Jody Barney

Jody Barney is a consultant, trainer and advocate working to reveal the intricate links between racism, ableism, classism and all forms of systemic oppression and discrimination within the justice system for First Nations Deaf people who use cultural sign language systems. She creates pathways across the intersectionality of culture, identity, disability, social justice, and legal systems. She focuses on communication access, advocacy and training which has made her very well respected. She regularly presents and trains on this and related topics to improve and increase the awareness for interpreters, staff, and service providers. 

Jody Barney has a vast matrix of First Nations Deaf people that use their cultural sign language systems and is often advocating to ensure there is a national protocol of service delivery for interpreters. In 2018 as an inaugural Senior Fellow for Social Equity created a training program that develops the relationships between urban, regional, rural, and remote First Nations Deaf women to identify their needs to reduce the incarceration rate of other First Nations Deaf people in their communities. In 2021/2022 she was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her outstanding contribution to the needs of Women with Disabilities. She’s an active participant on advisory boards including previously the First Nations Disability Advisory Group to the Disability Royal Commission into the Abuse, Neglect, Violence and Exploitation of People with Disabilities. 

Barney currently is the Executive Officer of Koondee Woonga-gat Toor-rong www.kwtfund.org.au. The only First Nations Community Led Philanthropy in Victoria. She continues to serve as a lead consultant with Deaf Indigenous Community Consultancy www.deaficc.com.au . She holds a Bachelor of Applied Management Studies from Ballarat University, an alum of AFSE program, Murra program at University of Melbourne and the only Senior Court Deaf Aboriginal Interpreter in Australia.