Dr Marion Kickett is a Noongar woman from the Balardong language group. Born in the wheatbelt town of York, Marion spent her early years living on the York Reserve. She completed year 10 at York District high school and her Enrolled Nurses training at Narrogin Regional Hospital. After the death of her father, she came home to York and worked locally at both Northam and York Hospitals. She left York to further her education completing two bachelor’s degrees, one with Honours. Marion completed her PhD at the University of Western Australia on “Resilience” from an Aboriginal perspective, using an Aboriginal methodology.