Creating Impact With First Nations Knowledge And Evidence
Karabena Consulting is a 100 per cent Torres Strait Islander woman-owned and operated, profit-for-purpose consultancy led by Professor Kerry Arabena.
We partner with government, community and industry to co-design strategy, research and evaluation; deliver cultural safety training and facilitation; and support programs that improve health, education, leadership and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.
Grounded in Indigenous science and evidence, our team brings end-to-end capability from policy and governance to monitoring and evaluation with a track record of collaborative, measurable impact. Professor Kerry Arabena, founder and Managing Director, won the Sistas in Business Award at the Kinaway Victorian Aboriginal Business Awards in 2025.
Ready to work together on culturally strong, evidence-based solutions? Explore our services and recent projects or get in touch.
Current projects
A national scoping of First Nations women’s health for Jean Hailes, framed through the cultural determinants of health and a capabilities approach across the life course.
Current project
Community consultations for the evaluation of Balit Murrup, Victoria’s Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing framework, yarning with communities and the wellbeing workforce about what the next stage should hold.
Current project
A First Peoples-led evaluation of Aboriginal Best Start across six Victorian sites, delivered with Karen Milward Consulting Services and built on the knowledge of the people who lead and deliver the program.
Current project
A cultural review of the death benefit claims journey for a superannuation fund, with a new learning resource for staff, so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families are met with dignity during Sorry Business.
Current project
A review with Social Ventures Australia and Sedo Group of the economic development outcomes for First Nations people from the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority’s work, centring Aboriginal business leaders and enterprise networks.
Current project
Completed work
The ACT’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural safety feedback mechanism, co-designed and piloted with community and supported by a digital app, so that feedback leads to real change in practice.
Current project
Karabena Consulting (Karabena) was engaged by Western Health (WH) in June 2025 to review the impact of the Western Health Aboriginal Health Cultural Safety Plan 2022-2025 and develop recommendations for the development of an updated 2026-2030 Cultural Safety Plan.
June 2025 – June 2026
Karabena Consulting was engaged by Public Skills Australia (PSA) to manage and deliver the First Nations Workforce Participation Research. The project examined First Nations employment, qualifications and workforce pathways across PSA's six industry-sectors: Fire and Emergency Services, Police, Defence, Correctional Services, Local Government, and Federal and State/Territory Government, collectively referred to as the Public Safety and Government industry-sectors.
April 2026 – June 2026
Karabena Consulting and First 1000 Days Australia worked with Danila Dilba Health Service (DDHS) to develop Growing Future Elders: Child and Family Model of Care. The model guides the redesign of child and family services across DDHS and brings existing services into a clearer life-course pathway.
February 2026 – May 2026
Karabena Consulting was engaged by the DTP to deliver a two-stage project focused on improving road safety outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria.
The first stage (September 2023 – January 2024) involved a comprehensive review of literature, examining evidence-based strategies and actions to enhance road safety for First Nations communities in Victoria.
September 2023 – January 2025