Australian of the Year

Sharon Mamo is a clinical designer and social justice advocate, challenging how Australia supports vulnerable people. 

Born to European wartime orphans, Sharon left school at 15 and experienced homelessness, domestic violence and 25 years of chronic addiction. As a single mother, she struggled to meet welfare requirements while stabilising her family. 

After recovering from substance use, she attended university and studied neuroscience, trauma and human behaviour. She recognised that employment services demanded compliance from people who first needed clinical care. 

Sharon founded Creating New Pathways and later developed SAMMs (Self-Awareness, Motivation and Management) with her daughter, establishing a clinical role for complex needs within employment services. Her principle, stability before capacity, guides her work developing clinical practices and complex needs standards. 

She is a strong voice for vulnerable Australians, working to improve the systems and services they rely on. 

Recognised nationally and internationally, including a 2026 Gold Stevie Award, Sharon has delivered over 38,000 appointments, showing people they mattered.