Previous Citizen of the Year recipients
2023 Inner West Council Citizens of the Year
A great congratulations to all of the nominees of the 2023 Citizen of the Year Awards. We acknowledge and appreciate the work that you all do in the Inner West Community.
Discover more about all the nominees for this year's Awards via the 2023 Community Awards digital presentation.
Adult Citizen of the Year
Boe Rambaldini
Recipient
Bundjalung Elder and Inner West local Boe Rambaldini has worked for many years at various levels and in many areas to improve the lives of First Nations people and close the gap. Despite many challenging life experiences, Boe has worked across universities and multiple levels of government create better health outcomes and working conditions for First Nations people.
Erin Spencer & Bec Cerio
Special recognition for fostering inclusion
Erin and Bec co-founded and continue to run the local business Sock Drawer Heroes: Australia’s first and largest online store dedicated to gender expression. Erin and Bec have advocated and supported the lives of LGBTQIA+ people through provision of specialist products as well as regular community-connecting activities.
Kath Wawatai
Special recognition for long term commitment to local live music
The Inner West has benefitted immensely from Kath’s work to develop a thriving and continuously growing local music community. Kath has worked with various creative entities and venues to present one off music events, improve facilities, and create opportunities for young creatives to gain valuable experience in the industry.
Catherine Delaney
Nominee
Catherine (Cat) is well-known to Balmain locals as she works to collect food and household products, then distributes these to the homeless. Cat welcomes all and thrives spreading the message of the work she does. Cat provides an accessible avenue for local people to provide goods to people in need.
Alan Earls
Nominee
Alan is a vital volunteer working in the Inner West community in suicide prevention, providing a safe space for those suffering to drop-in and receive the support that they need. Alan has an incredible ability to connect with those in a time of crisis as well as educating in mental health first aid.
Simone Amelia Jordan
Nominee
Simone is an award-winning writer and music journalist born and raised in the Inner West. In addition to her accolades, she organised youth-focused dance parties and continues to be an active member of the community supporting various local ventures.
John Karavasilias
Nominee
John is the founder and managing director of MPSR Group, a local family-owned body repair shop. John has worked tirelessly alongside his wife Sarah to grow the business to what it is today despite multiple challenges.
Ben Ross
Nominee
Ben is the founder of local basketball club Little Ballers, based out of Wilkin’s Public School in Marrickville. Ben has worked tirelessly to create a vibrant local sporting club, providing the physical, mental and social benefits of sport to the Inner West community.
Brooke Watson
Nominee
Brooke is an outstanding leader in education, currently working at St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School. Brooke brings vibrancy and passion to her work, seizing every opportunity to shape the hearts and minds of children by implementing the latest research and evidence-based approaches in education.
Young Citizen of the Year
Amy Johnston
Recipient
Amy is a natural leader, advocate and artist who has contributed to driving positive and sustainable social change in the community. Amy is committed to amplifying the voice of students via her student leadership role, as well as taking on additional awareness campaigns and projects. Amy’s talent and determination has enabled greater awareness and understanding of the diverse experiences within community.
Lillian Davies, Ruby Hensley, Rose Palmer, Emily Skribinsek
Special recognition as young people for social justice
All four of these young people have participated in significant volunteer work including coordinating fundraising events, forums and initiatives assisting not for profit organisations such as “Days for Girls” and “Mahboba’s Promise”.
Senior Citizen of the Year
Carrie Foster
Recipient
Carrie is a long-term volunteer at the Hannaford Community Centre in Rozelle who has worked as a tutor in the Tech Health program. Carrie has worked one-on-one with locals over 55 years-of-age to up their computer skills. Carrie is warm, kind and generous is all her interactions with a positive and inquisitive mindset.
Ha-Huong Nguyen
Special recognition for contribution to local multicultural arts
Ha-Huong has provided countless hours and talent to empower local seniors to improve their quality of life through directing and performing Vietnamese dance and music. Ha-Huong’s work has not only seen groups improve their social, mental and physical wellbeing, but has also resulted in high quality performances at various festivals and community events.
Yao Zi MA
Nominee
Yao Zhi is a long-term volunteer with the Chinese Australian Services Society (CASS), working with the Ashfield Activity Group Social Dance Time. Yao Zhi oversees much of the organisation of this weekly group, as well as group festival celebrations such as Moon Festival and Lunar New Year.
Farid Wilson Silwanis
Nominee
Farid is one of the fantastic volunteers at Sydney Multicultural Community Services, working on the Community Visitors Scheme. Farid is a committed volunteer, providing in-person and virtual visitations to numerous local people. Through his work, he enhances their quality of life, treating them as if they were his own family.
