Dr Alison Thompson founded Third Wave Volunteers, which has grown into a network of more than 30,000 humanitarian volunteers worldwide.
Alison has been at the scene of major natural disasters including cyclones, earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis. In 2010, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her volunteerism, bravery and contribution to mankind. Her award-winning documentary The Third Wave chronicles her volunteer experience in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami and was screened at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. She followed up with a book, The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story.