Alumnus of the Year, Regional Achievement (December 2024)

Emma Williams is a proud Aboriginal woman of Wakka Wakka descent and an advanced care paramedic with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) on the Sunshine Coast. Working in senior advisory roles within the QAS Cultural Safety Unit, as Co-Chair of the QAS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Committee and Indigenous Liaison Officer for the Sunshine Coast, Emma drives CPR awareness, liaises with stakeholders on health equity and works with the community to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Emma mentors UniSC's Indigenous students and has played an integral role in growing the number of QAS Indigenous Paramedic Program (IPP) cadet positions in her region. Emma has also worked tirelessly raising funds for: Purple House by walking 1,700km unsupported from Alice Springs to Broome; the Black Dog Institute by successfully walking to Everest Base Camp with the Blak Trekkers team; and QAS Legacy by cycling 2,500km solo from Alice Springs to the Sunshine Coast. In 2023, Emma was a finalist of the QBANK Everyday Heroes Awards, celebrating the achievements of workers within Queensland police, fire, health, ambulance, corrections, justice, public service, education and volunteers.