Australian of the Year

Zakary Pino leads a movement that has lifted thousands of Canberrans out of loneliness and into genuine connection. 

In 2021, facing anxiety and loneliness, Zakary started Sunday morning walks around Lake Burley Griffin. At first, he walked alone, until word spread and others gradually joined him. 

Over five years, that weekly walk grew into WITH-ME, a charity connecting more than 2,000 people of all ages. Today it offers walking, running, yoga and cooking sessions to people from all walks of life. 

Zakary's work was highlighted as a case study in a submission to the ACT Legislative Assembly's Inquiry into Loneliness and Social Isolation. He recently contributed to research on adolescent loneliness with Adelaide University's Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments. He speaks openly about anxiety and mental health with school students across Canberra, bringing these struggles into the open. 

He proves connection begins with one person willing to show up and keep showing up.