Congratulations to Julia Lu (OW1996), a finalist in this year’s Women's Agenda Leadership Awards. These awards recognise women who have demonstrated strength, courage, collaboration, empathy and innovation to excel and help pave the way for future generations. Head of Strategy and Venture Design at AGL Australia, where she is part of the AGL Next team driving progress in Australia’s energy transition, Julia is an entrepreneur, strategist, innovator and leader with over twenty years experience in industries including energy, logistics, retail, education, telecommunications and technology. Julia was a university lecturer and published author before transitioning to strategy and innovation in some of Australia’s largest corporates. She has helped launch successful new businesses in corporates, coached start-ups, and mentored MBA students. Julia is passionate about innovation, intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship and has been an invited speaker and judge at numerous innovation events such as the Hult Prize, Hult Foundation, United Nations, and the ASES Summit. The Affiliated Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (ASES) is Stanford University’s global entrepreneurship society.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the post-war Australian Antarctic Program, which established a continuous presence in Antarctica. Australia was the first nation to do so. In August, this was marked by a luncheon in Hobart, which included two presentations – one to Sir Guy Green, former Governor of Tasmania (above right) who when Governor, made a visit to Macquarie Island, where he assisted with the unloading of the relief ship and walked over much of the island. He has maintained a strong interest in the Antarctic program and its interface with Tasmania, which is the location of the Antarctic Division and the Secretariat of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Sir Guy was made an Honorary member of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) Club in recognition of his contribution to Antarctic Affairs in Tasmania. The other presentation was the Phillip Law Medal to Joe Johnson (OW1961) (above left). The Medal is awarded to ‘an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Antarctic Affairs and the Antarctic Community’. Details of the medal can be found at https://www.anareclub.org/phillip-law-medal/

Carla Fetter (OW1999) was recently named the third top female real estate agent in the state by the Herald Sun with almost $308 million worth of transactions in the housing market between 2021 and 2022. She leads the top-performing sales team in the nation at Jellis Craig Stonnington, where she is a partner in the business with two decades dedicated to the Stonnington property market. Carla has built an enviable network of repeat and referred clients. Carla is recognised by REB (Real Estate Business) as one of Australia's top women in real estate.

Actor and singer Josh Piterman (OW2003) performed the role of ‘Phantom’ in Cameron Mackintosh's most recent production of Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End just before the COVID pandemic struck. He is now transfixing audiences in Australia, having kicked off the Melbourne season in November after a sell out run in Sydney. Prior to each performance, Josh patiently sits through hair and make-up for up to 75 minutes which no doubt reminds him of his Adamson Hall days! While at times terrifying in the role of Phantom, off-stage Josh remains one of the warmest, most generous people you could meet and has done much to engender goodwill while overseas, especially in the UK during COVID. His colourful global experiences in recent years include recording with the Prague Symphony Orchestra and dining with the future King Charles III. This must-see production of Phantom of the Opera is on at the Arts Centre, Melbourne until February 2023.

Congratulations to race walking superstar, Jemima Montag (OW2016), for her Gold Medal winning performance in the 10km Walk at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August this year. Jemima also won Gold in the Commonwealth Games 20km race on the Gold Coast in 2018. Studying Medicine at the University of Melbourne, this inspirational 24-year-old is an IOC Young Leader, with her latest project - ‘Play On’ - bringing 60 girls from Years 8-10 to St Kilda Football Club for workshops with expert presentations by Olympians, sports physicians, dieticians and leaders on topics ranging from body image and nutrition to inclusive sporting spaces. As an Ambassador for Bluearth Foundation, Jemima supports work across metropolitan, regional and remote communities to provide positive experiences for children in movement and activity, teaching educators, parents and carers about the importance of being positive, active role models in children’s lives. Learn more about the Bluearth Foundation at https://www.bluearth.org/

Recently married to Jiani Ding (Mia) and about to leave to study in the US, Yifan made time to visit the Glen Waverley campus where he was a General Excellence Scholar. After leaving Wesley, Yifan attended the University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma in Music (Piano) in 2014 and a Master of Engineering (Civil) in 2016. He then worked as a civil engineer at Aurecon, a global engineering design firm, for five years, designing some of the largest infrastructure projects in Australia, including Melbourne Airport Rail. This year, he decided to quit his job and travel to the US to study an MBA at Columbia Business School in New York City. If there are OWs who would like to learn more about the application process for MBA programs at US business schools, Yifan is keen to share his experiences and lessons learnt. He can be reached via the OWCA office.