From study to stage: Western Sydney University celebrates its newest graduates

Partner, Marsdens Law Group

Mr McGrath will be awarded a Community Fellowship and will deliver the occasional address.

Brett McGrath a partner at Marsdens Law Group, the 2024 President of The Law Society of New South Wales and a Western Sydney University graduate.

Mr McGrath is a local to western Sydney. He was born and raised in the Macarthur region and attended St Gregory’s College in Campbelltown. After trying other disciplines at university, he settled on the study of law – an area he felt he could have real impact in. He completed a Bachelor of Laws here at Western Sydney University, studying at our Campbelltown campus.

After graduating, Mr McGrath began his career at Marsdens Law Group in 2012. He then took on a four-year appointment as a Senior Judicial Registrar at the Sydney Registry of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Brett was appointed as Director of National Registrar Operations (Dispute Resolution) in 2022, where he worked extensively to introduce the Court’s ‘co-mediation model.’ This model has now been adopted nationwide.

This work, along with his ability to settle some of the most complex matters before the Court, has earned Mr McGrath the reputation as one of Australia’s leading family law specialists. With this experience, he returned to Marsdens Law Group and now heads their Family Dispute Resolution department.

Brett was the first Western graduate to hold the office of the President of the Law Society of NSW and he is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, bringing strong corporate governance expertise to his work. He served as President of the Macarthur Law Society and the Greater Narellan Business Chamber and was appointed by the NSW Attorney-General as the Law Society’s representative on the board of the Legal Aid Commission of NSW for a two-year term. He is a member of Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators and was the first practitioner registered under the Law Society of NSW’s Lawyer Mediator Accreditation Scheme.

Alongside his practice in law, Brett returned to Western Sydney University in 2016 to teach. He lectured in Family Law, Advanced Family Law and Family Dispute Resolution as a valued member of staff. Brett also serves on the board of United Way, a charity dedicated to children’s literacy.

Ms Carmel Hourigan

Office Chief Executive Officer at Charter Hall

Ms Hourigan will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters and will deliver the occasional address.

Carmel Hourigan is a high-profile Australian property executive, currently serving as the Office CEO at Charter Hall and as President of the Property Council of Australia. Carmel is an Alumni of Western Sydney University and previously served on our Board of Trustees and as Deputy Chancellor.

Carmel’s career spans over 30 years, with leadership in real estate investment, funds management, research, and advisory. As Office CEO of Charter Hall, she oversees a $24 billion office portfolio of which she leads the strategic direction and delivery of Funds & Asset Management, Development, and Property operations. Additionally, she is responsible for Charter Hall’s Wholesale Investor Relations team, managing partnerships for the Group’s global institutional wholesale investors.

Before joining Charter Hall in 2020, Carmel held several senior roles, including as Global Head of Real Estate at AMP Capital, Chief Investment Officer at GPT Group, and Managing Director of Investment Management at Lendlease. Her earlier career spans roles at Challenger Limited, Colonial First State, JLL, Raine & Horne, and Stockland – reflecting a depth of experience across both public and private markets.

Carmel sits on the Property Council of Australia Board of Directors and has previously held the position of Vice President. A strong advocate for investment-friendly planning, housing affordability, decarbonisation, and diverse talent, she has a positive impact on policy and regulation across Australia’s property sector.

Carmel is also deeply involved in initiatives that promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion. She is a Member of the Champions of Change Property Group, which is dedicated to increasing gender equality in the property industry, and is a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute.

Carmel’s contribution to Western Sydney University has been extensive. She is a graduate, earning her Bachelor of Business (Land Economy) in 1992, as well as a Hawkesbury Alumni Award winner. Carmel served on the Board of Trustees – the University’s highest governing body – from 2017 to 2021. She also served on our Audit and Risk Committee and as Chair of our University Infrastructure Committee. She was elected Deputy Chancellor in 2018 for a two-and-a-half-year term.

