Pilbara woman Jahna Cedar presented with State award for excellence in women’s leadership

A Nyiyaparli and Yindjibarndi woman from the Pilbara has been presented with a prestigious State award for leadership. Jahna Cedar is an executive director at IPS Management Consultants, the chair of the Niapaili Aboriginal Corporation and a board member at the WA Aboriginal Leadership Institute and the Curtin University Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Advisory Committee. Ms Cedar was presented with the 2022 Western Australian State award for excellence in women’s leadership at the Australian Women’s Leadership Symposium on July 8. Backed by professional development and advocacy group Women and Leadership Australia, the awards recognise women in leadership across all industries. Hedland-raised business leader Ms Cedar has spent more than 20 years advocating for equal rights and reconciliation of Indigenous people, and has appeared at the United Nations in New York as a delegate three times. Speaking to the Pilbara News, Ms Cedar said it was humbling to win the award but the recognition came with responsibility. “I’m still in shock and I say that because there are so many amazing trailblazers doing works every day that are deserving of the award. So definitely in shock and quite humbled,” she said. “It’s great to get the recognition, but with that is the responsibility to continue working and striving for social justice and looking for the equity over equality type of argument in society as well. “So it comes with opportunity, obviously, to keep pushing change.” She said it was important to continue to give back and have a presence in the Pilbara community. “You can’t be what you can’t see, and everybody is fighting battles that others are not aware of,” she said. Ms Cedar said the Pilbara came with a lot of its own challenges. “So whilst they may have achieved, it’s important to keep going home and keep supporting and giving back to community to show the next generation so that we can pass on a legacy to them to continue,” she said. “And for them to pave their own way and do what they want to do with their lives and not allow stereotypes or unconscious bias to prevent that.”