2022 Inner West Council Citizens of the Year
2022 Young Citizen of the Year awarded jointly to Nabilah Chowdhury and Ruby Bron
Nabilah Chowdhury
Nabilah Chowdhury is a leader, inspiring people locally and nationally through her climate activism, conservation work, and leadership.
Among her many accomplishments, Nabilah has been awarded the Young Conservationist of the Year in 2021 and received a full scholarship to the National Youth Science Forum.
Nabilah is a Youth Leader for the Taronga Zoo Conservation Society, a UN Youth delegate, is on the National Youth Leadership Council at the Jane Goodall Institute and has been a key contributor in the School Strike 4 Climate Movement.
Nabilah, we are inspired by your achievements thank you for your leadership and your climate activism and conservation work. Congratulations Nabilah on being our co-recipient of the Young Citizen of the Year for 2022.
Ruby Bron
Ruby Bron is an activist and campaigner who works with local organisations and businesses to make change in her community.
One of the leaders of School Strike 4 Climate Sydney, Ruby is involved in events including 'Fridays for our Futures' and 'School Strikes' which thousands of school children and Sydneysiders have participated in.
Ruby is also an organiser for the 'It Only Takes One Minute' campaign, reaching out to the Federal Government to act on plastic waste.
Ruby has also successfully campaigned for a more gender-inclusive uniform at her inner west school.
Your activism is inspiring Ruby, thank you for being a leader and making change. Congratulations Ruby on being a co-recipient of the Youth Citizen of the Year Awards.
Emerging Young Citizen awarded to...
Aoibhe Carty
Aoibhe Carty is a talented musician and songwriter, sharing her beautiful music with her school community to bring peace and togetherness during tough months of lockdown.
During the pandemic Aiobhe wrote an original song ‘Children of 2020’ to entertain and inspire others during lockdown. In doing so, she brought the whole school together with music, supporting and connecting others during a really challenging time.
Aiobhe thank you for making beautiful music and inspiring and connecting others with your creativity and talent.
Citizen of the Year
2022
Citizen of the year awarded jointly to Cheree Toka and Liz Yeo
Cheree Toka
Cheree Toka is a proud Kamilaroi woman, Dulwich Hill resident and an extraordinary leader. Cheree’s vision and principled, passionate, ‘Fly the Flag Campaign’, led to February’s announcement that the Aboriginal flag will fly high and proud on the Sydney Harbour Bridge every day of the year. Cheree, history will remember you for ensuring that the flags on our most iconic bridge are a representation of the true Australia, and of our shared heritage. We are inspired by your achievement and by your vision of a future where the Aboriginal flag fly’s high and proud wherever the Australian flag flies. Cheree, we respect and honour you. You are an inspiring visionary leader. Thank you for leading the way along the path that all Australian’s need to take towards unity, respect and reconciliation.
Liz Yeo
Celebrating Liz Yeo, for her contribution as the incredible CEO of Newtown Neighbourhood Centre. After 7 years Liz has very recently moved on from the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre - but we want to acknowledge her dynamic, creative and compassionate leadership. Liz guided the Centre through many challenges, including a two year pandemic and has built an exceptional reputation and strong collaborative productive relationships across the Inner West. Newtown Neighbourhood Centre plays a significant role in reducing homelessness and supports multitudes of community members with challenges that are too big to face alone. Earlier this year Liz and her team mobilised in a moment to comfort and assist the surviving residents of the tragic Newtown boarding house fire and Liz took the opportunity to advocate for better regulation of the boarding house industry to reduce the probability of these tragedies having again. Liz you are an extraordinary community leader. Thank you for your vision and dedication to making the Inner West a better, more inclusive place to live.
Special acknowledgement for their contribution during the Covid 19 Pandemic awarded to...
Christine Kelly
Since the Covid vaccination was made available in Australia, Christine and her team have worked tirelessly to ensure the community is vaccinated as quickly as possible. When the paediatric vaccination was made available, Christine spent her day off, driving to Newcastle to obtain additional doses, after delivery of her own supply was delayed. Thank you, Christine, for your commitment to the health of our community. Your care and support during these extraordinarily difficult times is deeply appreciated by the people of the Inner West.
Karen Hunter
Celebrating Karen Hunter for demonstrating incredible commitment to vulnerable people throughout Covid lockdowns in the Inner West. Applying herself every day to ensuring the wellbeing of our community's most vulnerable people, risking her own health to provide fundamental services. Karen coordinated vaccination hubs, food distribution, and ensured that food was provided to families in need who had been diagnosed with Covid and forced to isolate, preventing them from working, earning money, and subsequently becoming unable to purchase food. Karen, thank you for your commitment to vulnerable community members. You inspire your colleagues and you inspire us!
