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Abdi grew up in Mogadishu until the outbreak of Somalia’s devastating civil war separated him from his family and home. He fled Mogadishu with 300 others and headed for the Kenyan border. On the way, death squads hunted them. Abdi and a group of other boys were caught and lined up to be executed. Miraculously the bullets missed Abdi but he fell to the ground and feigned death. Of the 300 who set out from Mogadishu, only five survived to reach Kenya.
From Kenya, Abdi’s journey took him to Romania, Germany and finally Australia. Arriving in Melbourne as a 15 year old asylum seeker, Abdi was penniless and homeless for a year, but he went on to put himself through university, become a youth worker, and forge a new life for himself and his family.
In 2012 he starred in Series 2 of ‘Go Back to Where You Came From’.
» Read more about Abdi AdenVictoria
Clue by clue, chapter by chapter, David Astle’s Puzzled meanders through the maze of a cryptic crossword, showing you the dark secrets and wondrous tricks of wordplay. ‘He’s the Sergeant Pepper of cryptic crosswords,’ says award-winning Australian actor Geoffrey Rush.
» Read more about David AstleVictoria
Tim Baker is Australia’s favourite surfing writer, a former editor of Tracks and Surfing Life magazine, who has written a string of best-selling surfing biographies and collected surf stories. He has twice received the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame Culture Award and been shortlisted for the CUB Australian Sports Writing Awards.
» Read more about Tim BakerQueensland
Emilie Zoey Baker is an international poetry slam champion who will excite and delight all ages about poetry written for both page and stage.
» Read more about Emilie Zoey BakerVictoria
Rachel Berger is one of Australia’s most highly regarded, adept, and adaptive comedic talents, working variously as a broadcaster, comic, novelist, columnist, agitator and television entertainer. Rachel’s dynamic presence and engagingly sharp observations have made her an extremely popular performer both live and on television, across Australia and overseas.
» Read more about Rachel BergerVictoria
Lola Berry’s Inspiring Ingredients is a renown health and cook book aimed to inspire you to control weight, boost energy and love food.
» Read more about Lola BerryVictoria
Tony Birch is a writer of short fiction, novels and essays. He is also an educator and teacher of writing and history.
» Read more about Tony BirchVictoria
Described as ‘Australia’s best known academic’ by ABC radio and a ‘celebrity academic’ by other media, Karen lectures on the areas of youth, sexuality and popular culture using a psychoanalytical model. Karen has also worked as a professional actress, a children’s playwright, an Army Officer in the Royal Australian Army Survey Corp, a checkout-chick, an assessment clerk with the NRMA, a waitress, a dress-boutique manager, a theatre director, a wife (twice), and a mother (twice over too!).
» Read more about Dr Karen BrooksQueensland
Lauren Burns OAM, Naturopath, Nutritionist, Herbalist (BHSc) Olympic Gold Medallist, Taekwondo Sydney 2000
Lauren Burns created sporting history by winning the first Olympic gold medal for Taekwondo when the sport made its debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The nation watched as Lauren’s victory brought the Australian public and Olympic crowd to its feet. Before her Olympic win, few people knew that Lauren had been 12 times Australian Champion and had achieved a string of international titles including numerous medals at world championship level.
» Read more about Lauren BurnsVictoria
Dr Leslie Cannold is an author, commentator, ethicist and activist. Her books include the award-winning The Abortion Myth and What, No Baby? which made the Australian Financial Review’s top 101 books list. Her first novel, The Book of Rachael was published in 2011 by Text. Leslie is often noted as one of Australia’s leading thinkers. In 2005 she was listed alongside Professor Peter Singer, Professor Gustav Nossal and Inga Clendinnen as one of Australia’s top 20 public intellectuals. In 2011 she was named Australian Humanist of the Year.
