Nellie Green is a Badimaia woman from the Yamatji people of the central wheat belt area of Western Australia. After completing her high school education, Green began work at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University. A strong advocate for Aboriginal rights, Green has been actively involved in the local Aboriginal community and Aboriginal organisations, such as the WA Aboriginal Media Association and the Deaths in Custody (WA) group.
In 1994 she commenced work at the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, Murdoch University and in 2000 graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Indigenous Community Development and Management) from Curtin University. She has been a Co-ordinator of the Ngarn-gi Bagora Indigenous Centre at La Trobe University.