Laura McBride is a Wailwan woman and Director, First Nations at the Australian Museum (AM). In this role on the AM Executive Leadership Team, McBride leads the First Nations strategic direction and operations, as well as managing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Archaeology, and Pasifika collections. Laura’s vision for the AM centres on prioritising and amplifying First Nations voices so that Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Pacific communities represent themselves and their cultures within the Museum.During her employment at the AM, Laura has played a pivotal role in assisting the Executive Leadership Team in planning and actioning the vision for the AM to move beyond its colonial past towards a more connected future with First Nations stakeholders and knowledge-holders. Laura is a strong advocate for First Nations communities in the AM, moving towards Indigenous self-determination processes across how we care for cultural objects, exhibit cultural material and undertake our First Nations projects, education and programming.Laura’s academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (University of Sydney) conferred in 2008 (double Major in Psychology and Australian Indigenous Studies), and Master of Aboriginal Education (University of Technology Sydney) conferred in 2012. She is currently a member of the Aboriginal Arts Culture heritage Association, the Aboriginal Curatorial & Art Workers Network in Sydney, NSW. Laura previously served as co-chair of the AM Indigenous Australians Gallery Prospectus and was a member of professional affiliation groups including the Corroboree Sydney Curatorial Committee, the AM Indigenous Australian Engagement Strategy Group, the Arts NSW Assessment Panel for Indigenous Grant funding: regional and urban, and Museums & Galleries Keeping Places Working Group.Awards include: IMAGinE - ACHAA Award for Excellence by an Aboriginal Curator (2022); MAGNA overall National Winner (2022); IMAGinE award for best exhibition (2018); IMAGinE award for best exhibition (2022); Museums and Galleries National Award (MAGNA) for Best Temporary Exhibition Level 1 (2019); Museums and Galleries National Award (MAGNA) for Best Temporary Exhibition Level 4 (2022).