Ivan was born in Sydney and was raised at La Perouse (NSW). He is one of 11 children of which 4 are deceased, along with his Mother and Father.
Ivan’s mother, Beryl Pearl Simon (nee Stewart) belong to the Walbunga (Walbunja) people of the Yuin Nation located on the Far South Coast of NSW and she was born at Milton and was raised at Tilba Tilba and Wallaga Lake.
Ivan’s father, Roy Alexander Simon, belongs to the Worimi people on the Mid North Coast of NSW and he was born and raised on the Aboriginal Village at Foster.
Ivan was educated at La Perouse Public School and Matraville High School having achieved the Intermediate Certificate in Third Form (1965), as it was known then.
Ivan spent over 33 years in the NSW and Australian Government Public Service which he left in 2011 (but did not retire). Ivan has travelled to urban, regional, remote and isolated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia in his past work with the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO), Aboriginal Hostels Limited (AHL), the NSW Department of Community Services, the NSW Office of Juvenile Justice, the NSW Office of Housing Policy, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Division in Housing NSW (HNSW) and in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs NSW (AANSW).

Ivan has worked at all levels within those organisations (operational and strategic) and reached very senior executive level in the AHL, HNSW, AANSW and the AHO.

Ivan had significant involvement and influence in the establishment of the AHO in 1998 and the reforms in Aboriginal Housing for many years since that time.

Ivan was awarded the Public Service Medal in the 1998 Australia Day Awards for his significant contribution, leadership and commitment to Aboriginal Housing.

Ivan was a Member of the Strategic Advisory Panel for the Red Cross Fire Disaster Recovery (Sept 2019 to March 2020).

Ivan continues to work with Aboriginal communities and organisations assisting them to build and or sustain their administrative and governance capacity to enhance outcomes for their people. This included working with the Aboriginal Resource Unit who assists Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who require advocacy and support to sustain their tenancies in rental accommodation in NSW.

In more recent times, Ivan provided direct leadership in the development and establishment of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA) which was incorporated in December 2020 and Ivan was its inaugural Chairperson and ‘interim’ CEO.

Ivan has a strong commitment to improving the social and economic circumstances and general well-being of his people through better housing outcomes. He is a Registered Advisor under the NSW Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and is currently a member and former Chairperson of the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Ivan was the President of the Aboriginal Children’s Advancement Society (ACAS) for over 25 years and is a Registered Aboriginal Owner and current Board Member of the Biamanga National Park (Far South Coast of NSW).

Ivan was involved in The Constellation Project (TCP) as a member of the Governance Group and the First Nations Leadership Team. TCP is a private sector and non-government strategy to alleviate homelessness within Australia over a generation.