Meet our alumni
Our former students, near and far, are making a huge mark on the world. These are some of their stories.
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Have you got a great story to tell? We'd love to hear about your remarkable career
Our stories
Beating the odds
Aaron Bailey
Human Services
Just one sentence triggered a life changing ripple effect for disabled learners.
Malaria Researcher
Professor Alan Cowman AC
Science
As Deputy Director and Head of Infection and Immunity at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Professor Alan Cowman gets to live and breathe his lifelong passion while working towards saving lives from malaria.
International Businesswoman
Amanda Hodges
International Business Relations
Amanda Hodges has travelled the world as an international strategic business, investment and government affairs executive leader.
Rising Talent
Andrew Brewer
Architecture
Griffith alumnus, Andrew Brewer, draws on his passion for mid-century architecture and South East Queensland’s unique lifestyle and design, to create the next generation of Gold Coast buildings and urban spaces.
Australia's best metro newsreader
Ange Anderson
Bachelor of Communications
Ange is the energetic voice and newsreader on Nova 106.9's Brisbane radio breakfast show and has spent over a decade working in newsrooms across Australia.
Positive maternal influence
Dr Barry Kirby AO
Biomedical Science
An unlikely hero in a landscape of overburdened and unsupported PNG healthcare workers.
Health Innovator
Barry Thomas
Commerce
Barry Thomas has more than two decades of international leadership experience in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.
International artist
Benjamin Werner
Fine Arts
Benjamin has forged a career communicating complex scientific concepts through his art and leading his own international arts company.
Humanitarian refugee
Beny Bol
International Relations
Beny uses restorative justice principles to resolve conflict and build resilience in immigrant youth communities.
Fundraising Success
Caitlin Pearson
Business
Caitlin Pearson never intended to work in the charity or not-for-profit sector but her time at Griffith University played a big part in changing her philosophy.
Superyacht management
Cameron Bray
Bachelor of Business
Cameron's decision to try his luck in France working as crew on yachts, changed the direction of his life.
First Peoples advocate
Cameron Costello
Bachelor of Leisure Management
CEO of the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation
Swimming success
Cameron McEvoy
Science
Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Cameron McEvoy is studying a Bachelor of Science and has recently been named an ambassador for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Birthing stories
Cassandra Nest
Midwifery
Passed down learnings from the Ngunnawal women has led to cultural safe havens in the birthing suite.
Art Exchange
Catherine (Dandan) Niu
Arts
Griffith Queensland College of Art graduate Catherine (Dandan) Niu provides a platform for art exhibitions and projects between China and Australia.
Griffith’s growing footprint
Chanel Dunn
Health
After four years of post-graduate study at Griffith, Chanel Dunn’s graduation day was the first time she met her peers and teachers in person.
Cultural innovator
Clinton Schultz
Psychology
A desire to help people and deep connection to culture has led this psychologist and social entrepreneur to do things a little differently.
Climate Change Health Expert
Professor Cunrui Huang
Public Health
Professor Cunrui Huang is a research leader and public health pioneer addressing some of the world’s most pressing global health problems.
Pop icon
Dami Im
Music
Queensland Conservatorium graduate Dami Im has soared to international fame and is now one of Australia’s most iconic pop idols.
Victoria's Junior Doctor of the Year
Dr Daniel Wilson
Rural medicine
An early career, award winning alumnus who is firmly cementing himself as a community pillar in regional Victoria.
Excel 'Dummie'
Danielle Stein Fairhurst
International Business
The Principal Consultant at Plum Solutions has built an international consultancy based on her expertise in on of the world's most popular software programs, Excel.
Respiratory Scientist
Darren Smith
Clinical Physiology
Darren Smith has been a respiratory scientist for more than 20 years and is a senior respiratory scientist at Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Energy Policy Entrepreneur
Dr David Crossley
PhD
A 40-year career dedicated to sustainable energy policy and programs started when a young man took his interest in environmental sciences to Griffith, joining the University’s first PhD cohort.
Classical Moments
David Quah
Tenor
Winner of the coveted Marianne Mathy Australian Singing Competition, David Quah made his professional debut singing Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Opera Queensland.
Pride in Law
Dean Clifford-Jones
Law
Dean Clifford-Jones has achieved remarkable success in the legal profession, as a crown prosecutor and a principal child protection lawyer.
Renowned Artist
Delvene Cockatoo-Collins
Aboriginal tourism and arts
Delvene Cockatoo-Collins received international recognition after designing the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games medals.
Class communicators
Dr Denise Powell
EdD in Teacher Education
Griffith Doctor of Education (EdD) alumnus Dr Denise Powell wants to revolutionise deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) education in New Zealand.
Early career success
Dr Blake Jones
Doctor of Medicine / Bachelor of Medical Science
Aspiring regional and rural physician
2021 Queensland Australian of the Year
Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM
Health
Doctor, lawyer, disability advocate and spinal cord injury researcher.
