34 most influential Brisbane young guns under 25 revealed | Vote Now
VOTE NOW: These up and coming powerhouses are poised to take Brisbane by storm. Which young gun 25 or under is having the biggest influence in Brisbane? You decide. LIST TOPPED UP
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From professional athletes, small business owners, entrepreneurs, community advocates and big hearted volunteers, Brisbane has a multitude of talented and inspirational young people.
With a drive for success and a mind for business, these Brisbane young guns are making their mark on the region and beyond.
Quest News has listed 34 talented community members 25 or under who are using their influence and skills to succeed.
Find out who they are and then scroll to the bottom of the list to tell us who you believe is having the biggest influence on the region despite – or maybe because of – their young age.
See the list in alphabetical order then vote below.
NICHOLAS ATKINSON, 17
Mt Maria College, Mitchelton, student Nicholas Atkinson hasn’t let a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis slow him down.
Nicholas has featured on a half-hour episode of Teenage Boss about Nick running his household’s finances for a month.
The 17-year-old became involved in the Brisbane Paralympic Football Program and was interviewed by Fox Sports.
Last year Nicholas was awarded the Mary King Prize for Character at school, an award that normally goes to a Year 12 but awarded to him in Year 11.
Nicholas has raced many times and received a bronze twice at the schools state cross country competition, competing in the athlete with disability class.
He has played and umpired rebound beach volleyball at Shockwave Rebound Volleyball Ferny Grove for three years, working his way into the training squad for the Australian Paravolleyball team and has attended a number of training camps at both the AIS.
Nicholas played AFL for the Ferny Grove Falcons for six years and studied taekwondo for three years.
He was also part of a research program as a participant, which did a lot of studies on the benefits of physical therapy used in conjunction with physiotherapy in comparison to just physio.
The findings of this study, which was done through the Queensland Children's Hospital, was delivered by physio in charge of the study at an international conference in Canada.
OSCAR BAILLIE, 18
Oscar Baillie launched his music promotion business last year – Noizee Entertainment – which produces all-ages live music shows featuring talented young bands from the Brisbane area.
They recently hosted a battle of the bands competition consisting of three shows (two heats and a final) held at local venues such as the Coorparoo Arts Hall and Woolloongabba Substation.
These were hugely successful with around 160 people attending the final.
They have another general all-ages show coming up on July 21.
These gigs not only support the local music scene by providing the bands with valuable opportunities to perform and grow their fan base, they also support the community by providing legitimate entertainment opportunities for youths.
They also hire local youth artists to create artwork for shows and hire other young people to help with sound on the night and work the door.
He also has his own band The Chimpletons.
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JAMES BIRKINSHAW, 25
James Birkinshaw owns South East Solar and Maintenance and has grown the business to the point where it generates $8 million in sales per year.
As the business grows, he gives back to the community by donating solar systems to Legacy which saves them thousands of dollars each year.
James also has a EV Charger business that is growing fast and has meetings with Bunnings Warehouse next month to get them installed commercially.
Thirdly, James started a coaching and growth business called Evolve Success which helps tradie business owners grow their business and helps them overcome challenges they face, generating $1m revenue per year.
To date there are over 280 clients in southeast Queensland that he has helped and generated them $85 million in revenue.
CASSIDY BLAKE, 14
Brisbane South Secondary College Year 9 student Cassidy Blake was named Sportsperson of the Year at her school last year.
A member of the school’s AFL Academy since Year 7, Cassidy last year created a fundraiser that was supported by AFLQ and the Brisbane Lions which raised over $1000 for the students at Milpera SHS (refugee school).
The Brisbane Lions donated a signed jersey, merchandise and tickets for the winning raffle buyer as well as merchandise for the students at Milpera SHS.
After the raffle, she was invited to attend and give a speech at the Milpera SHS ceremony that involved local members of parliament.
Last year she was also selected for the Brisbane Lions level 1 academy and this year she has been selected.
She is also sponsored by a local community gym – UBX Greenslopes.
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HAILEY BROWN, 23
UQ alumnus Hailey Brown is collecting plaudits from around the world for Vacayit, an audio storytelling app she’s developing for blind and low vision tourists. Vacayit users can access real stories and sounds from destinations across Australia to help them make informed and independent decisions about where to travel.
Hailey has earned even more acclaim here in Australia, winning the final of the Accelerator for Enterprising Women competition in Canberra on 17 February. Along with insightful feedback and advice from an illustrious judging panel, Hailey secured $30,000 in prize money to develop Vacayit’s platform.
Using the experience gained from diverse roles in the tourism industry, along with the advice of her UQ Ventures program mentors, Hailey has developed Vacayit from ambitious idea to viable product.
