Marie Mansfield Ronni Kahn AO (founder OzHarvest)

A passionate advocate and activist, Ronni Kahn is a social entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of the food rescue charity OzHarvest. Her mission to fight food waste and feed hungry people is supported by thousands of volunteers, celebrated chefs and food donors across the country.

‘I’ve been in awe of OzHarvest for many years, as I watched their yellow vans zipping around Sydney, distributing food to those in need,’ says two-time Archibald finalist Marie Mansfield. ‘When I saw Ronni being interviewed about Refettorio OzHarvest Sydney [a zero-waste restaurant providing free gourmet meals to people in need], it really struck a chord with me.

‘Ronni’s team has created an environment that embodies her philosophy that food is not only about health, but also about caring, sharing and dignity.’

A tonalist painter, Mansfield usually uses a subdued limited palette. ‘On meeting Ronni, I was struck by her warmth, humility and vitality. I had various thoughts on how to paint Ronni in her signature yellow-and-black style. But after trying a range of ideas, I settled on a stillness; her inner values and strong presence silently said it all.’