Ricci Marks Awards

Ricci Marks Awards winners

Rylie Cadd

Rylie Cadd is a young Aboriginal man working in the VACCA Kinship Finding program as Team Leader, helping connect children with their mobs and families. He is studying the Certificate IV in Leadership and Management, and has shared his insights on cultural connection, Aboriginal genealogies and youth leadership at ChangeFest 2024 and the SNAICC 2025 Conference.

Rylie’s goals are to help young Aboriginal children build strong connections to their culture, family and mob. He wants to continue to grow as a cultural leader and use his skills to strengthen identity for the next generation.

Imogen Johnstone

Imogen Johnstone is a passionate voice for young adults and teens struggling through homelessness and housing crises. She has co-designed multiple frameworks and strategies to be implemented through not -for-profit organisations helping advocate for not only First Nations people, but for all future generations.

Imogen has spoken in parliament 3 times, once being the "Home Time" campaign where she advocated for the 40,000 children and young people with nowhere to live and called on all the federal, state and territory governments to develop and maintain a national pool of 15,000 dedicated youth tenancies for young people aged 16-24.

Her passion is advocating for children and young people to be proud of who they are, to be safe from harm and to be able to achieve the future they see for themselves.

Rising Star Award winner

Saige Bell

Saige Bell is an emerging creative Gunditjmara and Yorta Yorta leader whose digital artwork celebrates culture and community. She has designed sporting jerseys, school uniforms, and public art, led workshops for young people, and contributed to projects promoting cultural pride, resilience, and connection, inspiring First Nations youth across Victoria.

She runs workshops for young people in kinship care, participates in traditional dance, and speaks at events such as Survival Day, inspiring others to connect with culture and identity. Despite obstacles, Saige remains committed to her goals, using her creativity and leadership to empower youth, promote cultural pride, and build a positive future for her community.

Ricci Marks Awards winners

Kobe Atkinson

Braydon Saunders

Braydon Saunders, a proud Gunditjmara man from Heywood, is passionate about sharing his culture. Through Black Swan Cultural Tours, he creates opportunities for people to engage with Gunditjmara heritage, while his work with Parks Victoria promotes the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape. Braydon co-created the Native Nations project, which won a New Zealand Tourism Award for Industry Collaboration and Alignment. He also mentors young people through the Koondoom Yarkeen dance group. Braydon collaborates with schools to share Gunditjmara stories and serves as Chair for Winda-Mara Housing Limited, creating opportunities for community strength and self-determination.

Tanisha Lovett

Tanisha Lovett is a proud Gunditjmara and Wotjobaluk woman. She is an artist, mentor and leader. Tanisha has contributed to the Wotjobaluk community and the lives of many young First Nations people through her leadership in projects such as the Wotjobaluk Ceremonial Dance group and the Wotjobaluk Youth Kinship Camps. Tanisha has also touched the lives of the wider community through cultural art workshops and public speaking on her personal journey. She has worked as an educator in schools to build relationships, create murals with First Nations students and share her cultural knowledge. Her passion lies with protecting the rights and interests of the Wotjobaluk people and supporting the next generation of young First Nations leaders.

Rising Star

Djakira Hope

Ricci Marks Award winners

Jayde Couzens

Jayde is a proud 20-year-old Gunditjmara – Noongar woman who is pursuing her dream to become a nurse. While coordinating the caring responsibilities of her son, Jayde reconnected with mainstream education. She completed a Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) through the Academy of Sport Health and Education in Shepparton, where she also volunteered at various events. She is now undertaking a Diploma in Nursing with plans to complete a Bachelor of Nursing. In her work, Jayde advocates for cultural awareness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island patients.

She utilises her cultural background of storytelling to connect and create a culturally safe space for patients. She is proud of her community, especially in Shepparton which provides her strength, guidance, determination, empowerment, role modelling and a strong support systems. She works hard to ensure that her family is well cared for and secure and strives to be a role model to young people by inspiring them to progress their education and achieve their goals.