Vacayit offers a range of search features to make the process of finding a vacation easy and effortless. These search features include text search, voice search, destination search, category search, and map search
The Vacayit app offers both audio content and transcripts, enabling all users to access the information provided on the platform.
The day after Brown graduated high school, she packed up for a year abroad, making her way through 10 different countries.
She was one of six University of Queensland students asked to present to the World Tourism Forum about a gap in the tourism industry. On one of her regular Wednesday night dinners with family friend Henry MacPhillamy, who has been blind since birth, she found her topic.
Armed with an idea but no product, she went to UQ Ventures for some guidance. They told her to conduct 100 interviews with blind or low vision people, and find out whether the problem existed for others.
Over the span of two years, Brown joined every single blind and low vision Facebook group she could find and conducted 250 interviews in 17 countries.
XANTHE LOWE-BROWN, 22
Xanthe’s passion for helping others through music ignited during her time at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School.
As school captain and dux, she actively volunteered with organisations such as Toc H Australia and performed for aged-care residents with her guitar.
In Year 12, she studied the neuroscience of Musically-Evoked Chills, sparking her deep interest in music psychology research.
Xanthe pursued a Bachelor of Music (Performance) in contemporary guitar at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium.
In her honour’s year she received the 2022 Harold Clarke English and Elizabeth English Scholarship for her thesis on individual differences in Musically-Evoked Chills, working alongside Dr Solange Glasser.
Throughout her studies, Xanthe continued volunteering, earning the Leaders in Communities Award from the University of Melbourne.
She assisted Dr Amanda Krause as a research assistant, co-authoring papers and contributing to music psychology projects.
She also volunteered with Music Beat Australia‘s Music Early Learning Programs, facilitating children’s development.
Now undertaking her PhD in Engineering and IT (Human-Computer Interaction) at the University of Melbourne, Xanthe holds a scholarship from the Centre for AI and Digital Ethics (CAIDE).
Collaborating with an interdisciplinary team, including experts in human-computer interaction, music psychology and psychology, she aims to enhance algorithms used by music streaming services like Spotify.
Her goal is to improve listeners‘ wellbeing by recommending music aligned with their mood and personality.
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ISABELLE CARNES, 19
Hermit Park State School alumni Isabelle Carnes is an Australian u23 time trial champion in cycling and also a u23 Oceania time trial champion.
In January this year she won the Women’s under 23 Individual Time Trial National Championship and finished seventh among the elite women.
At just 18, Carnes placed eighth in the UCI Road World Championships Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial in Wollongong last September.
At the 2021 Brisbane Cycling Festival, the 19-year-old won a gold medal in the elite Women Sprint final, a silver medal in the under 19 Women Points Race Final and a bronze medal in the under 19 Women Omnium Points Race.
She also was in the team alongside fellow Queenslander Deneaka Blinco who finished with a silver medal in the 750m under 19 Women Team Sprint.
Isabelle also holds a vice chancellors scholarship with QUT, studying a Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Chemistry, to become a nuclear scientist.
She also cycles for ARA Skip Capital which is her continental race team and was also categorised by Australian Cycling recently.
KATJA DEDEKIND, 21
Katja Dedekind is visually impaired and a member of the Australia Para Dolphins Swim Team.
The 21-year-old trains at Yeronga Park Swim Club, studies criminology and criminal justice at Griffith University and is an ambassador for Fight4Balance.
Katja is also an ambassador for Swimming Australia’s education program with Ignite Athlete in their Athlete Female Health and Well-being program presented by City Fertility.
Katja’s mission is to open the conversation on endometriosis which affects so many women’s lives.
At 14, she made her first Dolphins team to the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games where she won bronze in the 100m Backstroke (S13).
Katja competed at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games where she won bronze in both the 400m Freestyle (S13) and 100m Backstroke (S13). 2022 was an outstanding year for Katja.
She was selected as a leader for the Swimming Australia Para Team leading into Paris 2024.
She went on to compete at the Para World Championships in Madeira, where she won gold in the 50m Freestyle (S13) and silver in both the 400m Freestyle (S13) and 100m Backstroke (S13).
A month later Katja competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where she won gold in the 50m Freestyle (S13), setting a new world record.
Following her success in the pool in 2022, Katja was awarded the Queensland Government 2022 Queensland Sport Athlete with a Disability Award at the QSport Awards.
She also received the Patrons Paralympic Swimmer Award at Mrs Gina Rineharts Patron 2022 Annual Awards.
Katja ensure she gives back to the community by attending numerous school talks and Q & A’s at other fundraising events to promote and bring awareness to para-sport.
Her goal is to be able to swim on home ground at the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games.