Nat's What I Reckon
Nat became an online sensation in 2020 with his Nat’s What I Reckon viral cooking videos, which brought joy, kitchen tips and a wholesome and inclusive message of self-acceptance to his fans, and an ethos of having a go in the kitchen and changing how we think about food and mental health. He opened up important and honest conversations about mental health and identity, and has donated $10 000 of prize money from his two books to Beyond Blue. His fundraising efforts for Oz Harvest and the Cancer Council have also been very successful, and complement the positivity of his videos. Thank you Nat for your amazing work giving back to the community and being such a strong and empowering advocate for good food and mental health.
Significant achievement in art and culture raising awareness of Queer and Trans People of Colour awarded to...
Dyan Tai
Celebrating Dyan Tai continues to raise awareness and visibility of Queer & Trans People of Colour as the founder of WORSHIP: Queer Cabaret and Dynasty Social, part of the global movement to unite Queer Asians and Queer & Trans People of Colour. Dyan was recently featured in the Chinese Australian episode of award-winning ABC show You Can't Ask That (Season 6), his work and performances continue to centre around his upbringing in conservative Malaysia and his quest to find freedom wherever we find ourselves. Thank you Dyan for your incredible work across community as an advocate, artist and inspiration.
Senior Citizen of the Year
Pui Kuen Li
We honour Ms Li for her longstanding involvement in CASS Ashfield Environmental Group, volunteering to regularly clean up the main streets of Ashfield for over 20 years and organising annual involvement in Clean Up Australia Day. Her dedication has helped residents to feel proud of our local community and to ensure that we can live in a clean and beautiful environment. Ms Li, thank you for giving back and showing the importance of local, grassroots action through your engagement with multicultural communities.
2021 Inner West Council Citizens of the Year
Inner West Council Citizen of the Year 2021
Chrys Meader is Inner West Council's Citizen of the Year 2021
Chrys Meader for her commitment to the power of social history. Chrys is a historian, librarian, archivist, published author, educator and speaker. Her knowledge, expertise and passion for history, particularly of the Inner West is unrivalled and passionate. Chrys has provided services above and beyond in her work with encyclopaedic knowledge at her immediate disposal
Inner West Council Young Citizen of the Year 2021
Katrina Ikonomou is Inner West Council’s 2021 Young Citizen of the Year
Katrina Ikonomou for her tireless work as an Indigenous Social Worker at Gunnawirra Mums to provide opportunities and services to local young women and children. Katrina goes above and beyond to find programs, activities and services outside of Gunnawirra to strengthen the cultural identity and resolve of community. Katrina has provided mums and bubs with a broader cultural and emotional support network that is rarely seen across the Inner West. This Award recognises Katrina's efforts to engage and connect clients to elders and cultural programs, strengthen cultural identities and knowledge, collaborate with services and the wider sector to close the gap, and provide a platform for intergenerational learning and healing.
Inner West Council Senior Citizen of the Year 2021
Joint Winners Pei Qun Guo & Teresa Savage are the Inner West Council's Senior Citizens of the Year 2021
Pei Qun Guo
Pei Qun Guo for remarkable contribution as a member of the Chinese Australian Services Society (CASS) Ashfield Environmental Group since 2000. The Group was formed in 1999, led my Pei Qun, with members cleaning up the main street of Ashfield and the mall on a weekly basis. Pei Qun also leads the group of over 30 members to participate in Council’s Multicultural Festivals, CASS Charity Dinner and CASS Charity Walk.
Teresa Savage
Teresa Savage for her immense work for the LGBTIQ, women, youth, young families and aging communities. Teresa has been a pioneer, activist and a strong and supportive voice for all humans, animals and the environment. Teresa has provided a vast amount of time, energy, enthusiasm, ideas and an inclusive approach to the residents of our Inner West community. Teresa's achievements including helping found Council's LGBTIQ Working Group in 2011, founding Savage Marsden Giving Program, 55Upitty and BlueStocking ThinkTank, plus acting as a mentor and ambassador for various foundations and programs.
2020 Inner West Council Citizens of the Year
Inner West Council Citizen of the Year 2020
Roxanne McMurray is Inner West Council’s 2020 Citizen of the Year
Roxanne is an active supporter and advocate of women experiencing domestic and family violence. She has worked at Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre for 25 years with the last 18 years as Manager. She has been on the Board of Detour House and The Girls Refuge for the past six years and in 2014 formed SOS Women’s Services with a group of local women to advocate (successfully) against the closure of the women’s and girls’ refuges in the inner city.
Through the formation of SOS Women's Services:
- They successfully lobbied for all refuges to have their funding extended until 2020 to allow the sector to rebuild
- Helped to secure $20 million in additional funding to assist with the expansion of 24 hour services across NSW
- Retention of a specialist domestic violence caseworker at the Family Court with the support of the Chief Justice
- Establishment of the Service Support Fund which ensured a further 14 women’s refuges are funded
- Restoration of funding to homelessness services in inner Sydney, including preventing the closure of the city’s women’s refuges
- Securing essential funding for mandatory pay increases for staff at Sydney's girls refuges.
