Kristy Crooks is a Euahlayi woman. She is currently the Public Health Aboriginal Team Lead, and an Aboriginal Program Manager, with the Health Protection Unit for Hunter New England Population Health, New South Wales. Kristy's passion is ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a real, and meaningful say in the planning, development, implementation, and dissemination of health programs, services and research within a culturally appropriate and safe governance structure. Kristy is an APPRISE PhD scholar in the key populations research area. Kristy’s research focuses on developing a process of how to privilege First Nations voices in infectious disease emergency planning and response. Kristy has a wealth of experience working in Aboriginal Health. She co-led the development and implementation of a cultural governance structure within a large mainstream health organisation. Kristy also led the development and implementation of Aboriginal governance within the local COVID-19 incident command system. Her formal qualifications, lived experience and working career has provided her with in-depth knowledge and understanding of the health and health related issues that Aboriginal people face.