Donna Ward Storey

• Member of the Law Institute Victoria 
• Recipient of the Dino De Poli Scholarship from the Australasian Centre for Italian Studies / Fondazione Cassamarca for research study in Italy
• Inaugural Recipient of the Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship for research study at the British School of Rome
• Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Australia
• Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory

Donna’s career includes roles as a commercial lawyer with the Australian Government Solicitor in both Darwin and Melbourne, as a senior public servant with the Northern Territory Government, with various Indigenous organisations and in academia.

In her capacity as a lawyer and research professional, Donna has worked extensively in Indigenous Affairs and heritage broadly. She has held positions such as Research & Policy Officer at the Northern Land Council and Manager of the Aboriginal Land Unit with the Northern Territory Government. She has also worked as Community Education Lawyer with both North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (VALS). 

Donna’s experience has allowed her to deepen her understanding of the intricate interplay between cultural lore and imposed law, fostering a nuanced approach to navigating these complexities with sensitivity and respect. 

Donna’s work in academia involved teaching legal subjects at Charles Darwin University including Property Law and Professional Responsibility, as well as subjects in the Ancient World Studies program at the University of Melbourne. 

Currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Melbourne in ancient and modern Italian history, Donna’s research delves into the utilisation of ancient Rome in fascist and pre-fascist Italian political propaganda. Her exploration of the Italian fascist regime and its manipulation of history for political purposes provides her with a distinctive perspective on the contemporary global geopolitical landscape. 

In 2019, Donna was the inaugural recipient of the Thérèse and Ronald Ridley Scholarship, granting her two months in residence at the British School at Rome to undertake PhD research. She has also received scholarships from the Australasian Centre of Italian Studies and the University of Melbourne for her research. She has presented her research at both national and international conferences. 

Donna can read and speak Italian at a reasonable level and is currently studying both the Finnish and French languages.