Uncle Dion Barnett is the son of a Wulgurakaba woman and lives on the lands of the Yuwibara peoples in Sarina, Queensland. He is a respected educator with more than 30 years’ experience across Aboriginal affairs, education and training, and has a long-standing connection to Tranby through his many years of teaching, leadership and commitment to supporting students. Uncle Dion holds a Bachelor of Education and diplomas in Business Administration, Training and Assessment Systems, Project Management, and Business Governance from Tranby. He worked for 13 years with the Queensland Department of Aboriginal Affairs and later held senior roles across Queensland and Western Australia TAFE, including Manager of the Indigenous and South Sea Islander Support Unit. Uncle Dion joined Tranby in 2014 as a trainer and assessor and went on to serve as Program Manager, teacher and mentor. In 2023, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2025 the Uncle Dion Barnett Encouragement Award was named in his honour.