Auspire - Australia Day Council of Western Australia.

2017 Albany Citizen of the Year
2023 WA Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee
CEO Southern Aboriginal Corporation

Born in India, Asha migrated to Australia in 2004 and is dedicated to social justice and human rights. Growing up in India, she witnessed much social disadvantage, and is passionate about contributing to the fairer world, which Southern Aboriginal Corporation has enabled her to do.

Asha has been recognised for her work to develop better outcomes in ‘Closing the Gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Asha advocates for change every day and goes above and beyond to make her community and the world a better place.

Asha has lived in Albany for 15 years. Asha is passionate about her community and is a strong advocate for women in rural areas. Asha says, “rural women are invisible but women from regional areas are just as smart and capable, except they are not considered for opportunities, and they lack resources”.

Asha was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her service to WA’s Indigenous community as part of the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours. Asha has an MBA from Kaplan Business School and holds master’s and bachelor's degrees in mathematics and business and professional accounting. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2017 Asha received the Albany Citizen of the Year Award and became a finalist of Telstra WA Business Women of the Year. Asha was selected to attend the Global Ambassadors Program in Chicago in September 2016 and was one of 11 women leaders selected globally and only awardee from Australia. Asha is also a Cordes fellow and participated in opportunity collaboration in Mexico in 2018. She was one of the 60 successful Cordes fellow and the calibre of Cordes applicants included high-impact, innovative, entrepreneurial for-profit and non-profit executives with a demonstrated commitment to social justice and poverty alleviation. Asha is a 2022 and 2023 WA Judge for Telstra Best of Business Awards.

Asha is the volunteer WA Team Leader for the national women’s charity ‘Share the Dignity’. This charity collects donations of period products each year and acts to distribute to those in need. They also strongly advocate to end period poverty in Australia, including campaigning to ensure all public hospitals offer free sanitary items to those who need them and working on ending the shame and stigma around periods through their Period Pride campaign.

Share

Young Australian of the Year (WA) Finalist.
Suicide Prevention Advocate.

Ashlee Harrison is the 2016 Young Western Australian of the Year. She was recognised for her role as the CEO & Founder of mental health charity; zero2hero Inc. Ashlee is also the Director of social media company; Social Say and a safeTALK suicide prevention facilitator.

Ashlee created the Charity at the age of 21 before commencing her Commerce degree at Curtin, and during her 10 years working in the mental health sector has partnered with organisations such as Lifeline, Suicide Prevention Australia and Foundation for Young Australians.

Recently recognised by the Australian Financial Review as one of Australia’s 100 Woman of Influence, Ashlee and a team of staff and volunteers reach over 80,000 young Western Australian’s every year.

Ashlee has also been awarded a Pride of Australia Medal in 2015, won the WA Youth Award for Education in 2013 and in the same year was also a Young Australian of the Year finalist.

Share

Finalist, WA 2021 Young Australian of the Year

Founder of Hello Initiative

Ashleigh Dickson is the founder of an organisation that helps young people in the youth justice system to create a better future.

Hello Initiative provides practical tools to help empower these children and prevent re-offending, so they can leave the justice system for good.

Ashleigh established the mobile support project, which provides recycled smartphones and credit to young people aged between 10 and 17 years. Having access to a phone enables them to keep up with court requirements and nurture community connections, while growing their digital literacy.

Youth support workers have also reported a positive impact on their ability to build relationships with their clients.

Through Hello Initiative, Ashleigh is tackling three interconnected social justice issues: the widening digital divide in Australia, socio-economic disadvantage and climate justice – as Hello Initiative is a fully-sustainable initiative.

Hello Initiative has assisted more than 500 young people and is supported by the Perth Children’s Court and frontline justice organisations.

In addition to her role at Hello Initiative, Ashleigh is the Innovation Manager at East Metropolitan Health Service, managing health and social impact innovation projects such as bringing new technology into WA hospitals.

Share

CEO of Millennium Kids

2022 WA Local Hero Finalist

For more than 25 years, Catrina (Cat) Aniere has empowered young people to use their voice to tackle the big issues the world is facing – including climate change, education, racism, sustainability or plastic waste. As CEO of Millennium Kids, a youth-led empowerment organisation based in Western Australia, Cat recognises that young people have the creative ideas, innovative thinking and problem-solving skills needed to face the challenges of the 21st century. However, they sometimes need a little support to be the innovators they are born to be.

From a foundation group of only a few school students and teachers in 1999, Millennium Kids has grown to involve several dozen schools and thousands of students around Australia. It now also has two branches overseas.

Adopting an approach of teaching ‘skills for life’, 59 year old Cat has inspired young people to become leaders; to activate change and use their voices within their communities to create a fairer, better future for us all.

Share

Economist and non-profit executive

As an economist, Conrad Liveris focuses on jobs, employment and incomes, and the ABC has called him "one of Australia's leading employment and workplace experts". In the non-profit sector, he heads a training non-profit which directs proceeds to legal aid efforts.

He has written widely about workplace and economic issues, including for The Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, The West Australian and others; with his work featured across the ABC, Channels 7, 9 and 10, Buzzfeed and many more.

Conrad is the Chair of WAAC (previously, the WA AIDS Council), Chair of Sussex Street Community Law Service, and is on the board of Carine Senior High School.

As an Australia Day Ambassador, Conrad has delivered Australia Day addresses in Albany, Broome, Derby, Geraldton and Mullewa.

He has been awarded an Alumni Achievement award by Curtin University and was recognised as one of Australia’s most influential LGBTI leaders in 2020. Conrad is Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

Share

Cave Diver and Rescuer

Australian of the Year 2019

In July 2018, respected cave diver and retired vet Craig Challen was about to go on a caving holiday in the Nullarbor Plains, when he was called to help on a rescue mission in Thailand. Craig was part of the international team that successfully rescued 12 boys and their coach from a flooded cave in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

Craig, who has dived some of Australia’s deepest wrecks and has set depth records in diving, was chosen for the mission based on his technical expertise. Working 10 to 12 hours a day in extremely dangerous conditions, Craig repeatedly risked his life as the children were swum, one-by-one, through the dark and narrow flooded caves.