CHLOE DE LOS SANTOS, 16
Chloe started in showbiz at 7 in The King and I at QPAC, then toured Australia and Asia for nearly two years as Little Cosette in Cameron Mackintosh’s Les Miserables.
Chloe most recently filmed the sequel to the Woody Woodpecker movie (live action animation) as the lead role and also was the only child series regular (lead) in La Brea, both for NBC/ Universal but filmed in Melbourne.
Chloe was also a series regular in Tidelands for Netflix amongst other roles.
Along with having one of the top representatives here in Australia in Morrissey Management, Chloe and her brother Oliver also have a great team in the US with CESD as their agent, and Industry Entertainment and Crimson Media as their Managers.
Chloe is also a singer/ songwriter, dancer and plays guitar.
OLIVER DE LOS SANTOS ,14
14-year-old Oliver Dee first played Young Lola in Kinky Boots (the only Brisbane boy chosen to play the role in Brisbane), Benji in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and was also cast as Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, all at QPAC.
Charlie in the Chocolate Factory didn’t come to fruition because of Covid unfortunately.
Film and TV wise, Oliver graduated primary school at Universal Studios while filming a series regular (lead) role in the sequel to the 80s hit show Punky Brewster (with Soleil Moon Frye, Freddie Prinze Jr, Cherie Johnson).
Oliver has also appeared in local productions Harrow and In Limbo, playing the younger version of Bob Morley in In Limbo.
He was also down to the last couple of boys for two separate Star Wars series.
Oliver also plays guitar, bass guitar, piano, drums and sings.
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BRIANNA DUNIGAN, 24
Brianna Dunigan has completed a master’s in Master of Teaching (Secondary) at UQ and is currently working as a secondary teacher at Whites Hill State College.
She not only imparts knowledge to her students but also serves as a role model for community engagement.
But beyond her professional endeavours, Brianna’s dedication to advocacy and community service is commendable.
She is an active member Guides, YSEF and the QFCC.
Her leadership, advocacy, and volunteering efforts have made a significant impact in her sector and community.
Brianne is a youth advocate who has participated on national projects with The Y Australia and statewide projects with the Queensland Family and Child Commission.
This year she has been working with the Queensland Youth Strategy Engagement Group to guide further development of youth engagement and opportunities.
The 24-year-old has been a member of Queensland Youth Parliament and as a Miss Cairns Show entrant. I
Also a writer, she’s published articles on international platforms
Through her tireless efforts, she is inspiring others to follow in her footsteps and contribute to the betterment of society.
CAMERON FOULKES, 23
Cameron Foulkes has enjoyed a successful soccer career in the UK before his current coaching role with Pro Player in Brisbane.
Cameron played academy football at professional clubs with both Sheffield United and Doncaster Rovers throughout his youth career.
He has coached in the foundation phase of Doncaster Rovers’ academy and was one of the youngest UEFA ‘B’ coaches.
Fast forward to 2022 and Foulkes joined Coomera Soccer Club as a player-coach and recently earned a move to Brisbane Strikers FC alongside a full-time foundation coaching role with Pro-Player and their licensed coaches.
Pro Player consists of experienced coaches with professional soccer experience, providing SEQ FA Premier League approved curriculums.
Cameron delivers high-quality sessions within Pro Player’s Centre of Excellence, positional specific, holiday and games programs.
He also coaches at Ridge Hills United, Cannon Hill Anglican College and runs a mentoring program to help young players develop as players and people.
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THOMAS FELDMAN, 19
As a second-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine at Griffith University, Thomas is already achieving remarkable feats both in academics and sport.
Thomas, an old scholar of St Peters Lutheran College, is an Australian Junior Triathlon representative currently ranked second in Australia’s Under 20 category.
Within just two years of starting his triathlon journey, Thomas clinched the Australian Championships in Perth and was honoured with a place on the 2018 Triathlon Australia Honour Roll.
He consistently earned medals at the Australian School Sport Nationals and Australian Junior Triathlon Series.
A highlight of Thomas’ short but impressive track record includes a second-place finish at the 2023 Oceania Junior Championships in New Zealand, which earned him automatic selection to represent Australia at the 2023 Junior World Championships in Hamburg in July.
Before transitioning into triathlons, Thomas excelled as a national-level swimmer and cross-country runner.
With a strong focus on achieving his goals, Thomas has set his sights on medalling at the Junior World Championships in Hamburg and competing in Junior European Cup races in Holland and the Czech Republic.
His ultimate long-term aspiration is to break into the top 200 triathletes globally within the next few years, with the aim of representing Australia in the Commonwealth Games by 2026 and ultimately securing a spot on the Olympic team in Brisbane 2032.
