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’s story is one of astronomical good luck. Yes, he was born in war-torn Afghanistan. But he was born to a university educated woman in a family with means. Yes, he had to flee from life-threatening danger. But his family won something of a global lottery: they received a visa for Australia in 1999. Yes, his family came to Australia with pretty much the clothes on their backs. But his generous neighbours rallied around his family. They gave Akram’s family the material and social resources necessary to grow roots in Australia. Yes, he struggled at school in Australia. But his amazing school teachers inspired him with a love of learning. With their help, Akram overcame his disadvantaged background and became his school’s top academic student and school captain. Yes, he lived in a low socioeconomic household in Australia. But he became the beneficiary of many scholarships. Due to all this good luck, Akram was able to take up every opportunity of doing community service and study a triple major at university: sociology (hons), law (hons) and science. In particular, during his time as an undergraduate, Akram used his leadership and pastoral skills to mentor young people in remote and rural Western Australia. In 2011 he co-founded a student-run initiative I am the Other to foster friendships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students on university campus. Akram also mentored a Special Olympics athlete to help raise community awareness of disability issues. In 2013, Akram became the Young Australian of the Year. Akram used this platform to advocate for reconciliation and the eradication of extreme poverty and polio. In 2013, Akram gave over 1000 in person speeches to people all over Australia; Akram travelled to, and spoke in, just about every small town in the South-West of Western Australia, most of the towns in the Wheatbelt and many towns in rural New South Wales. Akram’s community advocacy helped contribute to the Australian Government significantly increasing its funding allocation for polio eradication. Between 2015 to 2017, Akram was Australia's Commonwealth National Youth Delegate. He is currently finishing his PhD in sociology, lecturing in corporate law at Murdoch University and teaching philosophy at Scotch College as the Scholar in Residence.