First Nations and Country and Cultural Heritage Program

Jonathon Captain-Webb is a Gomeroi and Dunghutti man, born and raised in the Redfern Aboriginal community. He brings deep cultural grounding and lived experience in Aboriginal knowledge systems, cultural governance and community-led decision-making. 

Jonathon is the Director of the First Nations Program at the Environmental Defenders Office, leading national work to support First Nations peoples to protect Country, culture and community through legal advice, strategic advocacy, law reform and legal intervention. A recognised practitioner in Indigenous land justice, Jonathon has senior executive experience across Aboriginal land rights, cultural heritage, Native Title and securing Aboriginal rights and interests in land, waters and natural resources.  

Jonathon is currently undertaking a PhD in Law at the University of Technology Sydney, researching First Nations conceptualisations of sovereignty, self-government and governance in western New South Wales. He holds qualifications in law, business and social change leadership, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity with the Atlantic Institute at the University of Oxford. 

Harriet has extensive practice and policy experience advocating on behalf of First Nations communities in native title, cultural heritage and across the broader justice system.  

She worked for over a decade in native title and related litigation in Western Australia and NSW, including at the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, Goldfields Land and Sea Council and in private practice. While with the WA ALS, Harriet was part of the team acting on behalf of the Miriuwung and Gajerrong people in their seminal native title case of Ward v State of WA.  

Harriet’s experience includes a substantial period at Legal Aid NSW, where she was in senior leadership roles and further developed her skills in strategic law reform and litigation. More recently Harriet was the Director of Policy and Law Reform at the NSW Bar Association.  

Harriet holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons University of Adelaide) and a Master of Laws from the University of Kiel, Germany. 

Emily joined EDO in Sydney in February 2016 as a solicitor in the litigation team and is now Special Counsel in the Country and Cultural Heritage program.

Emily holds an LLB (Hons)/Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Environmental Law from the University of Sydney.

Prior to joining EDO, Emily worked in a range of legal roles in commercial law, the community sector, and the Supreme Court of Victoria. Emily also spent time volunteering as a legal advisor in the Solomon Islands, supporting local solicitors to advise and represent customary land owners.

Ashley Truscott is a proud Noongar Yamatji Yugunga-Nya man who grew up in Boorloo (Perth). He has a wealth of experience in native title future acts, mining and cultural heritage law in WA, most recently in his own legal practice. Prior to that, Ashley worked as a commercial lawyer on behalf of native title parties, working on the native title claim itself as well as future act inquiry processes under the Native Title Act.   

Ashley also worked for two years on Federal, and State based racial discrimination matters as a civil and human rights lawyer, where he also appeared as junior counsel in a coronial inquest and undertook outreach to WA prisons. Ashley is currently undertaking a Master of Laws. 

Ashley is keen on First Nations access to justice issues and lives in Boorloo (Perth).  

Lauren is a Senior Solicitor in EDO’s Country and Cultural Heritage Program and is based in Meanjin. At EDO, Lauren focuses on working on behalf of First Nations clients and communities on climate justice matters.

Prior to joining EDO, Lauren worked on behalf of Traditional Owners in Victoria at First Nations Legal and Research Services, and spent several years working in environmental and administrative law and litigation as an in-house lawyer for the Victorian Government. Lauren also has experience in human rights law through time spent volunteering with the Judicial System Monitoring Program in Timor-Leste.

Lauren was admitted to legal practice in 2017 and holds an LLB (Hons)/Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.

Nadja joined EDO NSW in 2018 and is a member of EDO's First Nations Country and Cultural Heritage Program. Nadja is based in Melbourne and has a particular interest in water law and natural resources management and in Aboriginal cultural heritage protection.

Nadja advises and represents a broad range of clients including farmers, community groups, conservation groups and Traditional Owners in local and national public interest water law related matters, with a focus on the Murray Darling Basin.

Nadja has previously worked as a plaintiff lawyer at Slater and Gordon, in commercial litigation, representing individuals against large corporations and in administrative and tort law, including negligence and nuisance. Nadja was admitted to legal practice in 2018 and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne.

Troy is a proud Yorta-Yorta man, and our First Nations Program administrator in the First Nations and Country and Cultural Heritage Program and is located in Meanjin (Brisbane) on Turrbal and Jagera Country.

Troy’s passion and understanding of the natural environment has been shaped from a young age through cultural teachings, Dreamtime stories, and time spent on Country. These experiences have instilled deep respect for native flora and fauna and the importance of caring for Country and protecting ecosystems. To further expand his knowledge Troy graduated from a Diploma of Conservation and Ecosystem Management in December 2025 and has experience in bush regeneration and fauna spotting where he hopes one day to work towards a career working on Country.

Troy joined the EDO in February 2024, bringing with him years of administration skills and experience and is always keen to help with First Nations justice issues!