International ecologist and researcher
Dr Louise Ashton
Doctor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Science (Honours) / Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Conservation Biology
RAAF Dental Officer, Flight Lieutenant
Dr Max Moody
Graduate Diploma Dentistry / Bachelor of Oral Health in Dental Science
Dedicated to helping disadvantaged communities and mentoring others
Human Resource expert
Dr P. Rani Thanacoody
Master of Human Resource Management (Honours)
An international career in research and education
Coastal Management expert
Dr Troy Byrnes
Doctor of Philosophy / Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language
Coastal Management expert and community lead
Young blood
Elise Giles
Business
Elise received the Prime Minister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award, which allowed her to study and work in Hong Kong for seven months in 2013.
Australian strategist and researcher
Dr Elise Stephenson
Bachelor of Government and International Relations (Honours)
Bachelor of Asian and International Studies / Bachelor of Communication
Promoting health equality
Dr Elizabeth Hamilton
Medicine
A young doctor’s inspiring journey on the road to global health advancements.
News hound
Eva Milic
Business/arts
TV anchor Eva Milic is one of the most familiar faces of the Channel Nine News team in Queensland.
Site seeing
Fabienne Wintle
Tourism and Hotel Management
A strong Wi-Fi and mobile connection is all it takes for digital tourism coach Fabienne Wintle to empower small business operators to make a living in a competitive, multi-billion-dollar tourism industry.
Freshwater Ecosystems
Dr Fen Guo
Research
Dr Fen Guo is interested in understanding how changes in land use and water quality influence the availability of high-quality sources of food for freshwater animals.
AFLW Pioneer
Fiona McLarty
Master of Sport Management
Bachelor of Exercise Science
Gold Coast Woman of the Year 2018 and Head of Women's Football, Gold Coast SUNS.
Children’s Advocate
Gabrielle Quilliam
Nursing
Gabrielle Quilliam is an international thought leader in paediatric palliative care, and with her husband, co-founded the only children's hospice in Queensland, Hummingbird House.
Finding a healthy balance
Hamish Vickerman
Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
An active passion for sport and a few nasty rugby injuries led Hamish Vickerman to pursue a career in physio therapy.
International conservationist
Dr Hum Gurung
Environmental Science
An environmental mission has spread from a remote village to the world.
Scoring a new life
Dr Hung Huynh Quang
PhD in Sport Recreation
A life-long passion for soccer led Dr Hung Huynh Quang to quit his engineering career, move countries and enrol in a PhD at Griffith University.
The 24 year old CEO
Jackie Babbage
Business
Jackie Babbage is disrupting the international gifting experience market via her online business 'Gifting Owl'. Raised and educated on the Gold Coast, she is a contemporary, tenacious and enterprising CEO who is building her career one experience at a time.
Democratising finance
Jacob Hansen Karaduman
International Business
Through the generation of 'warm leads' an entire industry has been changed.
Tech entrepreneur
James Greig
Information Technology
Serial entrepreneur and gin enthusiast.
Indigenous commercial lawyer
Jayde Geia
Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
Pioneering a new approach to law
No stranger to conflict
Dr Jeff Thompson
Doctor of Philosophy
Hostage negotiator, counsellor and mental health ambassador
International hotelier rises to the top
Dr Jennifer Cronin
International Business
Hotel openings, cyber-security threats and cultivating young talent is all in a day's work.
Planet hunter
Dr Jessie Christiansen
Science
The great unknown of outer space is the ideal playground for a NASA astronomer.
Social scientist
Dr Johanna Nalau
Science
A facilitator of discourse about climate change nationally and abroad.
Legal matters
Julian Barclay
Law
Working at a bustling Gold Coast law firm, Griffith alumnus and senior associate Julian Barclay, has a talent for helping companies navigate the legal complexities of growing a business.
Fluent Facilitator
Julie-Anne Nichols
International Business
Julie-Anne Nichols is the Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner for Hong Kong and Macau, promoting business and investment partnerships between Australia and Greater China.
On the frontline
Katarina Carroll APM
Public Administration
Australia’s first female fire chief holds the torch for the next generation of leaders.
Something to sing about
Kate Miller-Heidke
Music
Kate Miller-Heidke’s remarkable voice has mesmerised audiences across the world, where she has been awarded numerous awards and ARIAs.
High note
Katie Noonan
Music
Five-time ARIA award-winning and six-time platinum-selling vocalist, composer and pianist has been part of multiple successful musical collaborations.
Cyber defender
Kenneth Ho
Information Technology
Kenneth Ho is a cybersecurity specialist tasked with strengthening cyber resilience for local and global organisations in Malaysia.
Cultural capability
Dr Kerry Bodle
Business
The first Indigenous Certified Practising Accountant who became an 'accidental' academic.
