Berhan Ahmed was born in Keren, Eritrea.  He fled to Sudan to escape the war at the age of 15. In 1986 he completed a BSC (Hons.) in Agriculture, specialising in Plant Protection.   Migrating to Australia in 1987, he worked first as a tram conductor and taxi driver, then  for the CSIRO from 1989 to 2000, at first as a Research Assistant and then as an Experimental Scientist.  Completing his PHD  from the University of Melbourne in 2001, he initially worked as R & D Manager, Forest and Wood Products Research & Development Corporation, (FWPRDC), before joining the University of Melbourne as a Senior Research Fellow in 2002.  He has also held many positions in community and welfare, most recently as Chairperson of the Eritrean Community in Australia in 2007/8, and as Chairperson of the ATT.

Dr Ahmed has won many awards but his greatest honour to date has been the grant of the Victorian Australian of the Year 2009.

Faten Mohamed was born in Sudan , and migrated with her family to Australia in 1994. She completed a Social Science Honours Degree at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). Currently, Faten is working at the Centre for Multicultural Youth as the Project Officer - Sector Development and Training.

Jeremiah Oluwole Temple was born in Sierra Leone.  During the Civil War he fled to Ghana in 1999, and then migrated to Australia in 2005.  From 2005 to 2008 he was Secretary and Public Officer of the Sierra Leone Australia Community of Victoria.  He has a Graduate Certificate in Business (Supply Chain Management) from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, a Diploma in Community Welfare Work from the Institute of Counselling and Community Studies in Melbourne and an Advanced Diploma in Logistics and Business Management form Kangan Batman TAFE in Melbourne.  He is currently completing a Bachelor in Humanitarian Studies from the Charles Darwin University in Darwin and has skills in computing and event management.  He is married with 4 children and  loves soccer and playing brass band music.

Bekelech, who is originally from Ethiopia, arrived from Somalia in 1985 as a political refugee.  She has a bachelor and masters of accounting from Victoria University of Technology and is an Associate CPA (Certified Practicing Accountant).  She works full-time as an assistant accounting and finance manager, and also does sessional teaching at Central Queensland University.

BOLARINWA ‘Lanre hails from Nigeria, where he attended the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).  He is currently studying for a Humanities degree with specialization in Modern European Languages. He has over the years attended various professional development courses and training both in his native Nigeria and overseas in countries including Australia, Brazil, Greece and Togo.   In 1991, 'Lanre was appointed the Assistant Executive Director of the Africa Baseball and Softball Association (ABSA), and later became Deputy Executive Director before moving on to take employment with the Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organising Committee SA.  He relocated to Greece in 2002 to work as Regional Coordinator for Africa with Athens 2004 SA.  In December 2004 he was appointed as the Regional Manager for Africa & Asia by the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Corporation.  He relocated to Melbourne, Australia in March 2005 to resume in the new role which lasted till March 2006.  At present he is working as Youth Development Project Coordinator for VICSEG New Futures Training and is a professional consultant in the domain of sport, youth development and event management.

Dr. Hussein M Nur Haraco was born in Marka, Somalia.  He received a BA degree in 1989 from the University of Delhi, an MA in 1991 and a Ph.D in International Trade in 1998 from Jamia Milia University, New Delhi.  From 1992 - 95 he was President of the Somali Community in Delhi, from 1993-95 Treasurer/Secretary of the Foreign Students Association of India, and from 1995-98, Secretary/Vice-President of the Indo-Somali Friendship Association.  From 1998 he also managed his own company which did business between India, Africa and the Middle East.

In 2001 Dr. Haraco came to Melbourne and started Haraco Pty Ltd.  He is a food importer, and also runs a money transfer business and a pizza shop.  In 2006/7 he was President of the Somali Australian Council of Victoria. Besides his work for the ATT, he is Vice-president of The Bell Street Mall Traders Association and a member of the Victorian Multicultural Business Advisory Council.

Dr Jonathan Makuwira is a Lecturer in International Development at the School of Global Studies, School of Social Science & Planning, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. A Malawian by origin, Jonathan came to Australia in October 1999. Upon completion of his doctoral studies at University of New England, he joined academia and has since taught Peace Studies at the University of New England (2003-2005); and Comparative Indigenous Studies at Central Queensland University (2005-2007). Prior to coming to Australia, Dr Makuwira worked for the Council for NGOs in Malawi (CONGOMA); Malawi Institute of Education and the Ministry of Education as a Primary, Secondary and Teacher Educator. He has won many awards including the 2007 Carrick Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning; 2006 Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence; and 2006 Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence.
 

Felix Mavondo is Professor of Marketing at Monash University. He is also the Director of Higher Degrees by Research (responsible for PhD students). Felix was born in Zimbabwe and has been in Australia for more than a decade. His research interests are in Marketing and Management and he works extensively with companies.  He actively works with the International Academy of African Business Development to promote research and economic development in Africa. Felix is passionate about education and looks for any opportunities to help those who wish to study to be able to do so.

Dr. Nsubuga-kyob was born and grew up in Uganda before arriving in Australia about early 1986.  He is an Executive Member of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) (State peak body) and Vice President of the Ethnic Council of Shepparton & Districts (Regional), a charter member of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, Executive Board member of the African Think Tank Inc., and the Eastern and Central Africa Communities of Victoria (EACACOV) as well as president of GV African Communities Association and Public Officer/Treasurer of the  GV Ethnic Professionals Association (GVEPA). 

Dr. Nsubuga-kyob currently lectures in the School of Management at La Trobe University and he has taught various courses in Management.  In 2006 he was awarded for an Outstanding Contribution to the Community and in 2008 for the Victorian Refugee Recognition Record (VRRR) Award.  He is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, Member of the Asia Pacific Human Resource Institute, Fellow and Executive Member of the Asian Forum for Business Education (AFBE), and Editorial Board member of AFBE Journal.  Apollo is also the Vice President of the African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific (AFSAAP) and Editorial Board member of the Australasian Review of African Studies, an academic journal published by the African Studies Association of Australasia and The Pacific.

Clyde Salumu Sharady arrived in Australia in January 1999.  He has a background in journalism and worked as a journalist in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which included a stint working for the BBC.  He has an advanced diploma in journalism and public relations and a bachelor degree in communications (specialising in management communication).  Clyde has  been involved in my community’s association, the DRC Community association of Victoria Inc (DRCCAV) since its inception and has been president since 2003 in 2002.  He enjoys helping people, reading and playing basket ball

Oliver is originally from Zimbabwe and works as a senior community development worker & project officer with the Springvale community aid and advice bureau.  He holds a masters degree in international project planning and development, with other higher qualifications in media studies, education and training. He is also actively involved with the Zimbabwean community in Australia as community leader, Forward in Faith Ministries International Vic events coordinator and director of soccer coaching for the Zimbabwean soccer team, Zimvic sports club.  Areas of interest include community capacity building, leadership training, HIV/gender mainstreaming, human rights, youth empowerment, charity work, event management , music and sport.