Despite facing challenges such as a lack of funding and training without an elite coach or squad, he has managed to achieve his current world ranking with only three starts.
Balancing his rigorous training schedule with academic excellence, Thomas maintains an impressive GPA of 6.5 and has been honoured with a Griffith Academic Excellence award.
ABBIE FRENCH, 19
Australian long jump champion Abbie French started her athletics career at The Gap Little Athletics when she was 9.
Her passion was sprinting (100m) and she was also good at high jump.
When she was 12 at the All Schools State Championships, she won the long jump with close to 5.35m, with no training and it was realised she had a natural talent, as she only did sprint training till that point.
Abbie was referred to trainer Sharon Jaklofsky and still trains with her.
By 16, Abbie won several national titles and placed every year.
She jumped 6.28 metres when she was, 16 which would have qualified her for world juniors.
Sadly Abbie got Covid the day of winning bronze in Sydney in 2022 and then had a run of bad health and wanting to be an 18-year-old, had a break from competition.
After time off, Abbie competed at the next state championships where she won, before competing at Nationals in Brisbane, March 2023, winning and getting selected for the under 20s and 23 tour in Chelmsford England and Mannheim Germany.
She won the under 23s England Championships and placed fifth in the U20 Germany competition, equalling her PB twice and only three centimetres off a bronze medal.
Abbie went to Samford State School, Ferny Grove State High School and is learning to be a carpenter.
She broke the state record for Under 16 at the age of 14 jumping 5.93m.
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ELI GEARING, 16
Centenary State High School student Eli Gearing has received academic accolades every year as a high school student and participating in the school’s excel program (for students with a very high level of capacity in the areas of mathematics and science), the studious Year 11 student is currently studying two Year 12 subjects.
The 16-year-old has been a member of the school’s Student Forum for 3 years, developing and implementing initiatives to improve the school and the student body’s schooling experience.
Eli leads the school’s Tech Crew, whose projects range from assemblies to musical productions, presentation events to graduation.
In addition to this, Eli works closely and collaboratively with key staff to further enhance the school’s technical offerings.
An avid public speaker and debater, Eli has competed in the English-Speaking Union Competition for the past four years, placing every year.
Furthermore, he has shared his knowledge and experiences to mentor young and upcoming debaters.
To add to the teenager’s plate, Eli also runs, along with another student, a prayer group at school.
Outside of school, Eli is an active member of his church’s Tech Crew and impressively, runs his own tech business.
Post-schooling, Eli is passionate about pursuing a career in either the IT or Film industry. Eli is a force to be reckoned with.
REBEKAH GENTNER, 22
Rebekah Genter is a Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award recipient, volunteering for several years as an Airforce Cadets leader.
She is heavily involved with the Red Frogs as a team leader, volunteering many weekends and nights helping young people.
She volunteers as a youth leader on Scripture Union camps each school holidays and leads the young people on these camps.
Rebekah has just completed a Masters Degree in International Relations after completing a Bachelor of Crime and Criminal Justice.
Moving forward Rebekah will soon leave Brisbane as she has been offered a job to serve her country in the navy as an officer.
CHANTELLE GILES, 21
Joint winner of Brisbane City Council’s 2023 Young Citizen of the Year, Chantelle Giles was appointed as the Deputy Group Leader for SES Western Group at the age of 21.
Her new position has put her at the forefront of providing new and updated training material for the groups with limited access to training and mentors.
Her Operational Plan for Western Group was a key contributor to the success of the response and evacuation in the February 2022 floods.
In addition to her 10 years of service within the State Emergency Service, Chantelle is involved in other community groups, including Rural Fire Recovery, Scouts, Girls Guides, Australian Army Band and other musical band organisations in Brisbane.
The 21-year-old’s ability to see when change is needed is appreciated by many and has been a key element to SES Western Group.
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TAYIHA GRANT, 18
After writing her first song at just 8, it was evident that Tayiha Grant was destined for a career in the music industry.
Then at 14 Tayiha worked with renowned Brisbane producer Stewart Stewart, who has worked with The Veronicas and Dean Lewis, to produce her original songs professionally.
With a passion for music and already an accomplished singer-songwriter, Tayiha decided to get outside her comfort zone and learn to produce her music at the incredible music facilities at TAFE Queensland’s South Bank campus.
The course filled Tayiha‘s musical knowledge gaps by developing her skills in live sound concert production, studio recording and mixing, sound design, lighting, and creative industries’ business side.
As she ends her studies, Tayiha confidently looks forward to creating and producing music to complement her songwriting and singing skills.
“I'm looking forward to producing my music while continuing to release singles and albums,” Tayiha said.
