Catherine Baldwin AM says she is empowered by a strong sense of social justice, a belief in the value of citizen participation in decision making and advocating for young people.

Catherine is the founding chair of Ngutu College, a socially just and inclusive model of kindergarten to year 12 education.

“At Ngutu, the curriculum is learned through Aboriginal ways of knowing and being, and is based on project work involving Arts and STEM experiences,” she explains.

“Of our 350 children and young people, 50% are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders. We bring the two worlds together.”

For over a decade, she held leadership roles at the Actuaries Institute and Committee for Economic Development, and her belief in “people power” extended to assisting with the formation of the New Democracy Foundation, which advocates for citizen assemblies as a means for solving challenging issues.

Catherine is chair of Adelaide Youth Orchestras, and was formerly the executive director of Bangarra Dance Theatre, dance program manager at the Australia Council for the Arts, chair of Young People and the Arts, managing director of Red Sky Performance in Canada and founding general manager of the Australian Choreographic Ensemble.

She and her husband are also emergency foster carers for infants and young children in need.

Catherine was appointed a Member of the Order for significant service to culture and the arts, and to charitable organisations.

“My strong sense of social justice and universal human rights is a big motivator in everything I do,” she says.

“I like to focus on supporting individuals, their families, and communities and ways in which their lives can be improved.

“I’m an optimistic person, which keeps me going, and I try not to get down-hearted by big issues that I simply can’t influence.”

Catherine says her recognition came as a surprise.

“I’m generally the person who works away from the spotlight,” she says.

“I’m acutely aware of the responsibility I have to utilise this opportunity by assisting organisations with their growth and development.

“It’s certainly an honour that I feel I need to live up to, and hopefully it will create connections and opportunities that further the work I’m doing, especially for our Aboriginal people.”