Glass Jar Australia appoints Sophie Coffin to its board of directors

Sophie Coffin, a Palyku and Ngangumarta woman with ties to Yindjibarndi Country in the Pilbara region, has been appointed to Glass Jar Australia’s board of directors. The organisation runs the Shooting Stars program, an initiative that aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls across WA to make informed choices about their education and employment. Ms Coffin is more than qualified for the job having served as principal associate to the chief justice at the Supreme Court, supported high school students with special needs and worked with young people in the Kimberley. “I am very excited to be joining Glass Jar Australia’s board. I feel privileged to have this opportunity to work alongside and learn from such respected and accomplished leaders in our community,” she said. “I’ve seen the impact of the Shooting Stars program and its strong reputation in the community. I strongly believe education leads to empowerment and the more educated our community, the better outcomes we can create for our mob.” The Shooting Stars initiative is predominantly run and led by Aboriginal women, for Aboriginal girls and young women at 22 school-based sites, helping them shoot for the stars. “We are extremely lucky to have Sophie on the board, and I look forward to the perspectives and insights she will offer. It’s hard to imagine one person can cover such a broad spectrum of criteria so beneficial to the organisation,” board chair Dr Glenda Kickett said. Ms Coffin joins existing board members, Dr Richard Walley, Robyn Smith Walley, Tara Martin, Simone Hansen and Dr Kickett.