“Now, I’m confident that I can also write and produce music for other people, and one day I hope to write with international artists like Ellie Goulding or Florence and the Machine.”
Click here for Tayiha’s Soundcloud channel.
JEREMY HUNT, 24
Brisbane Grammar School class of 2016 graduate Jeremy Hunt is the CEO and co-founder of preventive healthcare organisation The VacSeen Project, an initiative he established with fellow BGS and BGGS alumnae.
A finalist in the 2023 Queensland Young Australian of the Year Awards, Jeremy was also named Brisbane City Council’s Young Citizen of the Year in 2022.
In February 2021, while studying medicine and with no background in running a charity, Jeremy established the VacSeen Project so people experiencing homelessness could access a free flu vaccine.
Jeremy worked with a small team of university students to raise awareness and funding for VacSeen, within the medical community and the wider Brisbane community.
Collaborating with local GPs and pharmacies to purchase flu vaccines at lower costs allowed Jeremy and the VacSeen Project to support Inclusive Health and Brisbane Youth Service, providing 200 free flu vaccines for their clients.
Jeremy is one of many volunteers at the VacSeen Project who run GP-led pop-up outreach health clinics in homeless shelters, hostels, social housing and alongside partner organisations, where doctors and volunteers chat to people about their health, provide education, and help deliver both flu and Covid vaccines.
The VacSeen Project has clinics in Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Bundaberg and Townsville.
In addition, Jeremy has volunteered his time to many different charity groups across Brisbane, including Rosie‘s – Friends on the Street, 180 Degrees Consulting and Eddie’s Van.
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GRACE KING, 23
Grace King’s professional and personal endeavours revolve around advocating for and empowering women in music while striving for excellence in every aspect of her life.
As a musician, composer, educator, and researcher, she dedicates herself to highlighting the importance of diversity and inclusivity for all gender identities in the music industry.
Grace’s academic achievements serve as a testament to her commitment to the field.
In 2018, she completed her Associate Diploma in Drum-Kit Performance, followed by her Bachelor of Music with Distinction – Proxime Accessit in 2021.
In 2022, Grace achieved First Class Honors, earning her membership in the prestigious International Golden Key Society.
She was also honoured with the Griffith University Faculty Medal for Academic Achievement that same year.
Her research, titled “The Feminine Touch: An Investigation into the Lack of Women Jazz Drummers and the Importance of Femininity in Jazz,” provides a platform for current women in jazz to share their experiences and perspectives on the challenges they face in the music industry.
By exploring the role of femininity in jazz culture and practice, Grace aims to contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all musicians and gender identities.
In addition to her academic pursuits, Grace has showcased her musical talents in renowned venues such as the Brisbane River Stage, Suncorp Stadium, Fortitude Valley Music Hall, Home of the Arts Gold Coast and Government House.
She has shared the stage with acclaimed performers like Mark Gable from the Choir Boys and renowned Sydney composer and pianist Charlie Chan, as well as organisations including Opera Queensland, the ABC, and Brisbane Festival.
TAYLAH KOWTON, 20
20-year-old Taylah Kowton has wanted to be a judge since she was 10 to try and help people in need who don’t have a voice for themselves.
She currently studies a law degree at Griffith University and also a Certificate III in Child Care.
Taylah works two jobs, one being a Hypoxi Consultant which helps motivate men and women to achieve their fitness goals and she also works at a child care centre.
Taylah is trying to create a not for profit organisation to help homeless people.
In high school she achieved the dux of her crime and justice class and is the first person in her immediate family to attend university.
The 20-year-old babysits, helps feed the homeless through her passion for baking and regularly donates clothes and items to the disadvantaged.
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MADELYN LOUISE, 10
Madelyn Louise is 10 years old and has raised over $20000 for different charities with no plans on stopping.
Her first fundraiser was $8000 to donate a cuddle cot to a local SANDS group to be shared between the local hospital, birth centre and funeral homes.
This is a refrigerated bassinet for stillborn babies and infants that have died.
She then pushed on to donate $5000 for Bravehearts for sexually abused children and another $5000 for Bravery box – helping children undergoing cancer treatment.
Maddy has collected thousands in food donations for the community and to send to the bushfire appeal, we even purchased a generator as all were sold out in NSW.
These donations were sent down with a fire scan pilot, one of the very few who could get into the hotspots before charities themselves could.
Each year Madelyn collects and donates food for the Redcliffe Breakfast Club who feed the homeless.
She also donates personal care items and gifts for children.
She has collected bags for Share The Dignity and has collected close to 1000 bags from Bunnings centres and dropped them off to various charities.
Madelyn has now found a love of runways and support young people.
