Karen Jacobs

Karen is a bloodline descendant and a Traditional Owner of Whadjuk Country, within the Noongar Nation.

Karen is the sole owner of Indigenous Economic Solutions Pty Ltd, trading as IES Cultural Heritage, IES Enviro Scapes and IES Enviro Clean. Her primary focus is on developing opportunities and encouraging Aboriginal people’s involvement in enterprise and business activity.

Karen has an extensive background in business, Aboriginal cultural heritage and practices, environmental planning and management, cultural tourism, education and was a former lecturer at the University of Western Australia’s School of Social Science in Foundations to Heritage Management.

Her career has led to the provision of Indigenous Specialist Services, as an expert in the integration of cultural heritage in design and placemaking, engaged within the design teams for urban design, construction, and infrastructure projects.

As a company director, her board competencies are corporate decision making, probity and procurement, compliance, business management, strategic planning and analysis, financial management, marketing and promotion, engagement and participation of Aboriginal peoples.

Banner image: Swan River Bell’s Rapids. Photo credit Fiona Smith.