South Australia’s brightest young leaders, innovators and changemakers have been recognised at the 2026 7News Young Achiever Awards, celebrating the remarkable contributions young people are making across communities, causes, industries and public life.
The awards, which have recognised outstanding young South Australians since 1988, acknowledge the talent, leadership, creativity and community spirit of people aged up to 30, highlighting the positive impact they are having across the state and beyond.
From entrepreneurs, educators and advocates to athletes, apprentices and community leaders, this year’s finalists and winners represent the very best of South Australia’s next generation inspiring others through their dedication, resilience and achievements.
Congratulations to all the Flinders alumni who were either nominated or named as finalists, including Caitlin McDonald (BParamedicSc ’14) — STEM Award Finalist, Prakruthi Ravi Bhargav (MBiotech ’24) — Nominee, and current students Shai Wittles — Pride Award Finalist, Aria Bradley — Female Tech Entrepreneur Finalist and Kuldeepak Sharma — Nominee. And of course, we are proud to acknowledge the Flinders graduates who took out their respective categories below:
Sweat Female Tech Entrepreneur Award
Amelia Griffin (BSpPath ’20) of Beaumont is the Founder and Clinical Director of My Mind Matters Therapy, a speech pathology and assistive technology practice she built after an aged care resident with Parkinson’s disease told her not to waste her time — that her mind didn’t matter anymore. Working evenings and weekends alongside full-time clinical practice for eight months, Amelia taught herself assistive technology design and co-developed two apps: an AAC communication app with over 5,000 personally curated images and multilingual vocabulary across Chinese, Indian, Italian, and Greek, and a Cognitive Brain Training app with 500+ animated conversation videos. Launched in 2024, the apps are now used across the lifespan from autism and aphasia to dementia. Her End Communication Inequality campaign has reached Federal Parliament, and she is collaborating with Flinders University on research into assistive technology and language development.
Konica Minolta Career Achievement Award
Eloise Hall (BIntRel/BBus ’23) of Unley is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of TABOO Period Products, a certified social enterprise that sells organic period products and directs 100% of profits to ending period poverty in Australia. What began as an idea at high school has grown into an award-winning, nationally recognised brand with retail, workplace, school, and community partnerships, and a Pad It Forward program that channels customer and corporate support into free products for people at risk in Australia. Eloise has worked in enterprise leadership to systemic change through board roles, including with the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, the South Australian Social Enterprise Council and the Robinson Research Institute. Nine years in, she leads TABOO alongside her role as Social Enterprise Expert in Residence at Flinders New Venture Institute, mentoring emerging founders, particularly women and equity-seeking entrepreneurs, to design ventures that put people and planet first.
Fresh 92.7 People’s Choice Award
Kellie Finlayson (BEd(MidSecSch), BA ’18) of Lockleys is a keynote speaker, author, and cancer awareness advocate whose work is actively saving lives across Australia. Diagnosed with cancer in 2021 when her daughter was just three months old, Kellie transformed her diagnosis into a powerful platform for change, ensuring no one else faces this journey alone. Her symptom tracker, developed with the Jodi Lee Foundation, is driving earlier detection nationwide. Kellie has delivered her Know Your Normal workshops across South Australia, particularly in regional and rural communities. Through her best selling memoir There Must Be More, extensive fundraising efforts, presentations to medical professionals and more, Kellie continues to lead with resilience, purpose and impact, turning lived experience into life saving change.
Check out the full list of winners here.