The Australian Institute of Architects and the Student Organised Network for Architecture (SONA) are delighted to announce the appointment of the 2026 SONA National Leadership Team.
As we look forward to an exciting new year, we are especially pleased to prepare the welcome for our incoming National President, Senlina Mayer. Senlina will bring fresh vision and leadership to SONA, continuing the network’s mission to support, connect, and represent architecture students across the nation.
We also take this opportunity to express thanks to outgoing President Matthew Sabransky, outgoing Vice President for Community Ellie Munn, outgoing Vice President for Advocacy, Orlando Iliopoulos for their outstanding service and leadership over his term.
Farewell and thank you to the 2025 National SONA President, Matthew Sabransky.
Matthew’s tenure as the 2025 National SONA President was characterised by a clear, consistent commitment to the student body across Australia. He has been a dedicated advocate, distinguishing himself through impactful work to genuinely uplift the student experience across Australia.
We wish Matthew, Ellie and Orlando all the very best in his future professional pursuits and look forward to seeing their continued contributions to the architectural profession.
SONA 2025 – YEAR IN REVIEW – Matthew Sabransky
From the big initiatives to the quieter moments of support behind the scenes, each contribution this year has helped strengthen our community and expand what’s possible for architecture students across Australia. In a time of significant change, within universities, the profession, and the world more broadly, it feels especially important to pause and reflect on what we’ve achieved together.
The SONA community is made up of passionate, generous and driven student volunteers from universities across the country, supported by local representatives, the National Executive Team, and the Australian Institute of Architects. Together, we work to ensure architecture students are represented, connected, and empowered. This year, we continued to focus on creating agency for students, enabling them to achieve more.
We aimed to do this by:
SONA continued to represent architecture students at a national and, steadily increasing, international level, advocating for improved educational outcomes, wellbeing, and meaningful engagement with the profession. This year also saw stronger dialogue between students and the Institute, and growing confidence among representatives to speak up, challenge, and contribute to conversations that shape architectural education.
Community remained at the heart of SONA’s work. From local university initiatives to national events, we focused on fostering connection across Australia and beyond. This year, SONA strengthened relationships with student organisations in the USA, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, and beyond, recognising that students benefit enormously from learning across cultures, contexts, and educational systems.
Superstudio continued to be a cornerstone of SONA’s national program, with ‘The Monolith’ theme proving particularly engaging. It challenged students to think critically, speculate boldly, and engage with architecture at a conceptual and disciplinary scale. The level of participation and conversation generated around Superstudio this year was a real highlight.
Professional development initiatives continued to connect students with practical knowledge, resources, and networks, helping to bridge the gap between study and practice, and building confidence as students move toward the profession. Local events run by representatives at each university across Australia included skill-building, portfolio crash courses, and Q&A’s with all manner of members, building up the student network.
None of this would have been possible without the dedication and care of the 2025 SONA Representatives and Executive Team. I would like to sincerely thank Senlina Mayer, Vice President for Professional Development, for her thoughtful and consistent leadership. Senlina brought creativity, structure, and genuine care to this portfolio, ensuring professional development initiatives were both relevant and accessible to students navigating an increasingly complex transition into practice. Senlina’s co-authorship of SuperStudio 2025 increased awareness and student participation in our most connected national event.
Thank you to Ellie Munn, Vice President for Community, whose work quietly but powerfully shaped the culture of SONA this year. Ellie consistently prioritised connection, inclusion, and support. Ellie diligently increased the offering of dePict and ensured students felt welcome, heard, and encouraged to participate.
And thank you to Orlando Iliopoulos, Vice President for Advocacy, for his commitment to student representation and willingness to engage with challenging conversations. Orlando’s considered approach strengthened SONA’s advocacy voice and reinforced the importance of students being active participants in shaping their education and the profession. Orlando helped place student voices on all the Institute’s committees in New South Wales, connected SONA to international student organisations, and opened channels for SONA members to access Architects with Pride.
I am deeply grateful for the time, energy, and care each of you brought to your roles.
Thank you to the Institute staff, committees, and supporters who continue to champion student voices and make SONA’s work possible. Katie Katos and Claudia McCarthy have been amazing resources for SONA; their dedication to our network is what helps the gears to turn in all SONA initiatives nationally. Thank you also to Cameron Bruhn, CEO of the Australian Institute of Architects, for his ongoing support of students as they journey to emerge as architects.
As we wrap up the year, I’m excited to welcome the incoming executive team: I am excited to announce Senlina Mayer as incoming President. I am certain she will excel in the role, and I am eager to see what direction she takes SONA in 2026. Zoe Upadhyay, Vice President for Professional Development; Breeze Mathew, Vice President for Community; and Shriya Jagadish, Vice President for Advocacy. I have no doubt this team will continue to build on SONA’s momentum, bringing fresh perspectives, energy, and ideas to the year ahead.
This message also marks the end of my term as SONA National President. It has been an honour to represent architecture students across Australia and to work alongside such an engaged, generous, and thoughtful community. I am incredibly grateful for the conversations, collaborations, and friendships formed along the way. Being able to listen to students’ experiences and advocate on their behalf has been both grounding and inspiring, and it leaves me optimistic about the future of the profession. As a member, representative, Vice President, eventually President, and most importantly a student, SONA has been an amazing resource.
I wish everyone a restful, joyful, and well-earned break, and I look forward to seeing what the next chapter of SONA brings.
National SONA President 2025
Welcoming Senlina mayer as the Incoming 2026 National SONA President
We are thrilled to welcome Senlina Mayer as the National SONA President for 2026. Senlina brings a dynamic energy and substantial experience to the network.
Her leadership is distinguished by a proven aptitude for effective advocacy and her ability to forge meaningful connections. Her interests in sustainable design, equity and mental wellbeing will be pivotal in shaping SONA’s priorities.
Building on the foundation laid by Matt Sabransky, Senlina will focus on mobilising the SONA Representative body. She will leverage their talent and enthusiasm to drive positive change and ensure the network actively contributes to creating better futures for architecture students nationwide.
"As I step into the role of incoming SONA President, I’m incredibly excited by what SONA represents and what it can continue to become. SONA is more than a student network, it’s a national community that celebrates student work, sparks critical conversations, and gives students a real voice within the architectural profession. It’s where ideas are tested, perspectives are shared, and future practitioners begin shaping the discipline together. Students of the built environment are the designers of our future cities, and the issues we face now matter. Equity, sustainability, and mental wellbeing sit at the heart of my vision for SONA. Too many students still experience barriers linked to financial pressure, cultural background, or geography, and I’m passionate about advocating for more inclusive, supportive, and accessible pathways. Sustainability, for me, goes beyond design outcomes, and starts with embedding climate-responsive thinking into how we learn, collaborate, and engage with industry. Just as importantly, we need to keep talking about mental wellbeing and work towards healthier, more sustainable studio cultures. I believe in leading by listening and connecting across campuses, studios, and conversations internationally. SONA is strongest when it’s truly student-led, so I invite you to collaborate, share your work, contribute ideas, or simply reach out. Let’s shape this network, and our future cities, together."
LOOKING AHEAD
Please join SONA and the Institute in celebrating this exciting leadership transition and in welcoming Senlina Mayer, Zoe Upadhyay, Breeze Mathew and Shriya Jagadish to their new roles. We also encourage everyone to extend thanks to Matthew Sabranski for his contributions and leadership.
Read more about the incoming SONA Vice Presidents and SONA Representatives for 2026.
If you have any ideas, concerns, or possible collaboration opportunities for SONA, reach out at SONA@architecture.com.au.
We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at a SONA event soon.