Elleni Bereded-Samuel was born in Ethiopia and is the first African Commissioner for the Victorian Multicultural Commission. She has focused her life's work on strengthening education, training and employment for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia.

Elleni is now the Community Engagement Advisor and Coordinator at Victoria University. Her dynamic leadership has resulted in new solutions for community to access and participate in society. She is on the Board of Directors of the Royal Women’s Hospital and chairs the Community Advisory Committee, and was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of SBS (Australia’s multicultural broadcasting service, which broadcasts on television, radio and via the internet in more than 60 languages). Commissioner Bereded-Samuel is also on the Australian Government’s Social Inclusion Board.

Elleni was one of the recipients of the Victoria University Vice-Chancellor’s Citations and Award for Outstanding Engagement with CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) communities in Australia. She also received Victoria’s premier award for Excellence in Multicultural Affairs Education, and a Prime Minster’s International Year of Volunteers Award. Her name has been included on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. Elleni also received the 2008 Diversity@Work Individual Champion Award for Diversity and Inclusion and was presented with this accolade by Sir Bob Geldof.

In 2006, Elleni was named on the “Who’s Who of Australian Women”. In 2008, she was selected as one of twelve significant women in the state of Victoria as part of the 100 years of women’s suffrage reflection and celebration. Elleni was also invited to participate in, and contribute to, the “Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion” stream of the Australian Government’s Australia: 2020 Summit.