Karel Williams

Board of Trustees

Karel Williams is a First Nations midwife based on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra). Her family connections are to the palawa and Western Arrernte Nations. Prior to becoming a midwife, Karel had a long career in First Nations policy and program areas in the Australian Public Service. During this time, she participated in a 12-month Executive Exchange program with the then Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in Canada. Karel completed her Bachelor of Midwifery through the University of Canberra (UC) in 2014, having studied part-time while working full-time. At her graduation ceremony Karel was the inaugural recipient of the university’s Tom Calma Medal. She commenced her graduate year in the continuity program in the Birth Centre at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and was the first new graduate to do so. Karel was a Board member of CATSINaM and represented it on the working group that revised the Code of Conduct for Midwives, successfully advocating for the inclusion of cultural safety.  She was also CATSINaM’s representative on the National Birthing on Country Strategic Committee convened by the Australian College of Midwives. Karel is a sessional academic at UC in the fields of First Nations health, First Nations perinatal mental health and Birthing on Country and she has published on racism as a determinant of health in the maternity care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. In 2019 Karel received a Distinguished Alumni Award for Excellence in Health from UC. She is currently a PhD Candidate researching restorative practice in First Nations maternity care in the ACT.