» Read more about Dr Leslie CannoldVictoria
Jane Caro is an author, novelist, award winning advertising writer and political/social commentator. She is a funny, warm and engaging speaker in high demand both on podiums and on radio and TV for her straight – talking style. She is passionate about connecting with people through words – whether spoken, written or broadcast and loves to tell a story.
» Read more about Jane CaroNew South Wales
Danielle Clode is a zoologist and natural history writer. She also teaches professional and creative writing.
» Read more about Danielle ClodeSouth Australia
Simon Coronel is one of the most skilled illusionists in the Southern Hemisphere. Using pure dexterity and no tricky props, he creates live performance art that seems utterly impossible.
He is the winner of more than 15 international awards, and in 2009 became the fourth Australian in history to win an award at the FISM World Championships of Magic and Illusion. He has appeared on TV in four countries and is one of the few Australians to be regularly invited to perform at the world famous Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood.
» Read more about Simon CoronelVictoria
Sophie Cunningham worked in publishing for twenty years before becoming the Chair of the Literature Board of the Australia Council. She is well known for her work as the editor of Meanjin, and is the author of two novels, Geography (2004) and Bird (2008) as well as the non-fiction Melbourne.
» Read more about Sophie CunninghamVictoria
As a trained social worker and teacher Chris Daicos has extensive experience in working directly with children and adolescents in schools. Chris can talk to welfare staff, teaching staff, and parents.
» Read more about Chris DaicosVictoria
Hanifa Deen is an award-winning author and social commentator with extensive public speaking experience: Audiences around Australia, at writers’ festivals, conferences, seminars and debates have heard her speak on a range of topical and literary subjects.
An ex-English literature teacher, Hanifa can also guide secondary students to a better understanding of Australian curriculum themes of Identity, Belonging and Australian history. Her aim is to inform and entertain.
» Read more about Hanifa DeenVictoria
Mary is a writer, award winning ABC Journalist and former Education Minister. She is National Director of Writing Australia and Chair of Orchestra Victoria. She was the first female solo prime time TV newsreader in Victoria, and the first female Planning Minister in Victoria.
» Read more about Mary DelahuntyVictoria
Catherine Deveny is a comedy writer, comedian, author, social commentator and broadcaster well known for her work as a columnist with The Age and as an ABC regular. Deveny has been named in the Top 100 Most Influential Melbournians. She is an atheist and (along with two of her sons) dyslexic. Her extensive charity and community work includes the Asylum Seeker’s Resource Centre, Homelessness and Broken Rites. She is a proud ambassador for Dying With Dignity Victoria, International Day of People with Disability, and the Patron (alongside Father Bob) of Griefline. Catherine was also one of the founding members of Friends of Public Housing.
» Read more about Catherine DevenyVictoria
Mark Dobson is a performance coach that advises some of the most elite athletes on the planet. He was a founding member of New York City’s first University for talented teenagers which was acknowledged by President Barack Obama for its educational innovation. He is a captivating and entertaining speaker that offers very strategic advice on performing at your best.
Mark will take expressions of interest for student welfare/development days with schools in Western Australia and other states in 2012.
» Read more about Mark DobsonVictoria
Sean Dooley is a Melbourne author who has worked as a television comedy writer. He is a contributor to The Age, ABC radio and 3RRR, writing and talking about birds, environmental issues, sport and, well, anything, really. But his greatest claim to fame is that in 2002 he broke the Australian birdwatching record for seeing the most species in the one year. He then wrote about it in The Big Twitch, thereby publicly outing himself as a bird-nerd.
» Read more about Sean DooleyVictoria
Declan Fay is one of Australia’s leading comedy writers and motivational speakers. He has performed at the Comedy festival, The fringe Festival and written for some of the best (and worst) television shows. He has spoken at over 600 different schools around Australia. He has never been pelted with fruit, although his dad once threw a Whopper with cheese at him for talking during the Bill.
Declan will take expressions of interest for student welfare/development days with schools in Western Australia and other states in 2012.
