{"id":22613,"date":"2026-09-30T02:51:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T02:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/30\/two-greek-australian-women-are-on-the-2026-victorian-honour-roll-of-women-greek-city-times\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T02:51:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T02:51:08","slug":"two-greek-australian-women-are-on-the-2026-victorian-honour-roll-of-women-greek-city-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/30\/two-greek-australian-women-are-on-the-2026-victorian-honour-roll-of-women-greek-city-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Greek Australian women are on the 2026 Victorian Honour Roll of Women. \u2013 Greek City Times"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM, a GP, researcher and women\u2019s health advocate, was named a Change Agent<\/strong>. Criminal defence lawyer Lauren Aphrodite Cassimatis was named a Trailblazer<\/strong>.<\/h3>\n

Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Women and Gender Equality, inducted 27 women and gender-diverse people at the Arts Centre Melbourne on 23 September. The roll is 25 years old. Joan Kirner AC, Victoria\u2019s first woman premier, founded it in 2001. 819<\/strong> names now sit on it.<\/p>\n

Simonis<\/strong> works across the surgery, the lab, the classroom and government. Her research on female genital cosmetic surgery helped shape clinical guidelines and Medicare rules meant to protect patients. She has also worked on the National Action Plan for Endometriosis, cervical screening and menopause policy. The citation calls her a leader in putting women into medical leadership.<\/p>\n

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Dr Magdalena Simonis. Photo: Magdalena Simonis\/LinkedIn
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Cassimatis<\/strong> has more than 20 years in criminal defence. She founded Gallant Law and Connecting Lawyer Mums<\/strong>, which began as a blunt social post on her second maternity leave and now has more than 9,000<\/strong> members worldwide. Women are still only about 39 per cent<\/strong> of principal lawyers in Victoria. She speaks on bias, burnout and how mothers stay in the law. She is third-generation Greek Australian \u2014 Kythera and Chios on her grandparents\u2019 side \u2014 and took her grandmother Aphrodite\u2019s name into the profession. She brought her young daughter to the ceremony.<\/p>\n

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Lauren Aphrodite Cassimatis with Victorian Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams. Photo: Lauren Aphrodite Cassimatis\/LinkedIn
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Other <\/a>2026 names include chef Elizabeth Chong AM, neurosurgeon Professor Katharine Drummond AM, and Sister Margaret Ann Noone AM, the first History Heroine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n