Past Arts, Education and Law Alumni winners
This archive of previous Arts, Education and Law Alumni winners showcases the impressive diversity of our AEL Alumni. They have each been recognised for their work across many different fields, and we look forward to following and celebrating their future successes.
Previous Arts, Education and Law alumni award winners
2020
Professor Cephas Lumina
Outstanding AEL Alumnus
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
Professor Cephas Lumina is an extraordinary Zambian lawyer and human rights expert who has dedicated his life to using the law as a tool to ensure social and economic justice for all, particularly for those who lack voice. His counsel has been sought at the highest level of global human rights advocacy - the United Nations (UN).
Professor Lumina holds a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education and a PhD in International Human Rights Law from Griffith University.
Professor Lumina divides his time between multiple roles as a Visiting Professor of Law at the University of Lusaka, Zambia; Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; and Principal Consultant of HURICON Ltd, a professional human rights and governance consulting services firm.
Jayde Geia
Outstanding AEL First Peoples Alumnus
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Jayde Geia is a proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman. Her family are Bwgcolman, Gunggandji and Mualgal. Jayde holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and is a generational Griffith University Law graduate, with her mother also graduating from Griffith with a law degree.
Jayde has embarked on an impressive career pioneering a new way of approaching barriers in the industry; bridging the gap between consultants, business leaders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for sustainable outcomes. Projects of this type have never been undertaken in Australia before and her work in this area has seen significant achievements that are being replicated across the sector.
Outside of her corporate role, Jayde volunteers a significant portion of her time to working with young people and creating change through the industry boards she is a part of.
Dr Jeff Thompson
Outstanding AEL International Alumnus
- Doctor of Philosophy
Dr Jeff Thompson is a New York City law enforcement veteran, former crisis/hostage negotiator and now a mental health specialist. He combines professional experience and academic rigour to save lives.
Dr Thompson received his PhD in Legal Practice (Mediation, Conflict Resolution and Non-Verbal Crisis Communication) from Griffith University.
Today, while continuing to work as a detective, Dr Thompson is a mental health and wellness researcher/research coordinator, whose ongoing work – individually and in collaboration with peers across the world (including those at Griffith University) – is enhancing knowledge and strategies on issues such as terrorism, hostage negotiation, mental illness, crisis communication and suicide prevention.
Matthew Hanger
Outstanding AEL Young Alumnus
- Bachelor of Animation
Matthew Hanger is a multi-award-winning visual effects artist, currently employed as the Senior FX Technical Director at Industrial Light & Magic in Canada.
He is an experienced Houdini FX Artist and Generalist, driven by a passion for storytelling, the creation of spectacular digital imagery and nurturing the next generation of animators.
Matthew has worked on international feature films for Sony Pictures Imageworks, including Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018).
His passion in this area also led him to establish his own education company Basepath - focusing on fostering connections between quality educators and students in the Animation, Games and VFX industries.
2019
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2019
- Dr Ian Richard Lloyd Freckelton QC
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding AEL First Peoples Alumnus 2019
- Pekeri Ruska
- Griffith Law School/School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding AEL Young Alumnus 2019
- Louise Bezzina
- Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding AEL International Alumnus 2019
- Ricky Patlunag Bunayog
- Education and Professional Studies
2018
- Griffith University Outstanding Alumnus 2018
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2018
- Katarina Carroll APM
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding AEL First Peoples Alumnus 2018
- Donisha Duff
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding AEL Young Alumnus 2018
- Dean Clifford-Jones
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding AEL International Alumnus 2018
- Petr Tichý
- Queensland College of Art and Design
2017
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2017
- Gordon Hookey
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2017
- Chris Eigeland
- Griffith Law School
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Tony Kennedy
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Humanities)
- Suzie Brady
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Brett Mason
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Dr Brian Bumbarger
- Griffith Film School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Petr Tichy
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Ryan Walsh
2016
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2016
- Rebecca Johnson
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2016
- Dami Im
- Queensland Conservatorium
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Rebecca Johnson
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Saurubh Malviya
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Linus Power
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Alyse Edwards
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Nikki Robinson
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Suzannah D'Juliet
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Commissioner Katarina Carroll APM
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Tygh Field
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Tony Albert
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Olivia Dwyer, née Mathison
- Griffith Film School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Avrill Stark
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Daisy Edwards
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Karen Jacobsen
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Dami Im
2015
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2015
- Deputy Commissioner Peter Martin APM
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2015
- Tyson Illingworth
- Queensland Conservatorium
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Professor Stephen Billet
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Humanities)
- Kathy Leigh
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Languages and Linguistics)
- Nathan Albury
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Natalie Kyriacou
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Christopher Flynn
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Kara Cook
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Deputy Commissioner Peter Martin APM
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Robert Grimshaw
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Megan Hess
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- James Novak
- Griffith Film School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Tim McGahan
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Adele Thomas
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Glenn Christensen
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Tyson Illingworth
2014
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2014
- Gordon Bennett (1995 – 2014)
- Queensland College of Art
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2014
- David Hartley
- School of Education and Professional Studies
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Wendy Thomas
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- David Hartley
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Humanities)
- Dr Mark Copland
- Outstanding Young Alumnus (Languages and Linguistics)
- Harry Harding
- Outstanding Young Alumnus (Humanities)
- Gemima Harvey
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Glenn Vassallo
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Ruth Link
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Heather Nancarrow
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Krystal Lockwood
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Gordon Bennett (1955 - 2014)
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Tony Albert
- Griffith Film School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Matthew Schofield
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Peter Ireland
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Tim Munro
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Samuel Johnson
2013
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2013
- Senior Sergeant Corey Allen
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2013
- Joshua Creamer
- Griffith Law School
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Peter Blatch
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Humanities)
- Angela Cox
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Languages and Linguistics)
- Lee Ridgewell
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Jessica Rudd
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Joshua Creamer
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Senior Sergeant Corey Allen
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Adam Ferguson
- Griffith Film School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Hayley Egan
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Peter Knight
2012
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2012
- Katie Noonan
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2012
- Kiel Williams-Weigel
- School of Education and Professional Studies
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Associate Professor Peter O'Connor
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Kiel Williams-Weigel
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Humanities)
- Dr Janet Marles
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Languages and Linguistics)
- James Lamond
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Senator Larissa Waters
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Miria Bastock
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Michael Zavros
- Griffith Film School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Angie Fielder
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Katie Noonan
2011
- Outstanding AEL Alumnus 2011
- Professor Greg Leigh
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding Young Alumnus 2011
- Kathryn van Doore
- Griffith Law School
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School winners
- School of Education and Professional Studies
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Professor Greg Leigh
- School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Humanities)
- Ginny Lowndes
- Outstanding School Alumnus (Languages and Linguistics)
- Bernadine Leon
- Griffith Law School
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Andrew Fraser
- Outstanding Young Alumnus
- Kathryn van Doore
- School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Sarah Hyde
- Queensland College of Art and Design
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Peter Hegedus
- Queensland Conservatorium
- Outstanding School Alumnus
- Brett Dean