Despite admitting he initially thought the rescue would be too difficult to accomplish, he played a leading role in this successful and heroic mission. Dr Challen was awarded the Star of Courage for his unwavering and selfless bravery following the successful rescue of the trapped soccer team.

In the year following him receiving the award Craig has visited hundreds of schools and community groups and shared his story and messages of resilience to thousands of students and community members.

Share

Founder of Short Back & Sidewalks

2022 WA Local Hero

As an Australian of the Year Award recipient, Craig Hollywood is a valued member of the Australian social impact landscape. Through the power of a conversation, the value Craig brings to society is of national and global importance.

Craig is an innovative motivational speaker and businessman with a knack for thinking outside the box. The work that he puts back into the community has the power to truly inspire.

Craig is the Founder of Short Back and Sidewalks, a social impact movement providing free haircuts and conversations with some of Australia’s most vulnerable people. Starting in a car park in Perth in 2015, Short Back & Sidewalks now operates across the continent and continues to positively impact people’s lives by providing a consistent, judgement free service which helps to break the stigma often attached to those in need. Having lost a family member who experienced homelessness, Craig set out to find a way to help some of the most at-risk people in our society.

Craig’s story about positively impacting communities through the simple act of giving a free haircut and having a chat is inspiring the next generation of giving across the country and beyond. He believes collaboration is key to any success, but first we must connect with each other on a human level.

Craig is a humble, community leader who thinks differently about how we can change society for the better, together as one. Craig an engaging and charismatic motivational speaker with an inspirational story and message that will leave a lasting impact.

Share

Since beginning ballroom dancing as a six-year-old, Darryl Davenport went on to become a State, Australian and New Zealand Professional DanceSport Champion. He has successfully coached multiple State and Australian Champions.

In 2017 after working together with disability, senior citizen and aged care sector service providers, Darryl established Ballroom Fit, providing dance and active participation opportunities for people with a range of abilities. All Abilities Dance, a DanceSport initiative recognised by the Special Olympics, is now being offered to those living with an intellectual disability and/or autism. Vision Impaired Dance, with the support of VisibilityWA, is providing similar opportunities for those living with vision impairment. Chair Dancing is also offering seated dance classes for those in the community and at aged care centres with mobility issues. Darryl has also expanded the opportunity to include Para Dance, a Paralympic Sport for wheelchair dancers which, although available in many other countries, had not previously been offered in Australia. As a founding member of Para and Ability Dance WA, Darryl has worked tirelessly to support dancers with a disability and for many years has served as a Committee Member and Chairman of each of the associations.

In 2021, Darryl received the Community Citizen of the Year Award from City of South Perth.

Share

Community Citizen of the Year 2021
Founder of GOSAC - Give Our Strays A Chance

Dean Morris is only 19 years old and has already accomplished more than some will in a lifetime.

Dean founded the award winning charity GOSAC - Give Our Strays A Chance when he was 10 years old to raise awareness and donations for animals in need. 9 years later and GOSAC has raised over a million dollars in donations and supplies. Saved countless lives and won many awards.

Dean helps animal rescues and regional shelters with life saving supplies. Wildlife hospitals with medical and surgical items, homeless people and struggling families with pet care packages.

He works with businesses, legislators, hospitals, the community, and the media to gain support and donations and increase awareness for animal welfare issues.

Dean studies a double major in Engineering and Management at UWA, lives at Trinity Residential College on campus, works at Stantec in Project Controls. He is a director at the Canning Vale Community Bank (branch of Bendigo Bank), a professional associate of Rotary Perth. He flies airplanes and received a NASA scholarship to SpaceCamp USA.

At 18, Dean published his first book; Saving The World - One Stray At A Time and crosses our state speaking at schools and libraries about youth leadership and how everyone, no matter of age, can change the world.

For more information, visit www.gosac.info

Share

Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategist

Award Winning Social Justice Advocate

Fadzi Whande is a multi-award-winning Global Diversity and Inclusion Strategist, Social Justice Advocate, and keynote speaker. With a remarkable career spanning over two decades, she is widely recognized for her outstanding contributions in developing and implementing large-scale DEI strategies, plans, and initiatives. She is currently the Chief of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Section at the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Geneva, Switzerland where she plays a pivotal role in driving meaningful change on a global scale.

Her tireless work in advancing diversity and inclusion has garnered widespread recognition through numerous awards and accolades. She is a TEDx speaker, recipient of the 2019 Social Impact Award from the Organisation of African Communities WA, 2018 Western Australian of the Year finalist and the recipient of the International Racial Equity Leadership Award in the USA, recognising her work in facilitating racial equity training for various law enforcement agencies in Australia. In addition to her professional achievements,  Fadzi is an ambassador for 100 Women and Common Purpose.

Share

Founder of Financially Empowered

Empowering marginalised women and the migrant community with financial literacy skills and resources to achieve financial stability and independence.

Grace Mugabe (CPA GAICD) is an award-winning Financial Literacy Educator, Business Money Mentor and Management Accountant with personality and sass.

Her organisation, Financially Empowered, specialises in dismantling the financial knowledge gap, which particularly impacts marginalised women. Through interactive, practical workshops and programs, she equips women to build financial confidence, boost their earning potential, and secure their future.

Financially Empowered has partnered with governments, schools, the private sector and community organisations to deliver impactful financial education programs.

Grace's commitment to community involvement and financial literacy has been recognised through various awards and accolades. She was a 2021 AMP Tomorrow Maker, a 2019 Women in Finance Awards finalist for her Migrant Money Matters program, and a finalist for the United Nations Association of Australia (WA) 'Excellence in Gender Equity Promotion’ Award.

