The appointment of Adama Kamara as Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Refugee Council of Australia marks a significant and inspiring moment for refugee advocacy in Australia. Sharing the leadership role alongside long-serving CEO Paul Power, Kamara steps into this position with deep lived experience, community credibility and a proven track record of leadership.
Born in Sierra Leone, Kamara’s life journey reflects the very realities the Council works to address. She was in Australia with her family during her father’s university studies when civil war erupted in their home country. Unable to return, the family sought asylum and later became actively involved in sponsoring and supporting other refugees displaced by the same conflict. That early experience shaped a lifelong commitment to justice, protection and community empowerment.
Adama Kamara (left) and Paul Power (right), Co-CEO of the council
Before joining the Council, Kamara built extensive experience across non-profit, health and local government sectors in Western Sydney, focusing on capacity building and leadership development. She is also widely recognised for initiating and leading the multi-award-winning “Refugee Camp In My Neighbourhood” project, an initiative designed to raise awareness and foster empathy by helping Australians better understand the realities of displacement.
Since her appointment as Deputy CEO in January 2021, Kamara has strengthened advocacy efforts on issues affecting recently arrived refugees and people seeking asylum. Her leadership has contributed to sharper policy engagement and stronger representation of refugee voices in national conversations. Her elevation to Co-CEO signals not only continuity but evolution — a leadership model that reflects shared responsibility and inclusive governance.
Paul Power, who has served as CEO since 2006, has long championed the inclusion of people with lived refugee experience in advocacy and community engagement. Under his leadership, refugee representatives have participated in key international discussions on refugee policy, while local and national refugee-led networks have been supported to grow and influence public debate. The co-leadership structure builds on this foundation, reinforcing the principle that those directly affected by displacement must be central to shaping solutions.
Kamara’s appointment carries broader symbolic weight. At a time when global displacement is at record levels, leadership that bridges lived experience and institutional influence is more important than ever. Her journey — from forced displacement to national leadership — reflects resilience, contribution and the transformative potential of inclusive societies.
As the Refugee Council of Australia enters this new chapter, the message is clear: advocating for the fair treatment of people seeking protection is a shared responsibility. With Adama Kamara as Co-CEO, that commitment is not only reaffirmed — it is powerfully embodied.
