Rom is a Djugun man whose family come from Broome.
In 2024, Rom completed a term as Commissioner with the Productivity Commission where he led a body of work including the first review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Visual Arts and Crafts and Indigenous Evaluation Strategy.
Prior to the Commission, he led key national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations as CEO of the Lowitja Institute and the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association.
Rom previously worked for the Australian Government where he had policy and program responsibility in areas such as substance use, male health and eye health, within the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health. At the state level, he was the first Aboriginal policy officer appointed to the New South Wales Department of Ageing and Disability.
Rom was a past chair of the Indigenous Governance Awards, National Health Leadership Forum, the Canada–Australia Indigenous Health and Wellness Working Group and the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress CEOs’ Forum.
He is a board member of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and patron of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services.