Diana Lin is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and a Lending Executive at one of Australia’s major banks. She serves as a Director on the Box Hill Hawks Football Club Board and as a Community Ambassador for VicHealth. Diana is also the Committee Director at the Chinese Community Council of Australia and a founding board member of the Australian Asian Business Women Association.

Marian Makkar is an Assistant Professor in Marketing at RMIT University. With Egyptian heritage, Marian is deeply involved in her community, volunteering at Coptic Orthodox churches and fundraising for impoverished children in rural Egypt. Her research scrutinises cultural appropriation, particularly how brands exploit marginalised cultures. Her work aims to understand market dynamics while advocating for social change.

Umesh Chandra is the Executive Vice President and the highest-ranking officer in this region for the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International. He is a founding member of the board of trustees of the Queensland Multicultural Council and serves on the Lord Mayor's Multicultural Round Table. In 2020 Umesh was bestowed with the prestigious Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). His additional community service awards include Brisbane City Council’s Citizen of the Year in 2019 and the Bharat Gaurav Award in 2011.

Sakeasi Tawaketini has worked across private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, driving organisations to success in governance, policy, quality assurance, compliance, and more. Beyond his professional work, Sakeasi leads a volunteer community in Greater Darwin called Westside Community Care, delivering essential services. He is a versatile and effective leader bringing diverse skills and a keen multicultural perspective to his work.

Khayshie Tilak Ramesh is a lawyer, speaker and trusted advisor who empowers organisations to think inclusively. She has served as the Multicultural Youth Commissioner of Victoria and represented Australia at the United Nations. Khayshie is also an independent consultant and serves on boards including The Iceberg Foundation, YWCA Australia and Gender Equity Victoria. She has been recognised as Young Citizen of the Year, won the Premier’s Volunteer Leadership Award, is a Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence winner and was named in the Top 100 Future Leaders of Australia.

Marta Menendez is a certified interpreter and translator holding a Master of Social Policy degree, and a Master of Interpreting and Translation from Western Sydney University.Having worked in government and non-government organisations, Marta has managed multicultural teams and developed and delivered cross-cultural communication and cultural competence education. As a freelance interpreter and translator, she has delivered various interpreting and translation subjects at Western Sydney University and Macquarie University.

Sahema Saberi is a lawyer at Victoria Legal Aid working in the Economic and Social Rights team. In 2018, she represented the Australian Government at the United Nations General Assembly negotiations through the Australian Permanent Mission. Sahema has been recognised as Young Australian of the Year in the City of Greater Dandenong and won the National Youth Award.

Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra is a Senior Lecturer at Federation University. He is a community leader, volunteer and a strong advocate for multiculturalism. Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra has run language and culture e-learning for school children and contributed to numerous initiatives to improve health and wellbeing. He has been the Community Ambassador for Sustainability Victoria, the Department of Transport and Planning and on the consultative committee of the Environment Protection Authority Victoria. Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra has been recognised with the 2019 Australian of the Year Award, Federation University Vice-Chancellor’s Award and inducted to the inaugural Victorian Multicultural Commission Honour Roll.

Naseema Mustapha is the founder of Global Community Development Initiatives – a social inclusion organisation registered in Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania. She serves as the Multicultural Adviser to Mental Health Australia, the National Mental Health Commission, and Suicide Prevention Australia. Naseema is currently completing her Doctorate in Philosophy (Community Tourism). She has been awarded the Queensland Government Outstanding Volunteer Award, the Queensland Government Multicultural Mental Health Advocate Award, and the Griffith University Global Community Service Award.

Ruhee Meghani is the founder of Allied Collective – Australia's first inclusive facilitation & wellbeing agency prioritising purpose-led leadership development through future focused training. With experience across wellbeing, retail, advertising, sports management, psychology and hospitality, she is a thought leader in inclusive wellbeing, a Yoga philosophy teacher, and a public speaker. Ruhee also serves as a Regional Advisory Council member at the Victorian Multicultural Commission, where she advocates for and on behalf of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Lan-Anh Dam (Anna), is the founder and president of the Australian Vietnamese Family Association Inc. and works with Services Australia (Centrelink). She is passionate about assisting Vietnamese individuals to understand their rights and responsibilities in Australia. Lan-Anh aims to bridge cultural gaps and celebrate the vibrant Vietnamese traditions with the wider community. She organises community events, such as the annual Vietnamese Lantern Festival held in Darwin every September.

Lizzy Kuoth is a courageous young leader carving out her niche at the intersection of economics (which she is currently studying), criminal justice and social policy. She is one of the 8 current Victorian Multicultural Commission Commissioners and advocates for diversity and inclusion. As a child, Lizzy fled war-torn South Sudan with her grandmother and three younger brothers, spending four years in Egypt before arriving in Melbourne in 2005. She brings an important voice, cross-cultural wisdom and powerful stories to inspire others.

Lina Perez is a member of the Council of Migrant and Refugee Women of SA (CMRW) and actively contributes to community development initiatives. She leads a personal project to develop a model for implementing social cohesion practices and creating support networks. Lina holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Public Relations, with additional studies in Project Management, Community Services, and Community Sector Management. She is passionate about cross-cultural communications, sustainability practices, nature, networking, and spirituality.

Susana Chun Yin Ng is a dedicated advocate and practitioner in diversity and inclusion, community development, and inclusive leadership. She has worked across Australia and Hong Kong, making significant contributions to government, non-profit, and business sectors. Susana has supervised, coached, and mentored more than 200 social work students and emerging leaders from diverse backgrounds and fields.

Abrar Ahmad is a Community Development and Youth worker who holds a Bachelor of Social Science from Western Sydney University. He began his journey into the community services sector volunteering with the Horn of Africa Relief and Development Agency. He was involved in designing and implementing projects such as ‘Learn to Swim’ and other employment programs for communities in Sydney. He has worked as a youth worker and youth project coordinator for organisations including Mission Australia, Anglicare and the Smith Family.

Bill Gonopoulos is the founder of the Hellenic Centre for Languages, Culture Inc. He is passionate about languages and translation and is a committee member of the Australian Institute of Interpreters & Translators (AUSIT). Bill is a seasoned academic who has taught at Macquarie University, the University of New South Wales, and Sydney University. He is also a fully qualified high school teacher with a track record in successful teaching at the NSW School of Languages. Bill is currently working with Sydney University to provide workshops that empower new and emerging community members to join the interpreting and translation profession.

Thais Martins is a Digital Communications Advisor whose practice fuses creativity and analytics to create content and advocacy campaigns that positively impact people's lives. As a member of the Brazilian diaspora in Australia, she is committed to promoting diversity, equality, and inclusivity. She is passionate about communications, societal change, feminism and the nuances of motherhood.

Paul Orfanos is an Engagement Specialist with extensive experience working with both older and new migrant groups in corporate and community spheres. His corporate work at one of Australia's well known banks, predominantly supporting people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Paul has advocated for multiculturalism for decades, building positive relationships with multicultural communities, particularly Melbourne’s large Greek Australian community and is a member of numerous community groups. He has chaired several subcommittees of the Victorian Multicultural Commission's Regional Advisory Council - North West and authored a working paper presented to the Victorian Multicultural Commission, promoting initiatives for new migrant/refugee training by creating stronger partnerships with the corporate world.

Ahmed Shmela is a Youth and Capacity Team Leader at SydWest Multicultural Services. Ahmed is a proud graduate of Western Sydney University (Master of Social Science—2023), majoring in Difference & Diversity. He is actively involved in sports, volunteering, and mentoring, and believes in a better life through little changes. Ahmed was the winner of the Blacktown City Multicultural Award ‘Inspirational Person of the Year’ in 2021.