Suzanne Thompson is a proud Iningai woman from Central West Queensland, an advocate for respectful cultural knowledge-sharing, and a highly respected Elder rooted in her land and community. 

She founded and established Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Aboriginal Corporation. By drawing links between Aboriginal knowledges and research agendas, Thompson creates social impact and creates space for caring for country.

She is the chair of Australian Native Foods and Botanicals, a national peak body developing a national strategy for this emerging sector. She also serves as an advisor to Indigenous Tourism Queensland, a member of the Indigenous Carbon Network, chair of the advisory committee for the Queensland Decarbonisation Hub, and member of the federal Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee.

Thompson is a powerful advocate for nature-based economies – including Indigenous land management and biodiscovery – and the recognition, protection, and remuneration of Indigenous intellectual knowledge by industry.

Suzanna Thompson is very proud of her ancestral bloodlines, and shares her knowledge about her culture and promotes innovative ways to share Cultural Knowledge with others in a respectful and truthful way. She founded and established Yambangku Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Aboriginal Corporation (YACHATDAC) that manages a 22,000-acre property in Outback Central Western Queensland,that is now redefining the very idea of social enterprise and appropriate cultural trading methods to ensure a safe and transparent economic future for Indigenous people. She volunteers time as the Chair of the Australian Native Foods and Botanicals (ANFAB) National Peak Body and works directly to secure Indigenous interests and right in this rapidly expanding global marketplace. She is fostering support and investment for nature-based economies, including Indigenous Land Management, Carbon Farming and First Foods & Medicines, and the recognition, protection, and renumeration of Indigenous intellectual knowledge by industry.