2023 Outstanding Alumni
Kylie Rampa
CEO of Queensland Investment Corporation, Kylie boasts a distinguished 25-year career in finance and investment management, including leadership roles at Macquarie Bank and Lendlease. Kylie is also dedicated to her community, serving on the board of the Sydney Opera House Trust and the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation. Her expertise spans private markets, real estate development, asset management, mergers and acquisitions, and business strategy and operations.
Professor David Wilson
David is recognised for his exceptional contributions to global health and infectious disease modelling. As Senior Program Officer – Primary Health Care at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, his focus is on addressing critical health challenges in vulnerable populations. David also founded the Optima Consortium for Decision Science through which he collaborates with global organisations to optimise resource allocation in developing countries and curb diseases like HIV, Malaria and TB.
Outstanding Young Alumnus
Dr Clare Villalba
Clare is an experienced service designer and researcher in the not-for-profit sector, government, and academia. As Lead Strategic Designer with the Department of Health and Aged Care, she firmly believes in the power of co-design, collaborating with individuals who have lived experience to develop solutions that genuinely make a difference. Through research and design, Clare has solved many complex healthcare challenges, including having improved early detection of diabetic retinopathy and eye disease through her work with Inala Indigenous Health Centre of Excellence.
Outstanding Young Alumnus
Deanna Hood
At the age of 20, Deanna had already earned degrees in both mathematics and electrical engineering. Her global academic pursuits led to expertise in robotics, setting the stage for an extraordinary career. She has notably contributed to NASA's VIPER mission, advanced cancer research with the RASTRUM 3D bioprinter, and developed innovative solutions for children with handwriting difficulties and pneumonia diagnosis in Mozambique. Her leadership in the Ligō "skin-printing robot" project and ongoing work on a scanning robot for dialysis patients reflect her dedication to using technology for societal benefit.
Michael Davie
Outstanding Sports AlumnusMichael has enjoyed a remarkable career in sports science and conditioning, most recently helping guide the Milwaukee Bucks to their historic 2021 NBA Championship win. Beyond the world of basketball, Michael has worked with several elite teams, including the Australian Swimming team in the lead up to the London Olympic Games. He currently serves as the Men's Basketball Director of Strength and Conditioning and Sport Science at Brigham Young University Athletics.
Karyn Murphy APM
Outstanding Sports AlumnusA true Rugby League icon, Karyn has represented both Queensland and Australia to become one of the NRLW’s greatest players. Now Director of Female Rugby Leage and Head Coach for the Gold Coast Titans NRLW, she is dedicated to growing high-performance programs and creating pathways for aspiring female athletes. In addition to her remarkable achievements on the field, she is a distinguished police officer and Australian Police Medal awardee, recognising her dedication and commitment to public service.
Nadine Bates and Kristen Souvlis
Outstanding Entrepreneurial AlumniNadine and Kristen are the Founders and CEOs of Like a Photon Creative, a pioneering content creation company in the children’s entertainment industry. Together they also created and launched Pony Up Picture Studios, the first female-led and owned animation studio in Australia. Their visionary approach has seen them craft content for renowned children’s shows and captivate global audiences with their own feature animations.
Outstanding Indigenous Australian Alumni
Natalie Walker
Natalie is a distinguished figure in the field of social and economic policy reform. She presently holds the role of Social Commissioner for the Greater Cities Commission NSW and is also the Founder of Inside Policy. In addition to these prominent roles, she serves as a non-executive director on the Paul Ramsay Foundation and Life Without Barriers boards, and Deputy Chair of the Goodstart Early Learning board, where she leverages her expertise to contribute to meaningful change.
Stephanie Parkin and Cassie Lang
Stephanie and Cassie are the co-founders of Parallax Legal, a groundbreaking law firm established in 2022. Parallax Legal focuses on the areas of native title, cultural heritage, governance, intellectual property, and Indigenous cultural rights and engagement. They are both distinguished legal practitioners and share an unwavering commitment to empowering and supporting their clients to exercise their rights.
Outstanding Community Service Alumnus
Elijah Buol OAM
Elijah's journey is nothing short of remarkable. Having grown up in a Ugandan refugee camp and losing his parents at a young age, Elijah arrived in Australia on a UNHCR scholarship. He is a champion of justice and human rights, reflected in the many ways he has serviced the local community, including having led the COVID-19 taskforce and emergency food relief efforts in Victoria and advocating for youth justice reform in Queensland.
About the awards
The Outstanding Alumni Awards (OAA) recognise graduates of QUT and its predecessor institutions for exceptional professional and personal achievements and contributions locally, nationally, and internationally.
Established in 1991 the awards showcase and celebrate the diverse achievements, leadership, and impact of alumni who are leaders and influencers in their professions and communities.
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Past winners
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2022
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2021
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2020
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2019
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2018
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2017
- QUT Alumnus of the Year and Faculty of Law Outstanding Alumni Award
- Darryl McDonough
- QUT Young Alumnus of the Year
- Kate Gifford
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Joel Pobar
- Young Innovation and Entrepreneurship Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Michael Brett
- Special Excellence Award for Achievements and Contributions to Indigenous Communities
- Wayne Denning
- QUT Business School Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Christine Corbett
- Creative Industries Faculty Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Peter Greste
- Faculty of Education Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Hon. Leeanne Enoch, MP
- Faculty of Health Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Tina Coco AO
- Science and Engineering Faculty Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Michael Dempsey
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2016
- QUT Alumnus of the Year and Creative Industries Outstanding Alumni Award
- Kate Miller-Heidke
- QUT Young Alumnus of the Year
- Jessa Rogers
- QUT Business School Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Caitlin Wilson
- Faculty of Education Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Maryanne Walsh
- Special Excellence Award for Achievement in Podiatry and Faculty of Health Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Greg Dower
- Faculty of Law Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Roman Quaedvlieg
- Science and Engineering Faculty Outstanding Alumni Award winner
- Richard Eastes
- QUT Business School Special Excellence Award for Service to the Community
- Paul Quilliam
- Special Excellence Award for Contributions to the Nutrition Profession
- Lim Su Lin
Outstanding Alumni Awards Winners 2015
- QUT Alumnus of the Year and Science and Engineering Faculty Outstanding Alumni Award
- Dr Abigail Allwood
- QUT Young Alumnus of the Year
- Andrew Blackman
- Andrew Northcott
- Special Excellence Award for achievement in education and Faculty of Education Outstanding Alumni Award
- Carmee Lim
- Special Excellence Award for innovation in youth support and education
- Andrew Gourley
- QUT Business School Outstanding Alumni Award
- Carolyn Dawkins
- Creative Industries Faculty Outstanding Alumni Award
- Leigh Sales
- Faculty of Health Outstanding Alumni Award
- Karni Liddell
- Faculty of Law Outstanding Alumni
- Dominic McGann