SOUTH AUSTRALIA
7NEWS Young Achiever Awards - SA
2026 Winners
All winners on stage with Hon Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, Minister for Women and Cheyne Rich MP, Member for Port Adelaide
2026 South Australian Young Achiever of the Year - Bailee Phillips
Adelaide University STEM Award
Edward Robinson of Blair Athol is the founder and CEO of Robinson Aerospace Systems, which he established at age 18 after becoming frustrated with textbook-based STEM education. His invention, RASCube — an educational satellite kit that replicates real CubeSat technology — is now supplied across 16 countries, with over 1500 kits delivered to more than 20,000 high school students. A key milestone was the orbital launch of RASCube-1 aboard a SpaceX rocket, carrying student experiments from seven countries. Named Emerging Industries winner in SA's 40 Under 40 Awards and ranked 25th on the AFR Fast Starters list, his company employs 15 people and manufactures 300 kits weekly in Adelaide.
Winner, Edward Robinson (left) and Professor Drew Evans AAICD, Dean of Research, College of Engineering & Information Technology, Adelaide University (right)
Department of Human Services Pride Award
Lou Potter of Croydon is the first transgender President of United Nations Youth South Australia, a KPMG senior consultant, board member of YACSA, and SACOSS Policy Council member who has created inclusive spaces for young people since establishing a Dungeons & Dragons club at Brocas Youth Centre in 2016. As UNYSA President in 2022, she integrated programs with the SA Certificate of Education and created the 2022–2024 Strategic Plan to rebuild from COVID. Lou has contributed to reviews and policy development for the NDIS and national and state health systems. Lou has spoken at Parliament House for a SS4C rally, the 2024 SACOSS State Budget Breakfast, and at Newday Leadership Summits.
Winner, Lou Potter (left) and Hon Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, Minister for Women (Right)
Department of Human Services Aboriginal Achievement Award
Kahlia Gibson is a Kokatha woman with close cultural ties to Narungga and Kaurna whose extraordinary personal journey — born while her mother was incarcerated, raised under Guardianship of the Minister and moved between 30+ placements while in care, and exposed to four generations of family incarceration — has become the foundation of a career dedicated to breaking those cycles for others. As Team Leader of Aboriginal Offender Management and Rehabilitation at the Department for Correctional Services, Kahlia champions culturally informed rehabilitation pathways for Aboriginal people within the correctional system. Former Chairperson and Director of Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation, member of the South Australian Aboriginal Heritage Committee, and a First Nations Voice to Parliament elected member, she pursued university study without having completed high school, studying a Bachelor of Psychology, and now raises her own children as a sole parent while building an influential career in corrections, governance, and community advocacy.
Winner, Kahlia Gibson (Left) and Hon Katrine Hildyard MP, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, Minister for Women (Right)
University Senior College Create Change Award
Bailee Phillips of Allenby Gardens is a dedicated volunteer who has given eight years and more than 50 camps to Puddle Jumpers, working directly with children in out-of-home care to build confidence, connection, and belonging. Over five years she has helped raise more than $800,000 to sustain the organisation's programs — delivering camps, food relief services, and outreach to the Umoona Indigenous community in Coober Pedy. During COVID-19 she volunteered seven days a week to deliver emergency food relief, ensuring uninterrupted support for families who would otherwise have gone without. She has attended court with young mums, been present at a birth, and provided in-home support to help keep babies safely in their mother's care. Three short films she co-created have amplified the lived experiences of young South Australians to the broader community.
Simon Sypek, Director - Academic Programs, University Senior College (Left) and Winner, Bailee Phillips (Right)
Sweat Female Tech Entrepreneur Award
Amelia Griffin of Beaumont is the Founder and Clinical Director of My Mind Matters Therapy, a speech pathology and assistive technology practice she built after an aged care resident with Parkinson's disease told her not to waste her time — that her mind didn't matter anymore. Working evenings and weekends alongside full-time clinical practice for eight months, Amelia taught herself assistive technology design and co-developed two apps: an AAC communication app with over 5,000 personally curated images and multilingual vocabulary across Chinese, Indian, Italian, and Greek, and a Cognitive Brain Training app with 500+ animated conversation videos. Launched in 2024, the apps are now used across the lifespan from autism and aphasia to dementia. Her End Communication Inequality campaign has reached Federal Parliament, and she is collaborating with Flinders University on research into assistive technology and language development.
Winner, Amelia Griffin (Right) and Steven Dent, Head of Marketing, Content and Partnerships, Sweat (Left)
Aceit Transport Solutions Sports in the Community Award
Hugo Taheny of Yorke Peninsula known as Hugo Rockstar, is a world champion para-athlete and disability advocate who has set world records and won gold medals at the Virtus Global Games in shot put, discus, and javelin. A Health Ambassador for Down Syndrome Australia, Hugo presents annually to hundreds of medical students, lobbies government ministers on disability inclusion, and volunteers as a Little Athletics SA Para Athlete Ambassador every Saturday morning. He has contributed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital's Disability Access and Inclusion Plan, the NDIS Supported Decision Making Reference Group, and the World Down Syndrome Congress. Winner of the inaugural SA Life Young Inspiring Leader Award, Hugo is paving the way for future generations of athletes with disability.
