NEW SOUTH WALES

7NEWS Young Achiever Awards - NSW/ACT

Read about the amazing Finalists across the 10 categories, for this year's 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for NSW and ACT.

2026 Finalists

Aboriginal Education Council Aboriginal Education Award
Austin Woods of Narellan Vale is a second-year Bachelor of Education (Secondary) student at Macquarie University whose commitment to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures is already shaping his future teaching practice. He achieved the top mark in his cohort for ABST1000: Introducing Indigenous Australia, receiving 99%, and now serves as an Indigenous Student Ambassador for Walanga Muru, supporting culturally safe and inclusive spaces for students. Through a three-month CareerTrackers internship with Aboriginal Affairs NSW, Austin also gained experience in policy, advocacy and community engagement. His thoughtful, culturally responsive approach reflects a strong commitment to truthful teaching, reconciliation and student belonging.

Joshua MacLeod of Lake Illawarra is an electrical engineer and educator building STEM pathways for First Nations youth. After coming through the Indigenous Australian Engineering School himself, Joshua spent the next decade volunteering as a mentor, guiding students through university and into professional careers. He also established STEM Warriors, taking engineering workshops onto Country and tailoring them to the goals of each remote community. In April 2026, he stepped into the Head of Operations role at Engineering Aid Australia, where he delivered a 16-week strategy and strengthened safeguarding for the IAES program. Joshua also leads Kind Hearts Illawarra, the charity he founded in 2017.

Lachlan Moore is a First Nations Learning Officer whose work centres culture, Country and language as essential parts of learning. Supporting educators, schools and community, he champions learning on Country, elevates Traditional Owners as teachers and helps schools engage respectfully with local Aboriginal knowledge and cultural protocols. He also strengthens the authentic use of Aboriginal language, including Dharruuk in Sydney, building educator confidence in pronunciation, cultural context and classroom practice. Over the past year, Lachlan has helped schools move beyond tokenism toward place-based, community-led learning that deepens student engagement, affirms First Nations identity and strengthens cultural safety, respect and responsibility across school communities.

Zenae Powell a proud Wiradjuri woman residing on Dharug Ngurra (Western Sydney) is a rising communications and advocacy leader using storytelling to educate, empower and connect communities. Studying Public Relations and Indigenous Studies, she has grown from intern to a communications role at Indigenous Business Australia, developing culturally informed content and stakeholder engagement over more than four years. Zenae also mentors Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through CareerTrackers panels, contributes to the Teach Us Consent Youth Advisory Group, serves on the Galamabany Advisory Committee, GO Foundation scholar, participated in a Roundtable at NSW Parliament House with the Committee of Social Issues and helps shape engagement through Sydney Climate Action Week. A 2025 Rising Star Award recipient, she also brings Wiradjuri language and cultural learning to new audiences through her creative work with Tiddalicious.

Office for Youth Create Change Award
Helena Tang is co-founder of Access Unlocked, a youth-led international nonprofit launched in September 2024 to break down educational and professional barriers for migrant, refugee, and disadvantaged young people. Drawing on her own experience arriving in Australia as a migrant student, Helena has grown the initiative into a network of more than 100 volunteers across nine global chapters. Access Unlocked has created more than 40 educational resources, built a translation network of 30 volunteers across 12 countries, and reached tens of thousands of students through multilingual support, webinars, mentorship, and free LinkedIn and career guidance services.

Maggie Su of Hurstville is a dynamic young changemaker tackling both educational inequity and homelessness through grassroots action. In May 2024 she founded Your Education Story, a free peer-led tutoring nonprofit that has supported over 300 students in Australia and overseas, with chapters in China and Canada. She also serves as Chief of Operations at Help Elevate Youth, helping deliver more than 300 care packages and reach over 1,000 people through partnerships with 12+ organisations including the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Society. A three-year youth ambassador on the St George Area Youth Advisory Council, Maggie also helps shape youth-focused policy and community initiatives.