A passionate advocate for community impact and leveraging her financial expertise to make a difference, Grace has served on the boards of 100 Women (a philanthropic fund), Business Station & Ishar Multicultural Women’s Centre, where she supported the infrastructure for and chaired the Audit & Finance committee. She currently serves on the board of Leadership WA and is Treasurer of the Joondalup Lotteries House.

She has been featured on various media platforms discussing money matters impacting marginalised women and migrants. Grace is known for her ability to connect, engage and contribute greatly to her clients.

Share

WA Senior Australian of the Year 2016.
Veterans’ Advocate.

While serving in Vietnam in 1970, Hon Graham Edwards AM was hit by an exploding mine. Both his legs had to be amputated, but he never let his disability get the better of him. Returning to civilian life, he battled the aftershocks of war and fought discrimination before moving into public affairs and politics.

Spending 14 years of service in the WA Legislative Council, including as a senior minister and nine years in the federal parliament, Graham actively contributed to defence, disability services and veterans’ policy.

More recently, as State President of the Returned & Services League of Australia, Graham oversaw a membership base of 10,000 people, sat by bedsides, lobbied government for funding and organised large events to commemorate the sacrifice made by many, particularly for the 2015 Centenary of Gallipoli.

A board member of the Australian War Memorial, Graham is ensuring that the nation’s war heroes gain the recognition they deserve.

Share

Finalist, WA Local Hero 2020

Child Protection Advocate

For more than 35 years, Managing Director of Safe4Kids Holly-ann Martin has helped keep Western Australian children safe from childhood sexual abuse. As a volunteer at a school for children with special needs in 1985, Holly-ann and her colleagues realised the children were vulnerable to sexual abuse, so they taught them about body safety.

Later, in 1995, Holly-ann received formal training while working as a teaching assistant in the US-developed Protective Behaviours program. This further ignited her desire to dedicate her life to protecting children. So in 2007, she resigned from the WA Education Department to pursue her passion. She and her husband founded the new business by re-mortgaging their home, using part of these funds to produce educational resources for parents and teachers.

Safe4kids now works to protect children all over the world developing quality, up-to-date child-abuse prevention education resources. Inducted into the WA Women's Hall of Fame in 2016, Holly-ann’s whole-of-community approach to child abuse prevention is inspiring. Holly-ann also received an Order of Australia Medal for service to child safety in 2022.

Share

Co-founder, No Limits Perth

WA FINALIST LOCAL HERO 2023

Janine Wood JP is co-founder and Chair of No Limits Perth, a not-for-profit that supports vulnerable people in metropolitan Perth and its surrounds.

The organisation rescues pre-loved household items from landfill and helps people in crisis, start over.  They also provide food hampers, toiletries, linen, stationary, and other essential items to people doing it tough – including those escaping domestic violence, the homeless, pensioners, new-comers to the country, low income earners and the homeless.  It also gives care, love, dignity, respect and hope to those seeking help.

What makes No Limits Perth unique is that all the donations received, are supplied to a number of other charitable and government organisations free of charge without expecting anything in return. With no ongoing financial support, it’s Janine and her dedicated volunteers who keep it running.

In June 2022, Janine collaborated with the Fortuna Foundation on its free “Positive Spin” mobile laundry van, so vulnerable people in the community can clean and dry their clothes. She has also set up a new mobile community outreach van called “Heart of the Street”, and a team, with mental health first aid training, to distribute essential items to people who are homeless and sleeping in vehicles, parks and tents.

Janine was the 2019 Westfield Whitfords Local Hero. They also won the Community Group of the Year in 2020 and were the runners up in the Wanneroo Business Awards in 2021.  Her compassion and kindness have created an inclusive environment, placing value and non-judgement as the foundation to those isolated, encouraging all members of the community, to come together to build new friendships and experience a sense of belonging.

Share

2023 City of Gosnells Citizen of the year

Multilingual and Multilingual Advocate

Jawaria is passionate about supporting migrants settling in Australia. She supports children and families in staying connected to their language and cultural heritage as part of Multilingual Australia. She is also a co-author of the book ‘Undefeated’ which is a collection of stories of migrant women to raise awareness about issues faced as part of their settlement in Australia.

She is involved with various initiatives like Diverse Women Leadership Program (DWLP) which empowers women to step into community, career or civic leadership. She supports high-school girls in exploring careers in STEM as part of Girls Programming Network (GPN) and The Innovator’s Tea Party (TITP).

Her engineering qualification provides an advantage which enables teaching at Murdoch University to create a workforce for the cyber industry and break down concepts in simpler terms for children as part of her own startup.

Jawaria has a rich portfolio of achievements and contributions, a passion for driving positive change in the digital realm and an ability to align objectives with governmental cybersecurity targets underscores her commitment to contributing to Australia.

Share

WA Young Australian of the Year Finalist 2018
Social Entrepreneur and Humanitarian
Founder of DrawHistory

Born in Jakarta, Jeffrey Effendi was just a child when his family fled the country’s race riots.

Today, Jeffrey is a communications leader whose work continues to be propelled by the belief that the stories we amplify can shape the conversations we have in society and impact people’s lives.

Much of Jeffrey’s work has come from DrawHistory, the strategy and design consultancy he founded, where he has partnered with governments, civil society, foundations, academia and the private sector to channel their influence toward a better future. This includes working in spaces such as refugee rights, countering extremism, and mental health for young people at risk. DrawHistory’s clients include UNICEF Australia, St John of God Foundation, Centre for Social Impact, Neami National, and the Western Australia Government’s COVID Team.

Along the way, Jeffrey has also led communications for Google’s Next Billion Users initiative to help build a more inclusive internet in emerging nations, and founded Change.org’s global brand team to make sure civic action can be more accessible for everyone, everywhere.

The through-lines of who Jeffrey is today has been shaped by pit stops in civic spaces, from leading the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers to being part of an impact fellowship at University of Cambridge through Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Trust.

