Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

Drawing on more than 35 years in the textile, clothing and footwear industry, Adriana founded Printed NT Fashion Hub to address the gap in formal fashion training pathways in the Northern Territory.

Driven by a passion for regional development, Adriana has created a hands-on, culturally respectful training model designed to build confidence, skills and leadership. Printed NT combines industry training with real garment production, reinvesting revenue to create sustainable career pathways in Aboriginal communities, as well as in Darwin for migrant groups and other women facing disadvantage.

Adriana believes fashion can be a powerful driver of economic opportunity, transforming practical skills into meaningful careers and is building a sustainable local industry that connects creativity, culture and economic pathways across the Territory.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Financial Inclusion

Angus Mitchell and Dan Ganter are the co-founders of a social enterprise enabling First Nations-led native seed industries through innovative, accessible technology. Combining Dan’s 20+ years of experience as a Gunggari seed producer with Angus’s expertise in impact-driven engineering, their idea emerged through five years of co-design to address a critical barrier: limited access to affordable seed processing infrastructure.

They have developed a low-cost, mobile seed processing system that reduces labour, increases efficiency, and enables community-based production. Alongside the technology, they will provide training to support First Nations organisations to establish and grow seed enterprises.

Their work aims to expand participation in the native seed and bushfood sectors, supporting economic independence, cultural knowledge and ecological restoration on Country.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

Chris Bush is a public school teacher and social entrepreneur working at the intersection of education, technology and equity. Through his social enterprise, AI for Educational Equity, he is addressing one of Australia’s most urgent challenges: ensuring students in disadvantaged and Indigenous communities are not left behind as artificial intelligence reshapes learning.

A Churchill Fellow and leading voice on AI in education, Chris draws on research across five countries to understand how systems build teacher capability and embed AI effectively in classrooms. He has worked with thousands of educators, helping schools move from uncertainty to confident, practical use of AI.

Chris has already demonstrated impact, designing AI tutors that improved senior secondary outcomes and co-creating culturally responsive tools with Indigenous educators. He is now focused on implementing these solutions in the Australian communities that need them most, expanding access to learning while strengthening educator capability.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Financial Inclusion

Faith Labaro is the founder of Nourish Oils, an Australian wellness brand creating botanical body oils designed to restore the body, calm the senses and elevate everyday rituals.

A migrant and solo mother of six, Faith founded Nourish Oils following her own journey of rebuilding confidence, stability and identity after experiencing family violence and social isolation after moving to Australia from the Philippines in 2011. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing and her mother’s work as a naturopath and massage therapist, Faith began formulating small batch botanical oils as part of her personal healing process.

What began as a deeply personal practice has grown into a purpose led social enterprise. Today, Nourish Oils is focused on creating flexible employment pathways and long term opportunities for women, using wellness, entrepreneurship and community connection as tools for economic independence and empowerment.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

Janie Gibson is the Founder and Artistic Director of Whale Chorus, a leading professional theatre company based in Newcastle, NSW. A multidisciplinary theatre artist, she works across performance, writing, directing and teaching. After developing her expertise both nationally and internationally, in 2020 she returned to her hometown of Newcastle to establish Whale Chorus and give back to her community.

A leading voice for theatre in her region, Janie is pioneering transformative theatre education programs that enhance student engagement, literacy and socio-emotional wellbeing. Her social enterprise Theatre for All, is an Artist in Schools residency program that embeds skilled teaching artists within schools to deliver sustained, high-quality theatre programs for young people experiencing disadvantage.

Janie is driven by the belief that theatre should be accessible to everyone. Through Theatre for All, she will expand access to meaningful and inclusive theatre experiences for young people across her region and beyond.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Financial Inclusion

Allara Drives is a social enterprise driving school that supports people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to gain their driver’s licence through affordable lessons and community based support.

The enterprise delivers both full priced and subsidised driving lessons, taught by multilingual, female instructors from migrant backgrounds. Subsidised lessons are specifically available to people from refugee and asylum seeker communities and are complemented by free English workshops and supervised practice sessions with volunteer driving mentors.