Natasha Ransford of Oatley is the young leader behind The BEAR Project, a youth-led movement launched in 2024 to end youth homelessness in her community. Shaped by her own lived experience, Natasha has helped turn the initiative into the social justice arm of Project Youth, activating schools, young advocates and the wider public to recognise hidden homelessness and respond early. Over the past year she has built the project’s website and social media presence, engaged 20 schools, delivered eight school-based stalls and workshops, distributed 500 practical support cards, and inspired more than 100 community BEAR pledges.

Nic Cade of Toronto is the founder of NourishEd, a grassroots homelessness and food relief initiative he launched in 2024 after years of local volunteering and a lifetime of personal adversity. Built without government funding, NourishEd now supports more than 170 people each week and has reached over 5,500 people overall across Lake Macquarie. In the past year Nic has led the delivery of more than 5,000 meals, expanded the volunteer team to over 30 people, and progressed a move to a site three times larger. Through food relief, hygiene support, hampers and community connection, he is restoring dignity and practical hope.

Violet FitzSimons of Bowral founded Grow Your Voice at just 13, creating a nonprofit platform that helps young people build confidence through low-pressure public speaking lessons and creative expression. Since launching the initiative in 2021, Violet’s accessible resources have reached 20,000 children around the world, giving them tools to communicate with confidence regardless of background or experience. In 2025 she became the first Australian to receive the Young Courage Award for removing financial and social barriers so young people can be heard, and in 2026 received the Tom Harvey Citizenship Prize. Violet is helping a generation of young people find and use their voice.

Nura Gili Indigenous Leadership Award
Eliza Darney of Newcastle is a proud Wiradjuri woman and final-year medical student at the University of Newcastle whose leadership spans Indigenous health, education and community engagement. Selected for the 2025 NSW Parliament Young Aboriginal Leaders Program, Eliza advocates for culturally safe, strengths-based healthcare and better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Through mentoring roles with Miroma Bunbilla and the Wollotuka Institute’s ISSP, she supports Indigenous students into and through university. Previously working together with younger high school students, engaging in health programs across Arnhem Land, Eliza is hoping to make great leaps working with healthcare systems to create an inclusive and reconciled future.

Jess Oehm is a proud Ngunawal woman, Solicitor and emerging advocate committed to supporting First Nations students, communities and vulnerable people. A former Student Ambassador, Academic Tutor and First Nations Liaison Officer, Jess has helped young people see university and legal careers as achievable pathways. Recognised with the 2024 Outstanding Indigenous Student Award and Lachlan Macquarie Chambers Moot Court Award, she now works with Legal Aid NSW. Through advocacy, mentoring, cultural leadership and performance with Wagana Aboriginal Dancers lead by Jo Clancy, Jess continues to give back and inspire others to understand their rights and shape their futures.

Joshua MacLeod of Lake Illawarra is an Indigenous leader creating long-term pathways for First Nations youth through STEM, governance and community action. Now Head of Operations at Engineering Aid Australia, Joshua leads strategic delivery of the Indigenous Australian Engineering School and in 2026 implemented a robust safeguarding and risk framework to protect and empower young mob. Previously, through Engineers Without Borders Australia, he established a national STEM pathways program that took culturally connected workshops into regional and remote communities including Cape York and the Kimberley, engaging more than 200 Indigenous students each year. He also founded Kind Hearts Illawarra, building a practical local safety net for families facing hardship.

Mundarrah Welsh of Redfern is a proud local Aboriginal leader and law student whose work with the Aboriginal Legal Service is changing outcomes for young people in the justice system. Joining the Bail Advocacy Program in 2025 as a paralegal and quickly progressing to Aboriginal Youth Officer, Mundarrah has become a trusted advocate for young clients and families, combining lived experience, cultural understanding and fierce commitment to justice. His court support letters have been praised by Children’s Court and Supreme Court judges, while his referrals to community services help address underlying causes of offending. Grounded in Redfern and driven by care for mob, he is building safer pathways beyond the criminal justice system.

Savannha Roberts is a proud Dunghutti, Bundjalung and Barkindji woman based on Bundjalung Country leading change across business, community and the reconciliation sector. As RAP Program Manager at Reconciliation Australia, she supports more than 3,400 organisations to implement meaningful Reconciliation Action Plans through learning circles, webinars and partner engagement that drive long-term structural change. She is also Founder and CEO of Yalgan Sunglasses, a 100% Aboriginal-owned business that weaves language, story and cultural education into its products. From trainee to senior leadership, Savannha also mentors over 100 young women through initiatives including UNSW Girls in Business, creating stronger pathways for the next generation of First Nations women in business.