Follow the research
Dr Koichi Ito
PhD in Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Dr Koichi Ito never imagined his thirst for a research career in cancer immunology would lead him to Griffith and a new life.
Tide Productions
Lauren Panrucker
Bachelor of Film and Screen Media Production
Lauren Panrucker has achieved early career success by working with the Queensland Ballet to produce an eclectic campaign for an international hotel chain.
Focus on fundraising
Lewis Brimelow
Bachelor of Business
Financial administration, share registry, acquisitions and … philanthropy are rarely seen in the same sentence. But for Griffith Business School alumnus Lewis Brimelow, the unlikely symmetry couldn’t be more perfect.
Creative license
Louise Bezzina
Applied Theatre
A desire to simply 'do something' led to the creation of a highly acclaimed cultural mecca.
Challenging gender sterotypes
Luke Yokota
Bachelor of Nursing
A registered nurse who is saving lives in the Princess Alexandra Hospital Intensive Care Unit.
Champion of Indigenous super issues
Lyn Melcer
Master of Business Administration (Advanced) / Bachelor of Commerce
QSuper’s Head of Technical Advice
Human rights advocate
Matilda Alexander
Law
Matilda is a human rights lawyer, specialising in human rights and anti-discrimination for Legal Aid Queensland. She also teaches prison law at Griffith University.
Houdini FX Artist and Generalist
Matthew Hanger
Bachelor of Animation
International feature film animator and industry mentor
Centre stage
Megan Washington
Music
Since graduating, Megan Washington has made a huge mark on the Australian music scene, winning two ARIAs and working as a mentor on The Voice.
Something to smile about
Dr Mohit Tolani
Dentistry
A confronting tooth extraction at a dental hospital in north east Victoria, drove Griffith alumnus Dr Mohit Tolani to take oral health care and education into rural communities.
Officially a local hero
Nick Marshall
Master of Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy
Business owner and ambassador for special needs children.
Energy Expert
Professor Paul Simshauser
Energy Economics and Policy
Paul Simshauser is an energy economics and policy expert with more than two decades of experience in the energy sector.
Community focused
Pekeri Ruska
Law / Arts
From the sand dunes of Stradbroke Island to the law courts of Victoria, social change is coming.
International research partnerships
Dr Peter Horne
Environmental Science
A career of applying science to agriculture has benefited international communities.
European Film Producer
Petr Tichý
Film and Television
Petr Tichý is chief executive officer and chairman of the Barrandov Studios in Prague, one of the biggest and oldest film studios in Europe.
Coffee King
Adjunct professor Phillip Di Bella
Commerce
Professor Phillip Di Bella’s passion and entrepreneurial spirit led him to start Di Bella Coffee when he identified a gap in the coffee market.
Animal welfare advocate
Professor Andrew Knight
Doctor of Philosophy
Passionate advocate for animal welfare and ethics
Lawyer and human rights expert
Professor Cephas Lumina
Doctor of Philosophy / Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
Member, UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
International ecologist
Professor Norbert Lenz
Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science
Bachelor of Science (Honours) / Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Conservation Biology
International scientist
Professor Qiyong Liu
Health
Top scientist and public health specialist who has dedicated 30 years to combating health threats in
poor and vulnerable communities.
Water warrior
Dr Rachelle Willis
PhD in Environmental Engineering
On the world’s driest continent, the sustainability of Australia’s water resources has never been more crucial.
Helping people connect with nature
Dr Renata Buziak
Photography
Photo-media artist, educator and researcher.
Defense mechanisms
Ricky Patlunag Bunayog
Training and Development
Facilitating and sustaining the peace through education and training.
Gender equality advocate
Sabrina Aripen
Commerce
Changing the perceptions and expectations of parental care in Malaysia.
Advancing nursing
Shirley Tay
Nursing
Shirley is currently Director of Nursing at Mount Alvernia Hospital, Singapore, and also has a message for anyone considering returning to University as a mature student.
Hospitality Pro
Thanuj de Alwis Goonewardena
Hotel Management
Thanuj De Alwis Goonewardena has 27 years’ experience in hospitality, planning, design, construction and hotels.
Raising the bar
The Hon Justice Ian Freckelton QC
Law and justice
A distinguished 30 year career in law including oversight of some of the country's most complex cases of the time.
Ready to launch
Thomas Ireland
Engineering
Software Engineer for Gilmour Space Technologies.
Sweet Gains
Dr William Chen
Finance
A leader in Hong Kong and China’s food and beverage sector, Dr Chen has more than 20 years’ financial and business management experience and is general manager of dessert chain, Hui Lau Shan.
Community champion
Zhariff Afandi
Bachelor of Psychological Science
Entrepreneur, author and UNICEF ambassador
SPORTING ALUMNI
We are proud of our all our alumni, including our Sports College alumni cohort. These alumni have graduated from Griffith whilst also competing at an elite or professional level of sport.
Stay connected
Keep in touch with your alumni community.