Yemurraki Egan

Yemurraki Egan is a proud Yorta Yorta, Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmarra man. Yemurraki is studying engineering at Swinburne University. In his work at University of Melbourne’s Murrup Barak, he advocates for students to access the support and scholarships they are entitled to.

Yemurraki is an active member of his community and loves playing football for the Fitzroy Stars. In his time at the club, he has been captain on numerous occasions and engaged in mentorship programs with young men promoting mental health and healthy lifestyles.

Yemurraki is proud of his Aboriginal heritage and is always looking for ways to connect and engage with mob in various aspects of his life. In 2022, Yemurraki was recognised within his community and was appointed the title of Mr NAIDOC. He has dedicated his career to elevating the voices and perspectives of First Nations people.

Rising Star Award winners

Cobain Tipiloura

Cobain is a young Tiwi man living and attending school at St Patrick’s College Ballarat. Cobain has been living away from his family and friends for 3 years. He is proud of his Tiwi heritage and its strong cultural environment. He loves his school environment and the exploration of shared culture through conversations with local Elder and Stolen Generation survivor Uncle Al.

Experiencing both cultures has opened Cobain’s eyes to the endless possibilities and expectations of the future. He is an amazing leader within his community, showing strong ties to traditional culture, always enthusiastic to take on opportunities that are presented to him and keen to provide guidance to younger mob who attend St Patrick’s.

­­Elijah Aaron Brown

Elijah Brown is young Wiradjuri man from Mildura, Victoria. Football is a huge part of Elijah’s life. He is an avid supporter of the Richmond Football Club and players like Cyril Rioli who represent community and Aboriginal culture.

Beyond this, he is an active athlete in the Bendigo Pioneers football program and hopes to follow any opportunity this will bring. Elijah aspires to play football at the highest level, finish Year 12 and pursue a career in health and fitness. His ongoing commitment to his training program and teammates has allowed him to shine as a true leader.

Elijah loves being part of a big family and great community. He goes back to Country often and enjoys participating in local community events – which help him remain grounded and allow him to listen and learn from family and Elders. He endeavours to be a role model promoting a positive lifestyle for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mob.

Isaac Muller

Isaac Muller is a driven and proud Wiradjuri and Palawa man, working on Wurundjeri land with ABC Australia. As an ABC social media, digital news, digital and video, radio producer, livestream engineer, and ex-3KND weekday presenter he has helped document and share the stories of hundreds of people. This is his way of continuing his cultural tradition of storytelling.

In his role at the ABC, Isaac also delivers storytelling workshops to students across Victoria through the ABC’s Youth Takeover program. He empowers young people to own their narrative, build their leadership skills and know no bounds.

He strives to continuously grow his knowledge, skills, experience and spirit and is passionate about facilitating the evolution of the cultural tradition of storytelling through the modern lenses of media and film. He is passionate about the value of storytelling and the community interconnectedness it continues to foster for First Nations peoples.

Ricci Marks Award winners

Jess Bennett

Jessica is a proud Ngunnawal woman, who grew up on the river on Wiradjuri country. Currently living on the beautiful lands of the Wurundjeri people, Jessica is proud of her culture and grateful for her Grandpa and Mother for teaching her how to connect to country, a practice that continues to keep Jessica grounded.

A Monash University (MU) student, Jessica is completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Human Rights and Indigenous Cultures and History. During her time at MU, Jessica represented the Law Faculty at the United Nations University Scholars Leadership Symposium in Bangkok in 2018. At this symposium, Jessica delivered a speech to over 1,000 scholars from all over the world about the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and the importance of recognising the rights set out in the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

When not studying, Jessica works as a Programs Coordinator at the Korin Gamadji Institute (KGI). Her role involves designing and facilitating programs for young Indigenous people to affirm their cultural identity and strengthen their leadership skills. Jessica also works part-time as the Indigenous Office Bearer for the Monash Student Association; a major function of this role is to advocate for Indigenous students to the University leadership. This role means working with the William Cooper Institute to increase the engagement levels of Indigenous students. Jessica also serves as the Victorian Director of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance, and volunteers as a Culture Squad Ambassador for Culture is Life.

