Keith has joined the Kokoda team having come from a background in Youth/Community Development with PCYC Working exclusively with Indigenous Communities throughout Queensland.  His focus was on community development, facilitated through capacity building initiatives, leading to his passion for social inclusion. His desire for personal development with Indigenous youth was enhanced through the development and delivery of the Deadly Duke’s program; a Cultural variant of the internationally acclaimed Duke of Edinburgh Award Australia, to which many honours were claimed. The program gained local, national, and international recognition to where Buckingham Palace was made aware of the young people influencing their community during a NAIDOC Celebration. Their aspiring leadership, return to Country and positive role modelling lead to some participants having an exclusive engagement with His Royal Highness Prince Edward in recognition and celebration in 2014.

Keith has worked closely with the QPS to achieve this outcome and has managed several Indigenous PCYC Clubs within remote and or discrete Communities including Mornington Island, Palm Island and Doomadgee. one of his most memorable times was at Lockhart River where he was invited to travel and camp with the community during the Laura dance festival in 2015.

In 2019 Keith transitioned to Project Booyah to work with disadvantaged and high-risk youth caught in the criminal youth justice system as an alternative strategy to reduce or prevent recidivism and incarceration. Keith Served with the Royal Australian Air Force as an Airfield Defence Guard (ADG) for a period of 10 years where he served overseas including deployment to the Middle East and spent time in Iraq in 2005. The structure and discipline inherited as a member of the Australian Defence Force has provided the values utilised to model and mentor youth/community programs. It is this framework aligning with Kokoda Youth Foundation that has seen Keith join our team.

Carmen has worked within not-for-profit youth organisations for the past 4 years, from volunteer management, program support to data management. She is also an active volunteer in sporting organisation, church and her local community organisations. With a science and business education background, Carmen has also worked in international commodity trading before moving into the not-for-profit sectors.

In her spare time, Carmen loves playing volleyball, heading outdoors,  camping, and meeting like-minded, positive, kind people from all over the world.

Bio coming soon

Rachel Scott is a passionate community leader and youth-development advocate with extensive experience supporting young people to build confidence, resilience, and pathways to education and employment.

Based in the Ipswich region, Rachel has spent over 16 years working across the disability, youth, employment and community-services sectors. She is committed to creating environments where young people feel supported, connected and empowered to realise their full potential.

Outside of Kokoda, Rachel is deeply involved in local community organisations. She has proudly served with the Redbank Plains RSL Sub-Branch and on the P&C at Redbank Plains State High School, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to service, leadership, and strengthening community connection.

Driven by the Kokoda values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship, and Sacrifice, Rachel brings warmth, lived experience, and a strengths-based approach to every young person she supports. She believes that through the right encouragement and opportunities, every young person can create their own path and thrive

Bio coming soon

Charley brings her enthusiasm and love for the outdoors to our Isurava Program after working and adventuring as a Camp Instructor at Kokoda’s Outdoor Education facilities. She has also worked on the ski fields of Canada and qualified as an outdoor leader through TAFE Queensland on the Sunshine Coast. During Charley’s studies she did some work experience at Camp Kokoda and felt an immediate connection to the values of Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice.

Charley loves supporting and mentoring young people and brings her enthusiasm to her role as our Isurava Youth Support Officer.