Alumni Impact Award Winners

2024 Alumni Impact Award winners to be announced

Meet our esteemed alumni award winners

The Southern Cross University Alumni Impact Awards recognise and acknowledge the diverse achievements of alumni, across their fields and in their communities.

From world records and climate activism, to public service, environmental rehabilitation and youth mental health, each of our award recipients have a story of impact that is Transforming Tomorrow.

2023

Alumnus of the Year, Ben Newton OAM

After graduating from Southern Cross in 2010 with a Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours, Ben went on to win a gold medal at the 2012 summer Paralympics and was honoured with an Order of Australia Medal in 2014. Ben now works as the Queensland Paralympics High Performance & Development Coach (Wheelchair Rugby) where nurtures talent and inclusivity within the sport.

Young Alumnus of the Year, Miranda Luby (dual recipient)

Nominated as an award-winning author, journalist, and copywriter, Miranda’s work spans renowned publications to inspiring novels, showcasing her passion for mental health and conservation issues. A role model for young adults, she inspires and empowers through her talks and workshops where her dedication to community service and impactful storytelling shines through.

Young Alumnus of the Year, Dr Cooper Schouten (dual recipient)

Cooper has completed three degrees including a PhD at Southern Cross. He is the Director of Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods research group and oversees several programs promoting education, research and capacity-building within beekeeping industries in Pacific Island partner countries and Australia. He also teaches into the Regenerative Agriculture program at the University.

International Alumnus of the Year, Dr Sara Shashaani

Completing her Bachelor of Applied Computing at Southern Cross in 2010, Sara is an esteemed researcher in climate-induced learning and prediction. As Assistant Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University, she aims to contribute to sustainable solutions and support vulnerable communities.

Early Career Alumnus of the Year, Mitch Lavelle

Mitch is a mechanical engineer at Gilmour Space Technologies, leading provider of Australian-made launch vehicles and satellite platforms. The company is on track to launch its Eris rockets and G-class satellite platforms into Low Earth Orbits soon and Mitch is the responsible engineer for the first stage main tank, as well as the entire second stage of the Eris Block 1 vehicle.

Community Impact Alumnus of the Year, Evangeline Wood

Evangeline recently completed a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and is also a volunteer firefighter and Founder and President of Coolamon Community, a group dedicated to connecting Aboriginal mothers with culturally safe healthcare. Evie started Coolamon Community in 2021 and the group has since delivered more than 400 Coolamon cribs to First Nations mothers.

2022

Alumnus of the Year, Matthew Hoare

Matthew's life-long love of surfing is helping his fellow Australian defence force veterans to find peace. An exercise physiologist and co-founder of the Association of Veteran Surfers (AVS), Matthew is all too aware of the high incidence of mental health issues and suicide among veterans, with AVS striving to be a point understanding, collaboration, enjoyment and, hopefully, progress.

Young Alumnus of the Year, Holly Ahern

Holly describes herself as a multidisciplinary artist with an interest in textiles, painting, and large-scale sculptural works. She and her partner Eden Crawford-Harriman are the creative minds behind the ‘In the Heart’ sculpture which resides in the Lismore CBD, an icon of resilience and the centrepiece of a fundraising drive to rebuild Lismore’s creative heart.

International Alumnus of the Year, Said Achmad Kabiru Rafiie

When the Indonesian province of Aceh was hit by a devastating tsunami in 2004, Said, originally from the region, had to do something. After joining Southern Cross to study an MBA, he returned to his hometown in Aceh and launched the Moringa project. Through this initiative, students and local people are becoming entrepreneurs thanks to a local resource: the moringa tree.

Early Career Alumnus of the Year, Lizz Wells

Since joining global security and aerospace prime Lockheed Martin Australia in 2018, Lizz has supported delivery of a variety of programs for the Australian Defence Force and other industry partners, including a portable tactical air defence radar system; portable cabins that provide secure workspaces for ADF personnel supporting F-35 operations; and maintenance and training for the F-35, supersonic stealth fighter jet.

Community Impact Alumnus of the Year, Vanessa Latham

Vanessa initially did her Southern Cross University nursing placement in Broken Hill with the Royal Flying Doctor Service eleven years ago. Fast-forward to today, she is the Mental Health Manager in Broken Hill, leading numerous mental health services for some of the most remote communities in the country.

