Our Alumni

Professor Richard Scolyer AO completed a Bachelor of Medical Science in 1986 and a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1990 at University of Tasmania.

A world-leading expert in diagnosing skin cancer, pathologist Professor Scolyer has been at the forefront of many major advancements in the treatment of melanoma, saving thousands of lives.

For the past 20 years, Launceston-born pathologist Professor Scolyer has been at the centre of melanoma research, which has seen life expectancy of people with advanced melanoma increase ten-fold over the last decade. It is a statistic largely attributed to Professor Scolyer’s work as co-director of Melanoma Institute of Australia. His research discoveries have changed clinical and pathology practice worldwide.

Professor Scolyer is Co-Medical Director and Consultant Pathologist at Melanoma Institute Australia; Senior Staff Specialist, Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and NSW Health Pathology, Sydney; and Clinical Professor, The University of Sydney. In 2020 Professor Scolyer was awarded Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year in the New South Wales Premier’s Research Awards, for his incredible contribution to melanoma research.

In June 2021 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine, particularly in the field of melanoma and skin cancer, and to national and international professional organisations.

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Ms Leah Cameron completed a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws in 2006 and a Graduate Certificate Legal Practice in 2007 at the University of Tasmania.

A proud (Trawlwoolway) Palawa woman, Ms Cameron, is Founder and Principal Solicitor of Marrawah Law, a practice providing legal services in the areas of native title, cultural heritage and commercial law. With offices in Cairns, Brisbane, Melbourne and Hobart, Marrawah Law has grown to be one of the largest Indigenous owned and operated law firms in Australia today.

Ms Cameron founded Marrawah Law on the philosophy of providing comprehensive, accurate and culturally appropriate advice to First Nations clients in relation to personal, government and business interests, advocating for social change and advancing interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Ms Cameron is the 2021 recipient of the University of Tasmania Young Alumni Award. This year she was also named Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year by Supply Nation and Marrawah Law was named Certified Indigenous Business of the Year. In 2020 Ms Cameron was awarded the Women In Law Excellence Award and the Indigenous Lawyer of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards.

Ms Cameron has recently become a representative on the Australian Heritage Council. As one of two Indigenous members, she represents and advocates for the interests of Indigenous people from right across Australia. She also describes being asked to negotiate and repatriate her ancestors’ remains from the British Museum in London on behalf of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community as her "greatest honour".

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Ms Diana Butler OAM completed a Bachelor of Nursing in 2001 and a Graduate Certificate Nursing in 2004 at University of Tasmania. She has provided nearly 40 years of service working in the Tasmanian Health Service.

While working as an Emergency Nurse in the Launceston General Hospital in 2006, she met a doctor from Tanzania and heard about the extreme poverty in that country. Diana’s altruistic nature, passion for social justice and innate belief in respecting and empowering others led her to co-found Care for Africa Foundation.

Diana is the Chief Executive Officer for the not-for-profit charity which advocates, in collaboration with the community, to address issues of poverty due to the lack water, education, medical, and enterprise services in Tanzania. Care for Africa now supports about 32,000 people in Tanzania’s Tarime district through mobile health clinics, the establishment of water bores and water harvesting systems, sanitation and hygiene programs, education (sponsorship of vulnerable children, teacher education and adult education programs, and educational supplies), the build of a school, and a social enterprise with the focus of the empowerment of women.

Diana continues to work as the after-hours nurse manager at the Launceston General Hospital, whilst running the not-for-profit charity during the day.

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Mr Greg Vines graduated from University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Laws with Honours in 2000.

Mr Vines has over a decade’s experience at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and has extensive industrial relations experience, which unusually spans both sides of the employer-union divide. Throughout his career he has held statutory roles in Tasmania, senior roles in the Victorian public service, as well as having experience as a trade union leader and as a diplomat.

Mr Vines is currently a Deputy Director-General at the ILO in Switzerland, where he provides leadership and represents the ILO across the UN and multilateral system. Monash University awarded him a Fellowship in recognition of his international contributions in 2017.

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