For this work, Jeffrey has been recognised as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Listmaker and a WA Young Australian of the Year finalist in 2018.

Share

2023 WA Local Hero

Jimmy Murphy co-founded the Town Team Movement to inspire and support people to be responsible for improving their communities. The non-profit social enterprise enables people and local government to connect, organise and act to regenerate neighbourhoods.

Jimmy uses Town Teams to advocate for more accessible and affordable community spaces that reflect the people who inhabit them. Residents, businesses and other community members are encouraged to form or join an existing Town Team group. Town Team Movement groups have held street festivals, run working bees, introduced street art, built community gardens, rewilded areas and created food co-ops.

Jimmy, 42, also co-founded Arts Impact WA, a philanthropic organisation that funds arts projects.

Jimmy’s practical, positive approach has spread from Western Australia across the nation and to New Zealand. There are now more than 108 Town Teams making the world better – one community at a time.

Share

Leader of modern obstetrics
2020 Senior Australian of the Year

John Newnham was born and educated in Western Australia. By good fortune, he was given the opportunity to train in medicine.

As a young medical student, he became fascinated by life before birth and how those precious nine months could set a person up for health or illness for the following eighty years. That fascination has been his career-long driving force. He specialised in obstetrics and the care of sick unborn babies and has worked in this field at King Edward Memorial Hospital and The University of Western Australia throughout his career.

To understand how life before birth may be so impactful, he has initiated many large and ongoing research studies, including the Raine Study which follows the lives of thousands of Western Australian people and their families. He also initiated and runs the Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Program, which is the world’s first national program aiming to safely prevent harmful early birth.

John is proud to be able to say that Western Australia is the ideal place to conduct world-leading medical research. And there is no reason why any young Western Australian should not aim high and pursue their passion – whatever that may be.

John was awarded an Order of Australia in the general division in 2014 and was the 2020 Senior Australian of the Year.

For more than 30 years, he and his wife Susie have also been part-time farmers at Rosa Glen near Margaret River.

Share

Finalist, WA Local Hero 2020

Founder of Happiness Co and public speaker

Happiness Co was inspired by the devastating loss of Julian Pace’s father and best friend – both taking their own lives. Following his road back to happiness, Julian brought Happiness Co to life in 2017, and has made it his mission to make the world a happier place ever since - a tribute to his family and others going through life’s challenges whilst overcoming hurdles and dark periods.

It’s his belief that ownership and individual responsibility can play an integral part in creating a happier world.

With an authentic, raw approach, whilst sharing his own deeply moving story, Julian has become a world-renowned speaker, presenting in 10 countries to a cumulative audience of approximately 100,000 people. Through his perspective altering and life changing strategies, Julian teaches how mental health and happiness is determined by decision making and everyday choices.

Thousands of individuals, companies and schools around the world have worked with Julian, and he hopes to reach many more as he continues to share his message and mission.

Julian was a finalist in the 2020 WA Australian of the Year Local Hero Award and a recipient of the 2020 Community Citizen of the Year Award for the Town of Victoria Park.

Share

Founder of Blue Tree Project

2022 WA Young Australian of the Year

Kendall Whyte is the founder and CEO of Blue Tree Project, a grass-roots charity making an impact across Australia. Its mission is to help spark difficult conversations and break down the stigma of mental health, by giving dead trees ‘a blue lease on life’.

The Blue Tree Project is inspired by the tragic loss of Kendall’s brother, Jayden, after taking his own life in 2018. The blue tree that was once painted as a practical joke now acts as a beacon of hope for those struggling, with over 1,000 trees now painted across Australia and the world.

Within just two years, the Blue Tree Project has helped facilitate better understanding of mental health, while providing free education seminars and creating engaging community events within regional Western Australia.

Kendall’s work is helping spread the message that “it’s ok to not be ok”. By speaking openly and authentically, she’s helping break down the fear of judgement that stops people seeking help for mental illness.

Share

Founder of Telethon Community Cinemas

2022 WA Local Hero Finalist

For over 23 years, Ken Gibbons and Telethon Community Cinemas have delivered an unique cinema going experience while also raising funds for children’s charities. His initiative has been supported by many sponsors and thousands of volunteers who’ve dedicated their time to helping the cause.

Born with a stutter and experiencing bullying at school ignited in Ken a passion to help children living with a health challenge.

Starting first at age nine with garage sales and puppet shows, and other fundraising activities from school years onwards, in 2002 he first established Movies by Burswood now known as Telethon Community Cinemas. The updated name reflects the ongoing patronage of Western Australia’s biggest children’s charity fundraising event.

From its first cinema in the Burswood Parklands, it now has four metropolitan locations and recently acquired a mobile cinema unit and has raised almost $13 million for over 100 children’s charities and community groups.

The organisation raised a record one million dollars this past financial year.

There is a deliberate policy of providing parkland settings for its cinemas to enable families and friends to socialise and reconnect in a picnic environment.

In addition, whilst not having changed its admission prices since 2011, there is a recognition that financial pressures impact upon families widely. Each year Telethon Community Cinemas provides around 75 free screenings funded by its sponsors.

Through his work, Ken continues to put the wants and needs of the community first whilst bringing back the magic of the movie-going experience or, as he puts it, doing good through movies.

Share

Energy Transition, Economic Development & Global Engagement

Finalist – WA Young Australian of the Year 2012 & 2015

Krista is a Nyoongar woman from South West Wagyl Kaip, a mother and a human rights advocate. Krista graduated from a Bachelor of Laws (2011) and is studying an Executive Certificate in Public Policy at Harvard, a double Masters of International Relations and a Masters of International Law at the University of Western Australia (UWA) and was recently accepted into UWA’s MBA program. Krista is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Director of the Indigenous Arts Foundation. Krista is also a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserves.

