30 January 2021
The AFL’s first female umpire, a leading property developer specialising in sustainability, a former Premier and Indigenous education expert are among a number of high-achieving University of South Australian alumni, staff and wider University community that were honoured in the 2021 Australia Day Honours announced this week, recognising outstanding service and contributions of Australians across the country.
Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement & Health Studies) and Bachelor of Education (Middle and Secondary) alumna – and the AFL’s first trailblazing female umpire – Eleni Glouftsis OAM, has been honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to Australian rules football, particularly as an umpire.
Growing up next to an Australian Rules football oval instilled a passion for the game of AFL. She then was welcomed into an encouraging and supportive community umpiring group where her love of footy and ambition for umpiring only grew.
After cutting her teeth in the SANFL for five years, Eleni made history at 25 by becoming the first woman to officiate Australian Football League (AFL) games as a field umpire.
Eleni says she became an umpire because she loves the sport and considers herself really fortunate to be able to help other young children – especially girls – to see that there’s different things they can aspire to.
After also being named 2019 Young South Australian of the Year, she continues this important work as a physical education teacher at St. Bernard's College in Melbourne where she inspires and shares this love of sport with the next generation.
Also honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) is Bachelor of Applied Science (Building Studies) graduate, Jeremy Mansfield OAM (left, image source), the National Sustainability Operations Manager & Regional Sustainability Manager - QLD/NT at Lendlease. Now based in Queensland, he was honoured for outstanding service to the building and construction industry.
Over the past two decades Jeremy has made considerable headway in the world of sustainability and construction, and in his current role leads all national operational aspects of sustainability for the Lendlease building business and also continues as the Regional Sustainability Manager for Queensland and the Northern Territory.
He joined Lendlease company in 1997 as a property project manager – and before focussing on sustainability – contributed to a number of high-profile projects, including the Fox Studios $250M Sydney build, the $280M Millennium Arts Project, RAAF’s $80M Base Amberley construction, and ANZ’s $5M Branch Revitalisation.
On top of his work with Lendlease, Jeremy is a representative on the Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy Partners group, a Non-Executive Director and Board Chair of Green Cross Australia, and a member of Civil Industry Reference Group at Griffith University.
While at UniSA Jeremy also left a lasting impression as the Foundation President of University of South Australia’s student organisation, B.O.S.S. (Builders Organisation for Students and Staff) which is still thriving today and remains an important part of the construction and building student cohort’s experience at the University.
Advocate for education, Professor Lester-Irabbina Rigney AM has been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to Indigenous education, and to social inclusion research.
Bachelor of Education (Secondary Physical Education) and Master of Education (Curriculum Leadership) alumnus and current Professor of Education at the University, Professor Rigney, has been at the forefront of improving education outcomes for Aboriginal people across the country.
A descendant of the Narungga, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri peoples of South Australia, Professor Rigney has worked in Aboriginal education for more than 20 years and is now based at UniSA’s Centre for Research in Education. He was formerly Dean of Indigenous Education at the University of Adelaide, Director of Wirltu Yarlu Aboriginal Education, and the Director of the Yunggorendi First Nations Centre at Flinders University.
In 2011 he won the National Aboriginal scholar of the Year NAIDOC. In the same year he was appointed by the Australian Government Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, The Hon Peter Garrett to the First Peoples Education Advisory Group that advises on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood and school education.
The Honourable Trish White AM FUniSA (right, image source) was also recognised with a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to engineering, and to the people and Parliament of South Australia. As Chair of the University of South Australia Business School Advisory Board – and an experienced business executive, engineer and board director – her contribution to this University and to the state of South Australia has extended over 25 years.
After a decade as an electrical and electronics engineer in the telecommunications industry at a time of significant expansion of broadcasting services across Australia, Trish moved to Canberra to manage other national infrastructure projects and later settled in Adelaide to work in applied research with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (now DST Group).
Then, in 1994 she embarked on a political career and was elected as the Member for Taylor in the South Australian Parliament, where she served as a senior cabinet minister in portfolios including transport, infrastructure, urban development & planning, science and education.
Today she works as Director of Slingsby Taylor and serves on the boards of companies in the transport, logistics, insurance, property, manufacturing and university sectors, including non-executive director of Engineers Australia and Flinders Port Holdings. She also served on the Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce and specialises in helping companies modernise their business.
The Hon Jay Weatherill AO was also honoured this week as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the people and Parliament of South Australia, particularly as Premier, and to early childhood and tertiary education.
The 45th Premier of South Australia earned a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from UniSA’s antecedent the South Australian Institute of Technology (SAIT) in 1988, later studying law and economics to establish his own law firm in 1995.
He was elected as the Member for Cheltenham in 2002 and in State Parliament held a range of portfolios including Environment and Conservation, Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management, Families and Community, Housing, Ageing, Disability, Urban Development and Planning, Administrative Services, Local Government and Gambling, before becoming Premier in 2011.
After retiring from politics in 2018, he became the Chief Executive of the Minderoo Foundation's Thrive by Five initiative and along with former Federal Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne, he joined the staff of the University of South Australia Business School in 2019 to deliver business and management education to MBA students and build stronger research networks for South Australia.
The following University of South Australia alumni and associates – both past and present – have also been recognised with an Australia Day Honour. Full list here:
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
The Hon Jay Weatherill AO, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
For distinguished service to the people and Parliament of South Australia, particularly as Premier, and to early childhood and tertiary education.
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Ms Lindy Hume AM, Graduate Diploma Arts in Administration
For significant service to the performing arts, particularly to opera.
Ms Winnie Martha Pelz AM, Diploma (SA School of Art)
For significant service to arts administration, and to the community.
Professor Lester-Irabbina Rigney AM, Masters Education (Curriculum Leadership)
For significant service to Indigenous education, and to social inclusion research.
The Hon Trish White AM FUniSA
For significant service to engineering, and to the people and Parliament of South Australia.
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
Ms Wendy Gaborit OAM, Group Work Certificate
For service to the community of the Murray Bridge region.
Ms Eleni Glouftsis OAM, Bachelor of Education (Middle and Secondary)
For service to Australian rules football, particularly as an umpire.
Mr Jeremy Mansfield OAM, Bachelor of Applied Science (Building Studies)
For service to the building and construction industry.
Ms Janet Simmons OAM, Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Development)
For service to youth through Guides, and to the community.
Ms Fiona Thomson OAM
For service to youth through Guides, and to academic librarianship.
Public Service Medal (PSM)
Dr Douglas Marmion PSM, Bachelor of Education Inservice
For outstanding public service through the strengthening of Indigenous language infrastructure.
Ms Sarah Moore PSM, Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Technology
For outstanding public service to cancer pathology science in South Australia.
Mrs Erma Ranieri PSM, Associate Diploma Business (Personnel/Industrial Relations)
For outstanding public service to people management, and to public sector reform, in South Australia.
Australian Police Medal (APM)
Chief Superintendent Paul Ralphs APM, Graduate Certificate in Management
For outstanding service.
For more information on the UniSA alumni and associated recognised this year and previous honours visit our website here.