» Read more about Declan FayVictoria
Evelyn Field is an international expert in managing school and workplace bullying. She answers the big question, “Help, I am being bullied! How can I block the bullying myself when others don’t?”
» Read more about Evelyn FieldVictoria
Arabella Forge is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), television presenter and food writer. She is the author of the cookbook Frugavore: How to Grow Your Own, Buy Local, Waste Nothing and Eat Well (Black Inc 2010) which has been published and distributed throughout Australia and the USA. Arabella presents a regular segment on food and gardening for Channel 10’s Love to Share Food and is a spokesperson for The Markets of Melbourne.
» Read more about Arabella ForgeVictoria
Giulia Giuffre is the author of Primavera, an Australian-Italian memoir of childhood and family in the second half of the 20th Century. It has been described as an ‘exuberant, bittersweet encyclopaedia of life in general’.
» Read more about Giulia GiuffreNew South Wales
Morris is one of Australia’s most successful authors. He was born in England and emigrated to Australia in 1969 so he could escape from school and become a Very Famous Writer. Before realising that dream, he had a colourful career as a paperboy, department store Santa Claus and chicken defroster. Morris is the author of some of Australia’s favourite children’s books, including Two Weeks with the Queen, Boy Overboard, Once, Then, and Grace.
» Read more about Morris GleitzmanVictoria
Anna Goldsworthy is a prize-winning classical pianist and writer. She an engaging speaker and performer, and is passionate about bringing the lessons of classical music to the widest possible audience. She is Artist Director of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival.
» Read more about Anna GoldsworthySouth Australia
Tiffiny Hall is a radiant role model. Author, journalist and trainer on Channel Ten’s The Biggest Loser. She has empowered kids with anti-bullying programs and messages of health and confidence in schools for over ten years. In 2012 she adds children’s author to her extensive list of talents with the debut of her series Roxy Ran. The health hero is also a graduate of Melbourne University with Bachelor of Arts/Media and Communications and a Diploma of Modern Languages in French. Her school sessions empower her audience with fun activities that encourage reading, creativity, health, confidence and self-esteem.
» Read more about Tiffiny HallVictoria
Nicholas Hansen’s first feature documentary Rash was awarded the Best Australian Documentary Film from the Critics Circle of Australia Awards in 2005. Nicholas is passionate about documentary and produces and directs the successful outcomes of short, feature documentaries and multi-platform online storytelling. In 2011 Nicholas completed the one hour documentary Breaking The News about two local East Timorese journalists who a decade after independence still struggle to freely report the ongoing turmoil of their country.
» Read more about Nicholas HansenVictoria
Fiona is the author of two books in the recently released Hardie Grant Egmont series, Forever Clover, and is currently writing three more books for the second series. She also wrote the third series of the popular children’s ABC television show, Prank Patrol.
She is one of Australia’s top female performers and writers, having written and performed on television shows Skithouse, Comedy Inc, The Librarians and Flipside. She has also worked on programs such as Mr & Mrs Murder, Tangle, The Time of Our Lives, Offspring and Beaconsfield.
» Read more about Fiona HarrisVictoria
Barry Heard is Scribe Publication’s bestselling author. His first book, Well Done Those Men is used in over one hundred high schools throughout Australia in both History and English subject areas. Barry visits these schools to give talks on the book. Now claimed as a classic, the author has received over 100 000 emails and some 30 000 letters in response to the book. The book is essential reading in most Australian University History faculties.
Barry has been involved with fund raising for the Hope Foundation, the Fred Hollows Foundation, Books for Bhutan, and the Repatriation Hospital Heidelberg. His writing has garnered him the Weary Dunlop Award and the Sir Edmund Herring award, and he is a five time winner of the Veteran Community short story competition.
» Read more about Barry HeardVictoria
Justin is an awkward, sorry, award-winning writer and performer who is heard on Triple J and read in Frankie magazine. He is best known as folk-comedy sensation The Bedroom Philosopher, writer of hilarious and thought provoking songs, (educational too).