Krista is passionate about developing a brighter future for all Australians; where people are equally free and able to make informed life choices that fulfill their personal aspirations, regardless of their geographical or cultural backgrounds. Krista has a strong background in strategic stakeholder engagement; commercial negotiation including native title; policy and project development and implementation; land activation, economic development, advocacy, human rights and international relations.

Krista recently joined Chevron as a Senior Policy Advisor on Energy Transition after having served as the Western Australian government’s Investment and Trade Commissioner to the ASEAN region, and spent just over 6 years in public service. Prior to entering the Western Australian public service, Krista practised as a lawyer in corporate and commercial law, contract negotiation and dispute resolution; specialising in the resources and construction industries.

In recognition of her contributions to the Western Australian community, Krista was inducted into the Western Australian Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011, awarded the Human Rights Awards Young People’s Medal in 2012, listed in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac’s 100 Women of Influence Young Leader category in 2013 and a finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards in both the Corporate & Private and Young Business Woman categories in 2015 and received lawyer of the year awards in 2017 and 2018. Krista received the Western Australian Young Leadership Award in 2019 and most recently was a finalist in the Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards in 2020.

Share

Lueth is a Primary School Teacher and the founder of Lueth Learning Centre.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Murdoch University.

Having fled the Civil War in South Sudan, Lueth sought asylum and resettled in Australia after spending 11 gruelling years in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Lueth’s life trajectory has since seen a remarkable transformation. From arriving in Australia at age 11, overcoming culture shock, trauma, and settlement barriers, to becoming a teacher, an advocate for the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) community. Lueth’s journey reflects resilience, ambition, and dedication.

Having founded the Lueth Learning Centre, a tutoring service focused on CaLD students, and serving as an ambassador with Auspire - Australia Day Council WA, her commitment to empowering the CaLD community is undeniable.

Lueth’s impressive drive has seen her being selected to be part of the Western Australian YMCA Youth Parliament Program in 2019. She was a Youth member for Mirrabooka, participating as a member of the Education & Training Committee.

This year, Lueth is a recipient of an Auspire Multicultural Leadership Program 2023 Scholarship. Lueth is committed to ensuring that the voices of the CaLD community are heard and respected.

Share

WA and National Young Australian of the Year (Environment) 1999

WA born Nahrel grew up in East Arnhem Land, NT, and South West, WA. Her love of nature’s diversity set her on a path of protecting the environment and supporting sustainability.

After graduating from University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Commerce and travelling the length of New Zealand, she returned to WA in 1996 and became SW (WA) Regional Recycling Co-ordinator for 12 local governments. She has been a leader in the waste industry ever since.

In 1999, Nahrel received a Young Australian of the Year Award for her role in establishing award-winning waste measures including development of the first recycling collection system for a regional grouping of local governments in Australia.

Nahrel was also WA’s first State Waste Education and Promotion Coordinator, served a seven-year term as an Australian Conservation Foundation Councillor and for a decade was the liaison between conservation groups across Australia and onshore and offshore oil and gas developments nearby Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area. She has also been a catalyst for projects and sourcing significant funding for not for profit, community and local government.

At 27, Nahrel established environmental and communications business, Dallywater Consulting, which has now been operating for around 20 years.

Share

Business Leader, Migrant and Engineer

It was the love for the Australian cricket grounds that motivated Naveed to migrate to Australia in the year 2000. Despite warnings of “difficult times in an alien land” from his friends and no friends or family in Australia, he decided to follow his heart. His first experience of arriving in Australia was to lose all his belongings to a cab driver on his way from the airport to hotel. It was his determination and the positive support of many Australians that helped him to not only settle well but thrive as a successful business professional in Australia.

With severe stammering during his childhood, he faced bullying and lack of trust in his intellectual abilities at his school. His dedication and hard work helped him to academically excel at the national level in Pakistan. These early life experiences shaped his empathetic personality and strong belief in the power of education to bring both individual and social change.

Naveed is a true reflection of diversity and multiculturalism in Australia. He has lived and worked in several countries covering five continents. He advocates tolerance and inclusion at workplace and in communities by focusing on common human values. During his professional experience, he developed skills to promote partnerships between the business sector, government, and local communities.

Naveed is proud to have contributed to the Australian economy through his multidisciplinary skills in engineering, environmental management, energy economics and project management. He is a recipient of the Gold medal award as the best graduating student for the Mineral and Energy Economics program at the Curtin University.

Share

2024 WA Local Hero

Nick Hudson, Founder of The Push-Up Challenge, is a passionate mental health advocate and inspiring public speaker who transformed his own personal adversity into a nationwide movement.

What started as a push-up competition between friends in 2017 became Nick’s focus when his engineering career took an unexpected turn after battling severe depression before and after open-heart surgery in 2019.

Recognising the urgent need to address mental health in a more accessible and engaging way, under Nick’s leadership as ‘Chief of Push-Ups', The Push-Up Challenge has grown exponentially, engaging over 700,000 participants and raising over $50M for mental health to date.

Nick’s passion and bold vision to level up the mental fitness of millions of people around the world has seen his efforts recognised through multiple accolades, including State winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2024, Mental Health Advocate  of the Year WA 2021 and a finalist in the Telstra Business Awards 2024.

Share

CEO, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

Nilesh Makwana is a technology CEO and entrepreneur dedicated to making a social impact through his business and community activities. He focuses his efforts on workplace diversity, social inclusion and digital literacy. Nilesh works tirelessly to improve business and social causes through collaboration and diplomacy. Perhaps his greatest strength is identifying how business, government, academia and community can collaborate in mutually beneficial ways.

Nilesh is the CEO of illuminance Solutions, a national technology company he co-founded with his business partner, Vincent Lam. The company is a Microsoft Gold Partner for Social Impact and provides technology consulting and professional services throughout Australia. Under Nilesh’s leadership, illuminance has created software products to fill a gap in support for those living with disability, Indigenous Native title trusts and corporations, and the elderly.