Symal Innovation Award
Alyssa Taranto is the founder of Please Find Your Seat, the world’s first instant digital seating chart platform transforming one of event planning’s most stressful and outdated processes. Drawing on nearly a decade in events and hospitality, she created a QR-code-powered system that gives hosts real-time control over seating, floorplans, digital menus and guest photo sharing. What began as a wedding solution has become a globally adopted event technology, supporting 40,000 events in its first year, serving weddings and organisations including NAB, Klaviyo and Stanford University. Alyssa is reshaping the future of live event experiences through practical, scalable innovation.

Dr Koentadi Hadinoto of Macquarie Park is a chemical engineer and emerging R&D leader whose career progressed from First-Class Honours to industry-shaping innovation. During his UNSW PhD, he developed a scalable, plasma-activated water technology that rapidly eliminates bacteria, creating safer, sustainable meat disinfectant opportunities. This research generated seven publications with 300 citations. Now a Project Officer in Advanced Manufacturing at AMPC, he has helped deliver R&D initiatives in technology and innovation leadership that support the competitiveness of Australia’s red meat industry. Beyond technical work, Koentadi co-founded the UNSW Chemical Engineering Research Society, mentoring students and connecting 250 members with industry opportunities.

Ruby Riethmuller is the Founder and CEO of Womn-Kind, a youth-led social enterprise expanding access to early-intervention mental health support and leadership education for young people across Australia and 37 countries. Created from her own lived experience growing up in regional Australia navigating anxiety and LGBTQIA+ identity, Womn-Kind has now supported more than 50,000 young people through workshops, digital programs, live events and its National Youth Leadership Panel. Ruby also serves as the youngest appointed Deputy Commissioner (Lived Experience) at the NSW Mental Health Commission, helping embed youth voice into statewide reform. Her co-designed Womn-Kind App is building more accessible, youth-led mental health support long before crisis.

Shankar Dutt of Denman Prospect is a Research Fellow at the Australian National University developing AI-integrated solid-state nanopore biosensors for early disease detection and environmental monitoring. He co-established and now manages the world’s only laboratory capable of manufacturing these sensors using a particle accelerator, advancing a platform that could enable low-cost blood tests for conditions such as Alzheimer’s decades before symptoms appear. Shankar has published 25 peer-reviewed papers, secured over $1M in competitive funding, lodged three patent applications, and supervised 25 students. His work is pushing biosensing toward faster, more accessible and clinically meaningful diagnosis.

Toastie Health is a health-tech startup founded by Annabel Zhou and Vivian Shen, two UNSW alumni and software engineers living with chronic illnesses: ulcerative colitis (IBD) and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). With experience at Google, Canva, Atlassian, they have created Toastie to help people with chronic illnesses uncover patterns, understand and take control of their health. Live on iOS and Android, Toastie has a 4.8-star rating and reached millions online. With recognition from Good Design Australia, B&T 30U30 and Women in Digital, Annabel and Vivian are reshaping the future of chronic illness management.

Awards Australia Foundation Connecting Communities Award
Ashleen Khela is one of Australia’s youngest published female authors, using storytelling to connect communities and raise funds for Australian charities and underprivileged children of developing nations. Inspired by real life confrontations, she began writing at seven and published her debut book, ‘17 Stories’, at 11, later following with ‘Journey Through Her Jersey’ and ‘Miles of Memories’. Ashleen funded her first publication herself by recycling bottles and cans and selling plants, then donated all proceeds to causes including Cancer Council, Starlight, UNICEF and UN Women Australia. Her books are now held in over 400 libraries across Australia and overseas.

