The Fred Hollows Foundation is proud to congratulate pioneering women and members Katrina Fanning and Patricia Fiske on being awarded 2023 Australia Day Honours.
Ms Fanning, a Board Member since 2019, was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for her distinguished service to the Indigenous community through education and health initiatives, and to sport.
Long-time Foundation member and decorated filmmaker Ms Fiske was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to the film industry.
Ms Fiske, who has been making documentaries for more than 50 years, produced For All the World to See, a portrait of Professor Fred Hollows in 1993.
“We are delighted to see Katrina and Pat receive recognition for the trailblazing work they have each achieved in their fields,” Foundation CEO Ian Wishart said.
“Katrina has been a valued member of our Board for more than 3 years and has a huge list of accomplishments, including being named the ACT Australian of the Year in 2020.
“She is a strong voice for First Nations Australians and works tirelessly to make a difference to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Katrina Fanning
“We are also thrilled to see the recognition for our long-time Foundation friend Pat, who has supported Fred’s work since day one and did so much to raise awareness of his work in the early days.”
Before joining The Foundation, Ms Fanning was a successful rugby league player and represented the Australian Jillaroos 26 times over 14 years.
Ms Fanning, a Wiradjuri woman, is the Director of Coolamon Advisors, an Indigenous consulting firm and has previously held many senior government roles.
As a prominent member of Australia’s independent filmmaking community, Ms Fiske has produced a number of award-winning documentaries including Business Behind Bars, a two part series which won a 2001 Walkley Award.
In 2001 she was awarded the prestigious Stanley Hawes Award for her outstanding contribution to the documentary industry in Australia.
Fred Hollows and Gabi Hollows with Pat Fiske.