Jessica attributes strengthening her own cultural identity to the likes of Belinda Duarte and Uncle Luke Murray, her Grandpa and community elders who taught her about goal setting and execution. Jessica hopes to be able to make the journey safer and easier for those who come behind her to build unity and to fight for the right to continue to carry and celebrate culture. One of Jessica’s proudest achievement is that her work, especially through her role at the KGI, empowers young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to connect to culture and become confident leaders in their communities.

Jessica aspires to become a barrister and promote therapeutic jurisprudence, specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the legal system. Jessica’s dream is for government to genuinely and authentically recognise and collectively work towards Aboriginal self-determination, so that culture is preserved and celebrated for many generations to come.

Jaya Blandthorn

Jaya is a proud Wemba Wemba woman from Swan Hill with direct connections to Yorta Yorta, Barapa Barapa and Taungurung countries. Jaya has competed in numerous sports from an early age, representing the Victorian Stars Netball team before progressing to national representation on the Australian Aboriginal Budgies Netball Team over several years. Across her sporting career Jaya has received four times 'Best and Fairest,' 'Best Defensive Player' and 'Team of the Year.' Jaya has captained many teams, always striving to leverage her sporting ability and her connection to community to provide mentorship and pass on knowledge and leadership skills to younger Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth of Swan Hill. Her community involvement is centred on acceptance, connection and reciprocity to community.

Jaya’s talents have been recognised through many awards. In 2017, Jaya’s final year of secondary school, Jaya was awarded the Rotary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Scholarship from the Rotary club of Balwyn. The scholarship enabled Jaya to move away from home, 4.5 hours away to Melbourne, to pursue her education goals at Monash University (MU). Since commencing study at MU, Jaya has been actively connected to her Aboriginal peers and student community. In 2018, Jaya was the first female to be awarded the inaugural William Cooper Indigenous Scholarship recognising her leadership and ability to inspire others. She was selected for the Indigenous Leadership Program and employed by the Indigenous Engagement Unit as a student ambassador. This role included mentoring first year Indigenous students and working with a team to deliver the “Experience Monash Indigenous Winter Camp” for prospective Indigenous students in Years 10-12.

Currently undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing full-time, with aspirations of completing a Midwifery degree, Jaya’s dream is to work with rural and remote Aboriginal communities to provide mobs with high-level healthcare, administered in a culturally appropriate way. Jaya aspires to do what she can to close the gap in health and education outcomes.

Rising Star Award winner

Tyson Neal

Tyson is a young Gunditjmara Arrernte man with a passion for impacting community. He is an active member of community who learns and performs cultural dance. Tyson, although young, is a strong advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. Tyson thrives off sport and considers it an effective tool for managing mental health. Whilst quiet, Tyson is a leader having captained his football team for 3 years in a row, played for AFL Victoria’s Laguntus team for the last 2 years, and participated in several AIME programs.

Tyson feels his biggest achievement, and the one he holds closest to his heart, is delivering a speech to all his peers at St Joseph’s Geelong. The speech was about young men speaking up and asking each other, 'Are you ok?' In a time of grief Tyson identified that the practice of asking the question 'are you okay' was not occurring. Tyson positioned himself to deliver a powerful speech about mental health and suicide prevention to his school community. This had a strong impact on his school community from the Principal right through to the students and even the Alumni.

Tyson went on to lead the establishment of a Mental Health Action Group with the assistance of Headspace Melbourne, a not-for-profit for youth mental health. Tyson aspires to continue his pursuits and passions by studying Sport Physiology or something similar.

Ricci Marks Award winners

Ashley Paxton

Ashley is a proud Waywurru woman born and raised on Boon Wurrung country. She studied a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Business at Monash University, before going on to complete her Master of Psychology at the University of Melbourne. Ashley is currently the youngest registered Aboriginal psychologist in Victoria.

