Individually, Elena Giannini, Katy Eng and Luisa Dalli are powerhouse contributors to the MFA community - driving initiatives within their own agencies and across the industry. As members of the MFA DE&I advisory council, they have been championing the push for a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry.
This year, their leadership on Project Diverse - a landmark initiative modernising audience planning data by integrating more inclusive methodologies and datasets - has earned them the 2025 MFA Industry Contribution Award.This year, their leadership on Project Diverse - a landmark initiative modernising audience planning data by integrating more inclusive methodologies and datasets - has earned them the 2025 MFA Industry Contribution Award.
In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Elena, Katy and Luisa represented the MFA DE&I Advisory Council in working with leading research company Roy Morgan to rethink the way Australian demographics are captured in advertising data. The result? A bold rethink of audience data, with new Roy Morgan Single Source survey questions designed to better reflect the full spectrum of Australia's population - from cultural heritage to health conditions, neurodiversity and other key characteristics that contribute to Australia's vibrant social fabric.
"Change often happens because people have the tenacity and commitment to driving it," says Aimee Buchanan, CEO of WPP Media Australia & New Zealand, and a key supporter of the project. "That is certainly the case of the work done by the dynamic trio of El, Katy and Luisa. They not only saw the problem, but they understood the power of driving change in this space."
Thanks to the trio's leadership, every Roy Morgan database subscriber now has access to richer, more representative and diverse audience insights. This is more than just an update - it's a structural reform that transforms the way campaigns are planned. The outcome is sharper insights, more effective targeting, and stronger connections between brands and Aussies.
"Planning starts with the data, and the most common sources of industry data were not representative of Australia's diversity," Buchanan adds. "El, Katy and Luisa passionately advocated for the inclusion of different questions to ask the things we had never asked before, and agitated to have more targeted publications included in the surveys. Ensuring representation in the data is a monumental step to ensure representative investment more broadly. This trio are true Changers, driving change in an unseen part of our industry."
The enhanced dataset now includes questions around physical and mental health as well as neurodivergent experiences. Later this year, it will expand further to include diverse media channels and capture cultural and language media preferences. Elena, Katy and Luisa are also in discussions with Nielsen to update their dataset - ensuring the work continues.
These improvements ensure the data not only reflects who Australians are, but how they consume and connect with media. As a result, agencies are now empowered with the tools to drive data-backed, meaningful change.
Imogen Hewitt, Publicis Groupe ANZ Chief Media Officer & CEO of Spark Foundry ANZ, was another early supporter of Project Diverse. "It's the kind of project that, despite its enormous importance, could easily never have happened," she says.
"Quite simply this significant step forward for diverse representation in our industry's audience data is the consequence of El, Katy and Luisa's personal passion, commitment and conviction. Together their determination to make a difference is tireless and this is just the beginning." They identified an opportunity for better representation. They articulated it persuasively. They pursued it relentlessly and they made real and meaningful change happen. In fact, they perfectly capture the spirit, intent and impact of being a Changer."
Linda Wong, MFA Director of People, also praises the trio's commitment to inclusivity and highlights the impact of their work. "What Elena, Katy and Luisa have achieved marks the start of a significant shift in how our industry approaches research and representation," Wong says. "By modernising audience planning data, they have ensured that the full richness of Australia's population is finally being reflected in the way media agencies and marketers plan and buy media.
"And in living up to our industry purpose of We Are The Changers, they have raised the bar for what meaningful industry contribution looks like - showing how bold ideas, when backed by commitment, can create lasting positive change in our industry and society at large. This well-deserved award recognises their vision and determination, but also the powerful impact of collaboration."
Through Project Diverse, Elena, Katy and Luisa have proven that lasting change is born from collaboration, determination and vision. Their impact will reverberate across society, as the work of media agencies becomes better informed by - and more representative of the real Australia.