Irene Stainton AO is the first Aboriginal person appointed to a National Trust Council. She has a longstanding commitment to Aboriginal heritage and is a trustee for the WA Museum, a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee for the National Museum of Australia, and has presented papers at the United Nations. In September 2022, Ms Stainton was appointed co-chair of the inaugural Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Council, Western Australia's peak strategic body on Aboriginal cultural heritage matters.
Ms Stainton has extensive experience in the private sector and with government, holding senior positions with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs including as Registrar of Aboriginal sites and chair of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee. She joined Inpex Corporation in November 2009 as senior aboriginal affairs advisor before becoming manager of aboriginal affairs in August 2017 and consultant for specialist aboriginal affairs advice in 2019.
Ms Stainton is a finalist in the Aboriginal Award category of the 2019 Western Australian Of The Year Awards.
In 2023, she was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the Indigenous community through cultural heritage leadership, and through health and social welfare organisations.