Hadiya Fatima of Sydney is the founder of Project Girlhood, a youth-led organisation creating accessible spaces for young women to engage in thoughtful, solutions focused conversations about identity, media, politics and wellbeing. What began as a podcast and online community has grown into free in-person workshops across New South Wales, connecting participants with peers, journalists, academics, practitioners and community leaders through civic, dialogue-based forums. Project Girlhood has reached more than 30,000 women online and hundreds through workshops across Sydney, while grassroots campaigns such as its International Women’s Day care-pack drive have turned solidarity into practical support. A Recipient of the Governor's Order of Australia and the Australian Winner of Zonta International Women in Leadership award, Hadiya’s work is building stronger, more connected communities of young women across Sydney.

Katie Kendall of Albury–Wodonga founded Silent Sounds of Survivors (SSOS), a youth-led grassroots organisation advocating for adolescent mental health care across the Riverina and Hume regions. Through the Beyond Beds campaign, SSOS works with young people, carers, communities and decision-makers to build support for safe, age-appropriate inpatient care. Drawing on her experience of being unable to access crisis support, Katie uses media, community connections and government engagement to advocate for young people left without the care they need. Alongside Holly Lee, Lilith Harris, Monty Kellett and Promise, the group’s unofficial therapy dog, SSOS turns pain into purpose and silence into strength.

Valentine Meyerson is an 11-year-old Year 6 student at Oxley College and founder of Peace Hive, a youth-led movement founded in the wake of the Bondi tragedy and inspired by her belief that “peace begins with all of us.” Built on the values of Peace, Empathy, Acceptance, Community and Equality, Peace Hive has united people across diverse communities through acts of kindness, service and connection. Through its Bee Bracelet Project, Valentine has raised over $75,000 for Matilda Bee Britvan's family while building a global "bees on wrists" peace movement. Supported by schools, volunteers, community leaders, counsellors, NSW Education and Canva, Valentine has developed the Peace Hive Wellbeing & Character Framework, helping young people turn values into everyday habits. Her vision is to make it freely available because values-based education should never come at a cost.

Zara Skepev of Canberra Grammar School, founder of ZandM Co, a remarkable youth-led initiative bringing girls together to support women in brain cancer research. ZandM Co began in 2023, when Zara was just eight years old. Each year she welcomes new girls as business partners: together they have handmade more than 1,500 pairs of earrings, raising over $44,000 for the Zara Skepev Fund for Women in Brain Cancer Research at ANU, helping researcher Dr Olga Zaytseva complete her PhD and secure an Early Career Fellowship. Zara proves that community impact has no age limit.

Signature Learning and Development Courageous Leadership Award
Joshua Katz of Northmead is a dual Olympian, coach and mentor whose courageous leadership has been shaped as much by adversity and vulnerability as by achievement. At 18, he became Australia’s youngest-ever male Olympic judoka, and after setbacks including missing Olympic qualification, COVID disruption and several major injuries, he returned to qualify for Paris 2024 despite tearing his ACL in the lead-up. Joshua now channels that resilience into athlete advocacy, school mentoring and mental health education through Team Katz, the Combat Aus Athlete Advisory Committee and Olympics Unleashed, inspiring thousands of young people with messages of wellbeing, courage and perseverance.

Kaitlyn Farquhar is a cross sector leader using lived experience, policy, and education to create safer, informed communities. As a domestic violence survivor, she founded Between Lives to advance prevention, survivor voice and systemic change. Inspired by growing up with two differently abled brothers, she created Dreamscape, which has delivered accessible education to over 200 differently abled students. Kaitlyn co chairs the Bravehearts Youth Advisory Council and is a Youth Advisor to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, amplifying survivor voices and shaping child protection initiatives. She promotes civic participation through Youth Decide, EveryLeader, founding UTS’s only non partisan political society, and NSW Parliament. From strategy and governance to advocacy and public education, she is breaking rules and building pathways for young people, especially women and survivors, to lead, participate and be heard.

Madiha Orva Khan from Liverpool is a courageous young leader creating spaces where politics, identity, and wellbeing feel accessible to her generation. As a visible Muslim woman in hijab, she has challenged limiting narratives through youth advocacy, student leadership, and public speaking, achieving success in global diplomacy competitions, including as a Grand Finalist in the UN Youth Evatt Competition, and serving as a Prefect at Hurlstone Agricultural High School. Inspired by her work on the Fairfield Youth Council, she is deeply committed to empowering young people. Madiha founded The Deep End to support youth through systemic reform, mental health initiatives, and the creation of meaningful opportunities. She believes every young person deserves access to opportunity and recognition based on merit, bringing this vision to life through The Ripple Project, the Found My Voice Podcast, and other student-led initiatives. Through her leadership, she empowers young people to show up fully, confidently, and authentically.

