Karen Heap - BADAC CEO - Growth And Positivity For BADAC
Karen Heap, BADAC CEO 2004-present
Karen Heap is a proud Yorta Yorta/Barkandji woman and CEO of the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC). Since she became CEO in 2004, Karen has driven the strategic vision and significant expansion of BADAC.
Under Karen's leadership, BADAC has tripled in size from 40 staff to 120, thus increasing jobs for Aboriginal people, and providing services and programs for the rapidly growing Ballarat region Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and supporting them toward self-determination.
Karen has introduced a wide range of family support services, including family violence programs, social and emotional well-being, kinship care, mental health, drug and alcohol, housing and justice. She envisioned, secured funding for and delivered a brand new $6 million dollar culturally safe full medical clinic.
Karen is widely regarded as an inspirational leader by her staff and colleagues, government agencies and bodies, and most importantly, by her community, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community of the broader Ballarat region.
Karen is a visionary and active advocate for self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS
Chairperson of Aboriginal health peak body Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) 2018 – 2020
Deputy Chair VACCHO 2016 - 2018
Director of NACCHO, the National Peak body for Aboriginal health organisations 2018 - 2020
Member of the Central Highlands Regional Partnership
Current CEO BADAC - for 16 years. Under Karen’s leadership, BADAC has tripled in size and become financially robust, with 120 staff and a strong asset base
Secured funding for and oversight of the new $6 million BADAC medical centre in Ballarat
Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll 2019
Victorian Women’s Honour Roll 2020
In 2018 and 2019, invited to Canberra to advise the Federal Government on successive reviews of the Closing the Gap framework.
The Wanda Blow award for her work as First Chairperson of the Victorian Aboriginal Children and Young People’s Alliance. Karen led the Alliance to secure an historic tripartite agreement between government, the Child Protection sector and 14 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs), to bring decisions about Aboriginal children into Aboriginal hands.
