Audience: Corporate

Abdi Aden  

Abdi Aden

Inspirational Speaker

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 Aden
David Astle  

David Astle

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Astle
Tim Baker  

Tim Baker

Author, Journalist

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 Baker
Emilie Zoey Baker  

Emilie Zoey Baker

Storyteller/Performer, Entertainer

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 Baker
Rachel Berger  

Rachel Berger

Entertainer, Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Berger
Lola Berry  

Lola Berry

Author, Inspirational Speaker, Entertainer

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 Berry
Tony Birch  

Tony Birch

Author

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 Birch
Lauren Burns  

Lauren Burns

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Burns
Danielle Clode  

Danielle Clode

Author

Danielle Clode is a zoologist and natural history writer. She also teaches professional and creative writing.

» Read more about Danielle Clode
Simon Coronel  

Simon Coronel

Inspirational Speaker, Entertainer, Storyteller/Performer

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 Coronel
Mark Dobson  

Mark Dobson

Author, Personal Development, Inspirational Speaker

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 Dobson
Declan Fay  

Declan Fay

Author, Storyteller/Performer, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist

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 Fay
Arabella Forge  

Arabella Forge

Author, Personal Development

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 Forge
Giulia  Giuffre  

Giulia Giuffre

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Giuffre
Morris Gleitzman  

Morris Gleitzman

Author

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 Gleitzman
Anna Goldsworthy  

Anna Goldsworthy

Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker

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 Goldsworthy
Tiffiny Hall  

Tiffiny Hall

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Hall
Fiona Harris  

Fiona Harris

Storyteller/Performer, Inspirational Speaker, Entertainer

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 Harris
Justin Heazlewood  

Justin Heazlewood

Storyteller/Performer, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Author

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 Heazlewood
Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson  

Dr Michael Hewitt-Gleeson

Personal Development, Education Consultant

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-Gleeson
Kate Holden  

Kate Holden

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Holden
Shane Horsburgh  

Shane Horsburgh

Author, Personal Development, Inspirational Speaker

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 Horsburgh
Sammy J  

Sammy J

Storyteller/Performer, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker

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 J
Toni Jordan  

Toni Jordan

Author

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 Jordan
Judith Lanigan  

Judith Lanigan

Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development

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 Lanigan
Tim Macartney-Snape  

Tim Macartney-Snape

Inspirational Speaker

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-Snape
Shane Maloney  

Shane Maloney

Author

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 Maloney
John Marsden  

John Marsden

Author

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 Marsden
Matt McFadyen  

Matt McFadyen

Inspirational Speaker

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 McFadyen
Russell McGilton  

Russell McGilton

Inspirational Speaker, Entertainer, Storyteller/Performer, Author

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 McGilton
Esther McKay  

Esther McKay

Author

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 McKay
Tristan Miller  

Tristan Miller

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Miller
Kirsty Murray  

Kirsty Murray

Author

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 Murray
Patrick O'Neil  

Patrick O'Neil

Author, Journalist

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'Neil
Wendy Orr  

Wendy Orr

Author

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 Orr
James Phelan  

James Phelan

Author

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 Phelan
Ailsa Piper  

Ailsa Piper

Author, Inspirational Speaker

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 Piper
Hannie Rayson  

Hannie Rayson

Author, Curriculum Specialist

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 Rayson
Dr Marcus Robertson  

Dr Marcus Robertson

Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development

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 Robertson
Anne E. Stewart  

Anne E. Stewart

Storyteller/Performer

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. Stewart
Chris Turney  

Chris Turney

Inspirational Speaker, Author

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 Turney
Tammy van Wisse  

Tammy van Wisse

Inspirational Speaker

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 Wisse
Erin Vincent  

Erin Vincent

Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development

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 Vincent
Tony Wilson  

Tony Wilson

Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker

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 Wilson

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