Dr. Richard “Richie” Fejo is a Larrakia Man from Darwin from his father, his grandfather and his great grandfather in what culture calls “Grandfather lore”. Richard is also Warumungu from Tennant Creek on his mother’s side and holds a great amount of cultural knowledge and experiences from both northern and Central Australia across the Northern Territory.

Richard started working with NAALAS in 1994 as a Criminal Field Officer and went on to work for 30 years across 40 First Nation communities across the Northern Territory, training doctors in Aboriginal cultural practices in the last 15 years earning his Honorary Doctorate from Flinders University in 2022. He was also Chairman of the National Cultural Educators/Cultural Mentor Network (2010 – 2016) before becoming Chairman of the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation (2016 – 2020). In 2020 Richard went on to become the Chairman of the Darwin Waterfront Corporation (2020-2024), Vice-President of Darwin Buffaloes Football Club (2023 - 2024) and Cultural Ambassador of Darwin Salties Basketball (2022-2024).

Despite being born with a withered right arm Richard has had an outstanding sporting career in Aussie Rules, Rugby League and Rugby Union. Richie has represented the Northern Territory 4 times playing Rugby Union and has represented the Australian Schoolboys (Div 2) twice fulfilling his childhood dream of playing against New Zealand in 1988 and England in 1989 (England forfeited).

He is passionate about using his lived experiences in sports and education to promote reconciliation across Australia and is currently the Senior Elder on Campus at Flinders University (NT). In April 2023 Richard became the first ever First Nations appointment to the National Disabilities Insurance Agency (NDIS) on the national NDIS board supporting over 700,000 Australians with disabilities (current).

Chairman of the Australia Day Council Northern Territory, stand-up comedian (8 years) and emerging singer/songwriter.