» Read more about Justin HeazlewoodVictoria
Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson is the Principal of the School of Thinking (SOT). He is a former colleague of Edward de Bono and holds the world’s first PhD in Lateral Thinking. SOT is the longest running global program for the teaching of thinking skills.
» Read more about Dr Michael Hewitt-GleesonVictoria
Kate Holden is the author of the best-selling In My Skin and a columnist for The Age. She speaks frankly and movingly of her time as a heroin addict and sex worker, talks of personal dignity and survival, and also speaks about her writing career as a memoirist and freelancer.
» Read more about Kate HoldenVictoria
Shane Horsburgh is a former counter terrorism operator who has turned his hand to developing inner peace and productivity in people of all ages, especially young men. His inspirational story Fighting Blind highlights the perils of pursuing an ego driven life. It provides an entertaining and colourful background to his programs which deal with issues such as harassment/bullying, self-awareness and achieving high performance.
» Read more about Shane HorsburghAustralian Capital Territory
From Melbourne to Edinburgh, comedian Sammy J has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting and inventive performers on the international scene. You may have seen him on Spicks and Specks, Good News Week or Talkin’ Bout Your Generation and read his articles in The Age.
» Read more about Sammy JVictoria
Toni Jordan’s debut novel, the international best-seller Addition, was published in 2008 and shortlisted for both the Barbara Jefferis award and the ABIA best general fiction book, longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and won best debut fiction in the 2008 Indie awards. Addition was published in 16 countries and has been optioned for film. Her second novel, Fall Girl, was published in November 2010 in Australia and will be published in 2011 in the UK, Germany, France and Taiwan.
» Read more about Toni JordanVictoria
‘Tara June Winch is a most stimulating young person to know and to interact with, an active mind and a truly engaged social being.’ Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
» Read more about Tara June WinchNew South Wales
Cool Australia founder Jason Kimberly is an eco-warrior, globally renowned photographer, adventurer and founder of the online environmental resources, Cool Australia and Our Cool School.
» Read more about Jason KimberlyVictoria
Anneli is a regular contributor to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers and is author of Flirting with Finance, the modern woman’s guide to financial freedom. She lives and writes between Melbourne, the Kimberley and Northern NSW.
» Read more about Anneli KnightNew South Wales
Judith Lanigan brings a wealth of performance experience and circus skills to her public speaking. She is entertaining, unusual and memorable.
» Read more about Judith LaniganVictoria
Australiaʼs most well known mountaineer is a veteran of pioneering routes in remote regions of the Himalaya but is best known for his attempts of Mount Everest on two very different, pioneering expeditions. Remarkably he reached the summit on both occasions, without the use of bottled oxygen and in a style and substance of a class way beyond the realm of guided ascents so popular in recent times.
» Read more about Tim Macartney-SnapeNew South Wales
Shane Maloney is a popular novelist. His books have been published in the US, Britain, Japan, Germany, France, Finland and Tasmania.
» Read more about Shane MaloneyVictoria
John Marsden is the author of titles including So Much to Tell You, Letters From the Inside, and the much celebrated Tomorrow series, adapted for film in 2010. From a childhood at a deeply conservative paramilitary school with strict standards and a culture of rugby and rowing, John developed a passion for reading, writing and education at an early age. So far has published fiction and non-fiction for children, young adults and adults and has founded the Candlebark School in Victoria.
» Read more about John MarsdenVictoria
From dragging sleds to the North Pole to sailing tiny yachts to Antarctica, Matt McFadyen has been there and done that. At the age of 29 Matt has spent the last decade pushing himself to his physical and mental limits while exploring some of the most remote parts of the globe.
» Read more about Matt McFadyenNew South Wales
Breathtaking and often hilarious, Russell’s entertaining stories and photos of his adventures will inspire anyone with an ounce of wonder dust in their pants and the courage to say ‘yes’ to the big ‘what if’ that lies out there for all of us.
