Erika Feller AO has had a 40-year career in international law, humanitarian protection and diplomacy. She served for 26 years with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, seven years as one of its two Assistant High Commissioners where she exercised oversight for the Organisation’s global protection responsibilities. With UNHCR she travelled to refugee situations, had carriage of key multilateral discussions and managed protection policy directions. Earlier she served as UNHCR’s Representative in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei and Regional Coordinator for refugee status determination throughout the SE Asian region. UNHCR was preceded by 14 years and three international diplomatic postings with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs. She is a widely acknowledged and published authority on refugee matters. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, was granted a Vice-Chancellor’s Fellowship at the University of Melbourne and is currently a Professorial Fellow with the University. She played an instrumental role in the creation of the University’s Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness. In 2021 she received an AO ‘for distinguished service to the international community, to the recognition and protection of human rights, and to refugee law’.

As a recent graduate from the Class of 2024 and someone who is beginning her university studies, Kathlin reflects on the memories and experiences she gained during her time at Lauriston. Since joining Lauriston in Year 7, Kathlin has been involved in a plethora of school activities, participating in various choirs, orchestras and bands, as well as captaining the senior softball team in Year 12. Co-curricular activities like these have enabled Kathlin to feel strongly connected to Lauriston’s community and graduate with a group of lifelong friends. Unique experiences like the Howqua Program and the IBDP have helped Kathlin grow as an individual, developing integral characteristics like resilience, empathy, gratitude and the determination to make positive change and give back to the wider community. With aspirations of becoming an obstetrician or oncologist and contributing to rural and indigenous healthcare, Kathlin is now studying Medicine at Monash University. Besides her medical studies, Kathlin has also been pursuing other ventures, including being a sales consultant for medical preparation and an academic tutor, striving to help students reach their fullest potential in their schooling journeys.

Sarah Rejman, born and raised in Melbourne, channelled a love of caring for children into training as an occupational therapist. In 2002, this passion led her to volunteer at a rehabilitation centre for the disabled in Tanzania. The two formative years that followed awakened in her a mission to improve the lives of children living with treatable disabilities across the country. Her dream was to create a safe and happy home for these children where they would be accepted, loved, valued, and where finally they would begin to heal. Thus began The Plaster House, as Kafika House was originally known. What began as a programme working with one child at a time evolved into an International NGO working in partnership with the Tanzanian government to heal individuals, and transform communities; to challenge the perception of disability on a national level, and change stigma into hope. Told like this, the trajectory sounds straightforward, which belies the true course of Sarah's journey. An entertaining and honest presenter, she shares the many lessons that walking this path has afforded her, along with insights gleaned from true entrepreneurship fuelled by clarity of mission, passion and purpose.