Phil Thompson:
Phil is a Central Queenslander, born in a small rural town called Barcaldine. A Bidjara/ Kara Kara man and links to Vanuatu from his mother’s people. The youngest of 6 children, Phil spent his youth working with his family on the land chasing sheep and cattle around. As a proud Bidjara Aboriginal man, he has benefited greatly from the encouragement provided by very supportive, visionary parents who laid a solid platform. With over fifteen years’ experience in customer service based within various government positions and non-government agencies, Phil is a communication, community engagement and facilitation specialist.

Phil is an environmentalist and conservationist, his passion is bio diversity management, land rehabilitation and has turned this passion in an essential oil manufacturer and natural skin care company all based on traditional knowledge called Native Secrets. Native Secrets supplies products to various outlets and corporates including Qantas and Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

More recently Phil and his family featured on ABC’s ‘Moving 2 the country’ program, Season 1 Series 1, featured in the Qantas magazine and Women’s Weekly, was one of the final 12 in Koshies favourite Australian family business awards and Telstra’s NSW Building Communities state winner in 2023. Phil is also an Adjunct faculty member of the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at UNSW where he facilitates a Leadership immersion program for final year MBA exec students.

Cherie Thompson:
Cherie is a Wailwan woman from Central Western New South Wales. She is a wife, mother is now the co-founder of Native Secrets, a natural skin care company all based on traditional knowledge. Before becoming a business owner she spent 12 years teaching as an early childhood and primary school teacher, here in Dubbo. Cherie graduated from the Australian graduate school of Management at the university of NSW with an MBA (Masters of Business Administration).

Cherie has taken Native Secrets from strength to strength with most recent achievement being named Telstra Business NSW Winner in the category of building communities and being featured in the women’s weekly.