Annual CQUniversity Alumni Awards
Their accomplishments benefit both society and the University, advancing the common good and inspiring others. The annual Alumni Awards acknowledge and celebrate these achievements by our outstanding alumni in their professional field or community service activities.
Alumni awardees 2025
Outstanding Alumnus of the Year
Leilani Bin-Juda PSM
BBus 1995
Ms Leilani Bin-Juda is of Torres Strait Islander heritage with ties to Hammond, Darnley and Murray Islands. She grew up in Cairns before beginning her academic journey with CQUniversity in Rockhampton. After her studies, she moved to Canberra where she began work in the Australian Public Service with the then Department of Primary Industries and Energy, followed by the Attorney-General’s Department. In 1999, she became a curator at the National Museum of Australia. In this role, Leilani delivered exhibitions for the Torres Strait Gallery and was later invited to return to Thursday Island to help establish the Gab Titui Cultural Centre.
Inspired by this experience, Leilani transitioned into cultural diplomacy, beginning with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in 2007. Her Australian Public Service career spans over 27 years, encompassing roles in policy and program development across international relations, health, fisheries, crime prevention and the arts and culture portfolios.
Ms Bin-Juda held various overseas postings and assignments during this time, including as Acting High Commissioner in Tuvalu and Niue; Counsellor, Kiribati; First Secretary (Political/Gender/Sports Diplomacy), Papua New Guinea; Adviser (Economic Governance) to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands; and Manager of Australia’s Cultural Program at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
As a passionate advocate for Australia’s Indigenous heritage, both domestically and internationally, Leilani has served as the first Torres Strait Islander in the role as DFAT’s Treaty Liaison Officer on Thursday Island where she was responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Torres Strait Treaty. She later became the CEO of the Torres Strait Regional Authority and the first woman to be substantially appointed into the CEO role.
Leilani’s career further advanced in DFAT at the senior executive level. In November 2023, she was appointed as Australia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria and the first Indigenous Australian to occupy the role. This work encompasses a portfolio that includes one of Africa’s largest economies and a key trade partner to Australia. Our High Commission is also accredited to the Republics of Benin, Cameroon, Niger, The Gambia and Gabon.
Her unwavering commitment to advocating for Australia’s Indigenous heritage is reflected in her numerous guest speaking engagements, such as at the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation Torres Strait Women’s Leadership Program, the Australia-New Zealand School of Government, and her significant contribution to the 2024 book Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia. In 2019, Ms Bin-Juda was officially recognised with the Public Service Medal for outstanding service promoting Indigenous heritage in Australia’s cultural and foreign policies.
Alumnus of the Year (Industry Excellence)
Dr Riti Sharan
PhD 2011
Dr Riti Sharan is an award-winning immunologist recognised for her work on HIV, latent tuberculosis, and potential treatments for these conditions. She actively engages with both local and international communities to inspire the next generation of female scientists through workshops, mentorship, outreach programs, committee memberships, and speaking engagements.
During her time at CQUniversity, Dr Sharan completed her doctorate in just 3 years, authoring and co-authoring five peer-reviewed publications before graduating in 2011. Her doctoral research focused on the effect of copper in decreasing waterborne diseases, leading her to develop a cost-effective technique using copper storage vessels to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases in developing nations.
Following her PhD, Dr Sharan joined the Institut Pasteur in France as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, where she studied the efficacy and safety of vaccines against exacerbation by Nontypeable Haemophilius influenzae. In 2016, she took a role as Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Texas A&M Medical Science Center and transitioned to the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in 2019. Over the next five years, she advanced from a Postdoctoral Scientist to an Assistant Professor role, and now runs her own laboratory.
Dr Sharan utilises her expertise in an extensive list of specialities, from tuberculosis immunology to cloning techniques, and her professional experience to empower other women in science. Over the past few years, she has facilitated school STEAM outreach programs, mentored women working in infectious disease research and served as a judge for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Science Fair.
Dr Sharan is a respected figure in her field, having spoken at international events such as the Immunology2024 conference in Chicago and the International Conference on Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance in India. A multi-award winner, Dr Sharan’s most recent recognitions include the 2024 AAI Early Career Faculty Travel Grant, the 2022 Most Impactful Publication Award from Texas Biomedical Institute, and the 2022 Early-Stage Investigator Award from the Texas Developmental Center for AIDS Research for her impactful contribution to HIV research.