She has created her own runway called This Is Me Runways, where the aim is about promoting self-love and empowering individuals to achieve their dreams. Her runway focuses on building understanding, acceptance and confidence through fashion.
The runways are a huge fundraiser and take many hours of volunteer work.
Recently Madelyn ran an online runway and raised around $600 for ovarian cancer research.
Madelyn held a huge event called the Great North Brisbane Toy Ride where motorcyclists travelled from all over to ride the streets and collect gifts for children with cancer.
Madelyn also paddles waterways to clean up rubbish with ocean crusaders, walking for autism, collecting sanitary items for the period project and donating to the Christmas tree appeal.
At five, she was holding her own market stall at community fairs and through her school. She was at every Bunnings sausage sizzle and hit the streets to sell cookies to raise money for Bravehearts.
Madelyn has been sorting Share The Dignity bags for four years and operating her runway for three years.
VICTORIA NICHOLSON, 15
Victoria Nicholson, a Year 10 student at Loreto College Coorparoo, has had an extraordinary journey of survival and resilience.
Plucked lifeless from the Mediterranean Sea off Malta, she was resuscitated by an army medic and later adopted by an Australian-Spanish couple.
Despite the challenges she has faced and having been born with fibular hemimelia, Victoria, 15, played for the renowned Mermaids Water Polo Club for two seasons and is currently playing for Loreto College.
Recently, she competed in the Australian Age and Open Swimming Championship as an S9 para-swimmer, where she broke three Australian records in the 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle events.
As a result of this remarkable achievement, she was selected for the Para Swimming National Flippers Squad and is now training at Yeronga Park Swim Club with the aim of qualifying for the Paris Para Olympics 2024.
Her story is a testament to strength and triumph over adversity, serving as an inspiration to us all.
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NAMREETHA ARUL PRAKASH, 19
Namreetha Arul Prakash recently started her Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine degree, connecting her passion for helping people with a number of life experiences.
With an ultimate goal of dermatology, she is committed to her studies and development over the course of her degree.
At Redeemer Lutheran College, Namreetha fell in love with science.
Working with the staff, she began to formulate her pathway to the career of her dreams.
Her studies will initially explore the theory and practices of the profession before embarking on her practicum placements.
In Year 10, she was a part of the Mater Education program and connected with people in need, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, who serves his community as a rural paediatrician in India.
In school, she served as Academic Captain and her legacy at Redeemer has seen a significant increase in peer tutoring and mentoring programs.
TOM PRICE, 18
Former Villanova College Student Council President Thomas (Tom) Price has always had a passion for helping underprivileged people.
During Covid-19 in 2021, Tom, with the support of his school, created a four minute video called You Are Not Alone, targeted at youth mental health and increasing youth suicide rates.
It came after he noticed peers were struggling with mental health.
The video included community leaders, celebrities and school students with an important and inspiring message.
The video went viral and, while originally intended to be used in his school, it is now used at 15 Brisbane schools as well as community organisations, charities and businesses to help start the conversation.
Following on from the video’s success, Tom hosted the first You Are Not Alone Fun Run in June 2022, with more than 2000 participants raising more than $37,000 for Lifeline.
A registered mental health organisation, You Are Not Alone’s mission is to help young people around Australia to know that they are not alone, and that people care, with a vision to one day live in an Australia in which youth suicide is not the leading cause of death.
The Bond University film student has also spent time volunteering with Vinnies, Rosies, Emmanuel City Mission, QLD Koala Society and is a Surf Life Saver at Ballinger branch.
BLAKE RANDALL, 25
Blake Randall is the founder of Inner Power Coaching, a company dedicated to empowering individuals through fitness and personal development.
With five clubs operating out of Snap Fitness, Blake and his team of eight staff members have positively impacted the lives of over 140 members each week.
Blake‘s exceptional skills and contributions have not gone unnoticed.
He was awarded Snap Fitness Trainer of the Year for the corporate clubs and has been recognised as one of the top five trainers of the year for Asia Pacific twice, highlighting his outstanding achievements and commitment to excellence.
With eight years of experience as a trainer and a decade as a basketball coach, Blake‘s passion for sports and mentoring shines through.
Currently, he is coaching the Spartans Division 2 team for the under-12s, nurturing young talent and fostering a love for the game.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Blake is happily married and actively participates in his local church in East Brisbane.
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MEG RYAN, 23
In 2013, Meg Ryan was introduced to sport aerobics at high school, when she joined her first sport aerobics team.
Immediately falling in love with the sport, Meg wanted more and went on to represent both school and club at state and national level, achieving 12 Australian titles in the process.
