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Open Right

Speaker Type: Education Consultant

Amanda Betts

Author, Education Consultant

Amanda (AJ) Betts is an award-winning author, teacher and cyclist, living in Perth. Her novel ‘Zac and Mia’ won the 2012 Text Prize for best unpublished manuscript.

» Read more about Amanda Betts

Thomas Caldwell

Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant

Thomas Caldwell is a writer, broadcaster, film critic, public speaker and film programmer. He is a specialist in film analysis and programming films for children and teenagers, and is the author of the secondary school textbook Film Analysis Handbook, which was published in 2005 by Insight Publications, with a revised edition published in 2017.

» Read more about Thomas Caldwell

Sean Fyfe

Corporate, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out

Sean aims to give parents, teachers and students greater insight and the practical tools to foster health and wellbeing along with academic and sporting achievement.

» Read more about Sean Fyfe

Lili Wilkinson

Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits

Lili Wilkinson is a reader and writer of YA literature. She is the author of nine books for teenagers, and has a PhD in Creative Writing.

» Read more about Lili Wilkinson

Bec Kavanagh

Author, Education Consultant

Bec Kavanagh is a writer, literary critic and academic. She has been published in a variety of publications including Overland, The Big Issue, and The Guardian, and writes teaching notes for a number of publishers. Bec is the Youth Programming Manager at the Wheeler Centre, and a sessional tutor at La Trobe University and the University of Melbourne.

https://twitter.com/beckavanagh (@beckavanagh)

» Read more about Bec Kavanagh

Claire Madden

Corporate, Education Consultant, Speaking Out

Claire Madden is a social researcher, media commentator and next-gen expert, fluent in social media, youth culture, and engagement styles of these global generations, and a professional in interpreting what this means for educators, managers and marketers.  Claire is in demand for her skill in effectively identifying the emerging trends and assisting business leaders to strategically respond to them.

Hello Gen Z reveals the critical importance of knowing how to engage this generation of hyperconnected, agile and adaptive digital savants as employees, consumers and emerging leaders. Hello Gen Z is required reading for any organisation wanting to future-proof and unlock the potential of the Post-Millennials.

» Read more about Claire Madden

Ellie Marney

Author, Education Consultant, Online - Virtual Visits

Ellie Marney is a qualified teacher, and a bestselling and multi-award-winning author of YA thrillers. Her titles include the New York Times bestseller NONE SHALL SLEEP and the Kirkus-starred sequel SOME SHALL BREAK, as well as THE KILLING CODE, the EVERY series, WHITE NIGHT, and more. Ellie has researched in mortuaries, interviewed law enforcement personnel, and talked with former spies about how to make explosives from household items, and now she lives quite sedately in the North-Central Goldfields region of Victoria with her family.

» Read more about Ellie Marney

Josh Nelson

Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant

Josh Nelson (PhD) is an academic, broadcaster and filmmaker. He worked as a lecturer at The University of Melbourne in Visual Arts for a number of years and has extensive experience presenting to secondary schools across the state on film and media-related topics.

His writing has been published in two volumes of the Directory of World Cinema (Intellect Books), and in journals such as Overland, Kill Your Darlings, Screening the Past and Senses of Cinema. In 2013 Josh received the Ivan Hutchinson Award for Writing on Australian Film by the Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA).

Josh is also the former co-host of the long-running Triple R (102.7 FM) film show Plato’s Cave, and was the resident film critic on the Drive program with Rafael Epstein on ABC Melbourne. He currently works for the Melbourne International Film Festival as an education specialist within the MIFF Schools program.

» Read more about Josh Nelson

Marion Roberts

Author, Education Consultant

Marion Roberts is a fiction writer with four novels published for young readers. Marion has a Masters in creative writing and enjoys working with young people to embrace their creativity and enhance their writing skills.

Marion explores family life in all its forms including blended families, messy parents, the changing nature of friendships, identity, belonging, grief and loss. Environmentalism is also a theme that runs deeply through her work. Her YA novel Cry Blue Murder explores internet safety and online grooming.

