Sport can help change hearts, minds, and systems. In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, host Michelle Ainsworth speaks with Jamal Elsheikh, Director of Programs and Partnerships at Reflect Forward, an organisation that leverages the power of sport and athletes to tackle racism in Australia.

Jamal shares his powerful personal journey - from surviving a vicious racist attack and growing up across cultures to harnessing the unifying power of sport to drive anti-racism education.

Drawing on insights from his 2022 Churchill Fellowship travels across the UK, US and Switzerland, Jamal outlines why racism is a public health issue, and why education - not punishment - must lead systemic change.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, host Michelle Ainsworth speaks with award-winning journalist and Churchill Fellow Lorena Allam.

Now an industry professor at UTS’s Jumbunna Institute, Lorena reflects on her decades-long media career, the structural racism within journalism, and the transformative insights from her 2023 fellowship exploring truth-telling and media accountability abroad.

From Ireland to the Guardian’s Cotton Capital project, Lorena shares what Australia can learn about confronting colonial legacies. She offers powerful reflections on truth, healing, and the urgent need for media reform to build trust with First Nations communities. A vital conversation about storytelling, history, and systemic change.

Fellowship Sponsor: Lorena was awarded the Barbara Dunstan Churchill Fellowship to investigate the relationship between Indigenous truth-telling initiatives and the media.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to keep the world’s most iconic pianos alive, and sounding extraordinary? Meet Churchill Fellow Paul Tunzi, the master technician-artisan whose journey began when he pulled apart his mother’s piano at age 10.

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, host Michelle Ainsworth explores with Paul’s his 2017 Fellowship across Europe and his mission to preserve endangered artisan skills.

Having prepared instruments for legends including Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea and band performances for Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Tina Turner, Paul reveals the craft, care and passion behind a life spent giving pianos their voice.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eyesight is vital: it impacts how we learn, how we connect, and how we experience the world. But research shows a significant gap in eye and ear health between Australia’s First Nations people and the broader community.

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, Michelle Ainsworth speaks with optometrist Lisa Penrose-Herbert about her unexpected journey into Indigenous eye health, and the impact of her 2016 Churchill Fellowship, sponsored by The Dr Dorothea Sandars and Irene Lee Churchill Fellowship

Lisa shares how her trip through Canada and the US inspired innovative, culturally safe approaches to eye care. From holistic healthcare to AI-powered diabetic retinopathy screening in rural Australia, Lisa also reflects on lessons learned, challenges faced, and the ongoing need for integrated, community-led solutions to close the gap in vision health outcomes.

Fellowship Sponsor: Lisa was awarded The Dr Dorothea Sandars and Irene Lee Churchill Fellowship to explore models of integrated primary health care to improve Indigenous eye health.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when kids get most of their “news” from Instagram and YouTube, and what can actually be done to improve their media literacy?

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, journalist Bryce Corbett joins host Michelle Ainsworth to unpack the urgent need for media literacy in Australia.

As a 2023 Churchill Fellow, Bryce shares how he created Newshounds, a free program helping primary students spot mis- and disinformation, and reflects on his travels as a Churchill Fellow through the US, UK and Europe during a tumultuous news cycle.

He also reveals what Australia can learn from global experts about teaching media literacy in schools- why these critical thinking skills for kids can’t wait.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who gets to participate in public life - and what do toilets have to do with it? Social planner and public toilet advocate Katherine Webber joins host Michelle Ainsworth in this episode of The Churchill Changemakers to unpack how accessible, well-maintained public toilets reflect dignity, safety and community values.

Katherine shares the stories that sparked her research, insights from her Churchill Fellowship travels across North America and Europe, and why public toilets shape mobility and civic participation - especially for parents, older people, people with disabilities, and trans and gender-diverse communities.

She also explores policy gaps, the push for a “minister for toilets,” and how better design can build more inclusive public spaces.

Fellowship Sponsor: Katherine was awarded The Rodney Warmington Churchill Fellowship in 2018 to increase accessibility to public toilets by researching taboos, design, policy and legal barriers

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does Australia’s health system still treat mental and physical health as separate issues?

Psychiatrist Dr Paul Fung tackles this question on this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, drawing on insights from his Churchill Fellowship research across the US, UK and New Zealand.

Paul shares practical, real-world models for integrating mental health into general practice, reducing stigma, and improving access for culturally diverse, regional and underserved communities.

He also explores workforce shortages and the often-overlooked “missing middle,” challenging the idea that more care is always better. In doing so, Paul makes a thoughtful and compelling case for smarter, more equitable health reform.

Fellowship Sponsor: Paul was awarded The Paul Tys Churchill Fellowship to investigate clinical service models that integrate mental health care with General Practice.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know disinformation campaigns can threaten public health. But what can we learn from the tobacco industry, which wrote the disinformation playbook decades ago, and from tobacco control advocates, who have had some huge wins in tackling the issue?

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, host and Churchill Fellow Michelle Ainsworth speaks with public health advocate Christine Morris, a public health specialist whose 1997 Churchill Fellowship helped shape Australia’s fight against tobacco.

Christine shares powerful insights from her time in North America, the creation of landmark campaigns in Australia, including “Every Cigarette is Doing You Damage,” and how those early lessons inform the modern battle against youth vaping.

From disinformation tactics to bold policy moves, this conversation explores how global learnings are driving local change - and what still needs to be done to protect future generations from nicotine addiction.

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.