Individual Categories
Congratulations to our 2026 finalists
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2026 Individual Awards Finalists
Thank you for joining the AHRI Awards 2026. We are delighted to congratulate this year’s finalists.
HR Leader of the Year
Finalists
Marella Verbeeten
Unison Housing
Director People
Marella was recognised for redefining the role of HR as a strategic driver of organisational performance and community impact. Her leadership in organisational design, culture transformation and workforce capability has enabled sustainable growth, strengthened employee experience and enhanced the delivery of critical housing and homelessness services.
Rebecca Jhonston
Marinus Link
Executive Director, People, Safety & Sustainability
Rebecca was selected for her exceptional ability to connect people strategy with commercial performance. Through strategic leadership across workforce, safety, and wellbeing, she has delivered measurable business outcomes, strengthened organisational capability, enhanced employee engagement, and created high-performing cultures that drive sustainable results in complex environments.
Zemeel Saba
Oral Health Victoria
Chief People and Culture Officer
Zemeel was named for her ability to translate strategic people initiatives into measurable organisational success. By transforming workforce capability, improving retention, strengthening safety and wellbeing, and embedding a culture of belonging, she delivered sustainable outcomes that position Oral Health Victoria for long-term success.
HR Practitioner of the Year
Finalists
Kat King
Keystart
Senior Manager Business Partnering
Kat was recognised for combining commercial discipline with deep empathy, helping leaders navigate workshorce transformation, organisational design, culture, capacbility and change. She demonstrates the best of modern HR: strategic, trusted, evidence-led, courageous and deeply human.
Jan Lutter
Thyme Hospitality
Portfolio Director of People and Culture
Jan Lutter was recognised for demonstrating exceptional HR practice through creative workforce solutions, strong stakeholder partnerships and data-driven decision-making. His leadership improved employee engagement, enhanced retention and developed new pathways into employment, creating lasting value for both employees and the business.
Kristen Watts
Royal Australian Navy
Director Force Structure Operations
Kristen Watts was named for her ability to translate complex workforce challenges into practical, scalable solutions. Combining deep technical expertise, strategic influence and a commitment to developing others, she has advanced workforce capability across Defence while creating lasting impact on the HR profession and future workforce leaders.
Future HR Leader of the Year
Finalists
Shannon Cogan
Infinite Care
People & Culture Adviser
Shannon Cogan was selected for demonstrating exceptional growth, progressing rapidly into a People & Culture Adviser role. Through innovative talent, capability and workforce initiatives, he has delivered measurable organisational outcomes, influenced executive decision-making, strengthened employee experience and shown the strategic leadership potential of a future HR leader.
Vera Chen
Power and Water Corporation
Employee Relations Advisor
Vera Chen was named a finalist for her ability to blend technical HR expertise, commercial awareness and collaborative leadership. From enterprise bargaining and organisational change to workforce strategy and service improvement, she has consistently delivered evidence-based solutions, built trusted relationships and demonstrated the qualities of a highly capable future HR leader.
Shalin Kyalo
RAC WA
People Insight Specialist
Shalin Kyalo was recognised as a finalist for demonstrating exceptional potential as a future HR leader through her strategic use of workforce data, stakeholder influence and commitment to inclusion. Her leadership has strengthened workforce decision-making, improved organisational capability and fostered a more connected, diverse and high-performing workplace.
HR Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion of the Year
Finalists
Prabha Bogoda Arachchige
Serco Group Asia Pacific
Diversity Equity and Inclusion Specialist
Prabha was recognised for creating a workplace where people with a disability feel valued, supported and empowered to succeed. Through courageous advocacy, employee-led initiatives and practical inclusion frameworks, she strengthened belonging, increased disability representation and built a culture where inclusion is actively lived every day.
Farha Cleak
The Perth Mint
Manager Culture and Engagement
Farha Cleak was selected for her outstanding leadership in embedding diversity, equity and inclusion into organisational strategy, governance and culture. Through accountable systems, courageous advocacy and collaborative partnerships, she has delivered measurable, sustainable outcomes that advance reconciliation, workforce equity, inclusion, belonging and culturally safe workplaces.
Karolina Ignatovich
BADGE
Chief of People and Marketing
Karolina was selected for embedding diversity, equity and inclusion into the core of organisational strategy, leadership and workforce practices at BADGE Constructions. Through evidence-based initiatives advancing gender equity, flexible work, wellbeing and belonging,Karolina delivered measurable improvements in engagement, retention, career progression and inclusive workplace culture.
Teresa Lombardo
Teresa was recognised as a finalist for transforming DEIB into a lived organisational practice. By amplifying employee voices, building leadership capability and fostering shared ownership, she has strengthened workplace belonging, inclusion and psychological safety, creating meaningful cultural change that is embedded across every level of the organisation.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Executive Champion of the Year
Finalists
Jon Lovell
Ashurst Perkins Coie
Partner
Jon was selected as a finalist for championing a culture at Ashurst Perkins Coie where diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded in everyday leadership, decision-making and client engagement. Jon’s authentic advocacy, influential stakeholder engagement, support of employee-led initiatives, and commitment to belonging, psychological safety and inclusion have driven lasting organisational and cultural change.
Kevin Alexander
The Perth Mint
Manager Culture and Engagement
Selected as a finalist for championing disability inclusion through visible leadership, strategic action and measurable outcomes at Serco. Kevin Alexander drove accessibility, safe disclosure, tailored support and employee connection initiatives, significantly increasing disability representation, strengthening inclusion, and embedding equity and belonging into organisational culture and practice.
HR Leader of the Year
Recognising the most senior HR or people function leader in an organisation who demonstrates active leadership by achieving…
HR Practitioner of the Year
Recognising generalist or specialist HR professionals who can demonstrate valuable contribution to their organisation…
Future HR Leader of the Year
Recognising HR professionals in the early stages of their career who are actively demonstrating their potential…
Executive DEI Champion of the Year
Recognising organisation leaders who actively lead safe cultures and ensure DEI is a priority…
HR DEI Champion of the Year
Recognising HR or DEI professionals who help create safe cultures and prioritise DEI in their organisation…
Recognising exceptional HR professionals that are shaping the future
Supporting HR professionals who are redefining how people and workplaces thrive, with up to $15,000 to support study or development activities.
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