WINNERS ANNOUNCED
We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 SALIFE Awards, presented by Brand South Australia.
Judging Panel
The shortlisted finalists are assessed by an industry panel of judges.

Andrea Heading
CEO, Real Estate Institute South Australia
Andrea Heading is the CEO of the Real Estate Institute South Australia, she is passionate about building and fostering strong business relationships and believes in authentic engagement.
Her business background is diverse and covers Travel, Automotive, Digital Tech Startups and Government Sectors. She loves a challenge and is particularly fond of working with category disruptors and shaking up more established organisations.
Andrea sits on the Board of the GOGO Foundation, an organisation that is on a mission to support women who have faced complex life barriers into safe and sustainable employment.
Andrea is also a strong supporter of building up a younger talent pool of the next generation of changemakers and has a number of individuals that she provides mentoring support to.

Bruce Djite
Executive Director, Property Council of SA
Bruce is the Executive Director of the South Australian Division of the Property Council of Australia. He was previously CEO of the Committee for Adelaide and Director of Football at the Adelaide United Football Club.
He is currently the Deputy Chair of the West Beach Trust and sits on the Children’s University Australasia Advocacy Board. Bruce is also an SA Rhodes Scholarship Selection Committee member.
His love for football sees him engaged with the game through his role as a Football Analyst on Paramount+ and Network 10 and Bruce was also a Beyond Greatness Champion for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Prior to entering the corporate world, Bruce was a professional footballer, representing the Socceroos, Adelaide United FC as well as clubs in several countries including, Turkey, China, South Korea and Indonesia.

Paul Wood
Food, drinks & Travel Writer
Paul Wood is a food, drinks and travel writer, having written for local, national and international publications. An industry development specialist, he runs an agency that focuses on strategy, projects, sustainability and grant funding for the food and beverage, wine, tourism, and related sectors in SA. Paul was food writer for The Adelaide Review for eight years followed by InReview’s food critic. He is currently searching for perfect bites around the state in his regular SA Life column, Snacks and The City, while serving up a delicious range of strategic and creative culinary projects.

Paul Vasileff
Founder & Creative Director – Paolo Sebastian
Creative Director and Founder, Paul Vasileff, learnt to sew from the age of three. Initially taught by his grandmother he completed his first evening dress at age eleven.
After debuting his first collection at age seventeen to raving reviews from the public and press, Vasileff immediately began taking orders for private clients. Vasileff was granted a scholarship to the prestigious Europeo Instituto di Design in Milan, Italy, where he graduated with honours. After returning to Australia, Vasileff expanded the business to employ and train staff that were equally passionate about honouring the traditions of fine sewing.
In 2017, Vasileff was awarded ‘Young Australian of the Year’ for his work in founding Paolo Sebastian and its contribution to the Australian fashion industry. Vasileff continues to follow his dream, further developing the brand and business with an international clientele, annual showings in Paris, and adhering to the highest standards of craftsmanship.

Heather Croall AM
Director & CEO, Adelaide Fringe
Heather Croall is an experienced CEO and Director known as a visionary in the creative sector who delivers innovative festival programs, new audiences and organisational growth.
Under her leadership, every festival Heather has run has seen an increase in turn over, been met with high critical acclaim, delivered increased ticket sales and expanded audience demographic and in 2023. Heather embraces adaptive and agile leadership methodologies and is known for implementing innovative digital platforms and systems that drive change and growth.
She first worked at the Fringe Star Club in the early 1990’s and also ran the film event, Shoot the Fringe from 1992 to 2002, then was Director at the Australian Documentary Conference before going to the UK to take up Festival Director and CEO role at the Sheffield Doc/Fest from 2005 – 2015.

Jessica Douglas
Manager, Brand South Australia
Jessica Douglas is Manager of Brand SA. She is an established Marketing professional, who has helped grow brands and solve business problems both locally and internationally. Her experience spans government, higher education, FMCG and agency environments.
In her current position, Jessica is charged with developing South Australia’s brand as a valued asset for government, industry and community, to enhance our state as a place to work, live, study and do business.
A passionate South Australian, Jessica is enthusiastic about supporting local products, people and business and seeing them grow beyond SA’s borders.

Liz Walsh
Editor, SALIFE
SALIFE editor, Liz Walsh, has been a journalist for more than two decades, working across multiple publications, including The Port Lincoln Times, The Canberra Times, The Advertiser and Sunday Mail. Liz was appointed SALIFE’s editor in October 2022, but has history with the publication, serving as the magazine’s deputy editor in 2008 and 2009. An award-winning specialist writer, her previous roles have included a stint as Features Editor for the Sunday Mail and a sport reporter for NewsCorp, covering women’s sport, Australian Rules and cricket. She maintains her love of sport and is a boundary-rider for ABC Sport’s live broadcasts of AFL and AFLW games and is co-host of the ABC’s Summer Grandstand program in Adelaide.