A natural speaker, Russell has performed here in Australia and overseas, making appearances on Neighbours, the London comedy circuit, in a cover band as an Austin Powers/Dr Evil impersonator and as a children’s entertainer.
» Read more about Russell McGiltonVictoria
Esther Mckay has led an incredible life, from her work as a crime scene examiner in Sydney to best selling author. She is an advocate for Police suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and works actively to improve conditions for mental health in emergency workers. She speaks regularly about her experiences and is an Australia Day Ambassador.
» Read more about Esther McKayNew South Wales
Tristan Miller has had an incredible story, for such a regular guy. He dealt with a number of life’s highs and lows, before finally losing his dream job at Google in the Global Financial Crisis of 2009. Instead of laying down, he turned his life into an amazing adventure by running 52 marathons in 52 weeks, in 42 countries, on all 7 continents!
» Read more about Tristan MillerVictoria
Kirsty Murray is a multi award-winning author of seventeen books whose dynamic and inspiring presentations are guaranteed to send young people away itching to read more widely and to believe that they too can share their stories with the world.
» Read more about Kirsty MurrayVictoria
Patrick O’Neil is a 31-year-old travel writer, journalist, editor and author. His debut travel memoir, spanning six continents, was published by Penguin in 2009 and reprinted in 2010. In between overseas jaunts, he works editing news and writing headlines for The Age newspaper.
» Read more about Patrick O'NeilVictoria
Wendy Orr has spoken to groups as little as 5 and as big as 5000 people across Australia, Canada and the USA. She is known for the honesty and inspirational qualities of her sessions.
» Read more about Wendy OrrVictoria
Dr Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli has gained national and international recognition as a writer, researcher, lecturer and consultant in the issues of cultural diversity, gender diversity, sexual diversity, family diversity, HIV/AIDS, and social diversity in health and education, with a specific focus on adolescence and young people. She is Honorary Patron of PFLAG Victoria; External Faculty Member of Saybrook University in San Francisco and Founding Member of AGMC (Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council), which has been recognised as a member of FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia). Her first novel has recently won a 2010 US Lambda Literary Award
» Read more about Dr Maria Pallotta-ChiarolliVictoria
James Phelan was born in Melbourne in 1979. His creative spirit was nurtured from a young age, and he credits his overactive imagination to being exposed to authors such as Roald Dahl and Paul Jennings, as well as such works as The Hobbit, Treasure Island, The Jungle Book, Tales of the Punjab, Siddhartha and The Little Prince.
» Read more about James PhelanVictoria
Ailsa Piper has worked as a writer, theatre director, actor, speaker, teacher and pate-wrapper, completing her MA at the University of Melbourne whilst acting in Neighbours. just after this, she won the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award. She is a passionate – some would say obsessive – walker, and her book Sinning Across Spain, reflects that.
» Read more about Ailsa PiperVictoria
Alice Pung is a writer and lawyer who loves teaching. Alice’s books are studied in secondary schools and universities in Australia as well as the United States, and she has taught writing workshops to students from the ages of 8 to 80 in Australia, China and the States. Alice is also an Ambassador for the 100 Story Building Project, a social enterprise which helps promote literature and literacy skills to young people in the Western suburbs.
» Read more about Alice PungVictoria
Hannie Rayson is a multi-award winning playwright who has a reputation for topical complex dramas written with wit and insight. She is an accomplished public speaker – funny, incisive and thoughtful.
» Read more about Hannie RaysonVictoria
Marcus is a medical doctor and popular motivational speaker, who has addressed thousands of school children and a large number of businesses over the last ten years on a wide variety of health and personal welfare subjects.
As a high school and university student, Marcus was extremely successful at combining academic excellence with a high-profile sporting career. He was awarded an Australian student prize in Year 12 with a near-perfect ENTER score and subsequently graduated as Dux of Monash Medicine. Throughout these achievements, he trained as a competitive swimmer and represented Australia at the highest level.