Alumnus of the Year (Social Impact)
Dr John Kapeleris
GDipMgt 1995
After completing his Bachelor of Science (Honours) at the University of Queensland, Dr John Kapeleris commenced a career as a Medical Immunologist, eventually moving into medical product development. His experience as a health practitioner contributed to his significant productivity as a Research and Development Manager. While working for Panbio Pty Ltd, Dr Kapeleris managed the development of 16 new medical diagnostic products, including diagnostic assays targeting diseases such as Whooping Cough, Barmah Forest Virus, Q fever, Leptospira, Brucella, Epstein-Barr Virus, Human Herpes Virus 6, Japanese encephalitis and Dengue Fever. He then moved into the Business Development Manager role, overseeing the global market adoption of these products, and helping to transform Panbio into a global enterprise.
After his significant achievements in medical services, John broadened his focus to research and development, commercialisation, and business leadership more generally, spending nearly a decade leading the Australian Institute for Commercialisation. He later became a founding member of Technology Reserve, a global community of experts built on shared philosophies of innovation, technological accessibility, collaboration, and a commitment to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.
Dr Kapeleris has played a pivotal role in guiding various enterprises by providing leadership and consultation across multiple industries, with a focus on capital-raising, market entry, and innovation. In his most recent venture, John is the CEO of BirdSol Pty Ltd. BirdSol is an innovative technology company with an avian deterrent and wildlife management technology based on an artificial intelligence (AI) system called CherrpTM. CherrpTM detects target bird species through visual and auditory recognition, using their own ‘language’ to guide them away from protected areas and towards alternative feeding sites. The technology promotes humane wildlife treatment while improving agricultural yields, with field trials showing it to reduce crop loss from birds by over 96%.
With over 30 years’ experience in medical biotechnology, product development, commercialisation, and executive management, Dr Kapeleris has led BirdSol Pty Ltd to significant recognition. The company was selected as a finalist in the 2023 THRIVE Agrifood Global Impact Awards and the 2023 Future Food Asia Awards and was featured at AgriFutures Evoke. In 2024, BirdSol was also chosen for the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) GroundUp program, which fast-tracks innovative solutions for the grains sector.
Dr Kapeleris actively bridges the gap between industry and education through his long-term roles in academia. At the Queensland University of Technology, he contributed his expertise to the Innovation Space Incubator project, while at the University of Queensland, where he is an Adjunct Associate Professor, he has held significant roles, including Biotechnology Program Facilitator, Bioetrepreneurship Course Co-ordinator and Industry Advisory Board Member. In this capacity, he lectures on topics such as the Commercialisation of Biotech Products, Bioentrepreneurship, Innovation, and Nanotechnology, ensuring knowledge transfer based on his significant industry experience will support innovation well into the future.
Alumnus of the Year (Early Career Achievement)
Jesse Trecco-Alexander
LLB 2024
Jesse Trecco-Alexander is a proud Aboriginal man hailing from Bindal Country in the Townsville region. Jesse’s entry into the For Purpose sector was inspired by his interest in human services, developed through varied roles in Banking, Disability Support Services, and as a political candidate. In 2020, during the final year of his studies, Jesse worked with Queensland Corrective Services (QCS), focusing on parole system reform and sentence management services. He later transitioned his skillset to the health sector, taking on several leadership roles at the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network.
In early 2023, Jesse founded qtb Advisory Group, providing specialist advisory services on Project and Change Management, Management Advisory, Governance and Risk, Probity and Procurement, Community Engagement and Co-Design and Organisational Development. In mid-2023 Jesse also joined the staff of Anaiwan Advisory, a 100% Aboriginal-owned, operated, and led commercial firm. By July of the same year, he was promoted to partner. The role at Anaiwan Advisory resulted in project-based and full-time employment opportunities for CQUniversity students.
In 2025, Jesse reverted to his position as Managing Director of qtb Advisory Group, spearheading the development of a new Memorandum of Understanding with CQUniversity. This collaboration aims to demonstrate the commitment to work together to achieve several goals, including the integration of First Nations’ knowledge, culture, and professional services expertise into courses, and the development of mentorship and career opportunities for students.
Despite his young age, Jesse brings substantial experience from both the public and private sectors in leadership, finance, business development, human resources, and project management across the human services, health, and criminal justice sectors. By combining his education qualifications and work experience, Jesse is fostering meaningful and impactful partnerships, demonstrating significant impact early in his career.
We congratulate all Alumni Award winners for their outstanding contributions and achievements. If you know alumni who are making a difference in their industry, role or community, please let us know so we can recognise them. Alumni can also be nominated by others or self-nominate for the awards using the Alumni Awards Candidate Proposal Form.
