Reconciliation South Australia today announced the appointment of Ms Shona Reid as its new Executive Director following an extensive recruitment process.
Ms Reid is a proud Eastern Arrernte Woman, with family legacy that extends into the Hart Ranges in the Northern Territory. With the separation of her family from their country many years ago, Shona has lived and worked across South Australia for most of her life and regards South Australia as home. Shone is married to Lyndon Reid, a Wangkangurru man has four children and is blessed to share in the life of Lyndon’s three other children.
As a mother, Shona says that ‘such a large family with lots of children is a constant reminder of the importance of culture in creating a healthy and strong family, a family where my children can be proud of where they are from, where they are going and how they will get there’.
With a Bachelor of Behavioural Science Degree from Flinders University, Shona has devoted her knowledge, experience, professional and personal life to the advancement and rights of Aboriginal children, young people, families and communities for over two decades.
For 15 years, Shona has worked across the child protection, young offending and the out-of-home care sector in predominately regional and remote areas,including the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. In recent years, Shona has focused her expertise on governance and accountability across the APY and Far West Coast regions of South Australia.
Shona has come to Reconciliation SA from the Legislative Council within the Parliament of South Australia as the Executive and Research Officer for the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee. In this role, she has worked closely with Parliamentary Members from many different political parties and persuasions in assisting with their connection to and understanding of matters that are important for Aboriginal South Australians.
In addition, Shona currently holds positions on the SA Youth Centre Review Board(Youth Parole Board) and the South Australian Housing Trust Board of Management.
Highlighting her passion for reconciliation, Shona has worked closely with the Lutheran Church of Australia over the last two years, in their journey towards developing and implementing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Shona has been successful in gaining overwhelming support from the National Lutheran Church Synod to forge ahead with this work and lead the way for a national approach to reconciliation across the Lutheran Church of Australia.
“I believe this is an exciting time to be involved in reconciliation movement, both on the local and national stage. There is a genuine desire and eagerness for tangible progress in the area of reconciliation and I look forward to honouring the legacy that Reconciliation SA has laid before me, building on this and inspiring others to join with me on this journey together” Shona said.
Ms Reid will commence with Reconciliation South Australia in January 2019.