Tequeah Iglesias of Sans Souci is the founder of the Black Butterfly Project, transforming lived experience of homelessness, out-of-home care and domestic violence into courageous systems leadership. Drawing on her own survival journey, she has developed survivor-led frameworks focused on emotional regulation, peer accountability and culturally grounded behavioural change to help break cycles of violence. Her insights have influenced organisations including Full Stop Australia, 1800RESPECT and the Department of Social Services, while her work is informing national and state conversations on prevention reform. Now studying criminology, Tequeah continues to turn hard-won experience into practical tools, policy influence and safer futures for young people.

Yasmine Turner of West Ryde is a financial educator and social entrepreneur tackling Australia's financial literacy gap. After eight years in tutoring and five in financial planning, she backed herself to found My Financial Future, delivering practical money education to young Australians aged 14 to 25. Her message is simple: the problem isn't income, it's inherited knowledge, and My Financial Future changes what gets passed on. A school DUX, 14 academic first places at Macquarie University and 2026 Women in Wealth Paraplanner finalist, Yasmine won the WSU LaunchPad People's Choice Award and gained selection into the INCO Accelerator and WSU Incubator.

Konica Minolta Career Achievement Award
Gem Kret Nealand is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and stage manager who launched his music enterprise during over a year of homelessness and rapidly scaled it after. Navigating a total of 14 moves before gaining stable housing, he maintained his hustle from the streets straight into his current home studio. This relentless drive ultimately secured three Australian tours, an international debut in London, and an upcoming rock opera while managing festival logistics and being an in-demand session musician. With his lived experience, Gem has supported nine different charities through performing and advocating, including raising over $50,000 for Youth Off The Streets from a single speech.

Sophie Galvin of Wollongong is an emergency services leader whose career with Marine Rescue NSW has progressed from operational and emergency management roles to executive support within the Office of the Commissioner. Throughout her career, she has contributed to major statewide emergency operations, including bushfires, floods and pandemic response efforts, while also helping to strengthen marine search and rescue capability across New South Wales. Sophie's work has been defined by a commitment to serving communities across the state and advocating for those who serve and protect others when it matters most.

Samantha Dean of the Sutherland Shire is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, entrepreneur, and fitness industry leader defined by a passion for helping people live healthier, more confident lives. Samantha founded Nourish n Move in 2018, empowering hundreds of clients to achieve sustainable lifestyle change. During which she forged an impressive career with Plus Fitness, overseeing six locations and more than 30 staff and personal trainers. Under her leadership, innovative growth strategies have delivered a 169% increase in lead generation, over 120 club events in 2025, and 294 five-star Google reviews. Samantha continues to create lasting change across the health and fitness landscape.

Ministry of Health Achievement in Health Award
Alexia Paglia of Concord is a medical student, #1 Amazon best-selling children's author and health literacy advocate improving preventative health education for children and families. Through workshops for preschools, schools, libraries and community groups across New South Wales, she translates complex medical concepts into practical, age-appropriate guidance on heart health, nutrition, emotional wellbeing and healthcare navigation. Her book My Strong Heart has extended that impact into homes and classrooms nationwide. A Doctor of Medicine candidate and former oncology clinical trials researcher, Alexia has also been recognised as 2024 Young Sydneysider of the Year and one of the University of Wollongong's 50 Voices for 50 Years.

Brittany Wilson of Kensington is an emerging public health leader promoting equitable health outcomes through research, governance and community engagement. She has worked in health continuously since the age of 17 and has contributed to a number of public health projects. She has experience in government, university, not-for-profit and community-controlled services. Her achievements include establishing national governance structures and co-authoring research into needle-free microarray patch vaccines which has the potential to transform access in remote communities. Brittany has also led youth focus groups and co-designed digital resources for cancer prevention, while supporting or mentoring over 300 students through Aurora and university outreach. A high-distinction Master of Public Health graduate and NSW Rhodes Scholarship runner-up, she is helping build health systems that are more equitable and community-led.