Carmel blends big-picture vision with practical leadership across investment, operational management, and social advocacy – shaping both Charter Hall’s growth and the future of Australia’s built environment. She is a well-respected and recognisable role model for all property professionals and Western graduates.

The Hon. Peter Collins, AM RFD KC

Chair of Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District

Mr Collins will be awarded an Honorary Fellowship and will deliver the occasional address.

While at university he was a student editor, Union Board member, Army Reserve officer, and political advisor. After graduating with an Arts and Law degrees from the University of Sydney, he became an ABC TV researcher and journalist (for Four Corners and the forerunner of the 7.30), Research Manager for the Liberal Party, media advisor and practising Barrister in Sydney.

In 1981, he was elected to the NSW Parliament as Member for Willoughby and went straight on to the Front Bench as a Shadow Minister. Of his twenty-two years in the Parliament which they call “The Bear Pit” - twelve years were in key leadership roles as Deputy Leader, senior Minister, or Leader of the Opposition. He wrote his memoir “The Bear Pit” which was published in 2000.

Peter Collins did not contest the 2003 Election and instead pursued his lifelong interest in the Australian Defence Force. After five years in the Army Reserve, he was commissioned as an officer in the Naval Reserve and was a Commander when he left Parliament: an intelligence officer in Gulf War One and a legal officer in Gulf War Two.

He was the first Reserve officer to serve as the Fleet Legal Officer having earlier served as Attorney General for NSW. He is the only former Federal or State Minister to go to war after serving in Parliament, when he led an ADF Legal Team in Iraq in 2007.

He has also served on a wide range of public and private sector boards – mostly as Chair. His government appointments include Chair of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Legal Aid Commission of NSW, the Cancer Institute of NSW, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and President of the Powerhouse Museum.

His non-Government leadership roles include Chair of St John Ambulance, the Inaugural Chair of the Brett Whiteley Foundation and the Sydney Financial Forum, Barton Deakin Government Relations and Chair of Industry Super Australia.

As a former Treasurer of NSW, Peter Collins played a key role in the development of Australia’s $4.3 trillion superannuation industry beginning with his appointment as an Independent Director of HOSTPLUS in 2006. During his 15 years with that fund as Chair of their Audit Risk & Compliance committee, he watched the fund grow from $3.5 billion to $130 billion.

His role in the financial sector became very public when he was appointed Chair of the peak advocacy body, Industry Super Australia, by its key stakeholders including the ACTU and Australian Industry Group.

In 2012, he and his wife Jennine Leonarder-Collins purchased historic Werrington House (between Penrith and St Mary) and have fully restored the nearly 200-year-old property for future generations.

Until last year, Peter served on the Board of the Whitlam Institute at Western Sydney University. He continues to serve as Chair of Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and was appointed as Trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW in January this year.

Ms Penny Williams PSM

Trustee, The Asia Foundation

Ms Williams will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters and will deliver the occasional address.

Penny Williams is an Australian public servant and diplomat who received the Public Service Medal for her role as Australia’s inaugural Global Ambassador for Women and Girls.

In her teens, Ms Williams left her home in Tasmania to spend a year as an exchange student living with an Indonesian family and attending an Indonesian high school. She became fluent in Indonesian. This led her to the Australian National University to undertake a Bachelor of Asian Studies with a focus on Indonesia and Indonesian language. She later undertook a Masters of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development.

Ms Williams then joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1988 and had postings to Damascus, Syria from 1992 to 1994 and to Santiago, Chile from 1997 to 2000. She served as the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia from 2007 to 2010. She then served as the inaugural Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls from 2011 to 2013. In 2015, she was recognised for her work in this role with a Public Service Medal, a medal that recognises public servants for outstanding service to Australia.

In 2021, Ms Williams was appointed as the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia where she served until January 2025. Australia’s Embassy in Indonesia is the largest of all overseas missions. She was the first woman to hold this role.

Ms Williams’ high school experience in Indonesia has given her a deep personal understanding of the transformative power of cross cultural exchange and education. This has driven her commitment to increasing educational and cultural ties between Australia and Asia, particularly Indonesia.

