As a teenager in Freetown Sierra Leone, Aminata Conteh-Biger was abducted by rebels during the civil war. Brutally treated by her captors for a number of months, she was finally freed and became the first Sierra Leonean refugee woman in Australia. Aminata has gone on to found a life saving charity and has a powerful story to tell.
Two young Australian men, Nic Marchesi OAM and Lucas Patchett OAM, did something truly inspirational that would dramatically improve the lives of tens of thousands of people around the nation. They started providing free laundry services to people experiencing homelessness. Orange Sky is now a nationwide operation and these two men have an inspiring story to tell.
Alex Noble is a motivational speaker, bestselling author, and advocate whose life transformed at 16 after a rugby accident left him a C4 quadriplegic. Determined not to let his injury define him, he recovered enough to stand with a weighted vest and walk with an exoskeleton. Author of I Fight, You Fight, Alex now inspires thousands with "The Noble Way", a philosophy of persistence, gratitude, and mindset-driven resilience. A 2025 NSW Young Australian of the Year nominee, he balances university, advocacy, entrepreneurial pursuits, and a mission to empower others in adversity.
Michael Crossland has the ability to captivate the imagination of young people to encourage and inspire them with his story. Michael has defied the odds of a life- threatening cancer to build a life of achievements as an accomplished businessman and an elite sportsman. His message of hope and overcoming adversity has seen Michael invited back year after year to Stand Tall.
