Talia Scriven is a proud Ngarrindjeri woman. She grew up in the Mallee region along the River Murray in southern South Australia, on the lands of the Ngarrindjeri people encompassing the lower Murray, Lakes and Coorong region. Talia is currently employed as Aboriginal Liaison Officer for the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network. She also fulfils the role of program lead for an exciting new co-designed diabetes and metabolic syndrome initiative on Ngarrindjeri Country. Talia is passionate about Ngarrindjeri people living longer, healthier lives and continues to share her knowledge to achieve this goal. Ngarrindjeri people lived long lives and now they are dying too young. If she can help one family live a longer life to spend more time with family, Talia views the program as a success. In her free time, Talia loves music and to paint with the help of her daughter, who she couldn’t love anymore if she tried.

Shanti Omodei-James is a junior researcher with a Masters Degree in Public Health from Flinders University. Currently a Research Officer at the College of Medicine and Public Health, her research focuses on health promotion and equity, with an emphasis on improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes. Much of her role centres on the co-design of a strengths-based diabetes and metabolic syndrome initiative with Aboriginal people living on Ngarrindjeri Country. Her dedication to upholding the principles of decolonising research and honing her qualitative research skills has been pivotal in shaping the project's outcomes and research translation efforts. Prior to engaging in the research sector, Shanti worked extensively in the community services sector supporting women experiencing homelessness and individuals on the NDIS. Shanti is committed to advancing transformative research through community engagement and collaborative efforts that value diverse lived experiences and knowledge systems.