Roxanne has been an active member of the Board of Detour House and the Girls Refuge, and continues to advocate on behalf of women experiencing Domestic and Family Violence.
Honourable Mention for Citizen of the Year, Eleftheria Prodromou
Ellie’s devotion to all animals and to her charity is unparalleled. Almost singlehandedly, she has developed the Penny Marathon and tended to its growth via an expanding schedule of markets and public events. Although she has had a full-time job as editor and senior journalist since 2010, all her free time is devoted to the animal charity ‘Penny Marathon’. In doing so, she has raised much-needed funds and awareness for animal welfare and demonstrated practical compassion to community members of all ages.
Penny Marathon has been actively working in Australia since 2012 and has contributed significantly to the animal community by demonstrating active concern for the rights, welfare, well-being and/or advancement of companion animals. Her commitment and tireless work have benefited hundreds of stray cats and dogs who have been spayed, medically treated, fed and/or rehomed. Penny Marathon also financially assists local animal charities that may be struggling due to an excessive number of pets in need of help. Desexing, fostering and rehoming are additional services provided by Penny Marathon to our local community and beyond.
Ms Prodromou is also a strong advocate for recycling and repurposing goods and for healthy living. The PM market stores, supported by Reverse Garbage, retail items including pet bandanas made from material scraps, pompoms made from unwanted wool, and baskets woven from reclaimed council banners, to name just a few. These innovations raise funds for animals in need, while helping the local community to see unwanted material in a new way.
Image credit: Jo Lyons Photography
Inner West Council Young Citizen of the Year 2020
Daniel Lahood is Inner West Council’s 2020 Young Citizen of the Year
Daniel is a young man who is a passionate advocate for social justice in the Inner west and helps make significant connections between members of our community through intergenerational activities such as Neighbour Aid Shopping, serving in his local church and as a prefect at ABHS (Ashfield Boys High School).
As the 1,000th Scholarship recipient, and a 2019 recipient of the Jeff Shaw Unions NSW Scholar, Daniel was a guest speaker for the Public Education Foundation Presentation Night on May 15th 2019 at the Sydney Town Hall. He received the School Leader Recognition award from Jo Haylen MP in 2018. He was also the recipient of the Amy Large Youth Volunteering Award from the Inner West Council in the same year.
Daniel's passion for studying law has allowed him to be chosen for various opportunities, including being selected to spend the day at the Supreme Court of NSW as an associate for Her Honour Judge Julia Lonergan SC.
Inner West Council Senior Citizens of the Year 2020
Joint Winners Simon Chapman & Peggy Lane are the Inner West Council's Senior Citizens of the Year 2020
Simon Chapman
Professor Simon Chapman, is a highly respected Australian academic and health activist.
Most recently, his brainchild, a festival in which all musicians perform free, became reality with the first St.Anmore Festival of Music taking place in November 2019. In 2016, he suggested to his neighbour Richard Gill AO, a renowned Sydney musical identity, that their shared suburb of Stanmore might be a great place to pilot an Australian Festival of Music, inspired by the French Fete de la Musique.
He always steps forward to serve on boards and work with community organisations from the Cancer Council, to Gun Control, and even the Australian Koi Association. He was Professor in Public Health at the University of Sydney, a sociologist whose PhD examined the semiotics of cigarette advertising, and has authored 17 books and major reports, 281 papers and 150 letters and commentaries in peer reviewed journals. Chapman is a regular writer on public health matters in leading Australian newspapers, having written over 200 opinion page and journalistic articles since 1981. He teaches annual courses in Public Health Advocacy and Tobacco Control in the University of Sydney's MPH program.
Image Credit: Tim Levy
Peggy Lane
Peggy’s impact and influence on the community of Marrickville is immeasurable. After 45 years at SDN Marrickville she has taught and cared for thousands of members of our community. She has imparted her humour and wisdom to hundreds of families. Peggy holds a deep knowledge of our community, remembering times different from now. She has supported so many parents in her time, and helped so many young people.
Peggy had no childcare qualifications when she began her career, but patience and kindness for all the children of our community. Over all those years, Mrs Lane has never tired of children. She doesn't mind the tantrums, the nappies or the squabbles. "Children never bother me, no matter what their behaviour, or what they're about," she said. "[Grown up] people do."
Even after 45 years as a dedicated member of the SDN staff, Peggy still wants to give back to the community by volunteering after her retirement. Peggy plans to continue caring for children at hospitals or through library programs.