» Read more about Marion Roberts
Marissa Pinkas

Marissa Pinkas

Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant

Marissa Pinkas is an experienced educator with 20 years of dedication in varied educational environments in South Africa, Western Australia and Victoria. Currently she is completing her Masters in Education at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Collaborative Learning. Marissa is an expert on the Context section of the VCE English curriculum.

» Read more about Marissa Pinkas

Louise Park

Author, Education Consultant

Louise writes books for children under her own name as well as several secret identities including H. I. Larry, Mac Park and Poppy Rose. She loves writing books with action and grand adventures and is the author of the best-selling series Zac Power Test Drive, Bella Dancerella and Star Girl—soon to be a television series. She is also the co-author of Boy vs Beast.

Louise loves nothing better than taking students on huge adventures and helping them to craft action-packed stories of their own. Learn more about her at her website.

» Read more about Louise Park

Daniel Witthaus

Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer, Well Within

Daniel has spent a quarter of a century challenging homophobia and working on LGBTIQ inclusion one cuppa at a time in schools, rural communities and, occasionally, developing countries like Poland, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. He has also worked with Kids Help Line, VicHealth, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and No to Violence, a national men’s family violence organisation.

Daniel is the author of Beyond Priscilla: one gay man, one gay truck, one big idea… (2014), Beyond ‘That’s So Gay!’: Challenging homophobia in Australian schools (2010) and the Pride & Prejudice educational package (2002, 2012) – which won Human Rights Week awards for work in three Tasmanian schools.  His latest book, Beyond Debate, is due for release in June 2023.

In 2013 Daniel founded Rural Pride Australia, formerly NICHE, which focuses on the needs of LGBTIQ people in regional, rural and remote Australia. For the last 7 years Rural Pride Australia has worked in partnership with the Victorian State Government and its Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities to deliver the LGBTIQ Equality Roadshow, Regional Communities of Practice and Rainbow Ready Roadmap to 29 regional and rural Victorian communities.

He is also semi-obsessed with abandoned buildings and is an international gay gold medallist in tennis.
» Read more about Daniel Witthaus

Maxine McKew

Author, Corporate, Education Consultant, Journalist, Speaking Out

Maxine Mckewʼs background is in journalism and politics. For many years she was a familiar face to ABC TV viewers and was anchor of prestigious programmes such as Lateline and 7.30 Report. Her work has been recognised by her peers and she is a recipient of both Logie and Walkely awards. When she left broadcasting and made the switch to politics, she wrote herself into the Australian history books by defeating Prime Minister John Howard in the Sydney seat of Bennelong. In government she was both parliamentary secretary for early childhood, and later for infrastructure and local government.

Following the success of her political memoir, Tales from the Political Trenches, published in 2012, Maxine McKewʼs new book Class Act looks at some of the most important questions in Australian education. Maxine has been a Vice Chancellorʼs Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Located in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education she has drawn on the expertise and substantial research of the school to inform her stories of success and challenge in Australian education.

Maxine now lives in Melbourne where she continues to work on a range of activities at the University of Melbourne. She is a director of three boards, Per Capita, the John Cain Foundation and the State Library of Victoria.

» Read more about Maxine McKew

Nicholas Jones

Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Illustrator

Nicholas Jones is a contemporary visual artist specialising in book sculpture. Nicholas is available for different kinds of events including workshops, literary festivals and artist residencies.

» Read more about Nicholas Jones

Aviva Reed

Education Consultant, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer

Aviva Reed is a visual ecologist, illustrator and collaborator on the Small Friends book project; a series of science-adventure storybooks created by artists, writers, scientists and educators that explores symbiotic relationships between microbes and larger forms of life.

» Read more about Aviva Reed

Jacqueline Harvey

Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant

Jacqueline Harvey is the author of 40 novels for younger readers and a Children’s Book Council of Australia, award winning picture book. Her bestselling Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose and Kensy and Max series are all published internationally and have garnered various short listings and awards. Jacqueline travels widely, speaking and teaching in Australia and overseas.