2021

Alumnus of the Year, Lisa Blair

Lisa is a four-time sailing world record holder and citizen scientist on a mission to take community action on climate change around the world with her. In 2023, she circumnavigated Antarctica solo and unassisted setting a new speed record and collecting important data on ocean health and climate change along the way.

Young Alumnus of the Year, Nic Brown

As CEO of Batyr, a not-for-profit youth mental health organisation, Nic Brown is striving to reduce the stigma around mental ill health and provide young people with the support they need. Batyr has now reached over 300,000 young people through face to face programs and maintained important measures around attitudes toward seeking help.

International Alumnus of the Year, Neelkamal Darbari

Neelkamal has created a lasting impact in the lives of individuals, communities and industries across India, dedicating almost 35 years of service to the Government of India and State Government of Rajasthan. In her current position as Manager Director of the Small Farmers Agribusinesses Consortium under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Neelkamal is working to improve the economic outcomes of farmers in India.

Neelkamal Darbari - International Alumnus of the Year

Early Career Alumnus of the Year, Dr Cooper Schouten

Cooper is carving out a road less travelled in international development and agricultural research, from the Northern Rivers to the highlands of Papua New Guinea. An environmental science and PhD graduate, as well as a professional beekeeper, Cooper manages projects in the Indo-Pacific region for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and is the project manager for the University’s Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods research group.

Community Impact Award, Hank & Sue Bower

Hank and Sue Bower have been managing pest and weed eradication programs on Lord Howe Island for the past 16 years. Their work has sparked an 'ecological renaissance' on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed island and a model of how a fragile environment can be successfully managed to ensure it thrives for generations to come. The Community Impact Award recipients met at Southern Cross University, where they both studied applied science in the 1990s.

2020

Alumnus of the Year, Professor Debra Jackson AO

Debra is a distinguished nurse scientist and scholar. She was the first nurse – and is still today the only nurse – appointed to a Principal fellowship of the NIHR-funded Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, awarded in recognition of sustained contribution to generating knowledge to enhance the care of NHS patients in the United Kingdom.

Young Alumnus of the Year, Nikita Austin

Nikita is a speech pathologist who is passionate about working with rural, regional and indigenous communities to improve access to healthcare. She has created an Indigenous-friendly communication board for Speech Pathology Australia.

Nikita Austin - Young Alumnus of the Year

International Alumnus of the Year, Mong Marma

Kyasingmong (Mong) is from the remote village of Dongnala in Bangladesh. As a Legal and Justice Studies graduate, Mong has worked in countries around the world to protect the rights of indigenous communities, at-risk human rights lawyers and defenders, and civilians impacted by ceasefire-related violence.

Mong Marma - International Alumnus of the Year

Community Impact Award, Aula Sakinah Muntasyarah

Aula is a champion of agroforestry and community programs that solve environmental problems while creating revenue streams. She has worked with young farmers in West Lombok to increase their knowledge of sustainable agroforestry systems including soil management.

Aula Sakinah Muntasyarah - Community Impact Award

2019

Alumnus of the Year, Neale Sutton

Neale invented Humanihut, a lightweight yet robust, quick-to-install humanitarian and emergency accommodation solution. Established in 2013, Humanihut was shortlisted from more than one million global start-up and corporate venture nominations to be listed 63rd the 2016 Disrupt100 list of businesses with the most potential to influence, change or create new global markets.

a southern cross alumni stands in front of temporary housing his company makes

Young Alumnus of the Year, Holly Millican

Holly is an award-winning young-career teacher on a mission to empower and inspire students. Her alternative mathematics learning opportunities engage 21st century learners to help shape them into global citizens. In 2020, Holly also won the Teachers Guild of NSW Early Career Award (Secondary School), and in 2021 she was named the Rising Star of the Year at the prestigious Australian Education Awards.

International Alumnus of the Year, Ashok Lavasa

Ashok was the leader of India’s official delegation at COP 21 when the Paris Agreement was negotiated in 2015. He has been directly involved in facilitating foreign direct investment, multilateral and bilateral financing for social sector programs and infrastructure development, promotion of global trade, combating climate change and desertification, finalising nationally determined contributions for limiting carbon emissions, and fostering energy efficient technologies.

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