» Read more about Dr Marcus RobertsonVictoria
Since starting on a country newspaper in 1975, Andrew Rule has worked on three metropolitan newspapers and in both radio and television production. He has written, co-written, edited and published many books, including the Underbelly true crime series and the Chopper series, which inspired the successful feature film. He hosts a regular fortnightly spot on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast called In The Rule World.
» Read more about Andrew RuleVictoria
As National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Ellen is one of Australia’s leading commentators and campaigners on the issue of climate change. She inspires young people to take action on issues that they care about, empowering them to make a difference.
» Read more about Ellen SandellAustralian Capital Territory
Trent Southworth is a former NSW Police Officer with over fourteen years policing experience, including eight years employed in the Youth Liaison role. In his role, Trent worked closely with numerous government and non government agencies to identify youth related initiatives such as underage drinking programs, truancy, road safety, drug programs, and bullying.
» Read more about Trent SouthworthNew South Wales
Anne E Stewart is an acclaimed storyteller with an international reputation. A versatile performer Anne has the energy and voice to engage any audience. Her focus is on the shared stories of Australia honouring Indigenous, Celtic, Asian and World stories.
» Read more about Anne E. StewartVictoria
Melinda Tankard Reist is an author, speaker, media commentator, blogger and advocate for women and girls. She is author/editor of four books including Getting Real: Challenging the Sexualisation of Girls, now in its fourth printing, and Big Porn Inc: Exposing the harms of the global pornography industry. Her presentations aim to show us how stereotyped, limited and hypersexualised messages give distorted ideas of bodies, relationships and sexuality and give us tools for addressing the problem.
» Read more about Melinda Tankard ReistAustralian Capital Territory
Chris is an Australian and British professor of Earth science and author of three popular science books. Chris is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Fellow and Professor of Climate Change at the University of University of New South Wales, where he and his team are focusing their efforts on finding lessons from the past.
» Read more about Chris TurneyNew South Wales
Marathon swimmer, Tammy van Wisse currently holds five World Records. She has swum the English Channel twice (the success rate is only seven percent), is the only person to have swum Bass Strait and spent three and a half months submerged in the mighty Murray River – just to mention a few of her milestones.
» Read more about Tammy van WisseVictoria
Erin Vincent is a highly respected journalist who has worked both here and in the US for publications such as The Australian, Marie Claire, The Sunday Telegraph and America’s biggest selling publication People Magazine. She is also the author of the acclaimed memoir Grief Girl: My True Story that is now in its seventh printing in the US and was named a New York Public Library’s Best Book for 2007.
» Read more about Erin VincentNew South Wales
David Nyuol Vincent is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. He was trained as a child soldier in Ethiopia and lived as a refugee in Kenya until he was twenty-six. Since rebuilding his life here in Australia, David has become an advocate for refugees and the Sudanese community and he is a Victorian Human Rights Youth Ambassador and a People of Australia Ambassador. He also helped to set up an all-Sudanese refugee football team, the Western Tigers, in the Brimbank soccer league. David is a true humanitarian and is committed to achieving peace for his people in Sudan.
» Read more about David Nyuol VincentVictoria
Tony Wilson has written two hilarious satirical novels about celebrity and tabloid media. He is also the author of five picture books, and has worked successfully on television (Race Around the World and Santo, Sam and Ed’s Cup Fever!), radio (Triple R’s Breakfasters) and print media (The Age and The Monthly).
» Read more about Tony WilsonVictoria
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Steve Biddulph
Personal Development, Education Consultant, Social Commentator, Author
Steve will be presenting at events in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne in 2012.
Psychologist Steve Biddulph realised that males were in crisis at a time when it was fashionable to ignore their needs. He blitzed schools and communities around the globe with engaging, practical and moving seminars, facilitating a cultural shift which is still in motion. His parenting books, including Raising Boys and Manhood, are now in four million homes and twenty seven languages.
» Read more about Steve BiddulphAudiences
Location
Tasmania