Outstanding Alumnus of the Year (December 2023)

Graduating with an EMBA in 2019, Cherrell Picton has extensive management and innovation experience, with a passion to improve the lives of others, as well as championing environmental change in the mining sector. Under Cherrell's leadership as Director and Business Manager of Alumtek Minerals, the startup successfully applied for a $1.2 million Co-operative Research Centres Projects Grant (CRC-P). The team have developed a process to solve the alumina industry's major environmental and financial risk - extracting critical minerals and products of value from bauxite residue or red mud. Cherrell has also volunteered her business skills with the DFAT-funded Australian Volunteers Program to assist NGOs in Indonesia, Vietnam & PNG to become more sustainable. Her work was recognised by the National Economics University - Hanoi, Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Locally, she’s been a business mentor with Innovation Generation and the Migrant Work Ready Program.