During high school Meg quickly gained her coaching qualifications: Specialist school stream coach, Accredited FISAF coach, Gymnastics Australia coach accreditation, FISAF judging accreditation and now proudly sits on the Australian judging panel.
During her bachelor’s degree in 2020, Meg established Meg Ryan Sport Aerobics, to specialise in competitive and recreational sport aerobics programs at both school and club level.
When the 23-year-old started her club, they were hiring a school hall and dance studio throughout Covid.
She opened her own studio space in Coorparoo last year and has doubled her numbers, with two more locations on the way.
To date, Meg Ryan Sport Aerobics has a number of schools participating in the school’s program and also offers athletes the opportunity to compete at club, state, national and international competitions.
The adult group she currently has training are aiming to qualify for the World Sports Aerobics Championships this year.
She also coaches at a wide variety of Brisbane schools.
MITCHELL SCIACCA, 23
Mitchell is known as a driven and accomplished individual with a passion for marketing, sports, and fostering positive mental health.
Mitchell‘s educational journey took him to the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where he pursued a dual degree in Marketing and Accounting.
While studying, Mitchell also embarked on valuable work experiences that shaped his career path.
As a marketing and social media intern with Brisbane Roar he honed his skills in digital marketing and gained valuable insights into the sports industry.
Mitchell‘s dedication and expertise led him to assume the role of Football Operations Coordinator, where he played a pivotal role in co-ordinating various aspects of the team’s operations.
Eager to explore his passion for sports further, Mitchell ventured into the realm of content production with Football Australia.
In mid-2021, Mitchell made the decision to focus on completing his degree while also expanding his professional horizons.
He joined Flight Centre, a leading travel company, where he thrived in their corporate division.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Mitchell has a deep-rooted connection to football (soccer) and futsal.
Inspired by his lifelong love for the game, Mitchell and his brother founded River City Futsal, a community futsal club.
As the General Manager, he successfully built the club from the ground up, attracting over 120 players ranging from ages seven to adults.
One of the club‘s significant achievements under Mitchell’s leadership was representing their community in an international tournament in Italy.
Their team’s exceptional performance earned them a remarkable third-place finish, a testament to their dedication and skill.
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WILL SHACKEL,17
Will Shackel is the 17-year-old founder of Australia’s first youth-lead campaign for Nuclear Energy: Nuclear for Australia.
As a young person concerned about the climate and energy crisis, he decided to research the prospect of the technology talking to experts around the world determining that nuclear could be a solution that could benefit Australia.
Through his advocacy he started a petition to legalise Nuclear Energy which reached nearly 10,000 signatures, manages successful social media pages sharing facts and information, sent a letter to the Prime Minister and in May appeared solo in front of an Australian Senate Committee in Canberra to provide evidence on why he believed Nuclear Energy should be legalised in Australia.
In addition to his work managing a successful national campaign, he is also a Year 11 student.
During his time at high school he has been involved in the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council and was one of the 500 people invited to the 2032 Olympic Legacy Forum.
As a self-described ‘nerd’ he enjoys academics having been the winner of the prestigious Simpson Prize essay competition and is currently completing the IB program.
During his spare time he enjoys walking, debating and cross country.
JAMES STEELE, 21
21-year-old James Steele has created Steele.aep that documents the underground rave, fashion, music and art scene in Brisbane and the culture that surrounds it, while building a platform for emerging creatives to use.
When he moved to Brisbane in 2018 in Year 10, James started making music videos for the local Alt Hip Hop scene.
In the last couple years he has had a steady and growing connection and focus with the local rave and grime scene.
James is working towards making Steele.aep the platform for Brisbane creatives to showcase their projects and make money via online and physical commerce.
He is also working toward making Steele.aep a multifaceted brand with its own clothing label, bespoke events, record label, studio space and film productions.
The 21-year-old has created a unique brand style that combines a blended 80s and 90s aesthetic, and old school tape and DVD camera footage with modern editing techniques and styles
His dream career would be to build Steele.aep to a point where he can use it to express his creative ideas in film, fashion and music, while building up the creative community around him.
At the moment, James earns most of his income from Steele.aep videography and event projects.
James is working with an up and coming clothing brand, Crowd, handling the marketing and selling of Crowd clothing.
James has also shot independent videos of major events, including Subliminal, Massive, No One But Us and Bodega Collectives, and filmed and produced a number of music videos for local acts: the most successful to date is currently sitting at 90,000 views on YouTube.
KOBI WALKER 16,
Hawthorne’s Kobi Walker is an entrepreneur, national level athlete and Year 11 student at Moreton Bay College.
Kobi owns two business, Foodie Spread and Kobi’s Kitchen.
