Professor Valerie Cooms is a Quandamooka woman and is the Director of CAEPR. Professor Cooms has had many years' experience working in Indigenous affairs, within the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the then Departments of Education Employment and Training, as well as Social Security delivering services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. More recently Professor Cooms was the CEO of Queensland South Representative Body Aboriginal Corporate and Queensland South Native Title Services, as well as a Member of the National Native Title Tribunal. Professor Cooms is currently the Chair of the Quandamooka Yoolooburabee Registered Native Title Body Corporate and is the Deputy Chair of Aboriginal Hostels Limited and also the Chair of the Aboriginal and Islander Independent School in Brisbane for five years and set up the Wadja Wadja High School in Woorabinda Aboriginal community.