DR RISHELLE HUME AM
I recently had the pleasure to do a portrait sitting with the fascinating Dr Rishelle Hume AM. I didn’t want the opportunity to pass without sharing the achievements of this incredible Australian so I am sharing more about her background below. To learn more about my sitting with Dr Rishelle Hume AM, click here.
Dr Rishelle Hume AM is the Diversity and Inclusion Business Advisor Eurasia Pacific with the Chevron Corporate Office Global Diversity, Inclusion and Ombuds. She is a proud Noongar Woman with traditional ties to the Wadjuk, Ballardong and Gnaala Karla Boodja peoples and a proud mother of 3 children.
Dr Rishelle Hume AM is the direct descendent and granddaughter of the highly respected Noongar Wadjuk Elders, Mr Patrick and Ms Lorna Hume, who spent their lives tirelessly promoting Aboriginal Rights and Noongar culture. Following in her grandparent’s footsteps, she has successfully and inspirationally devoted her working life to the advancement of Aboriginal people and the Noongar culture.
Dr Rishelle Hume AM has 27 years plus experience in Aboriginal engagement ranging from employment, education, justice and health and is actively involved in the Aboriginal community within the Perth region as the following:
- Chairperson of the Mandjah Boodjah Aboriginal Corporation
- Director – Perth Festival
- Director – Little Athletics WA
- Ambassador of the EON Foundation
- Ambassador of Helping Little Hands
- Co-Founder of the Western Australian Aboriginal Leadership Institute
Dr Rishelle Hume AM strongly believes the matriarchal society she is a part of needs strong female leaders. As her grandparents have taught her, she strives to open up more opportunities for her people using the power she holds. Over the years, she has toiled hard trying to carve a path for more Aboriginal women leaders. The Aboriginal community and employers highly respect Dr Rishelle Hume AM as an innovative and experienced Project Manager. She has added value to Aboriginal advancement in WA by demonstrating Aboriginal leadership and is seen as a professional figurehead within WA to engage the Aboriginal communities and coordinate approaches in dealing with state Aboriginal matters.
Dr Rishelle Hume AM was also awarded the 2016 Western Australian of the Year Award – Aboriginal Category Winner, inducted into the 2017 Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence (Hall of Fame) in the Achievers Category and inducted as an inaugural inductee on the 2018 WA Roll of Excellence in the Achievers Category for Little Athletics WA.
In February 2018, she carried the baton for an 800m stretch in the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay. She was recognised on the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours list, being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia AM division. On the 8th of March 2019, Dr Rishelle Hume AM was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame for her service to the Aboriginal community.
On the 8th of September 2019, Dr Rishelle Hume AM received an honorary award of Doctor of the University of ECU, and on the 6th of March 2020, she was awarded by the WA Chamber of Minerals Energy the 2020 Outstanding Women in Resources Industry. In September 2020, Dr Rishelle Hume AM was awarded the Indigenous Emerging Business Forum (IEBF) Most Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year Award. Most recently, in October 2020, Dr Rishelle Hume AM received a highly commended award at the 2020 Women in Resources National Awards in the category of Exceptional Woman in Australia Resources.