Winner, Hugo Rockstar Taheny (Right) and Darren Geddie, Managing Director, Aceit Transport Solutions (Left)
Credit Union SA Education Award
Suriya Down of Campbelltown is the Director of Music and the Arts at Aberfoyle Park High School, and a music educator whose commitment to equitable access has transformed programs at schools she has led. Beginning her career in rural South Australia at Balaklava High School, Suriya Down revitalised the Arts program which saw the reintroduction of Stage 2 Drama and Stage 2 Music and 83% of students attaining a B grade or higher and increasing ensemble participation by 145%. She has completed all three levels of the Australian Kodály Certificate (Secondary). She serves as President of Kodály South Australia and Convenor of the 2026 National Kodály Conference, contributing to music education at both state and national levels. Recognised with Early Career Teacher of the Year from Educators SA, the Early Career Award for Excellence in Kodály-Inspired Music Education, and the Minister's Arts Award for Public Secondary Education.
Winner, Suriya Down (Right) and Todd Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Credit Union SA (Left)
Websters Lawyers Achievement in Law Award
Madeleine Perrett of Mount Barker is a PhD candidate, Associate Teacher and admitted solicitor at the Adelaide Law School. Her research examines federalism as a constitutional pathway for Indigenous political empowerment, with a focus on treaty federalism informed by comparative experience in Canada and the United States. Named the Law Foundation of South Australia’s 2025 Fellow, she undertook advanced study in Indigenous governance at the University of Arizona. She was a contributing author to empirical research on pseudolaw and sovereign citizen movements, which received written acknowledgement from the Attorney-General of South Australia and informed a judicial development session for the South Australian judiciary. A co-authored article on sovereign citizens was among the four most-read pieces in Australia in July 2025. Madeleine received the 2025 Adelaide Law School Excellence in Sessional Teaching Award, tutors international students in law, and mentors students from highly disadvantaged backgrounds.
Ken Gluche, Firm Principal, Websters Lawyers (Left) and Winner, Madeleine Perrett (Right)
Konica Minolta Career Achievement Award
Eloise Hall of Unley is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of TABOO Period Products, a certified social enterprise that sells organic period products and directs 100% of profits to ending period poverty in Australia. What began as an idea at high school has grown into an award-winning, nationally recognised brand with retail, workplace, school, and community partnerships, and a Pad It Forward program that channels customer and corporate support into free products for people at risk in Australia. Eloise has worked in enterprise leadership to systemic change through board roles, including with the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, the South Australian Social Enterprise Council and the Robinson Research Institute. Nine years in, she leads TABOO alongside her role as Social Enterprise Expert in Residence at Flinders New Venture Institute, mentoring emerging founders, particularly women and equity-seeking entrepreneurs, to design ventures that put people and planet first.
Leo Marshall, SA State Manager, Konica Minolta (Left) and Winner, Eloise Hall (Right)
South Australian Skills Commission Outstanding Apprentice Award
Cooper Mann of Adelaide is a third-year mechanical fitter apprentice at the Australian Submarine Corporation who has turned a passion for all things maritime and mechanical into a career at the forefront of Australia's defence industry future. Diagnosed with autism, Cooper built the confidence to move from standing back and watching to independently leading jobs and strip-testing old valves, pumps, and gearboxes on his own time. He won ASC's Safety Leader of the Year 2024 after identifying a critical error in safe operation documents for cutting discs and persisting until new safety guidelines were written. Through the AMWU union, he made two trips to Canberra — meeting the Federal Ministers for Industry and Skills — to advocate for better apprentice wages, improved TAFE funding, and housing affordability for tradespeople. He has since applied for the US Embassy's Youth Advisory Council to continue this advocacy.
Commissioner Cameron Baker, Chair of the South Australian Skills Commission (Left) and Winner, Cooper Mann (Right)
Carclew Creative Achievement Award
Charlee Watt is a cabaret artist, vocalist, writer, and emerging producer from Port Lincoln, building one of regional South Australia’s most ambitious young creative practices. A recipient of the 2024 Adelaide Critics Circle Emerging Artist Award, the 2025 Matt Tarrant “One to Watch” Award, and the 2026 Adelaide Fringe Tour Ready NZ Award, Charlee creates bold, large-scale music productions while mentoring regional young artists. Her 2026 shows She Rocks and Rolling The Stones saw teenage performers take to the stage during Adelaide Fringe and SALT Festivals. Charlee has toured original work nationally, completed touring producer training, and is a current Carclew Fellow re-developing work for national arts markets.
Winner, Charlee Watt (Left) and Robyn Jones, Acting Chief Executive, Carclew (Right)
Photo Credit: Shameless Visuals