About Celebrate WA
Celebrate WA is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for promoting and organising the annual WA Day celebrations; promoting excellence and achievement by Western Australians in all fields of endeavour; and encouraging pride in all things Western Australian.
About WA Day
WA Day is a state holiday that has traditionally been held on the first Monday in June, providing a focal point for encouraging participation in a wide range of activities and events that celebrate the Western Australian spirit and our many achievements. However, due to unfavourable winter weather, the WA Day Festival was moved to November in 2024, with the 2025 WA Day metro festival scheduled to take place on 22–23 November at Burswood Park. From 2028 onward, the public holiday itself will shift permanently to the second Monday of November, which in that year will fall on Monday, 13 November.
As Western Australia covers a vast geographic area, with many diverse urban, rural and regional communities as well as a vibrant multicultural population, WA Day celebrations place a strong emphasis on inclusion. The day is designed to bring together all people who call Western Australia home, no matter how long they have lived here, in a shared expression of pride in the state and its achievements.
Scott Jones is the current Group CEO for Navitas and former Chairman for Snap Fitness 24/7.
Prior to joining Navitas, he was the CEO of SAE Institute and a Graduate of Curtin University with Bachelor of Commerce, Management and Marketing.
Scott is also a Graduate of the Australian Company Directors Course (GAICD) and contributing to the CWA strategic vision.
Mark McCrory has been the General Manager of the Channel 7 Telethon Trust since December 2019.
Prior to joining Telethon, he held several executive positions at the City of Joondalup for more than a decade and was a journalist before joining the local government sector.
Mark is a Graduate of the Australian Company Directors Course (GAICD) and also sits on the ECU Business and Law Advisory Board.
Maryna Fewster is the Chief Executive Officer of Seven West Media WA and had previously been the company’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Seven West Media, she was Chief Operating Officer of iiNet and held senior executive roles in the Telecommunications sector in Australia and New Zealand for over two decades. Maryna is a Non-Executive Director of Crown Resorts Perth and a Trustee of The Channel 7 Telethon Trust.
Tanya Eales is a People and Culture expert having recently been appointed as the Executive General Manager People & Culture for Crown Perth.
Prior to joining Crown, she held the position of Chief People Officer at NRW Holdings and prior to that has held several executive positions at WesTrac, and Woolworths Group, responsible for the strategic direction and delivery of the People and Culture plans across many businesses. Tanya is also an Advisory Board Member for the Australian Institute of Management.
Tanya is a passionate West Australian supporting CWA in its quest to celebrate everything great about this state.
Meath Hammond is a strategic advisor and corporate affairs leader with over two decades of global experience across the mining, energy, and government sectors. Currently serving as Special Advisor to the Premier within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Meath brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, reputation management, and navigating complex political and regulatory environments in the resources sector.
Previously, Meath was BHP Head of Corporate Affairs for Western Australia and prior to this role spent several years in Houston, leading corporate affairs for North American Shale & Minerals. His career also includes a decade at Woodside Petroleum, with roles in both Perth and Karratha.
Meath has held various board and advisory positions, including with the David Wirrpanda Foundation, UWA Business School, Port Hedland Industries Council, and Committee for Perth. He is a CEDA Trustee and a passionate advocate for strong community, government, and industry partnerships.
Fiona Kalaf, formerly General Manager, Projects at APM, is a Non-Executive Director of Euroz Hartleys Group Limited and Perth Festival, and a former Deputy Presiding Member of Healthway. She has held numerous senior executive and directorship roles, including CEO of Lifeline WA and Youth Focus, executive roles at Wesfarmers and HBF, and Chair of the Art Gallery of WA.
Fiona holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Business Administration (Advanced). Fiona has also completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management course at Harvard Business School.
Ben is a former Australian Government Minister formerly holding the portfolios of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Minister for the Public Service and Special Minister of State. Ben represented the Western Australian electorate of Tangney in the Australian Parliament.
Before entering Federal Parliament Ben worked for Western Australian building and building supply company BGC and before that was CEO and Campaign Director of the Liberal Party of Australia (WA Division) between 2008 and 2015.
Ben currently holds a range of non-executive director roles, Commissioner – Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA), Director – Southern Ports Authority and Director – The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.
Having grown up on the NSW Central Coast, Ben and his wife Asta have called WA home since 2008 and will continue to do so with their children Harrison and Madeleine.
James is the Group Financial Controller at Clemenger Group Limited based in Melbourne and a Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant (FCPA).
James has over 15 years of experience in financial reporting and business improvement across media & advertising, retail, mining services, travel and financial services industries.
A proud West Australian born and bred in Perth, James’s passion towards making WA great transpires in everything he does both personally and professionally.
