ONE OF THE HILLS FINEST ...
Peter says his wife , Nicole , is his strongest supporter . by Lorna Gordon
On 21st December 2021 Dr Peter Gangemi was declared the new Mayor of the Hills Shire Council and he was sworn into office on 23rd December just before the Christmas . While you may have read about his views and policies for the Shire , I ’ m excited to give you an insight into who he is away from the political arena .
Mayor Gangemi grew up on acreage in Box Hill and attended St Madeline ’ s Primary School , from there he attended Oakhill Collage in Castle Hill , where he was on the Student Representative Council .
After high school his interest in mathematics and science led him to attend the University of New South Wales ( UNSW ) where he got a Batchelor ’ s degree and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering . His father was an inspiration to him pursuing this field of education , being an engineer himself .
“ Engineering was just a natural fit and so I completed my degree at university , then my PhD , before pursuing employment in the industry . I was fortunate that great opportunities fell my way in a field that is a passion of mine ,” Peter said .
From his early days as a student rep in high school , Peter was encouraged to volunteer his time and give back to the community , which he was happy to do .
“ I was a scout , and then joined the Hills Youth Committee and volunteered my time on the Hills Relay for Life Committee . I then put my hand up and
was fortunate to be selected as a Hills Shire Youth Ambassador ,” he explained .
“ It was a great opportunity to learn about the function of council and provide input to what issues most impacted the youth of the area . I continued to volunteer at council events and initiatives , such as Youth Week .”
His time as Youth Ambassador gave him insight into what council provided for its residents and was a catalyst for him to step up again and put himself forward to be a councillor , which he achieved in 2012 .
“ As the Youth Ambassador , I was able to travel around the Shire and see even more of it , and this only increased my desire to help out and serve the community . I believe The Hills Shire is the best community in the world . I knew this was an incredible area and home to communities with limitless potential ,” Peter said .
Part of Dr Gangemi ’ s role as a councillor was to get involved in the Western Sydney Academy of Sport . At first he was on the Advisory Committee , and was then asked to serve on the school board . When he told me about his passion for sports and impressive personal achievements , it was no surprise that he has been happy to get involved with the sporting careers of young athletes .
“ Whether watching or participating , I have always had a passion for sport . I ’ ve run 10 marathons , 25 City to Surfs and I ’ ve done plenty of long-distance cycling events .”
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6 ISSUE 80 // FEBRUARY 2022 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT