ROS MORIARTY

Tasmanian-born Ros Moriarty co-founded Balarinji and is the company’s Managing and Creative Director.

A former ABC journalist with Radio Australia, prior to establishing Balarinji, Ros held senior positions with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in Canberra and Sydney.

Ros was formerly a Commissioner for the Future of Sydney CBD (2021), Inaugural Chair of the Football Australia Women’s Football Council (2019-21), and Board member of Menzies School of Health Research Darwin (2019-21), National Gallery of Australia, Australian Major Events SA and the Australian Academy of Design. In 2023, she was named a Good Design Ambassador.

Ros was named Winner Business Enterprise in the 2015 Financial Review/Westpac Australian 100 Women of Influence Awards. She is an inductee of the Design Institute of Australia, the Australian Graphic Design Association, and the Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame. In 2018 she was named a Companion of the University by Charles Darwin University.

An alumnus of the Australian National University, Ros’ honours include the St Peters Citizenship Award, the Advance Australia Award for Service to Industry and Commerce, a UNESCO Achievement Award, the Good Design Australian Design Prize and the Design Institute of Australia President’s Award.

Ros is the author of the memoir Listening to Country (Allen & Unwin 2010), shortlisted for both The Age 2010 Book of the Year, and the Australian Human Rights Commission Literary Award. She has also written eight picture books for children (Allen & Unwin 2012-18), variously listed for The Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award (2012 & 2015), and the 2013 Australian Environment Award for Children’s Literature, illustrated by Balarinji.

She is Co-founder and Co-chair of the not-for-profit Moriarty Foundation, which enables Aboriginal families and communities to unlock the potential of their children.