Courtney Charleson of Newcastle is a fundraising and community engagement leader improving health outcomes for children with cancer and families across regional New South Wales. For more than seven years she has volunteered with Camp Quality, and was recently awarded Camp Quality's National Volunteer of the Year. In 2026 alone, Courtney's fundraising and volunteering will help deliver programs that will support an estimated 2,130 participants across Northern NSW. She has helped the Newcastle Golf Day raise more than $40,000 annually and supported the Motocyc event to raise over $245,000, while also serving as Master of Ceremonies. In her professional role, Courtney helped the Hunter Breast Care Breakfast grow to a record $68,000 in 2025, funding nurse education, travel grants and research support.

Jarrett Anthoney is the founder of Dainere's Rainbow, transforming profound personal loss into powerful national advocacy for children with brain cancer and their families. In honour of his sister Dainere, he has dedicated the past 12 years to building a trusted and respected organisation that provides support through fundraising, awareness initiatives, family resources and policy advocacy. Under his leadership, Dainere's Rainbow has raised more than $800,000 for Australian childhood brain cancer research, contributed to securing Canberra's first specialised Paediatric Palliative Care Nurse, and amplified the unique challenges faced by siblings throughout a child's cancer journey. Through education, sharing lived experience and compassionate family support, Jarrett continues to drive meaningful change and help ensure that no child or family walks this path alone.

Layne Paull of North Avoca is an inclusion leader using aquatic safety, disability support and engineering to improve health and independence for people with disability. As Inclusion Nippers Coordinator at North Avoca Surf Life Saving Club, she established the club's first eight-week Inclusive Nippers program, introducing visual cue boards, social stories, adapted beach activities and one-to-one water support. Layne also volunteers with the Disabled Surfers Association, Sydney Adaptive Boardriders Club, AMP Camp and Free3DHands, helping participants build confidence, coordination and access to assistive devices. A disability support worker and fourth-year biomedical engineering student, she is creating safer, more inclusive pathways to movement, belonging and everyday independence.

Awards Australia Outstanding Student Award
Brittany Wilson of Kensington is an Honours psychology student and outstanding public health scholar whose academic excellence is matched by national impact. She completed a Master of Public Health with a high distinction average, winning her numerous academic awards and she was also runner-up for the NSW Rhodes Scholarship. Her achievements include establishing national governance structures and co-authoring research into needle-free microarray patch vaccines which has the potential to transform access in remote communities. She has supported over 300 high school students through UNSW’s high school programs, Youth Parliament and Aurora. From representing 200+ students as Philip Baxter College President to being selected for an International Study Tour touring Oxford and Cambridge, she is building change through scholarship and service.

Dallas Pumpa-Jones of Bondi is a Year 8 student at Rose Bay Secondary College whose environmental innovation is already shaping marine conservation in New South Wales. In Year 3, he invented the Sea, Snap, Save app as a homework assignment to help protect the critically endangered Grey Nurse Shark. That idea was later adopted through the NSW Government's FishSmart app and now supports reporting for up to 40 threatened marine species. Dallas has continued building on that impact, developing new concepts including Shark Alert and a dissolvable fishhook to improve ocean safety and conservation. His learning is proving that curiosity, compassion and persistence can create real-world change from an early age...Dallas plans to study Marine Studies at Rose Bay Secondary College which has a fully working marine lab dedicated to student research and study.

Helena Tang is co-founder of Access Unlocked, a youth-led international nonprofit launched in September 2024 to break down educational and professional barriers for migrant, refugee, and disadvantaged young people. Drawing on her own experience arriving in Australia as a migrant student, Helena has grown the initiative into a network of more than 100 volunteers across nine global chapters. Access Unlocked has created more than 40 educational resources, built a translation network of 30 volunteers across 12 countries, and reached tens of thousands of students through multilingual support, webinars, mentorship, and free LinkedIn and career guidance services.