Ms Williams had a crucial role in helping to bring the Western Sydney University, Surabaya campus into being. It is a complex undertaking to open a university campus and we thank Ms Williams for her support and advocacy.

Mr Rob Rogers

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner (retired)

Mr Rogers will be awarded a Community Fellowship and will deliver the occasional address.

Mr Rob Rogers has been involved in firefighting and emergency management for over 45 years, bringing a wealth of operational experience and strategic leadership to the NSW Rural Fire Service. His career began in 1979 as a volunteer with the Belrose Rural Fire Brigade and after 16 years of voluntary service he transitioned into a salaried leadership role in 1995, as Deputy Fire Control Officer for the Greater Taree District.

Over the decades, Mr Rogers has served as Incident Controller at numerous significant bush and grass fires across both urban interface and remote environments. His extensive experience in leading complex operations has made him a trusted and respected figure in emergency management, both within New South Wales and nationally. He is also a graduate of Western, obtaining a Graduate Certificate in Management in 2002.

In 2011, Mr Rogers was appointed RFS Deputy Commissioner and after nine years in that role, he was appointed Commissioner in 2020. He served as Commissioner for five years, retiring on 4 July this year. As Commissioner, he was responsible for leading the Service’s operational capabilities, ensuring that volunteers and staff were trained, resourced and supported to prevent, mitigate and suppress fires across NSW. Statewide coordination was conducted through the State Operations Centre at RFS Headquarters under his leadership.

Mr Rogers has represented NSW in several key national forums, including two appearances before the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and participation in the National Bush Fire Warning Taskforce. His contributions have helped shape bush fire policy and warning systems across Australia. Internationally, he has represented the NSW RFS in firefighting operations and cooperative projects across the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Brazil. He has also served as the NSW RFS representative on the International Association of Fire Chiefs, reinforcing his commitment to global collaboration in fire and emergency management.

He was awarded the National Medal in 1995 and the Australian Fire Service Medal in 2004, in recognition of his exceptional service and leadership in emergency management.

Mr David Chandler OAM

NSW Building Commissioner (retired)

Mr Chandler will deliver the occasional address.

In the pivotal role of NSW Building Commissioner, David was the watchdog for the state’s construction industry from 2019 until 2024.

David was appointed to the role following a 40-year career in construction that included helping to deliver major infrastructure projects such as the new Federal Parliament House in Canberra. When he retired as Building Commissioner, the NSW Minister for Building, Anoulack Chanthivong, noted that David had been “an outspoken force creating positive change for the building industry in NSW”.

His deep expertise is also recognised by Western Sydney University, where David founded the Centre for Smart Modern Construction and is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment.

Ms Juanita Taylor

Acting General Manager, WSLHD Mental Health Services

Ms Taylor will deliver the occasional address

Professor Viginia Schmied

Professor of Midwifery at Western Sydney University

Professor Schmied will be accorded the title of Emeritus Professor and will deliver the occasional address.

Virginia Schmied was a Professor of midwifery in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University for 18 years, making great contribution to the School and the University in that time. She is a leading international researcher in midwifery and maternal and child health, focusing on perinatal mental health, postnatal care, infant feeding and service system redesign. She has a particular interest in how relationship-based care leads to improved health outcomes for women, children and families.

Professor Schmied started her career at Canberra Hospital and undertook her Midwifery Training at All Saints Hospital in Chatham, Kent in the UK. She completed a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts (Honours) at the University of New South Wales and her PhD at the University of Technology, Sydney.

During her career, Professor Schmied has published over 300 refereed journal articles, two edited books, 19 book chapters and 21 government reports to her credit. She has been recognised as one of the Top 10 most cited nursing and midwifery professors in Australia and New Zealand. She has been twice recognised in Stanford University’s prestigious list of the Top 2% of Scientists, in 2023 and 2024.

