Dr Leah Talbot is an Eastern Kuku Yalanji woman from Far North Queensland.
As an expert on First Nations led natural resource management, Leah works closely with land and sea managers across northern Australia and connects the on-ground work of Indigenous organisations with regional, State and Commonwealth priorities.
Leah is the Research Manager at the Northern Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). Prior to joining NAILSMA she worked with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and earlier at CSIRO as an Indigenous Social Ecological Researcher. With a Doctorate in Indigenous governance in Protected Area Management exploring examples from Australia and Sweden, Leah has a deep perspective on incorporating traditional knowledge into the governance of protected areas.
As an Indigenous science researcher, Leah has experience in environmental management, high-level Indigenous negotiations, co-design frameworks and developing participatory planning with Indigenous communities in Indigenous land management. She has led and contributed to many research projects particularly those that draw together western and Indigenous science and specifically promote the voice, knowledge and leadership of Indigenous Peoples.
Leah is a Ministerial Appointment to the North Marine Parks Advisory Committee with Parks Australia, a Director of the Marine Bio Products CRC, an Expert Councillor on the Biodiversity Council, a Traditional Owner Member of the Great Barrier Reef Technical Working Group for the Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program and and an Operations Group Member of the Reef Integrated Monitoring and Reporting Program for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.