Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts is a proud Bundjalung Widubul-Wiabul Woman who is a Human Rights advocate, author, writer and has acquired a Law and Social work degree whilst completing her First-class honour thesis at the University of New South Wales.

In 2023 Vanessa was appointed as the ACT’s inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Commissioner. In this role, she will work to protect and promote the rights, interests and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in the ACT, both individually and at a systemic level.

Vanessa is also a recipient of the Australian Human Rights Medal, awarded by the Australian Human Rights Commissioner, in 2019 where her acceptance speech gained global recognition and response. She has also been named as one of 10 Changemakers standing and showing up for a better future by Women’s Agenda and selected in the Power Generation: emerging Indigenous leaders on overcoming adversity.