In the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Professor Schmied led the development of a government funded program in perinatal mental health – the ‘Perinatal Interprofessional Psychosocial Education for Maternity Clinicians’, which has been rolled out nationally for health care providers and received notable awards. As a result of this training, over 500 clinicians have demonstrated improvements in knowledge and confidence.

Professor Schmied has been awarded numerous grants during her time at Western, including funding from the Australian Research Council to study health service provision for parents, children and families and a Commonwealth Government grant to co-design, implement and evaluate the Perinatal Interprofessional Psychosocial Education. She has supervised 51 higher degree research students, and founded and led the Western Sydney University Infant and Young Child Feeding Collaborative. In recognition of her teaching, she was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards for Higher Degree Research Training and Supervision in 2016, the Excellence Award for Teaching and Learning in 2018 and the Australian College of Midwives Award for Excellence in Midwifery Education in 2019.

Professor Schmied has also held a number of leadership roles in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, including Deputy Dean of Research and Engagement, Director of Research and Director of International and Engagement. For a four year period she was a Health and Wellbeing Research Theme Champion, where she led initiatives to foster interdisciplinary research, built collaborations across Institutes and Schools, and strengthened partnerships with external partners.

As a researcher, educator, leader and mentor Professor Schmied’s contribution to the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Western Sydney University has been invaluable.

Professor Greg Noble

Professor, Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University

Professor Noble will be accorded the title of Emeritus Professor and will deliver the occasional address.

Professor Greg Noble is one of Australia’s leading scholars on multiculturalism and has been a core researcher at Western’s Institute for Culture and Society, and its precursors, since 1992. As one of Australia’s foremost academics in cultural studies, Professor Noble has spearheaded Western’s approach to cultural research. He’s also undertaken many governance and leadership roles across the University, including Interim Director of the Centre for Cultural Research and the foundational Higher Degrees Research Director at the Institute for Culture and Society. He’s contributed significantly to the University’s wider postgraduate culture, especially through the Graduate Research School’s Research Studies Committee and High Degree Research training.

Professor Noble is an internationally renowned scholar with an outstanding track record of socially engaged, interdisciplinary research across a range of interests. Evidence of his standing is seen in his 12 books, over 100 journal articles and book chapters, 25 research reports and numerous non-academic publications. He’s studied migration and multiculturalism for four decades, particularly with Arabic-speaking communities, leading to his being named ‘Field Leader’ in Ethnic and Cultural Studies in The Australian 2018 University Research Report. His groundbreaking work on Lebanese-Australian youth won him acclaim through its analysis of the intersection of ethnicity, gender, generation and class. He focused on media panics around youth gangs, in his publications Kebabs, Kids, Cops and Crime and Bin Laden in the Suburbs.

Professor Noble has made a major contribution to understanding multiculturalism in everyday life in Australia’s cities, including relations of inter-ethnic conviviality. His distinctive analysis of multicultural education in Disposed to Learn and Doing Diversity Differently has brought great insights into the cultural complexity of contemporary society and its consequences for learning and teaching. He’s also been at the forefront of the emerging interest in cultural pedagogies and the practices of informal learning. Together, these mark significant contributions globally in cultural studies, sociology, education, geography and criminology. His work has been translated into Arabic, French and Spanish.

Throughout his 33 years at Western, Greg has demonstrated research leadership at the University, and beyond. He’s mentored many colleagues, developing future generations of scholars across Western, including the supervision of almost 50 research students. As a supervisor, and as the foundation Higher Degree Research Director of the Institute for Culture and Society, he’s helped shape a world-class cohort of postgraduate researchers whose work is of great impact in our increasingly complex world. He’s also been a key contributor to the Cultural Studies Association of Australasia and the Australian Research Council Cultural Research Network, organising many national and international collaborations and conferences.

Professor Noble has a deep commitment to socially engaged research, disseminating insights from research through media and public presentations. His work has involved collaborations with SBS, the NSW Department of School Education, NRMA, the Human Rights Commission, Multicultural NSW, and the NSW Teachers Federation. Greg has a long-standing commitment to the practical application of analyses of education and ethnic diversity through the professional training of teachers and the development of school programs.

