Former Sydney Morning Herald journalist Dr Catherine Keenan was named Australia's Local Hero for 2016 for her work as a youth educator. 
In 2012 Dr Keenan established the Sydney Story Factory, a not-for-profit creative writing centre for marginalised young people.
As the co-founder and executive director of the learning centre, Dr Keenan has opened pathways to higher education and academic achievement for thousands of students, who are often "at risk of losing confidence in their writing and switching off at school".
The centre in Redfern welcomes young students, particularly those from Indigenous and non-English-speaking backgrounds, in free writing programs.
Dr Keenan has helped more than 6000 primary and secondary school children express themselves through creative writing, boosting their self-confidence and engagement with learning.
"Our students inspire me. They always present us with new ways of looking at the world. As my colleague Richard says, our greatest challenge is trying to be as creative as they are," Dr Keenan said in a 2013 interview with Pro Bono Australia.
Dr Keenan was responsible for raising funding for and the training of more than 1200 volunteers, who work one-on-one with the budding writing students.