Ashley has volunteered as a mentor with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) and the Kingston Koorie Mob. Currently working as a psychologist with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, Ashley is passionate about promoting healing for her people, and rewriting mainstream ‘whitewashed’ approaches to psychology.

In support of her nomination, Ashley shared the following piece of prose: "Psychology. I read your content. But I am not reading your content at a superficial level. Nor am I reading your content to pass through your system of education… I am reading in attempt to understand your system of thinking. To try and understand how you have been able to justify practices that have oppressed, dispossessed and dehumanised my people… Yes I study. But I am not studying because I want to be a part of your system. I am studying because I want to change your system".

Staycee Charles

Staycee is a proud Gunditjmara woman who has accomplished much at the young age of 22. She was awarded a Wannik Education Scholarship in her final years of VCE for demonstrating high potential to succeed. Staycee studied a Bachelor of Science in psychology in Canberra and in 2017 became the ACT State Coordinator for Seed Indigenous Climate Network.

She is currently the regional coordinator for Seed in Hamilton, Victoria, working to mobilise a movement of young Aboriginal people in support of climate justice. Staycee admires the resilience of her Gunditjmara mob who have fought to keep their culture alive. She aspires to become a member of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria where she can continue to give voice to the values and interests of her community.

Rising Star Award winners

Bianca Lauricella

Bianca is a proud 18 year old Wotjobaluk woman. This year she was elected to the role of school captain at the Horsham Special Development School for her outstanding contributions to her local community. She is a talented netballer, having represented the State of Victoria on multiple occasions. She is an active member of her local Goolum Goolum Cooperative, participating annually in their Wimmera River Challenge.

Bianca aspires to one day play for the Australian All Abilities Netball team. She also hopes to one day join the Victorian Police, as she is passionate about increasing Aboriginal representation in law enforcement. In support of Bianca’s nomination her Nana Hazel expressed that “not many people with intellectual disabilities get nominated for these Awards or think that they are good enough. Bianca is one of the future leaders for her people and has grown into a deadly Koorie woman.”

Courtney Ugle

Courtney is a proud Noongar woman originally from Bunbury in Western Australia. She moved to Melbourne to pursue her football career and in 2018 was named captain of the Essendon Victorian Football League Women’s team. In Melbourne, she has worked with Djirra to coordinate the Young Luv program; an early intervention and prevention program, which promotes healthy relationships to Aboriginal youth.

Currently, she is the Female Football Development Coordinator at Essendon Football Club, working to increase female participation in football across the state. Her ambition is to play AFL at the highest level. At 23 years of age she has endured some enormous hardships; having lost her father to suicide at the age of 12 and her mother to domestic violence in 2016. Courtney does not want these struggles to define her. She seeks to be an encouraging force for young Aboriginal women around Australia and is motivated by her past to pursue her dreams and continue to positively influence her community.

Ricci Marks Award winners

Amber Barker-Lovett

Amber Barker-Lovett is a strong and proud Gunditjmara and Wemba Wemba young woman who is committed to making a difference in her community. Amber is actively involved in Koori youth programs in Ballarat and has been a mentor for the Ballarat to Sydney Koorie Youth Leadership Trip, the Dungulayin Mileka Team in the Massive Murray Paddle, AIME as well as the Koorie Academy of Success.

Amber is passionate about keeping Aboriginal culture alive in the Victorian community, reviving an Aboriginal women and girls dance group called the Namarilly Bagarooks (‘Dancing Daughters’) in 2014. In 2015, Amber was named Ballarat’s Miss NAIDOC and also received a City of Ballarat Youth Award. This year Amber was nominated to be the youth representative for the Ballarat City Council’s Koorie Engagement Action Group. As a member of this group, Amber ensures that the voices of Koori young people in the community are heard and taken seriously by the council.

Amber’s current role as a Koorie Youth Engagement Officer at Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-Operative has enabled her to mentor and advocate for Koori young people. She recently coordinated and delivered a campaign focused on the issue of the drug ice and its impact on the community.