Full priced lessons are open to everyone and help fund the subsidised program, giving learners the option to gain a practical life skill and qualification while supporting a purpose driven social enterprise.

Co-founders Jessica and Ruth established Allara Drives to remove the financial, language and confidence barriers that prevent people from obtaining a driver’s licence, improving access to employment, education and independence.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

Dr Kath Hall founded Just Governance to address a critical gap in who gets to influence decision-making. Drawing on her background in corporate law, governance and social justice, she recognised that while organisations often speak to diversity, pathways into governance remain inaccessible particularly for young women, gender-diverse people and those with lived experience.

The idea was shaped by her experience on a social justice board, where she encountered the absence of suitable support for a highly capable candidate with lived experience. This sparked a broader exploration, confirming that while motivation exists, accessible pathways do not.

Just Governance delivers a digital, cohort-based program that builds practical governance knowledge through interactive sessions, case studies and peer learning. The program supports participants aged 18–35 to step into board and leadership roles, expanding access to economic opportunity. By equipping diverse emerging leaders with the skills and confidence to participate in governance, Kath is helping to shift who holds power and how decisions are made.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

After experiencing homelessness and growing up in the care system, Mark Robertson has dedicated nearly two decades to supporting young people facing similar challenges. Through 19 years working with more than 10,000 young people across schools, justice settings and community organisations, he saw a consistent pattern- creative expression unlocks what traditional approaches often cannot.

This insight led to the creation of MPOWER PRO, a digital platform that combines music, storytelling and emotional wellbeing tools to help young people build confidence, regulate emotions and reimagine their futures. Designed for young people aged 10–18 experiencing disadvantage, the platform is delivered through schools, youth justice programs and out-of-home care settings.

MPOWER PRO translates a proven, real-world methodology into a scalable model—empowering young people to find their voice and shift their sense of possibility. By turning lived experience into leadership, Mark is helping ensure fewer young people feel invisible, and more are supported to thrive.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Food Security

Driven by a passion for improving children’s health and wellbeing, Paula is focused on inspiring the next generation to eat nutritious food and build confidence in growing their own.

Tiny Greens Big Impact addresses food security and health challenges in regional and remote Australian communities through accessible, educational microgreens growing packs for schools and families. By making it easy to grow fresh, nutrient-rich food on the kitchen bench, the initiative creates a simple entry point to broader food literacy, nutrition, and home growing.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

Ruby Riethmuller is the Founder and CEO of Womn-Kind, a youth mental health organisation supporting girls and gender-diverse youth through expert guidance and peer connection.

Driven by a mission to bridge the gap in wellbeing education and support, Ruby has scaled Womn-Kind’s innovative ecosystem - spanning an industry-leading app, programs, workshops, podcasts and partnerships to support over 50,000 adolescent girls and gender-diverse young people across Australia and 37 countries.

Ruby is also Deputy Commissioner (Lived Experience) at the Mental Health Commission of New South Wales, bringing critical insight to systems-level change. She is passionate about reimagining preventative mental health support, focusing on accessible, early intervention that empowers young people with the skills, confidence and connection they need to thrive before reaching crisis point. Ruby is committed to building a future where all young people feel seen, supported and able to reach their full potential.

Driver of Economic Empowerment: Lifelong Learning

Sarah Tedder is the founder of the Ride Revolution Project, a grassroots social enterprise based in the Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait) that is reimagining transport as a pathway to climate resilience, community wellbeing and self-determination.

Working in close partnership with local communities, the project improves access to affordable, sustainable transport particularly for First Nations families while building local skills, capacity and independence. At the heart of the enterprise is a Bike Hospital and Workshop, where donated bicycles are refurbished, repair skills are shared, and low-cost transport is made accessible.

Through this circular, community-driven model, the Ride Revolution Project reduces waste, strengthens local economies, and supports people to meet their own mobility needs fostering connection, resilience and more self-determined futures.