Foodie Spread is a grazing table and catering company she started in 2021 when he was 14 years old.
Kobi’s Kitchen was launched earlier this year and kicked off with an online cookbook.
Her next project set to launch in a few months is a series of convenient and tasty household favourite meal bases that are made with natural ingredients.
Away from work and school, Kobi is a national track and cross country athlete.
In April the 16-year-old won a silver medal in nationals of the 3000m event.
She has aspirations of representing Australia in the coming months at the World Cross Country event in Croatia and one day representing Australia at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
The Hawthorne teen also shares a lot of her life and adventures on social media with over 17,000 followers on Tik Tok.
BRAYDEN WHITE, 24
Brayden White’s background as a finance and operations partner has seen him support two organisations that supports members of the community, namely an NDIS Provider working with neurologically-diverse children, and support their organisations in developing financial practices that support the organisation‘s viability, whilst ensuring quality delivery standards to our communities.
The 24-year-old is a director of the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation, this is a volunteer position.
The foundation is a national charity that works to ensure better outcomes for LGBTQ victims and survivors, and end domestic violence in LGBTQ communities through awareness campaigns, education programs and reducing barriers to reporting abuse and accessing support.
For the past seven years, Brayden has supported Di Farmer MP, Member for Bulimba, with her Bulimba Electorate Youth Advisory Panel, working with a new panel, each year, in supporting the MP hear the voices of your people in the community and also supporting them in understanding the impacts young people can have in their communities.
Brayden is also a Justice of the Peace.
He was college captain and student council president in school, Lions Youth of the Year 2015 Finalist and a State Finalist at the 2015 Queensland Training Awards.
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ASTON WILLCOCK, 17
Iona College student Aston Willcock is the nominated YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament member for Bulimba, where he works on the EETA Portfolio (education, employment, trading and arts).
Aston willingly gives a lot of his time (and school holidays) to participate in community consults, trips to Parliament, the Supreme Court, weekly team meetings, small business events etc, where he is effectively the voice of the young people in the electorate, both out in the community and within the halls of Parliament House.
As part his role, Aston regularly consults with senior members of both state and federal parliament, inspiring leaders in private enterprise, advisory bodies, community organisation and, most importantly, vocal youths in his electorate, developing a hands-on method while drafting legislation affecting these stakeholders.
In September, the Iona College student will prepare legislation and policy proposals to debate during parliamentary residential sitting week.
Last year, Aston participated in the Bulimba Electorate Youth Advisory Panel (BEYAP), where he and his peers experienced first-hand the challenges faced by local member, Di Farmer, and how various bills come to fruition in State Parliament.
A back injury in 2019 forced Aston to retire from his school’s football team, however he has continued as coach for the primary students.
As part of his involvement in Iona’s Primary Connect Portfolio, Aston strives to do as much as possible to make incoming primary students feel welcomed and accepted
As part of the Wellbeing portfolio, Aston recently participated in a 24-hour running challenge – spreading awareness for men’s mental health.
KATYA BENNETT-WOODGER, 25
Katya Bennett-Woodger since the age of two started studying a variety of dance styles.
Continuing through high school, she achieved the highest level of examination (Advanced 2 Ballet) through the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), also receiving the top marking bracket, Distinction, which makes her an Associate of the RAD.
After graduating, she started her training and career in dance teaching and in 2018 graduated from the RAD with the Certificate in Dance Teaching (Ballet).
Katya also holds dance and dance teaching qualifications from other leading dance societies including ComDance (Jazz & Tap), Australian Ballet School, Queensland Ballet Academy, Ballet Theatre Queensland, Acrobatique Arts, AMEB Speech & Drama and Singing and Australian Allstar Cheerleading Federation.
She has travelled the world dancing and learning from world renowned teachers from the top training institutes including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Broadway Dance Centre, the Radio City Rockettes, Millennium Dance Complex and more in NYC, LA and London.
Focusing on a career in teaching, Katya is the Co-Director of the highly regarded local dance school, Kimberley Woodger Dance Academy (KWDA).
Recently, Katya’s contemporary choreography was performed by students, in the world’s most prestigious student ballet competition, Youth American Grand Prix Finals in Tampa, Florida.
Every day, Katya inspires hundreds of young dance students at KWDA and prepares them for RAD Ballet exams, dance solo, duet, and group eisteddfods, in which they are very successful.
In addition to her full-time work at KWDA, Katya has recently joined the faculty at Lourdes Hill College as their dance tutor.
The 25-year-old creates more than six group routines over various genres and abilities to compete in educational school’s dance group eisteddfods.
Katya also holds in interest in journalism and at 17 begun a side career, working for DanceTrain Magazine as their social media reviewer.
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