Our Team

Chairperson

Courtney is a proud Worimi Woman who was raised on Gumbaynggirr Country, where she lives today raising her 3 children with strong connections to community and Country. Courtney's passion for widespread impact drives her commitment and work for social justice, empowering communities and actively supporting anti-racism. Courtney's connection with HBB came through the opening of our Hub, a moment that showed her the powerful movement to both Nationally make a difference in Community and the local opportunities to support the mob she lives amongst on Gumbaynggirr Country - enabling her passion and care for meaningful community impact.

Founding Director

Josh is a proud Aboriginal man of Wiradjuri bloodlines and has extensive experience in charitable works, including community soup kitchens, Aboriginal youth learning centres and working alongside people with disabilities. He is dedicated to culture, welfare and education initiatives and brings strengths in community engagement and social networks to the board. Josh discovered HBP when he attended the inaugural fund raiser and immediately fell in love with the collaborative spirit of the project. Josh plays an integral role in establishing the connections that benefit our more than deserving Happy Box recipients and communities.

Treasurer/ Founding Director

Todd is the Treasurer of the Happy Boxes Project and the father of our founder, Emma. He was born in Sydney and moved to Taree on the mid North coast in the early 90's. A visit to the Northern Territory to visit his daughter and partner prompted a keen interest in Indigenous culture and welfare. He would love to see Indigenous culture being embraced, understood and celebrated by all Australians. His passion for sport over the years has seen him sit on various boards and committees, as well as volunteering his time to coach young people. His skills are vital to the smooth running of the Happy Boxes Project and he looks forward to helping it grow and positively impact people in remote communities.

Secretary

Anika began her journey with the Happy Boxes Project when she felt a calling to help out the lovely women in the NT who were struggling to access female products during COVID. Since, she has moved into the volunteer team leader role on the Happy Boxes Project board. Anika’s background is in environmental science, with a passion for sustainability and making the world a better place. Her bubbly and can-do attitude means that no challenge is too great and she loves giving everything a go, maybe even twice. Anika loves connecting with like-minded people, creating new ideas and having loads of fun whilst she does it.

Board Member

Jame is a proud Gumbaynggirr Nyami of yellow rock. She is the founder and operator of Earth Jinda. She is recognised as an Aromatherapist, Birth worker (focusing on culturally safe maternal care and spaces for Aboriginal women) and an advocate for Birthing on country.

She is passionate about using her work and platforms to support mob, striving for change in women’s health and the birthing spaces for Aboriginal women and their families.

Board Member

Noelene Skinner is a proud Gumbaynggirr woman and her passion is working in and for her people and community and her main focus is working with women and young women. Noelene provides community opportunity to connect with services to help support and provide strategies of prevention and promotion and for ways of healing and to empower each and everyone, everyday.

Noelene has been recognised in her local Community for many years with being nominated for the prestigious Aunty Grace Roberts Award several times and winning the NAIDOC Aunty Award in Coffs Harbour.

Founder/ Board Member

Emma spent five years working, living and learning in remote communities in the Northern Territory as a teacher, youth mentor, family educator and leader in trauma informed practice in the classroom. It was during this time that she realised how difficult it was to access basic needs such as food and toiletries. She originally set out to gather donations for a youth wellbeing program that she ran, but as people learnt about the project (and the crazy price tags found in remote stores), she was completely bombarded with beautiful donations from all over Australia. And so the Happy Boxes was born and started to spread happiness out to other remote communities in need.

Photographer

Lei has been with Happy Boxes as it grew from a small project based on word-of-mouth to one that not only operates and functions like a legit charity, but one that looks like it too! She is the reason behind your feeds being filled with the beautiful smiles of our girls in Arnhem Land and the reason we can gift the same women and their matriarchs our Happy Boxes. We hate to think where we’d be without you her!

Leicolhn is the ultimate storyteller, capturing the raw and intense beauty of people, culture, nature and connection. Do yourself a favour and check out her work at @leicolhnmckellar_photography

Photographer

You may recognise this beautiful woman from our list of directors above, as she holds more than one role in the Happy Boxes Project. She has been our NSW based photographer who has shared her skills with us time and time again.

Marley’s photography highlights the beauty of First Nations Aboriginal families with a heavy focus on Aboriginal women, motherhood and culture. The strength and resilience of her people to continue and revive cultural practices that were once prohibited serves as inspiration in Marley’s work, which aims to document and showcase the beauty of her people. She can be followed at @marleymorganphotography