Leanne Holt

Discipline/Expertise

Master of Management

PhD (Education)

I am a Worimi and Biripai woman from the mid north coast of NSW, Director, Indigenous Strategy at Macquarie University, and Deputy Chairperson of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium (HENAC). 

My research interests relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education, policy and governance. My PhD traced the development of Aboriginal education policy in Australia. through the voices of the National Aboriginal Education Committee (NAEC). My educational qualifications also include business management, with a Diploma in Human Resources and a Master of Management. 

In 2017 I led the development of a comprehensive government report on the implementation of a ‘Whole of University approach’ for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education as a part of a broader Accelerating Higher Education report for the Department of Education.

I have been in higher education for over 20 years, previously at the University of Newcastle as co-Director of the Wollotuka Institute where I led Wollotuka being the first in Australia to achieve international accreditation through the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC). I have previously taught in Indigenous studies, enabling through to postgraduate courses. I have previously and currently serve on a range of national expert advisory panels relating to Indigenous higher education policy.

I am currently supervising students undertaking HDR's in Indigenous education and law.