Learn how we continue to sustain our national unity in cultural diversity
Director, Equity and Diversity, University of Western Sydney
Dr Ozdowski is the Director, Equity and Diversity at the University of Western Sydney and Adjunct Professor of the Centre of Peace and Conflict Studies at University of Sydney. He was the Australian Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Discrimination Commissioner at the then named Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission from 2000-2005. He has also headed the Office of Multicultural and International Affairs in South Australia for five years, and since 2006 is the President of the Australian Council for Human Rights Education.
Dr Ozdowski was recognised through various Australian and international honours, including an Order of Australia Medal in 1995, and was appointed as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 2016. Dr Ozdowski previously served as the Chair of the Australian Multicultural Council 2014-2017.
Chairman, SBS; Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Foundation
Dr Dellal is the Chairman of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) and the Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation. He has considerable experience in multicultural affairs and sits on several boards. His service to multicultural organisations, the arts and the community was recognised through an Order of Australia Medal in 1997. During the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, Dr Dellal was appointed an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia in recognition of distinguished service to the multicultural community through leadership and advisory roles, to the advancement of inclusiveness and social harmony, to youth, and to the broadcast media. Dr Dellal was a member of the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council until June 2011 and the Australian Multicultural Council 2011-2014 and 2014-2017.
Ms Abukar began her career as an interpreter for the Australian Department of Immigration. She has significant experience as a Community Advocate, working in a broad range of senior management posts with government, council and non-profit organisations. She has worked as a translator and community worker, and was a ministerial advisor to the Howard government. She is a past member of the Queensland Multicultural Roundtable, the Council for Multicultural Australia and Refugees Resettlement Advisory Council. She has also been recognised for her community work with several awards including a Centenary Medal for contributions to Crisis Counselling, Advocacy and Settlement for the Somalia and African communities in Queensland.
Chief Football Analyst, SBS
Mr Foster is a retired Australian association football player and former National captain who currently works as the Chief Football Analyst, Presenter and multicultural broadcaster for the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). Mr Foster is a strong voice for equality and social justice, serving as an Ambassador for Barnardo’s Children’s Charity and Football United, a UNSW program affiliated with FIFA to assist the socialisation of young refugees through football. He is also Director of the Nangala Project and John Moriarty Football (JMF), working with indigenous children to provide opportunities through football in remote communities. Mr Foster created the Harmony Game, a small-sided football game used by schools on Harmony Day to enable the children to better connect and create understanding of their diverse backgrounds. He was formerly a Director of COALAR, The Council on Australia Latin America Relations, under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
CEO, Scanlon Foundation
Ms Hancocks is the CEO of the Scanlon Foundation, a private philanthropic organisation dedicated to social cohesion and the transition of migrants into Australian society. She has an extensive background in strategic planning; business development; community service; education; communications and relationship; and services marketing through senior leadership experience in private, ASX listed, government, professional services, academia and not for profit organisations here and in the US. She is an accredited mediator, Director of YMCA Victoria, Director of YMCA Learning Communities Pty Ltd, Director of the Scanlon Foundation, Director of the Whitehorse Community Chest and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Lecturer, Department of European Languages, University of Western Australia
Through her long association with both Scoop Publishing and Scoop Digital, Dr Marina Hogan has acquired extensive experience in marketing services, both print and digital, particularly in the areas of travel and lifestyle, events and the arts. She teaches part-time in the School of Humanities at the University of Western Australia. She is Deputy Chair of the Foundation for the Western Australian Museum and chairs its Remuneration and Nominations Committee.
Dr Hogan sits on the Rottnest Island Authority Board where she is a member of the Finance and Risk Audit Committee. Until June 2018, she sat on the Governing Council of North Metropolitan TAFE and its Governance Committee and was the Chair of the Subiaco Primary School Board until early 2017.
CEO, Multicultural Communities Council of SA
Ms Kyriazopoulos is the CEO of the Multicultural Communities Council of SA (MCCSA), an affiliate of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia. She previously worked for Alzheimer’s Australia for over 22 years as the Access and Equity Unit Coordinator and the Secretariat for the National Cross Cultural Dementia Network. Ms Kyriazopoulos has over 30 years’ experience in the multicultural sector and currently sits on multiple Boards, including Council of the Ageing, Aged Rights Advocacy Service, and Welcome to Australia. She has contributed towards journal articles and published works related to aged care and disability rights.
Ms Kyriazopoulos was a member of the Australian Multicultural Council 2014-2017.
Co-owner, Indigo Farms
Ms Menegazzo is a first generation Australian and the co-owner of Indigo Farm, an irrigation property producing potatoes for processors along the eastern states, turf production for wholesale markets in Victoria and NSW, as well as wheat, barley and livestock. Previously, she was charged with implementing the community engagement strategy for the Catchment Action Plan implemented by the former Murrumbidgee Catchment Management Authority. She has also held the position of Corporate Affairs Manager at SunRice, one of Australia’s leading branded food exporters.
Ms Menegazzo represented Australia at the United Nations 2004 International Year of Rice conference in Italy.
CEO, Shiamak Davar International
Mr Srinivasan is the CEO of Shiamak Davar International, a performing arts company. He is a well-known community leader active in mental health and multicultural sectors throughout Victoria and was awarded the Meritorious Service Award for Excellence in multicultural affairs by the Victorian Government in 2013. Mr Srinivasan served as a President of the Federation of Indian Association of Victoria and was a founding member of the Federation of Indian Multifaith Organizations Victoria Inc.
He is currently the Chair of the Confederation of Indian Australian Organisations of Australia (CIAA). Mr Srinivasan was a member of the Australian Multicultural Council 2014-2017.
Commissioner, Victorian Multicultural Commission
Mr Tchen was appointed a Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission in 2015. He has extensive community, public sector and political experience in the Victorian context and served as a Liberal Party Senator for Victoria from 1999 to 2005. Mr Tchen has over 40 years of voluntary community involvement, and demonstrated extensive links with community organisations, acting as an advisor to a number of Chinese community associations.
Recently, he also held the position of an Adjunct Professorial Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy at the Faculty of Business and Law, Swinburne University of Technology.
Director, Toga Group
Mrs Vidor is Co-Founder and Director of the Toga Group of Companies. She has strong community ties through planning development and her involvement in tourism boards.
Mrs Vidor was the Director of the JewishCare Foundation and continues to be involved in community wellbeing and development. She was also recognised for her role in boosting the tourism industry. Mrs Vidor was a member of the Australian Multicultural Council 2014-2017.
Chairman, Mering Corporation Pty Ltd; Patron, Multicultural Arts Victoria
Mr Yeap is a Malaysian-born property developer, lawyer and philanthropist. He is currently the Chairman of Mering Corporation and Director of the Tipperary Station Group. He has served on a number of advisory boards and committees, including the Trade and Investment Policy Advisory Council with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and University of Melbourne. He was appointed a trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in June 2005, reappointed in 2008 and 2011, and made Chairman of the NGV Foundation in 2012.
He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in June 2010 for service to the arts and to the community. Mr Yeap has served as a council member of the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) from 2014 to 2017. In 2013, he was named an Ambassador of The Australia Day Ambassador Program, and a year later he was announced as a Patron of Multicultural Arts Victoria.
