Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 Past Student Awards

Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87) – Distinguished Past Student

Catherine Greenhill started her academic career as an undergraduate at The University of Queensland, before obtaining her doctorate from the University of Oxford in 1992. She held research positions at the University of Leeds and at the University of Melbourne, then joined UNSW in 2003. Today, she is a Professor and head of the Combinatorics group in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney. Catherine's research provides tools, such as new formulae and algorithms, that shed light on fundamental mathematical objects such as networks. She was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2022.

As well as her mathematical accomplishments, Catherine has worked towards increasing the participation of women and gender diverse people in mathematics in various ways. She was Chair of the Women in Mathematics Special Interest Group of the Australian Mathematical Society (2021-2022) and was a founding organiser of the UNSW “Do The Maths” workshops. These annual workshops have been running since 2006 and aim to inspire young women high school students to study more mathematics and statistics.

Natalie Charlton (’12) – Young Past Student of Distinction

Natalie Charlton is an experienced sports professional with a rich background in numerous and varied positions spanning the industry, including grassroots and community development, broadcast and major events, professional sports team management, and international sport diplomacy.

After graduating from St Margaret’s, Natalie completed a Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of Arts at The University of Queensland, and later, while working in Paralympic sport, completed her Honours thesis in Applied Sport Science at Deakin University, exploring athlete perspectives of the Paralympic pathway.

Natalie now works at Paralympics Australia leading the Performance Pathways Team, advising on the development of Paralympic pathways across Australia to best support athletes and sports through talent identification and development. She is also actively involved in industry leadership and governance, serving as a board member and vice president, and supporting the Australian Sports Commission in developing a framework for intersectionality in sport.

Maggie James (’97) – Spirit of Service Past Student Award Recipient

At St Margaret’s, Music Extension and Biology subjects first sparked Maggie’s fascination with the connection between music and human development. She is now the Clinical Lead of the Music Therapy Department at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and has dedicated 23 years to Children’s Health Queensland.

Maggie specialises in neurologic music therapy within the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, supporting babies, children, and young people who are critically unwell or receiving palliative care. Her work focuses on using music to enhance neurological engagement, activate neural pathways, and promote developmental recovery. Drawing on her MBA, Maggie is committed in creating sustainable, equitable music therapy services that will benefit children and families for years to come.

Her commitment to paediatric care extends globally. She has volunteered in several critical-care orphanages in China, served on the Board of the Butterfly Children’s Hospice, and recently delivered a keynote address at the International Conference on Children’s Music Therapy in Norway, sharing insights on innovation and compassionate practice in paediatric critical care.

Maggie believes that every child and family – regardless of background, circumstance, or complexity – should have access to music to foster meaningful connection, support physical and emotional wellbeing, and enhance quality of life.

Please join us in celebrating Catherine, Natalie and Maggie at this year’s Past Student Awards Dinner on Wednesday 25 March. Tickets are available online: https://paststudents.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/events/view/past-student-awards or by calling the Development and Community Office via (07) 3862 0768.