Nilesh’s community activities are driven by a focus on empathy and creating social impact for the betterment of society. He has worked tirelessly to eliminate the digital literacy gap in Indigenous communities and throughout regional Western Australia by providing countless hours of free technical training. Nilesh is the founder of West Tech Assemblage, an event for tech leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators to promote cross-industry collaboration. He also co-founded Borderless Gandhi, a non-profit organisation promoting Gandhi’s message of peace, equality and nonviolence through various artistic reflections and social media.

To fulfil his personal philosophy of “living life with purpose every day”, Nilesh dedicates time to several boards and committees, speaks frequently on the topics of workplace diversity and social inclusion, and participates in diplomatic activities to bring Australia and his home country of India closer together. Nilesh is also a frequent media commentator in local, state, and national publications.

Share

Founder of Surf Online Safe

2022 WA Australian of the Year

In the last five years of his career as a police officer in Western Australia, Paul Litherland worked in the force’s Technology Crime Unit. While there, he became acutely aware of just how vulnerable kids were on the internet. He also felt frustration at the lack of legislation available to help fight internet crime.

In response, Paul began conducting cyber safety presentations at schools. By 2014, he’d turned his passion into a business – founding Surf Online Safe to educate teachers, students and parents about internet awareness and safety.

Today he’s one of Australia’s leading experts in the field. A highly sought-after speaker, Paul has spoken at more than 850 schools and organisations across the country, sharing his cyber safety educational presentations with over half a million people.

Paul experienced a terrible motorbike accident in 2004 where he was initially told he’d never walk or work again. Despite this, he defied the odds and has gone on to be an inspiration to many.

Share

2023 Community Citizen of the Year

Dr. Pedus Eweama is a medical practitioner with almost 20 years' experience working in healthcare delivery and administration of public, private enterprises, and not-for-profit organisations.  Pedus contributes to community development by mentoring young Africans seeking a pathway to health professional education in universities and provides culturally appropriate conflict resolution within local African communities.

An alumnus of WA government’s Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI) Leadership and Governance program, he is the chairperson of the Council of Nigerian Associations Presidents in Australia (CoNAPA), chairperson of Nigerian Association of Western Australia (NAWA) and is a former chairperson of Igbo Association of Western Australia (IAWA), an association that represents the Igbos - a major Nigerian ethnic group in WA. He represents Africans in various reference groups, including being a member of the WA Health Advance Health Directives Team, WA Primary Health Alliance, and the Organisation of African Communities in WA (OACWA) Leadership forum. In recognition of his community leadership and contributions to community development, Pedus has received numerous honours and awards, including being named “Outstanding Community Champion” by OACWA in 2022 and winning 2023 Community Citizen of the Year of the City of Swan as part of 2023 Australia Day Celebration.

Share

Paralympian.

Despite Priya Cooper having cerebral palsy, she is undoubtedly one of Australia's leading Paralympians.  She began swimming as a means of therapy at an early age, only later realising her potential as a competitor.  By 1995, at the age of 21, she held the world record for the 50m and 100m freestyle events and in 1996 the world record for the 400m and 800m freestyle and 100m backstroke.

At the 1992 Paralympics in Barcelona Priya won three gold and two silver medals (the most of any Australian athlete), set two world records and was the flag bearer for the Australian team at the closing ceremony.  This was her first international competition.
On her return to Australia she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her services to sport.

She followed this with even greater success at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, where she was co-captain of the Australian team, won five gold medals (plus a silver and a bronze), set another three world records and was again the flag bearer for her country.

In 1998 Priya competed in the British National Swimming Championships, winning four gold medals, a bronze medal, and setting a world record.

At the Sydney 2000 Paralympics she won a gold medal in the 400m Freestyle and three bronze medals, despite having recently recovered from major shoulder surgery.

Priya has been given the keys to the City of Sydney, appointed a member of the State Government committee, established to co-ordinate the Western Australian celebrations for the centenary of Federation in 2001, named Australia's 1995 Paralympian of the Year and inducted into the Western Australian Hall of Champions in 2006.  In 1999, Priya was named The Young Australian of the Year for Sport over Pat Rafter and Ian Thorpe, both finalists for the title.

In October 2015 Priya was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

Priya is a truly dynamic speaker, with a strength and vision that is nothing short of inspirational.  Her presentations frequently elicit standing ovations from audiences.  She reminds us that any dream, large or small, personal or corporate, can come true with the strength of sheer determination.

In 2022, Priya was appointed as Chair of the Western Australian Institute of Sport.

Priya is proud to have been an Australia Day Ambassador since 2009.

Share

2010 WA Australian of the Year
Alzheimer’s Expert.

Professor Ralph Martins AO is well-known and highly respected both nationally and internationally as a prominent researcher in Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

In recognition of his outstanding research achievements, Professor Martins was awarded a number of very prestigious accolades, including the Melvin Jones Award from Lions Club International Foundation USA in 2010 (which is the highest Award that Lions can bestow recognising outstanding service to the community and being one of only two recipients of this award by the Club in the last 25 years), the WA Australian of the Year in 2010, the Western Australian Citizen of the Year in 2011, the Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club in 2011, Member of the Order of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem (KSJ) in 2013 and the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the General Division in 2013.

Professor Martins is very proud to have been an Australia Day Ambassador since 2011.

Share

Diversity and Inclusion Business Advisor Eurasia Pacific – Chevron Office of Global Diversity and Ombuds

Rishelle Hume is a proud Noongar Woman with traditional ties to the Whadjuk, Ballardong and Gnaala Karla Boodja descendants from within the Noongar nation of the Southwest corner of Western Australia.

Rishelle is the Diversity and Inclusion Business Advisor Eurasia Pacific with the Chevron Corporate Office Global Diversity, Inclusion and Ombuds. She has more than 30 years’ experience in Aboriginal affairs and was recognised for her work in advancement of Aboriginal people by being awarded the 2016 Western Australian of the Year Aboriginal category.