Michelle Cheung of the Inner West is an award-winning educator, researcher and advocate for STEM education. A University Medallist from the University of Sydney, she is currently completing a PhD in mathematics education. Her research has been published and presented nationally and internationally in leading journals and conferences, while her teaching spans high schools and universities across New South Wales. Through her scholarship, teaching and outreach, Michelle is helping young people develop the skills, confidence and resilience needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As a first-in-family university student, she is expanding educational opportunity for future generations.

Sophia Shaikh of Sylvania Waters is a Chancellor’s Award Scholar whose achievements place her among the most exceptional school leavers in New South Wales. At just 16, she completed the International Baccalaureate with a perfect score of 45/45 - the youngest person in the world to do so - and achieved a 99.95 ATAR, earning the highest result in her MLC School cohort and the Dr Charles J Prescott Medal.Beyond academics, Sophia has demonstrated outstanding leadership and service. She served as Vice President and Treasurer of the Business Club, organised charitable initiatives, and is a Youth Ambassador for Indus Health Australia and Youth Wing President of Diabetes Centre Australia, advocating for improved healthcare access worldwide. She has also shown entrepreneurship by opening her own graphic design business and tutoring students across Australia.Sophia’s excellence is matched by her commitment to leadership, community impact, and creating meaningful opportunities for others.

OSMEN Furniture Creative Design Award
Carmelo Nastasi is an emerging architectural designer and educator whose work is already shaping conversations around climate resilience and meaningful public space. Working at Tzannes while teaching at the University of Sydney, Carmelo has built a strong reputation through award-winning projects including Common Ground, which won a Good Design Award, and Build Back Better: Urban Resilience for Lismore, which received the NSW Institute of Architects' Brian Patrick Kiernan Prize. He has also been recognised through ADR 30UNDER30 and the Holcim Foundation Emerging Changemakers program. Across research, practice and exhibition work, Carmelo brings rigour, social purpose and strong design sensitivity to every scale of project.

Joss Knight of Surry Hills is the founder and creative force behind Studiojos, a Sydney interior architecture practice known for tactile, sculptural and emotionally resonant spaces. With formal training at Billy Blue College of Design, Joss has built an international portfolio spanning high-end residences, private jets and bespoke yachts, while also expanding into furniture and object design through collections such as Tailored and Sphaira. Most recently, he launched Knightly, a refined homewares brand bringing his design language into everyday rituals. Recognised in Australian Design Review's 30UNDER30 Final 30, Joss is creating a quietly luxurious design practice defined by restraint, materiality and timelessness.

Kiara Carroll is a registered architect and Senior Architect at Hassell whose work combines design integrity, sustainability and strong community leadership. She has contributed to major projects including the Harbourside mixed-use precinct at Darling Harbour and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Stadium, while challenging wasteful commercial fit-out conventions through more responsible material strategies. Recognised in Australian Design Review's 30UNDER30, Kiara also founded Hassell's Young Designers Group and helped shape its Early Careers program, creating stronger pathways for emerging practitioners. Through mentoring with CareerTrackers and Girls in Property, and her commitment to user-centred design, she is helping build a more thoughtful and inclusive profession.

Leticia Forbes of Cooranbong is a proud Wiradjuri Artist and the Founder and Creative Director of Yirra Miya, a 100% First Nations-owned agency that expertly blends cultural storytelling with contemporary design. In just over 3 years, Yirra Miya has delivered $1.4 million in creative services and worked with over 120 clients, including Indigenous Business Australia, NSW CAPO, SBS, and NSW Government. Leticia leads a team of six diverse women as well as offering mentoring and workshops for small Blak businesses and supporting emerging First Nations creatives. Awarded NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year 2025, she is helping reshape design through cultural integrity and impact.

Maoxin Yuan is an industrial designer whose award-winning work bridges healthcare, sustainability and commercial innovation. After completing a Bachelor of Industrial Design with First Class Honours and the University Medal at UNSW, Maoxin developed Sooze, a modular eye care device for keratoconus patients that went on to win a Red Dot Award and Good Design Australia's Next Gen Gold and Best in Class. His earlier project Tokeru, a dissolvable soy sauce sachet tackling takeaway plastic waste, was featured on ABC's War on Waste. Now designing at Katapult and tutoring at UNSW, Maoxin is already earning recognition as one of Australia's most exciting young product designers.