About the Medallion
The Medallion is named in honour of Nance Dickins, one of the most important figures in the AIIA’s history.
Nance Dickins served the Institute for almost three decades, from 1946 to 1975 — first as Victorian Secretary, then as National Secretary and Executive Officer. A graduate in Arts from the University of Melbourne, she had earlier worked for the Red Cross and the Commonwealth public service before dedicating her career to the AIIA.
In an era when the National Council met only twice a year, it was Nance Dickins who held the organisation together between meetings. Historian John Legge, in his history of the AIIA, described her responsibilities: preparing agendas for Council meetings, keeping the accounts, maintaining correspondence with other branches, managing correspondence relating to the Institute’s research program, and seeing The Australian Outlook through the press. Legge called her “the one continuing element in the work of the national organisation.”
In 1977, Professor W. Macmahon Ball put it simply: “It would be hard to over-estimate the worth of what Nance Dickins did for so many years — overworked and underpaid.”
The Medallion was proposed by former AIIA National President Allan Gyngell AO FAIIA, who considered it essential that the Board retain a way of marking outstanding service to the Institute, and who wished to see that recognition permanently linked to Nance Dickins’ name and legacy.
Meet the Recipients
2025 Inaugural Recipient- Zara Kimpton OAM FAIIA
Zara Kimpton OAM FAIIA is the inaugural recipient of the Nance Dickins Medallion, the AIIA’s highest honour for outstanding service to the Institute.
Zara’s contribution to the AIIA spans decades and both branch and national levels of the organisation. She previously served as President of AIIA Victoria and as National Vice President of the AIIA, roles in which she was instrumental in shaping the Institute’s direction and strengthening its work across the country.
The Nance Dickins Medallion was conceived by former AIIA National President the late Allan Gyngell AO FAIIA, who was insistent that Zara Kimpton should be its first recipient. The AIIA Board confirmed his wish in November 2025, awarding Zara the inaugural Medallion in recognition of her exceptional and sustained service to the Institute.
Zara’s contribution to the AIIA spans decades and both branch and national levels of the organisation. She previously served as President of AIIA Victoria and, for many years, as National Vice President, roles in which she was instrumental in shaping the Institute’s direction and strengthening its work across the country. Beyond these formal positions, Zara has sat on countless committees, bringing a meticulous eye for detail to the Institute’s meetings and minutes that few could match. Colleagues have long regarded her as the administrative soul of the organisation — the person who quietly kept things running. She is also a Fellow of the AIIA and, for many years, has been one of its most generous donors.
As its inaugural recipient, Zara Kimpton embodies the same spirit of tireless service as the award’s namesake.