Proudly sharing expert cultural knowledge
Jackie and Cecelia bring extensive personal and professional cultural knowledge to guide and support educators. They are dedicated to helping you understand how to meaningfully embed Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse perspectives into your everyday practice.
Our team aims to provide practical tools and culturally rich insights to help foster
meaningful cultural connections
Meet Jackie
With extensive experience across education and community sectors, Jackie is committed to supporting the engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in mainstream services. She works with Early Childhood Educators, family support agencies, and Government Departments to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their practice—creating culturally safe and inclusive environments for all.
Jackie Bennett is a proud Kamilaroi and Bigambul woman from St George in Southwest Queensland. She is a wife, mother of four, and grandmother to ten beautiful grandchildren. Jackie is the Co-Director and Cultural Consultant of Connecting the Dots through Culture, a consultancy dedicated to supporting educators, early learning services, and organisations to authentically embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into everyday practice.
With over 30 years of experience across community, education, and government sectors, Jackie has held impactful roles including Regional Implementation Manager for the First 1000 Days Australia program, Cultural Diversity Advisor for C&K, and Site Coordinator for Good Beginnings Australia. Her lifelong commitment is to strengthen cultural connections to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families feel safe, respected, and represented within all communities.
Jackie is also a World Forum Foundation Global Leader for Young Children and currently serves as a Director on the Koobara Kindergarten and Pre-Prep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation Board in North Brisbane.
Meet Cecelia
Cecelia is a respected multicultural trainer and Educator with a strong focus on Torres Strait Islander Perspectives and inclusion. For over 20 years, she has worked across the Community Services Sector, supporting inclusive practices and helping organisations to embed cultural perspectives and deepen their understanding of Torres Strait Islander culture and create their own local connections in Community.
Cecelia is a leading multicultural trainer, Educator and advocate for Embedding Torres Strait Islander education and inclusion into early childhood settings.
She has dedicated her career to supporting inclusion and embedding these practices in the Community Services Sector for over 20 years.
Cecelia is passionate about sharing knowledge about inclusive practices and experiences with others so that they learn how embed Torres Strait Islander perspectives, connect with community, grow and learn together.
Although Cecelia is not a Torres Strait Islander person she was born and raised on Waiben (TI/Thursday Island) and holds deep connections to the Community, Culture and Country.
For over 20 years Cecelia has worked throughout the Torres Strait Islands and a wide variety of Early Childhood Services, educational institutions, Registered Training Organisations, Indigenous Professional Support Unit, Mura Kosker Mura Bui Wellbeing Program, Playgroups and the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health and supported programs across the Islands and mainland Australia.
She is passionate about walking alongside Torres Strait Islander people and sharing inclusive practices with others, helping educators and service providers to understand and honour the uniqueness of Torres Strait Islander cultures and communities.
Mina Big Eso (many thanks) for joining us on this learning journey.
