News: Distinguished Alumni Awards 2023
Adam Liaw
![A portrait of Adam Liaw against a black backdrop](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/adamliaw_clean-edit-small.jpg?h=6e883e2e&itok=4cVtwJvP)
Adam Liaw is a celebrity chef, cookbook author, TV host and Unicef Australia Ambassador who has become an icon of modern Australian food culture. Before his rise to stardom as a chef, Adam was a successful lawyer, practicing both in Australia and internationally.
John Scanlon AO
![A portrait of John Scanlon in the street](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/johnscanlon.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=tN_nNjvN)
John Scanlon AO is an environmental lawyer, leader and policy maker who is dedicated to ending wildlife crimes on a global scale. Throughout his career, his leadership of international environmental organisations has helped reduce the impact of the $2-3 trillion illegal wildlife trade on ecosystems and societies around the world.
Nik Nasha Damia
![A portrait of Nasha with framed certificates behind](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/nik-edit-small.jpg?h=5dfc37db&itok=EAq7M2GU)
Nik Nasha Damia is a passionate humanitarian and leader, whose work as Director of the Rohingya Women Development Network aims to help the thousands of Rohingya refugee women in Malaysia find education, learn new skills, build their autonomy and significantly improve their quality of life.
Dr David Lam
![A portrait of Dr David Lam](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/uoa_daa_david_0.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=bTWCVFEo)
Dr David Lam is an award-winning young doctor who is making incredible contributions to Australian communities by providing medical care to vulnerable Australians, advocating for the importance of mental health care, and inspiring a new generation of doctors to work in rural and remote communities.
Peter Ong
![A portrait of Peter Ong smiling, wearing a suit](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/peter-ong_0058_lighter-small.jpg?h=bffca316&itok=3T43zk0b)
Peter Ong is an economist and lifelong civil servant dedicated to advancing the interests of Singapore and its people. His distinguished career has spanned many different government areas including overseeing a workforce of 145,000 as the head of civil service in Singapore and offering advice on economic strategy and policy via board positions across various government entities.
Lesley Salem AM
![A portrait of Lesley Salem AM in a blue shirt and glasses](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/lesley-salem_edit-small.jpg?h=037e9e65&itok=or-ATU2b)
Lesley Salem AM is a Wonnarua woman, artist, author, and nurse practitioner with over 20 years’ experience in remote and rural nursing. She works tirelessly to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, both through her passionate advocacy and her work as a nurse practitioner.
Dr Sarah Boyle
![A portrait of Dr Boyle sitting at a table](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/uoa-daa23-sarah.jpg?h=0f4230fa&itok=mNa4HWMN)
Dr Sarah Boyle is an exceptional young leader in the field of breast cancer research, whose innovative approaches to breast cancer research are leading the way to new frontiers in the treatment of breast cancer in South Australia.
Juliet Haslam OAM
![A portrait of Juliet Haslam in a bright green shirt](/alumni/sites/default/files/styles/ua_landscape/public/media/images/2023-12/uoa-daa23-juliet-2.jpg?h=c6980913&itok=rkwOBeal)
Juliet Haslam OAM is one of our most decorated hockey players and a pioneer of professional women’s sport in Australia. Her immense contributions to Australian sport have earnt her many accolades and a place in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and she continues to inspire and educate the next generation of athletes as a mentor and ambassador.