Sarah Landers has been named a finalist in the First Nations category of the NT News Woman of the Year Awards, recognising a career built on showing up for community.
For the proud Aboriginal Dieri woman, leadership has always been about people, relationships and walking alongside community in a way that is real and consistent.
She began her journey in Mparntwe / Alice Springs, working closely with families in Aboriginal town camps.
Facilitating playgroups and supporting access to early learning and services, her work was grounded in trust and connection from the very beginning. It was about making sure families felt supported, seen and heard. That work contributed to strengthening early childhood pathways and community-led approaches that continue to have impact today.
"Community has always grounded me," she said. "Everything I've learned has come from working alongside people, listening, building relationships and understanding what matters on the ground."
Over more than two decades, her career has grown across education, youth development and national leadership spaces. She has worked with organisations including the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy and now contributes nationally through CSIRO. Across each role, her approach has remained steady.
"Leadership for me isn't about stepping in and fixing things. It's about walking with community, being inclusive and creating space for others to step forward," she said. "Everyone has a voice, and when people feel heard and supported, that's where real change begins."
Her work across remote communities in Central Australia and the Barkly has seen her support young people to stay engaged in education, build confidence and step into leadership in their own right. It is work that does not always make headlines, but its impact is long term and deeply felt.
Now working on national initiatives, including the Young Indigenous Women's STEM Academy, she is helping shape pathways for the next generation of Aboriginal women. The focus is not just on access, but on building confidence and belief.
"Success is about strong identity, confidence and real pathways that last," she said. "When young women step into spaces they haven't seen themselves in before, it shifts what's possible."
At the same time, she is clear that systems need to do more than talk about change.
"We already have the knowledge," she said. "There's been years of First Nations-led work that clearly shows what works. The challenge isn't creating new ideas. It's making sure we back what's already working and resource it properly."
She points to community-led approaches, particularly in early childhood, as proof of what happens when programs are built on trust and cultural strength.
"They work because they're grounded in relationships. That's what makes the difference."
Beyond her professional roles, she has also built strong community connections through health and wellbeing. As a graduate of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, she has turned her own journey into something bigger, supporting more than 100 people to achieve their first 5km through community running and walking groups.
"Movement brings people together. It's not just about physical health, it's about connection, belonging and wellbeing," she said. "When people feel supported and connected, they're more likely to thrive."
Her leadership is not loud, but it is steady. It shows up in the way she supports others, creates space and keeps community at the centre of everything she does.
For young Aboriginal women looking to step into leadership, her message is clear.
"You don't have to fit into anyone else's idea of leadership. Our people have always led through culture, knowledge and community," she said.
"Back yourself. Stay connected to who you are. Your voice matters, and there is space for you in these roles."
Being named a finalist is a moment of recognition, but it does not define her work. Sarah Landers represents a kind of leadership that is grounded, relational and built for the long term.
It is leadership that carries community forward.
