – Acting Chair

Mark Elliott is a Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal man whose family are the Trevorrow’s from the Coorong area of South Australia. Mark was a member of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dementia Advisory Group (NATSIDAG) since its inception until it wound up in 2015/16 and continues to have a passion for working in the area of dementia. Mark is currently acting Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing Advisory Group (ATSIAAG) which is supported by the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG). Mark was awarded Honorary Life membership in 2018 in recognition of his leadership as the inaugural Aboriginal Chair of ATSIAAG. Mark works as a Regional Client Services Coordinator with Aboriginal Community Services assisting Elders to live well at home.

Roslyn Malay - Immediate past Co-Chair

Roslyn is a Yurriyangem Taam Kija woman from the Kimberley region of Western Australia. She grew up in Halls Creek and is well known and respected across the region and lives in Broome, Western Australia. She has a passion for working in the area of Aboriginal ageing, particularly in the remote community setting. Roslyn is a researcher working as a Project Officer with the University of Western Australia, WA Centre for Health and Ageing. She is currently testing an empowerment intervention addressing the needs of unpaid family carers. Roslyn is committed to facilitating knowledge exchange of Aboriginal culture to non-Aboriginal people and has helped increase the awareness of dementia and cognitive impairment in remote communities in the Kimberley.

Graham Aitken - Immediate past Co-Chair

Graham is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Aboriginal Elders and Community Care Services Inc. (AECCS) and the Treasurer of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation Community Transport Network. AECCS is the largest aged care service provider for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders in Adelaide and South Australia. Prior to his current role, Graham worked for over 15 years with various Commonwealth and State Government Departments on programs specifically designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In his last position in Government, Graham was responsible for the administration and funding for all the former Aboriginal Home and Community Care (HACC) services and programs across South Australia. Graham completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Adelaide’s Flinders University as a mature aged student, with majors in International Business and Human Resource Management and a minor in Business Economics. Graham was also a member of the former Ageing Consultative Committee and the Ageing Expert Advisory Group that provided high level advice and information to the former Minister for Ageing and the Department of Health and Ageing. Graham has a passion and commitment to ensure that during the current Aged Care Reforms, all Elders have access to reliable and consistent aged care services, no matter where they might live.

Special thanks to

Eliza Pross - ATSIAAG Exec

Committee member and ATSIAAG Representative on the AAG Conference Committee

Eliza is a Gaimaragal resident, and Yuin/Palawa woman whose family is from Southern New South Wales (NSW) and Tasmania. Eliza has an extensive work history in the community care, disability and mental health sectors, as well as in community development projects both locally and further abroad. Eliza is the Principal Consultant in her own consultancy, and works with various partners across a range of projects and sectors. Eliza’s interests and professional expertise includes policy, advocacy, social planning, service model design, change management and leadership, and person/community-centred service provision, focussing on supporting people to reach their full potential. Eliza has been a long-term Member of AAG, and was previously on the NSW AAG Executive, during her employment in the aged care sector. She now works across sectors, in both First Australian and mainstream environments, focusing on initiatives that can improve wellbeing for the most marginalised in our communities. Eliza has formal qualifications including Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Social Policy), Bachelor of Social Work, and Master of Policy Studies (Human Services). She is also a qualified trainer (Cert IV TAA) and is an Accredited Mental Health First Aid Trainer (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander). She has worked in Executive positions in the Non-Government Organisation (NGO) sector, and has extensive experience in the development of community programs, and particularly in the development of initiatives that engage multiple stakeholders.