Rishelle has added value to Aboriginal advancement in WA by demonstrating Aboriginal leadership. She’s seen as a professional figurehead to engage with Aboriginal communities and coordinate approaches in dealing with state Aboriginal matters.

Rishelle was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia AM division in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list (2018), inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame for her service to the Aboriginal community (2019), and received the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy 2020 Outstanding Woman in Resources Award.

Rishelle is a true beacon of hope through her strength, dedication and long-term vision to change the landscape for Aboriginal people across Australia.

Share

2024 WA Young Australian of the Year Finalist

 Co-founder, Sam’s Spares and e-waste advocate

In 2022, at only 17-years-old, Sam Thomas co-founded his non-profit organisation, Sam’s Spares which aims to support the neurodivergent community and close the digital divide through repairing and redistributing donated IT E-waste.

The organisation combined three of Sam’s loves: technology, the environment and helping others. Through Sam’s Spares, discarded computer electronics are repaired, then distributed for free through partner organisations to ensure that the devices reach those who need it most. This year in just 6.5 months Sam has donated over one million dollars’ worth of free refurbished IT back to the WA community.

“Imagine waking up every day and doing the thing you love most in the world,” Sam says. “Imagine that your work not only aligns with your values but also has a profound impact on your community and the planet we all share. That’s what I get to do through Sam’s Spares.”

As a neurodivergent man with Autism and Tourette's syndrome, Sam is also working to challenge stereotypes about people with disabilities. He provides one on-one training in IT repairs to neurodivergent volunteers and gives them a sense of purpose as they contribute to a meaningful cause and work alongside like-minded individuals.

Share

Founder of Verity Consulting and Former President of the United Nations Association of Australia (WA)

Community Citizen of the Year (South Perth)

A Harvard alumna who migrated from Singapore to Perth in the mid-1990s, Sandy has built a wealth of experience advising businesses around the world and transforming lives of those underprivileged in her philanthropic work.

There is no doubt that Sandy will be the perfect fit for the role of Auspire ambassador. Not only was she South Perth Community Citizen of the Year 2020, but she is also the first Asian woman to be elected as President of the United Nations Association of Western Australia (UNAAWA), of which Auspire is a member. She is also the first Asian person to be appointed to the Board of the WA Indigenous Tourism Council (WAITOC), Member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Expert Network, and an appointed Adjunct Professor at Curtin University.

Other accolades include the 2020 Stevie® International Business – Executive of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, 2019 Asia’s Top Sustainability Women of the Year, 2016 Western Australia Multicultural Recognition Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement, and the 2016 Singapore Management Consultant of the Year.

In addition to serving on the advisory board of public-listed firms, industry councils, universities, and a female-led start-up in Silicon Valley, Sandy is a strong advocate for economic empowerment and education. She serves as a State Director for the Australian Harvard Women, an International Mentor for the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Global Ambassador for the Inspiring Rarebirds, Ambassador for RUAH Women Refuge Centre, Ambassador for the Valuing Children Initiatives, Member of the judging panel for Rhodes Scholarship, and Working Group Member of the Special Olympics World Games.

“It is an honour to serve as an Auspire Ambassador, to support its mission for Australia to become one of the most inclusive nations in the world,” said Sandy. “With 7 years to the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2030, we need to act now as global citizens, achieving peace and prosperity for all, and leaving no one behind.”

Share

Founder, Our Ruby Girl

2023 Community Citizen of the Year for the City of South Perth

Sarah Yates is a psychologist and set up the café and food vans for Our Ruby Girl to support people with disability in the workplace.

During her years as a school psychologist, Sarah realised the dearth of employment opportunities for students living with disability once they left school. Knowing how valuable work is to all of us, Sarah set about creating an environment of inclusivity, where all abilities are valued and have the opportunity to make meaningful contribution through work.

Share

Community Empowerment Advocate

Steph got her first experience of advocacy during high school, and since then has taken up a range of opportunities to advocate for issues in her community. Through these experiences she formed a strong belief that we all benefit from taking an active interest in our communities – which grew into a drive to support and empower others, and particularly young people, to get involved.

Steph has undertaken a range of positions and roles that have seen her encourage and empower people to speak up about their ideas and beliefs. One of these was The Y WA’s Youth Parliament program, where she supported hundreds of young people to develop their advocacy skills and share their aspirations for the WA community.

Steph continues to apply this empowerment focus in her many volunteer and work roles, including with the Young Australia League scholarship program and efforts supporting young people in foster care. She has previously served as an Ambassador for National Youth Week, Board Member at the Youth Affairs Council of WA, a community representative on Main Roads WA’s Customer Service Advisory Council and as a member of the judging panel for the Australian of the Year Awards.

Share

Broadcaster

Steve Mills is one of Perth’s leading broadcasters, having worked with 6PR for more than 17 years.

Steve will find an alternative view on the latest news with his razor-sharp wit and a healthy dose of humour. He started his broadcasting career on 6KG in Kalgoorlie and has a passionate interest in the racing industry.

Share

Science Educator

2020 WA Local Hero

Suzy Urbaniak OAM wants young people to understand how to apply science to the real world and advocates for students developing a greater appreciation of our Earth and the resources it provides to sustain our everyday life. Suzy says “If you want to fix the Earth, you have to understand how it works!”

The former Newcrest geoscientist, WA science teacher and mentor developed and leads her own earth sciences program, the Centre of Resources Excellence (CoRE).

An innovative science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) program, CoRE brings together education, industry, community and government to create meaningful careers in the resources and additional Industry 5.0 sectors. The CoRE program builds on Suzy’s years of practical geology and education experience, which includes more than 150 national and international field trips. Suzy is leading the CoRE School Expansion Program and its new Gamifying Earth Science Initiative across Australia.

Her work as an educator was recognised with the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools in 2016.

Suzy is an engaging and inspirational speaker and she was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and in 2021 was a finalist in the West Australian of the Year.

Suzy was awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours.

