Leila Gurruwiwi is a Yolngu woman of the Galpu Clan from Northeast Arnhem land, a cultural awareness advocate and mentor. As well as dabbling in some acting in both award winning series Glitch Season 1 and 2 and The Secret River (both ABC series) and KAGE theatre production Team of Life, Leila has combined a successful media career, including 11 years as a reporter and newsreader on The Marngrook Footy Show, with community pursuits in her former roles mentoring young girls in the Wirrpanda Foundation's Deadly Sista Girlz program and being an Indigenous Support Worker at the Pavillion School, a school for young people who have been disengaged or excluded from mainstream education. Leila is the Education Officer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education at Catholic Education Melbourne where she helps Indigenous student excel in school and supports their families. She hopes to foster a sense of strong identity in Indigenous students and throughout schools in the Melbourne Diocese, a strong knowledge and embracing of Indigenous culture.
Once a week Leila also works as the Public Programs Coordinator for Agency Projects, a non for profit that celebrates and promotes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, culture and people on a local, national and international scale.
Leila is currently co-producing a documentary called “Jarracharra” which looks at the rise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion designers in the fashion industry both locally and internationally.
Leila is also now a proud mum to her son Uzoma who she hopes to instil strong cultural connections to both his Indigenous and Nigerian cultures.
