Professional Excellence
Charles Sturt University Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Professional Excellence
This award recognises outstanding leaders in their industry or profession who have made or are making a significant and positive impact on their communities, their industry or the world.
Winner
Winner: Ben Kereopa-Yorke
Career: Senior Security Consultant - AI at nbn Australia
Course: Grad Cert in Cyber Security, 2022; Master of Cyber Security, 2023; Graduate Certificate in Terrorism and Security Studies, 2024.
Ben Kereopa-Yorke is a pioneering AI security and governance expert and one of Australia’s first dedicated AI security specialists. As Senior Security Consultant—AI at nbn Australia, he protects national infrastructure from emerging threats while championing ethical, inclusive approaches to developing technologies.
Ben co-leads the OWASP Machine Learning Security Top 10 project, designing the widely adopted ‘three pillars’ framework for AI security. The project set a new global benchmark, now referenced by major cybersecurity agencies in Australia, the US and the UK. He bridges technical implementation with strategic governance, helping organisations build capability and confidence in the AI age.
A respected thought leader, Ben serves on the ACS Professional Standards Board and is Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society. He is a published author and a regular contributor to national and global conversations around AI and cybersecurity.
Born deaf, Ben brings to his work a deep understanding and lived experience of how technology can be both empowering and vulnerable. Alongside other postgraduate qualifications, he holds a Master of Cyber Security, Graduate Certificate in Cloud Computing, and Graduate Certificate in Terrorism and Security Studies from Charles Sturt University.