In the future, Amber aspires to work with disadvantaged Aboriginal young people, particularly in the justice system. She has a vision to see young peoples’ rights valued and their voices heard.

Jedda Costa

Jedda is a proud Wemba Wemba, Yorta Yorta and Mutti Mutti woman, born and raised on Wurundjeri land. Jedda is in her final year of a journalism degree at RMIT and is passionate about fair and balanced media, especially regarding the reportage of Indigenous affairs.

Throughout her studies Jedda has attained a number of amazing internships including SBS-NITV and ABC. These internships offered Jedda hands on journalistic experience where she was able to showcase stories from different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It is her dream to travel around the world to share stories about her culture: the oldest continuing culture on the planet.

In addition to her tertiary studies, Jedda was elected as the first ever Indigenous officer at the RMIT student union where she helps to voice the needs and concerns of Indigenous students to the wider university.

Jedda was also a communications officer at Culture is Life, a not-for-profit organisation that supports and promotes Indigenous-led solutions to strengthening culture in order to prevent youth suicide. During her time at Culture is Life, Jedda became a co-founder of the Culture Squad, a collective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who give voice to the views and cultural expression of our young people by producing strength-based content for their social media channels.

Jedda acknowledges the beautiful and strong Matriarchs who have come before her and continue to guide her on her journey.

Rising Star Award winner

Mikayla George

Mikayla George is an elite athlete determined to represent Australia internationally. Mikayla has a full scholarship in the Australian Aerial Skiing program at the Victorian Institute of Sport. She is one of the first Aboriginal aerial skiers in the program and is on a journey to compete at the next Winter Olympics in 2022.

Mikayla is a great role model for her community, demonstrating what can be achieved through commitment and determination. She is the 2016 Australian and Victorian Tumbling Champion and the 2017 Australian and Victoria Double Mini Trampolining Champion. In 2017, Mikayla was named Victorian NAIDOC Sports Person of the Year.

In addition to her dedication to sport, Mikayla maintains and grows strong connections to her community. Mikayla is a member of the Djirri Djirri Wurundjeri Dance Group and is actively involved in community programs with the Koori Youth Group, Koori Holiday program, and Aboriginal Gathering Place in Doveton.

Mikayla is currently in her first year of a Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise and Sport Science) at RMIT, and already aspires to complete a Masters in Physiotherapy.

2017

Tahlia Biggs
Zoey Marks
Natasha Reid (Rising Star)

2016

Dylan Clarke
Taneisha Webster
Elise Muller (Rising Star)

2015

Keyanna Hood
Shannon Ryan
Cameron Balcome (Rising Star)

2014

Lucy-Rose Doolan
William Austin
Ngaree Blow (Encouragement Award)

2013

Bronwyn Mongta
Nayuka Gorrie
Mason Peter (Encouragement Award)

2012

Benson Saulo
Vehonda (Bonnie) Smith
Edward Bryant (Encouragement Award)

2011

Greg Kennedy
Samantha Walker
Tamika Hayes (Encouragement Award)

2010

Lowell Hunter
Clarisse Slater
Sarai Atkinson (Encouragement Award)

2009

Sherylee Welsh
Allan Miller
Zack Green (Encouragement Award)

2008

Leigh Saunders
Troy Walker
Kasey Edwards (Encouragement Award)

2007

Dorothy Bamblett
Jamie McConnachie

2006

Allan Murray
Isaac Haddoc

2005

Joleen Ryan
Nayuka Hood

2004

Dixon Patten

2003

Tracey Rigney
Alister Thorpe

2002

Jirra Lulla Harvey
John McGuiness

2001

Peter Shane Rotumah
Eileen Harrison

2000

Ricci Marks
Kwaii Sinclair

1999

Jody Ryan

1998

Nicole Cassar
Jeremy Clark

1997

Yolanda Walker

Collection Notice

The Department of Premier and Cabinet (the Department) is using the services of Award Force to administer this form. The Department is responsible for ensuring that your personal information is collected, held, used, managed, shared, disclosed and stored in accordance with our privacy policy.

