Speakers

Sarah Harris

As Co-Host of Network Ten's Studio Ten, it takes a special mix of sass and smarts to wrangle co-hosts, media heavyweights and celebrity guests in front of a live audience every day but Sarah has both in spades.

Kyle Chalmers OAM

Kyle Chalmers is an Olympic swimming champion, who inspires through his efforts and achievements both in and out of the swimming pool.

Mark Le Messurier

Mark Le Messurier has devoted his life to improving the self-worth, wellbeing, mental health and life outcomes of young people. He focuses on who he calls the ‘tough kids’ – those who are struggling in some capacity. This includes children with disabilities, global developmental delays, disadvantage, disorders, neglect, or a combination of issues.

Jakara Anthony

Jakara Anthony is an Australian freestyle skier and Olympic gold medalist. She competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, finishing 4th, the best ever result for an Australian female mogul skier. Anthony won the Women's Moguls event at the 2022 Winter Olympics. At the 2019 World Ski Championships, she finished 2nd.

Professor Veena Sahajwalla

A materials scientist, engineer and inventor, Professor Veena Sahajwalla pioneers research into waste – turning it into a new generation of green materials and products. She does this as the Founding Director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology at the University of New South Wales. In 2022 Professor Veena Sahajwalla was named the 2022 NSW State Australian of the Year.

Shanna Whan

At the age of 40, Shanna Whan was, in her own words, a suicidal alcoholic at breaking point. A series of traumas she experienced as a young jillaroo in remote NSW that led to binge-drinking and a party-girl-persona to ''hide behind'' would end, eventually, in (undiagnosed and untreated) alcohol addiction. After making a full recovery despite endless odds - the rural woman and (now) Local Hero winner of Australian of the Year 2022 made it her life’s work to advocate on behalf of other overlooked demographic of rural and remote Australians facing the same battles. In 2019 Shanna founded Sober in the Country Ltd with a mission to help her bush peers understand that the simple, inclusive, life-saving message that it should always be 'okay to say no' to a beer is helping to save lives. SITC now has a national reach and reputation as the 'voice for the bush' and currently the bush charity offers peer support, links to resources, powerful broad scale advocacy, education, and straight talk. 

Moana Hope

A powerhouse of Womens Football since the age of 16 when she first pulled on the jumper for Victoria in a Senior Representative game, which culminated in All Australian selection, there is so much that Moana has achieved in her football career. 

Dylan Alcott

A dual sport athlete who represented Australia on the international stage in both wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis since the age of 13. Dylan Alcott made history in 2022 in becoming the first person with a visible disability to be made Australian of the Year in the award's 62-year history.

Geoffrey Robertson QC

Geoffrey Robertson AO QC is a barrister, author and one-time host of “Geoffrey Robertson’s Hypotheticals” on the ABC. He is founder and head of Doughty Street Chambers; now the largest human rights practice in Europe; where he has been mentor to Amal Clooney, Jen Robinson, Keir Starmer and others.

Colleen Callander

An award-winning CEO, Colleen Callander has a wealth of knowledge and proven track record in building brands, establishing winning cultures and creating environments that allow people to be inspired and empowered.

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