Ambassadors
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| | | One of Australia’s most loved and respected actors, Jack Thompson has appeared in numerous Australian and American films including the classic SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY(1975), THE CHANT OF JIMMY BLACKSMITH (1978), BREAKER MORANT (1980), - which won him and Australian Film Institute award for Best Actor in a leading role, and an award for Best Supporting Actor at the Cannes International Film Festival, THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER (1982), MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. LAWRENCE (1983), THE SUM OF US (1994), MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL (1997), THE GOOD GERMAN (2006), LEATHERHEADS (2007), AUSTRALIA, MAO’S LAST DANCER (2008) and DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (2009).
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In 1994, Jack Thompson was awarded the Raymond Longford award by the Australian Film Institute for his outstanding contribution to Australian cinema, and in 2009 was awarded the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Lifetime Achievement Award for services to Australian Film and Television.
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Jack Thompson was adopted as a young boy but got to meet his real father 42 years later.
Jack’s birth name was John Hadley Payne. He remembers being at a boarding crèche with his brother and his mother visiting on weekends while his father was at war. After his mother died from an illness, Jack and his brother David were taken to a school at Narrabeen, to Lake House.
It was there he met a boy called Peter Thompson. He was adopted by the Thompson family.
To this day, Peter is both his brother and closest friend.
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| | | Layne Beachley is an athlete and a business woman. Born in 1972, Layne was given up for adoption by her 17-year-old un-wed Scottish mother. At the age of six, she lost her adoptive mother and now credits her father, Neil and family friends for filling the void. At the age of eight, upon discovering she had been adopted, Layne decided she was going to prove her worth by becoming the best in the world at something.
As a youngster Layne thrived on an array of competitive sports. At 16 years Layne set her sights on surfing success, bypassing the amateur contest structure and entering the World Surfing Tour
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at the professional level. By the age of 20, she was ranked number six in the world and beginning the harsh physical training regime that set her apart from every surfing pro of the past two decades.
With such a fierce commitment to her success, in 1993 and 1996 Layne faced the debilitating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
A mental, physical and emotional challenge, Layne fought with depression to overcome this challenge and keep focused on her ultimate goal; to be World Champion. On the flipside, Layne’s refined strength gave her the perfect foundation for big wave surfing, allowing her to push the boundaries both at the legendary Sunset Beach and in the realm of tow-in surfing.
In 1998 Layne’s determination paid off as she achieved the first of six consecutive World Surfing Titles (seven in total), going on to rewrite the history books with the greatest number of consecutive World Championship victories; male or female.
Layne’s competitive drive is now present both in and out of the water. With Blue Kiss by Layne Beachley surf wear available in Myer and Rebel Sports stores nationally, Layne is a budding entrepreneur, willing to learn and dedicated to success. In 2006 Layne herself staged the richest event in women’s surfing history - the Havaianas Beachley Classic at Manly Beach, Sydney. A huge success, and now in it’s 5th year, the event has grown to become one of the most favoured tournaments on the ASP women’s world tour.
In addition to her surfing and business commitments, in 2003 Layne created the Aim for the Stars Foundation to support and promote the academic, sporting, community and cultural dreams of young women across Australia www.aimforthestars.com.au
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| | | Sallianne Deckert started writing articles for newspapers from the family farm in Victoria when she was 12 years old. Her television career began straight out of school and has taken her around the world.
A member of the original Talk to the Animals series in 1997, Sallianne is loving being part of the team again traveling Australia and overseas, reporting and producing her own stories.
Sallianne's other credits include reporter/producer roles with Postcards (Victoria), Today, Mornings with Kerri-Anne, A Current Affair, Getaway and Our House, all on the Nine Network.
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At the end of 2005, Sallianne and her husband Steve adopted a baby girl, Kuleni from Ethiopia. For the last two years they've been living a family adventure based in north east Arnhem Land. Living by the Arafura Sea, their neighbours include crocodiles, buffaloes and dingoes.
The family's approved second adoption file has been waiting in Ethiopia for almost two years. The entire process for this second adoption has taken four years so far. Kuleni is very proud of her birth country and the whole family is really looking forward to travelling back to Ethiopia.
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| | | Dr. Aronson has been a pediatrician since 1986. She has a solo pediatric practice in Manhattan specializing in adoption medicine since 2000 and has evaluated well over 10,000 adopted children; she has traveled to orphanages in Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, China, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Haiti and Latin America while on medical missions. In addition, Dr. Aronson is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at both Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Columbia University.
Since 1997, she has provided direct services to orphaned children through her foundation, Worldwide Orphans Foundation (WWO).
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WWO began its work by creating a “peace corps” for orphanages by commissioning university students and healthcare professionals to support orphans and they are called "Orphan Rangers". Since 1997, Dr. Aronson has funded over 120 Orphan Rangers in a dozen countries.
Over the past 12 years, WWO has created holistic/organic programs for HIV-infected orphans in Ethiopia and Vietnam as well as schools, camps, sports programs, and early intervention programs for orphaned children in many countries.
WWO was in Haiti right after the earthquake to study the crisis for orphans and to provide policy advice and support.
She has been at the forefront of media coverage of orphan issues and is actively involved in advocacy for orphan policies in the world.
Dr. Aronson received an Angel in Adoption Award in 2000 and she was honored by Glamour magazine on November 9, 2009, as one of 10 Women of the Year. She is a parent through adoption and has two sons, Benjamin, 10 yo, from Viet Nam and Desalegn, 11 yo, from Ethiopia.
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