La Trobe University is pleased to announce its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients, who were acknowledged in a ceremony hosted by the Chancellor, the Hon. John Brumby AO.
The 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are:
- Dr Jill Gallagher AO, a highly respected community leader who has dedicated her life to advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health;
- Andrea Gardiner, a pioneer of the Australian venture capital industry and advocate for women;
- Anthony Barry Hall, a business leader and healthcare technology innovator;
- Coreen Low Kim Kuan, an advocate for nursing community and education in Singapore.
The 2025 Young Achiever Award recipient is:
- Bhakta Bahadur Bhattarai, a former refugee turned community leader who champions multiculturalism in regional Victoria.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards are one of the highest honours bestowed by La Trobe University and are selected annually from a community of more than 250,000 graduates.
The 2025 recipient group reflects La Trobe as a future-focused institution that has provided unique opportunities for graduates across many decades.
La Trobe University Chancellor, the Hon. John Brumby AO, said this year’s Distinguished Alumni exemplified La Trobe’s strengths.
“Across Victoria, Australia and overseas, our 2025 Distinguished Alumni reflect La Trobe’s focus areas of health innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Operating at the forefront of their industries, their work fulfils a higher mission of community building and serving the public good,” the Chancellor said.
“This event is one of my favourites of the year because it demonstrates what La Trobe does so well: serving a community of diverse learners, offering a sense of belonging and opportunity, and showcasing the impact of higher education.”
La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell also attended the celebration.
“Each year, the Distinguished Alumni Awards event is an inspiring celebration alongside our partners, who share La Trobe’s strong values and commitment to excellence,” Professor Farrell said.
“La Trobe’s core mission is to champion access, equity and innovation, and the alumni recognised in 2025 are a fantastic example of those values.”
The 2025 Awards were presented in partnership with CyberCX for the second year in a row.
CyberCX is Australia's leading provider of end-to-end cyber security and cloud services. It has a long-standing strategic relationship with La Trobe.
CyberCX CEO John Paitaridis said CyberCX was proud to be a partner of La Trobe’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.
“CyberCX is pleased to continue our support for La Trobe’s recognition of exceptional alumni. We are proud of our partnership with one of Australia’s leading universities and research institutions. Our organisations share a culture of innovation through secure technology and research that aims to realise exceptional people and outcomes.
“Congratulations to this year’s extraordinary award recipients for making a real-world impact in their communities. I look forward to following their journeys as they continue to push boundaries and make a tangible difference.”
2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognises La Trobe University alumni for significant personal and professional achievements, in service to their community, state or nation.
Dr Jill Gallagher AO
Jill Gallagher is a proud Gunditjmara woman and accomplished strategic leader. Dr Gallagher is dedicated to championing self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Victoria. Dr Gallagher is currently CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), where she has spent more than 26 years advancing Aboriginal health and wellbeing. Dr Gallagher also served as Victoria’s first Treaty Advancement Commissioner and led the establishment of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, among other peak bodies. Dr Gallagher has been inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women (2009), awarded the Order of Australia (2013), inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll (2015) and was an influential figure in Victoria's 'Yes' campaign in the 2023 Voice Referendum.
Dr Gallagher commenced a Bachelor of Arts (1985) at La Trobe University.
Andrea Gardiner
Andrea Gardiner has been a social worker, lawyer, investment banker, entrepreneur and world-class climber and skier. Andrea is the founder of Jelix Ventures, one of Australia's first female-led venture capital fund managers. Andrea sees commercialising Australia's innovative technologies as a critical economic imperative for Australia. Under Andrea’s leadership, Jelix has become a key player in early-stage investments in Australia and New Zealand, supporting technology founders to make the world better. Andrea is also a co-founder of WinVC, which works to accelerate female venture capitalists into investment decision-making positions. Andrea’s experience includes board directorships of companies including Gelomics, Sinorbis and Black.ai.
Andrea completed a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (1982) at La Trobe University.
Anthony Barry Hall
Anthony Hall is an innovator whose has helped build medical software, lead investments in agribusiness and establish aquaculture and wine industry companies. Anthony’s parents founded and ran retail pharmacies in Victoria’s eastern suburbs, an environment that nurtured his love of business. At La Trobe University, Anthony was lucky to be among the first students to interact with computers. His father’s stroke while on a diving holiday pushed Anthony to return home from La Trobe into the earliest of startup ventures. Meeting business partner Dr Sam Hupert at a wine tasting led to the founding of Pro Medicus Limited (1984), which is now a leading ASX-100 company.
Anthony completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) (1978) and a Master of Science (1984) at La Trobe University.
Coreen Low Kim Kuan
Coreen Low is a Senior Nurse Manager at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital in Singapore. Coreen has dedicated a 40-year career to patient care, community service programs and advocacy for best-practice training and management. Coreen sits on several senior boards and committees, including as Chairperson of SingHealth Nurses Wound Management Council and as a regional council member of Smile Asia, a charity providing free surgical care to children with facial deformities. As a board member of the Singapore Nurses Association’s Nurses Learning Hub, Coreen has worked in partnership with La Trobe on the Bachelor of Nursing program in Singapore.
Coreen completed a Bachelor of Nursing (2002) and Master of Nursing (2014) at La Trobe University Singapore.
Bhakta Bahadur Bhattarai
Also known as Durga, Bhakta Bahadur Bhattarai was born and raised in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal. At 17, Bhakta resettled in Albury-Wodonga, completing high school before training as a pharmacy assistant and registered nurse. Feeling isolated during studies, Bhakta founded the Albury Wodonga Multicultural Community Events Inc. The organisation advocates for multicultural communities in the region and organises help during difficult times. On top of working as a psychiatric nurse, Bhakta operates wellbeing, empowerment and entertainment programs, as well as targeted fundraising and healthcare initiatives.
Bhakta completed a Bachelor of Nursing (2019) at La Trobe University Albury-Wodonga.
Image: Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell, Bhakta Bahadur Bhattarai, Anthony Barry Hall, Dr Jill Gallagher AO, Andrea Gardiner, Chancellor the Hon. John Brumby AO. Coreen Low Kim Kuan awarded in absentia.
Media enquiries
Robyn Grace – r.grace@latrobe.edu.au, 0420 826 595