Share

2024 Young Community Citizen of the Year, City of Gosnells

Syeda Maisara Muzaffar arrived in Australia aged seven, arriving from Bangladesh. Experiencing discrimination and racism motivated Maisara to become deeply involved in community initiatives focused on creating positive change. This determination has seen Maisara undertake various leadership roles, where she actively engages with diverse communities and advocates for social cohesion and intercultural understanding, working to bridge gaps and foster unity among people from different backgrounds.

Maisara is passionate about advocating for youth issues, women's interests, and social issues that impact people from the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Her passion for youth issues resulted in her being elected to Youth Parliament for three consecutive years, in 2022 - 2024. In this role she aids in crafting legislation tackling the challenges confronting young people and communities.

She also participates actively as both a board member and volunteer for a not-for-profit charity Ubuntu Australia, (which was set up by her family and friends in 2020), providing essential services to people in need. Through Ubuntu, (which means “I am who I am because we all are together”), Australia she also facilitates English conversation classes for migrants, distributes emergency food hampers to people in need, and provides sanitary products to high schools.

Recognising a need to provide safe spaces for young CaLD women to discuss topics that are considered taboo in their communities, Maisara founded the MY (Multicultural Youth) Sorority, bringing young women from culturally diverse backgrounds together to foster open, meaningful discussion which celebrates difference.

Share

2019 Young Community Citizen of the Year

Thea is a chemical engineer with experience working in mining, start-ups, health, consumer goods and chemical industries across Indonesia, USA and Australia. Currently, she is CTO of a leading chemicals company based in Jakarta. Thea enjoys working with a diverse team to supply innovative manufacturing, business transformation and sustainable services across major projects and sectors internationally.

Outside of work, she is an active volunteer and STEAM advocate with organisations like Millennium Kids, an environmental not-for-profit empowering young people to become eco-leaders in their local communities and beyond. Thea is also the founder of TEDxUWA, WA’s only fully youth-run TEDx organisation. TEDxUWA events reach 500+ live audiences across Australia and over 1.3 million people globally with their online talks published on TED.com and YouTube. Thea leads her team to deliver cutting-edge events that provide a platform to showcase local innovation on the world stage. More importantly, TEDxUWA aims to increase accessibility for young people to actively participate and share their ideas in global conversations.

Thea’s work has been acknowledged in Forbes Under 30, Asialink Business and the Young Community Citizen awards, twice. She became one of the youngest inductees into the WA Women's Hall of Fame for her extensive contributions to the community. Growing up in Asia and Australia, Thea believes in the importance of connecting people, cultures, and countries, and supporting the next generation of leaders with a "can do” approach to spark positive change.

Share

2023 WA Senior Australian of the Year

With a background in social work, Theresa Kwok has been helping migrants settle in Australia from the moment she arrived from Hong Kong 35 years ago.

For most of this time, she has supported older migrants from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities at Perth’s Chung Wah Community and Aged Care. Theresa is now CEO of the organisation, which delivers a range of community care programs for clients, their families and ethnic communities. She looks after about 800 clients.

Theresa helps elderly members of CALD communities to live independently and has created more equitable access to culturally appropriate migrant and aged-care services across all communities.

Recognised with multiple awards for her efforts, Theresa is constantly reshaping how aged and community care services are delivered to meet changing demands. Her advocacy continues to raise awareness of the unique challenges and strengths of CALD older people within government, service providers and CALD communities.

Share

Journalist

Tracy Vo has been part of the 9News team since 2007 and is currently the weekend news presenter for 9News Perth at 6.00pm. Tracy’s journalism career began in radio in Sydney on 2SM in 2004, while completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at Curtin University. After almost 10 years in Sydney, Tracy headed home to Perth, where she continued to cover stories overseas, including the death of Nelson Mandela, Schapelle Corby’s release and the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

In 2014, Tracy became a published author, telling her family’s story in Small Bamboo. Over the years, Tracy has also spent time presenting news on Nine’s national Today show, 9News Late, as well as guest presenting across Nine’s slate of local programming.

Share

Since leaving school to become a butcher at the age of 14, Vince Garreffa has lived a life of service, becoming one of Western Australia’s best known and most successful butchers – and a major fundraiser.

Italian-born Vince appreciates everything he has but gets even more joy from helping others. Vince and his volunteers have raised more than $1 million for a variety of charities and over $4 million for Lifeline WA over the past 25 years. All funds have gone towards mental health care.

Vince also supports many smaller charities as chair of non-profit organisation Mondo Community Warriors. And through COVID-19 he provided care packages for elderly customers who were isolated and vulnerable.

The philanthropist is an enthusiastic foodie and vocal advocate for Australian farmers, independent butchers and the food and wine industries.

Share

WA Australian of the Year 2015 Finalist
Celebrate WA Awards 2023 Finalist (Professions)
Medical Scientist (digital health and eye research)

Despite a childhood of extreme hardship, Professor Yogesan Kanagasingam has become a world-renowned scholar, innovator and champion, who is bringing eye care to the doorsteps of under-served populations around world.

After completing his studies in Norway with distinction, Yogi, as he prefers to be known, moved to Perth in 1996 with his family to take up a research position at the University of Western Australia.

Today, as the Inaugural Professorial Chair of Digital Health and Telemedicine and Professor of Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame and St John of God Hospital Midland, Yogi change the way healthcare is delivered around the world.  He is also a visiting scholar at the Harvard University and was a Senior Fulbright scholar to the Stanford University.

A ‘serial inventor’, Yogi holds more than 38 patent applications and is the creator of a number of affordable diagnostic imaging technologies for early detection of conditions, ranging from those that directly threaten sight, through to Alzheimer’s disease. His devices are used by NASA at the International Space Station to check the eyes of Astronauts.

He is the first in the world to research and develop an eye test for Alzheimer’s disease. He was awarded with Achiever of the Year in 2018 for his contribution to WA ICT and Innovation industry.

Share