Ms Yumna Kassab

Author and Inaugural Parramatta Laureate in Literature

Ms Kassab will be awarded a Community Fellowship and will deliver the occasional address.

Yumna Kassab is a writer based in Parramatta and is the inaugural Parramatta Laureate in Literature.

She completed all her schooling in Parramatta with the exception of two formative years when she lived with her family in Lebanon. She studied a degree in medical science at Macquarie University and then a masters in neuroscience at Sydney University.

In 2019, Ms Kassab published her debut short story collection, The House of Youssef, with Giramondo Publishing. This collection, about the ordinary lives of Lebanese migrants living in the suburbs of Western Sydney, was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the Readings Prize as well as being longlisted for the Stella Prize.

Since then, she has gone on to published four novels, including Australiana, which was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards. The Lovers which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, the Prime Minister’s Literary Award and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards. And Politica which was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards and longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Her latest book The Theory of Everything, which she describes as an anti-novel, highlights her love of experimentation with language and literary. Her essays and poems have also appeared in Meanjin, the Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books and The Sydney Morning Herald.

In 2023, following a competitive tender process, Ms Kassab became the inaugural Parramatta Laureate in Literature; the Laureate program is a partnership between Western Sydney University and the City of Parramatta.

She is currently working on a creative dictionary about Parramatta. It will be released digitally through the Sydney Review of Books and in hardcopy through Giramondo Books. This dictionary has been the subject of her laureate project where she aimed to capture the experience of a lifetime lived in Parramatta and Western Sydney.

Ms Kassab is a science teacher and she has worked at numerous schools in Western Sydney and in regional NSW.

As an author, educator, and the inaugural Laureate in Literature for Parramatta, Ms Kassab has always centred her passionate literary energies in supporting greater participation in the world of literature.

She is a dedicated supporter of the Western Sydney Wanderers and her favourite colour combination is red and black.

Professor Paul James

Professor, Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University

Professor James will be accorded the title of Emeritus Professor and will deliver the occasional address.

Paul James was Professor of Globalisation and Cultural Diversity at the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University from 2014 to 2025, and Director of the Institute for five years from 2015 to 2020.

Three overlapping areas of research are central to his life’s work. The first is globalisation and its impact upon social relations - from local and national to global community. The second is social change and the human condition. The third is sustainability with an emphasis on urban living. These areas of focus are integrated through what is now known as engaged theory.

Professor James is author or editor of over 30 books. At the centre of his work is a three-volume series on the human condition. It began with Nation Formation in 1996, continued with Globalism, Nationalism, Tribalism in 2006, and now includes Global Crisis and Insecurity: The Human Condition Darkly, published by Cambridge University Press this year. These books seek to understand the structural conditions of a great unsettling that has been bringing turmoil to the planet.

His other books include 16 volumes mapping the field of globalisation, published by Sage across the first decade of the 2000s. This collection is the most comprehensive and systematic representation of globalisation in social sciences. It comprises 3.5 million words of keynote texts.

Professor James is an engaged scholar whose work stretches beyond the university. He has been an editor of the radical Australian journal Arena for nearly four decades. Arena is one of the longest-standing left political magazines in the world.

Professor James was Scientific Advisor to the Berlin Senate from 2014 to 2023, and a Metropolis Ambassador of Urban Innovation. This engagement centred on urban sustainability, working with a global network of the world’s largest cities. A book based on this work, Urban Sustainability in Theory and Practice: Circles of Sustainability was published by Routledge in 2015. The Circles of Sustainability method, which he was central in developing, was extensively used by many cities around the world from Berlin and Johannesburg to Milwaukee, New Delhi and Porto Alegre.

