Jessica Carmody is a co-founder of SpeakWrite Consultancy, a business committed to empowering Aboriginal enterprises.  

Jessica dedicates her expertise to supporting the capacity and growth of Aboriginal businesses through comprehensive back-end support and capability building. 

Jessica’s deep understanding of the nuances and significant impact of Blak businesses highlights her commitment to ensuring these enterprises thrive. For Jessica, the Blak Difference is understanding that Blak businesses employ Blak, buy Blak, invest Blak, and develop Blak – our impact is Blak and its profound and grassroots. 

Jessica’s passion for fostering the growth of Aboriginal businesses is matched by her strategic acumen. She recognises the monetary value of the contributions made by Aboriginal businesses and works tirelessly to help her clients integrate this understanding into their operations. Her mission is to share this crucial knowledge, aiding her clients in achieving sustainable success. 

Serving as the Hub Operations Manager for the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network, Jessica’s family and community are the driving forces behind her determination to shift the conversations around Aboriginal business. She draws inspiration from those who have come before her to take action and to ensure those who come after her grow up with Blak business and Blak wealth being the norm. She has a fierce desire to really push the boundaries and break down the walls that have seen the continuation of Aboriginal despair and disadvantage. This fierceness to advocate for Blak Business and Aboriginal led solutions has and will make those positioned comfortably on the walls, uneasy. Equally this approach is a great source of inspiration and leadership for many individuals or communities thinking about starting on their own journey in business.  

The knowledge gained through entrepreneurship has given Jessica the tools to influence and empower more Aboriginal people to become businesspeople and to enact long lasting change across generations. Jessica knows the impact Aboriginal Businesses have on their communities which is why she is passionate about facilitating these important and often uncomfortable conversations. Offering innovative and culturally appropriate solutions, advocating for Aboriginal procurement and real investment into Aboriginal businesses, and unpacking what it really means to unlock the Blak Estate in this country.  

Jessica’s involvement has influenced immediate success and growth with Kings Narrative and Ankere Community Solutions, with that impact reaching far and wide throughout Central Australia and the Northern Territory. 

Jessica’s extensive experience includes over 10 years in the education sector with the Department of Education in South Australia in senior management roles, including: 

• Aboriginal Programs Manager at SHINE SA (Closing the Gap) 

• Senior Aboriginal Wellbeing Practitioner at the Department of Children and Families 

• Branch Manager at Foodbank Central Australia 

• Hub Operations Manager at NTIBN. 

Additionally, Jessica holds a Cert IV in Community Development, a Diploma in Management and Leadership, and is a graduate of the South Australia’s Governor's Leadership Foundation Program. 

Jessica’s involvement in Kings Narrative has seen this Aboriginal business achieve accolades such as  

• 2022 NTIBN Aboriginal Business of the year for Best Aboriginal Start up business 

• 2024 Telstra Business Awards, Northern Territory Business of year award for both Aboriginal Business and Championing Health.  

Jessica is a dedicated mother to five boys and wife to Tyson, who ground her every day and are a key focus  to inspiring generational change. 

As an Arrernte/Arabunna woman raised in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), she has deep blood connection to Kaytetye and Anmatyer Mob. As a mother and a dedicated midwife, she has directly supported Aboriginal communities in Central Australia. Her journey includes leadership roles in national projects and collaborations with Aboriginal-led organisations, fostering a profound appreciation for First Nations language and culture. Cherisse has immense gratitude for her cultural leaders and Elders. 

In her thirteen years as a midwife, she is a leading advocate for Aboriginal culturally safe maternity healthcare access and birthing on country, and regularly speaks on a range of social challenges for Mparntwe and NT communities. Cherisse has dedicated herself to shaping different solutions based on need and location and reviving old ways and old cultural teachings for approaching maternity care for First Nations women and birthing people. 

Cherisse now focuses on her joint work in SpeakWrite Consultancy and supporting Aboriginal development and advancement across the NT and nationally, where she hopes to empower her People to aspire for economic self-determination. 

Representation for Aboriginal people: As she raises her three sons on her traditional Mparntwe land, Cherisse is promoting positive narratives around challenges within the Alice Springs community and spread awareness of strengths and leadership from Aboriginal people within Central Australia.  

Her journey includes leadership roles in national projects and collaborations with Aboriginal-led organizations, fostering a profound appreciation for First Nations language and culture. Cherisse holds immense gratitude for her Arrernte cultural leaders and Elders. 

Her passion lies in supporting and empowering First Nations people, advocating for systemic change that addresses the challenges faced by Our Mob—challenges like limited access to basic care, instances of subpar treatment, racism, and disconnection from mainstream services. 

Health Advocacy: Through leading work on the Birthing on Country Project and her involvement with numerous reproductive and sexual health advocacy for Aboriginal people, Cherisse has been instrumental in the promotion of Birthing on Country, highlighting the need for culturally safe and culturally appropriate pregnancy care and birthing choices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers.  

With a decade of experience across diverse health sectors, Cherisse’s work spans clinical practice in remote, rural, and urban settings. She has been a tireless advocate, contributing to National Birthing on Country programs and committees and boards, and spearheading health promotion initiatives in midwifery, women’s sexual and reproductive health, and other health specific areas.  

Cherisse’s personal experience with maternity care was traumatic as she endured a discouraging experience with the birth of her daughter Senna, who was born before 21 weeks gestation. At that time, Cherisse did not feel supported in the interim of her hospital care, enduring discrimination, racism and sub-standard care, made worse by the fact that she was away from her family and traditional homeland. Cherisse has been public with her experiences, sharing shared her story nationally through an article in the Guardian and released documentary in 2017 “Birth Time”, exploring the experiences of women during childbirth and bringing attention to the need for better maternity care. 

Repaying it Forward: 

Cherisse is the Chair of the Board for the Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Trust; she supports the provision of First Nations midwifery scholarships and is actively involved in projects that support culturally safe sexual and reproductive healthcare for First Nations women and birthing people. 

Cherisse is also engaged in her local community and involved nationally and locally in NAIDOC as well as involvement in schooling events and other community events. Cherisse’s commitment to her community and her unwavering dedication to creating opportunities for Aboriginal people exemplify the resilience and strength of Arrernte women.