Council employee a finalist at LGPro Awards for Excellence 2025

Last updated on 15 May 2025

A leading industry body has recognised a Council employee for her leadership in emergency management and community service, through a successful nomination in an annual awards process.

Emergency Management Officer, Kiara Noonan, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Young Achiever category of the 2025 LGPro Awards for Excellence: awards promoting and celebrating the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by those working in local government in Victoria.

Since beginning her career at Council in Aquatics and Fitness as a swimming instructor and lifeguard in 2016, the 29-year-old has gone on to contribute through various emergency and non-emergency related roles, including currently serving as Council’s Deputy Municipal Recovery Manager.

Kiara has played a pivotal role in strengthening Council's emergency management capabilities, including leading a targeted recruitment and training strategy for those Council staff with emergency on-call responsibilities, ensuring a sustainable emergency response workforce.

Outside of her significant Council contributions over the past nine years, Kiara’s 27-year commitment to calisthenics has placed her as a well-known leader and mentor in the space for young women joining the sport. Her 10 years of CFA service – including administrative and leadership roles within the Redesdale CFA Brigade – reflect her unwavering dedication to community safety and resilience.

CEO Bernie O’Sullivan congratulated Kiara on her successful nomination and said her unique blend of strategic vision, hands-on leadership, and dedication to her communities made her an exceptional candidate for the LGPro Young Achiever Award.

“You need look no further than the recent Bullengarook fires to exemplify Kiara’s strategic thinking and ability to make decisions under pressure, working in collaboration with her other hard-working colleagues,” he said.

“Regardless of the result at the awards night, we’re really proud to have such a conscientious, friendly and willing young leader such as Kiara among our staff – she's already a winner in our books.”

Winners will be announced at the LGPro Awards for Excellence Dinner, to be held on Thursday 5 June 2025 at Grand Hyatt Melbourne.