Professor James has been an advisor to a number of agencies and governments including the Canadian Prime Minister’s G20 Forum, and the Commission on Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in Timor Leste. His work for the Papua New Guinea Minister for Community Development and a book called Sustainable Communities, Sustainable Development became the basis for the country’s Integrated Community Development Policy. Associated policy was passed by the parliament in 2007 and is still current today, nearly two decades later. From 2007 until 2014, Professor James was Director of the United Nations agency – the Global Compact Cities Programme with 90 affiliate cities. The Cities Programme was important in bringing integrated planning on sustainability into the mainstream.

Ms Grace Fava OAM

Founder and CEO of the Autism Advisory Support Service.

Ms Fava will deliver the occasional address.

Grace created the service in 2007 when she was searching for support for her two sons who are on the autism spectrum. Today, the multi-faceted service provides a range of programs and services that support individuals with Autism and their families.

Grace holds a Certificate IV in Frontline Management, and is a long-time Conjoint Senior Lecturer in the School of Health Sciences at Western’s Campbelltown Campus. With her deep experience in advocacy and the charity sector, she also shares her wisdom as a member of several council, hospital and university committees.

In recognition of her dedication to the charity sector, Grace was awarded an Order of Australia medal in 2019. In 2015, Grace was also a recipient of the Western Sydney University ‘Woman of the West’ award.

Uncle David King

Uncle David will be awarded a Community Fellowship and will deliver the occasional address.

Uncle David King is a Gundungurra Elder (Burragorang Clan) and cultural knowledge holder whose life and work are deeply rooted in the Blue Mountains and Greater Western Sydney region. Uncle David King’s career spans over four decades and reflects a deep commitment to cultural leadership, youth empowerment, and environmental stewardship. His professional and volunteer roles have consistently focused on restoring Country, supporting vulnerable communities, and promoting cultural education.

For many years Uncle David worked as a youth worker in Mt Druitt, supporting young people in one of Western Sydney’s most diverse and disadvantaged communities. He also worked for Sydney City Mission as a Senior Youth Worker. Since 2007, Uncle David has operated Dingo Darbo, an Indigenous-owned business offering Welcome to Country and Smoking ceremonies, cultural education, guided walks, and storytelling. In his current role as Indigenous Engagement Officer at Scenic World Blue Mountains, he supports cultural training, tourism, and Indigenous supplier engagement.

As a Patient Transport Officer with HealthShare NSW, he received the 2020 Chief Executive Award for his heroic efforts during the 2019–2020 bushfires, ensuring the safe evacuation of vulnerable patients. He has also partnered with Blue Mountains City Council and WaterNSW where he co-designed six stormwater biofilters, reducing pollutants in Sydney’s catchment.

Uncle David contributes to Cultural Burns on Gundungurra Country in collaboration with Firestix, National Parks and Wildlife Services and the Rural Fire Service, restoring traditional fire management practices. His volunteer work includes over two decades with Bushcare in the Blue Mountains and founding Garguree Swampcare in 2011.

Uncle David has played a central role in restoring the Garguree (The Gully) site, a place of profound cultural significance that has served as an Aboriginal campsite for thousands of years, transforming it into a vibrant space for cultural and environmental healing.

Uncle David also works closely with schools, TAFE NSW, and universities—including Western Sydney University—where he has co-led cultural learning programs, design studios, and environmental research initiatives. At Western, he has worked on projects including swamp restoration, water quality monitoring and cultural education with staff.

Uncle David has consistently worked to uplift others, preserve Gundungurra traditions, and foster respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. His leadership is grounded in humility and care, and his influence spans generations.

Mr Tom McCormack

Chief Technology Officer at Western Sydney International Airport

Mr McCormack will deliver the occasional address.

Tom is responsible for designing and implementing all technology and cyber-security systems for what will be Australia’s most technologically advanced airport when it opens in late 2026.

Tom holds a Bachelor of Science, majoring in computing with First Class Honours, from Queensland University of Technology, and a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University. Throughout his career, Tom has helped create, implement and operate complex technology systems across many industries.

At Western Sydney International Airport, Tom is focused on how emerging technologies can help deliver exceptional customer service and operational efficiencies in areas such as passenger processing, baggage-handling and runway operations.