From a woman who escaped pirates leaving Vietnam after the war to a team fighting for people with dementia, Ageing Australia is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 You are ACE! Awards.
These outstanding 15 individuals, teams and organisations exemplify excellence across aged care, retirement living and seniors housing.
Selected from a group of finalists in each category – with almost 500 nominations from across Australia – they all demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation and commitment to improving the lives of older Australians.
“The You Are Ace Awards shine a spotlight on the dedication, care and compassion that flows across our sector every day,” Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson said.
“These winners are true champions of aged care. They demonstrate what is possible when we put older Australians at the centre of everything we do. Their dedication, innovation and leadership are shaping a better future for older people every day.”
“The calibre of nominations this year reflects the incredible depth of talent and commitment across Australia’s aged care, seniors housing and retirement living sector.”
Among the winners is Nicky Chung, who was victorious in the Individual Leadership category for her work as Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association (AVWA).
The AVWA provides Support at Home services to nearly 1,500 clients, operates 25 social support groups across Victoria and will deliver over 40,000 meals to people’s homes this year.
Nicky says her work is incredibly important because the first wave of Vietnamese immigrants who came to Australia after the war “are now reaching their later years.”
“My own family was part of that,” Nicky says. “We arrived in Australia as ‘boat people’ in 1979 after fleeing our homeland. Along the way, we were attacked by pirates at sea before being rescued by a Thai fishing boat, and spending time in a refugee camp in Thailand.”
Another winner is the Marketing and Communications team at Goodwin Aged Care Services in the Australian Capital Territory, who have been awarded the top prize in the Team – Making A Difference category.
They transformed participation in Dementia Australia’s Memory Walk & Jog (MW&J) from a single annual fundraising event into a sustained, community‑led movement for dementia advocacy.
The Team Goodwin campaign mobilised residents, staff, families, schools, businesses and community leaders to reduce stigma, strengthen social connection and generated meaningful support for people living with dementia.
They initiate practice walks across 16 sites, enabling more than 800 residents, clients, staff and community members, including those unable to attend the main event, to participate meaningfully.
Please find the full list of winners of the 2026 Ageing Australia You are ACE! Awards below:
Individual categories
Consumer focus and care: Cheryl Hahn, Southern Cross Care, WA
Innovation: Julie Southern, Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution, NSW
Leadership: Nicky Chung, Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, VIC
Rising star: Katie Butler, Buckland Aged Care Services, NSW
Volunteer: Dawn Weyland, Resthaven Inc., SA
Team categories
Consumer focus and care: Lifestyle and Wellness group, K-Life, QLD
Innovation: Pressure Injury Care Project Team, Alwyndor, SA
Making a difference: Marketing and Communications Team, Goodwin Aged Care Services, ACT
Project: Project Control Group, Warramunda, VIC
Teamwork: Administration Team, Brotherhood of St Laurence Clifton Hill, VIC
Organisation categories
Consumer focus and care: Australian Multicultural Community Services, VIC
Excellence: St Basil’s, SA
Innovation: Lifeview, VIC
Making a difference: Activus Transport, NSW
Rural and remote: Forest View Care Childers, QLD
The full list of finalists for the You are ACE! Awards can be found on Ageing Australia’s website: 2026 You are ACE! Awards | Ageing Australia
