Professor Jenny May AM has been passionate about rural health since her first rural medical student placement in 1980 and then as a trainee rural doctor at Tamworth Hospital in 1985. Professor May’s vast and extensive knowledge working across Australia and internationally has provided multiple opportunities to contribute through research on health workforce matters. She now calls Tamworth home and has had the incredible privilege to live and work with her doctor husband and family in a number of remote and regional locations. Professor May holds fellowships with RACGP and ACRRM and has extensive experience in clinical practice, research, education and rural health advocacy. In 2016 she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to community health in rural and regional areas, as a general practitioner, member of professional medical groups, and as an educator. With over 35 years of working and supporting rural, regional and remote health care, her appointment as the third National Rural Health Commissioner has been widely welcomed.

Akram Azimi was born in war-torn Afghanistan. With no choice, and only the clothes on their back, Akram and his family fled, leaving everything behind. Fortunately, Akram’s family won something of a global lottery: they received a visa to Australia in 1999. With the help of his amazing high school teachers, Akram Azimi overcame his disadvantaged background and became his school’s top academic student and was elected head boy. At university, he studied law (hons), science and sociology (hons) and is currently doing his PhD. Since 2007, Akram Azimi has taught law, human anatomy, neurobiology, sociology, epistemology, community service, and writing at three universities and two high schools. Akram is Co-founder and director of I Am the Other (reconciliation). For more than seven years and has been a mentor of True Blue Dreaming, a rural and remote educational program. As an End of Polio ambassador, Rotarian and grassroots advocate, Akram contributed to the government’s funding commitment of $80 million for polio eradication in 2013, and another $20 million in 2014. For his community service and mentoring work, Akram Azimi was named 2013 Young Australian of the Year. Overall, Akram Azimi has formally taught for 2000+ hours and mentored young people pro bono for 3000+ hours. Akram has published articles in Australian newspapers and policy magazines, covering a wide variety of social issues from extreme poverty, polio, philanthropy and reconciliation. Akram was announced as Australia's Commonwealth National Youth Delegate (2015 - 2017). Akram Azimi has continued to make significant contributions as a speaker, educator, and advocate for social justice and reconciliation. His work has expanded across various domains, including education, community engagement, and public speaking.