Kerry Arabena is a descendant from the Merriam people in the Torres Strait. Having supervised the development and implementation of national strategies, Arabena became Fellow of the Sir Gustav Nossal Leadership in Health Reform and Visiting Research Fellow, Social Health for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Previous to this, Arabena has served as Executive Director of an Indigenous health service as well as the Pintubi Homelands Health Service and the Apunipinna Cape York Health Council. Arabena has also been a member of a range of local, state and national Councils and Committees.
In 2010, Arabena was appointed Co-Chair of the Natoinal Congress of Australia's First People [NCAFP], the representative body which replaced the Aboriginal and Tores Strait Islander Comittee [ATSIC].
In December 2010, Arabena became the chief executive of the Lowitja Instiute.