The Department undertakes to treat any personal information provided by you as confidential and in accordance with its obligations under state and federal privacy law, including the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). The personal information you provide, such as your name and email address, and all nomination materials provided including but not limited to; nomination statement, name, likeness, image, voice and/or participation in the awards (including photograph, film and/or recording of the same) will only be used to or purposes directly related to carrying out the Ricci Marks Awards.

If you choose not to or cannot provide this personal information, the nomination will not be able to be progressed to the panel for review.

By starting a nomination, including personal information (as defined in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic)) or where applicable, any health information (as defined in the Heath Records Act 2001 (Vic)) provided as part of that nomination, each nominator confirms that he or she consents, and has the consent of any person whose personal information is contained in a nomination, including but not limited to:

a) the nominee(s) (or if under the age of 18, the nominee’s parent or legal guardian); and

b) referees,

to provide that information to the Department and for the Department to disclose and transfer their personal information to other parties deemed necessary to conduct the awards program. This includes but is not limited to the awards panel, the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Mailchimp (for email communications) and Award Force (the online awards platform).

If you have any questions about how your personal information will be handled or would like to gain access to or withdraw your personal information, contact Kathryn Smith, Senior Events Coordinator, First Peoples - State Relations, Department of Premier and Cabinet, on 03 9922 8119 or fpsr.events@dpc.vic.gov.au.

Data security and ownership

The information you provide in this nomination will be saved in the Department’s document and grants management systems. Access to these files will be restricted to Department staff responsible for processing nominations.

An independent selection panel is responsible for reviewing the contents of nominations. If your nomination is unsuccessful, the Department will retain a copy of your nomination data, to be stored in our document management systems unless you request your data be removed from the system. The Department may retain previous nomination data to provide information regarding overall demographics and locations of nominations to support the program objectives in future. To retrieve a copy of your nomination or request your data be removed please contact fpsr.events@dpc.vic.gov.au.

Privacy statement

Consistent with Victorian Government policy and legislation, the Department endorses fair information handling practices. Personal, health and sensitive information supplied will be used by the Department and the selection panel for the purposes of considering nominations and recommending award recipients.

Personal information of the recommended recipients will be used by the office of the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples for the purpose of reviewing and endorsing proposed award recipients.

First Peoples – State Relations uses Mailchimp to contact nominators and nominees. Email addresses will be added to the FPSR mailing list from the date of registration and will be kept on the mailing list indefinitely unless they unsubscribe.

The Mailchimp Privacy Statement is available to view on the Intuit website. Please be advised that Mailchimp is located in the United States of America (USA) and is subject to the laws of the USA. Your information (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Mailchimp on servers outside of Australia. Mailchimp is not subject to Australian legislation and you will not be able to seek redress under the Privacy Act 1988 for any privacy breaches by Mailchimp but will need to seek redress under the laws of the USA.

First Peoples – State Relations uses Award Force to collect nomination data for the purpose of selecting recipients of the Ricci Marks Awards. To read their privacy policy, visit their website.

Please be advised that Award Force stores data on servers located in Sydney, NSW and is subject to the privacy laws of that state as stated in the Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW).

Information will not be disclosed or used by the Department for any other purpose beyond the Ricci Marks Awards without the express consent of the person to whom the information relates, unless otherwise required or permitted by law.

Privacy policy

The Department of Premier and Cabinet Privacy Policy sets out information about how the nominator or nominee(s) may access and seek correction of their personal information or complain about a breach of their privacy, and how the Department will deal with that complaint.

The State of Victoria does not guarantee that this publication is without flaw or is wholly appropriate for your purposes. We disclaim all liability for any error, loss or other consequence that may arise from your relying on any information in this publication.

To receive this document in an alternative format, email fpsr.events@dpc.vic.gov.au, or contact National Relay Service on 1800 555 660 if required.