» Read more about Jacqueline Harvey

Jake Wilson

Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Journalist

Jake Wilson is a freelance writer whose film reviews appear weekly in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax Media publications.  His book Mad Dog Morgan, a critical study of the film of the same name, was published in 2015 as part of the Australian Screen Classics series.

» Read more about Jake Wilson

Kate Mildenhall

Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Podcaster

Kate Mildenhall is a writer and educator who has worked in schools, at the State Library of Victoria and has volunteered with Teachers Across Borders in Cambodia. Her debut novel, Skylarking, based on the true story of best friends growing up on a remote Cape in 1880s Australia, was published in 2016.

» Read more about Kate Mildenhall

Nathan Strempel

Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development

Nathan’s unique blend of humour and sincerity is unanimously well received. He gains an immediate rapport with audiences via his dynamic storytelling and his work as a sports presenter on Channel 9 and Fox Sports having covered NBL & WNBL basketball, AFL footy, Big Bash Cricket, A-League Soccer, Super Rugby and Super Netball.

He retains ongoing engagement and captivation with laughter and entertaining interaction being underpinned by his raw authenticity and integrity. Nathan’s honesty in recounting stories of failure, rejection and grief from his own journey strike a chord with any audience.

15 years of experience as a speaker and working with youth equip Nathan with the ability to tailor the ideal presentation for your group. His current position as a Boarding Duty Master and Director of Basketball at St Ignatius College Riverview ensures he is on point with teen culture and trends.

» Read more about Nathan Strempel

Sophie Jamieson

Education Consultant, New Speakers, Nutrition, Personal Development, Sustainability, Well Within

Sophie Jamieson is a qualified Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist specialising in food systems, nutrition and sustainability. Sophie is passionate about creating a healthy, fair and sustainable food system where people enjoy good food that makes people feel good, learn well, grow strong and succeed in sport.

Drawing on her vast experience in food, nutrition and sustainability, Sophie cuts through the noise to revel the key information and strategies her audience needs to make informed decision about what they grow and eat.

» Read more about Sophie Jamieson

Ingrid Laguna

Author, Education Consultant

Ingrid Laguna is a multi-award-winning novelist and educator. She has published a memoir and numerous books for children. Her work has been published internationally, featured by Reading Australia and given Notable recognition by the CBCA. Ingrid’s writing has featured in various publications, including The Monthly, The Age, Teacher Magazine and The AEU Magazine.

» Read more about Ingrid Laguna

Chris Daicos

Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Well Within

Dip Tch, BA, BSW, MAPP, FACEL

Chris is a trained teacher and social worker who has also completed the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology. She has over three decades of experience supporting organisations in the public and private sector to enhance functioning and develop wellbeing. Her work was recognized by the Australian Council for  Educational Leaders  for which she was awarded a fellowship.

» Read more about Chris Daicos

Annie Woollard

Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, SDGs Expert

Annie is a Global Educator, and a Teach Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Ambassador.

Annie strongly believes that we are all global citizens and wants to share the mantra of “Think Globally, Act Locally.” By thinking globally, children learn empathy and cultural diversity. From there, Annie believes children and their teachers form connections and are more likely to take ownership and invent, innovate, and campaign for change.

» Read more about Annie Woollard

Sue Whiting

Author, Education Consultant, Storyteller

Sue Whiting is an acclaimed children’s and YA author and editor who has worked in publishing for twenty years. Sue has written numerous books for a variety of age groups, including the bestselling Missing, the award-winning The Book of Chance and a number of CBCA Notable Picture Books. As a storyteller and schools’ performer, Sue has informed, inspired and entertained thousands of kids across the country.

» Read more about Sue Whiting

Felicity Castagna

Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Storyteller/Performer

Felicity Castagna is the multi-award winning author of books for young adults and adults, as well as several works for stage and film. She has run popular workshops on writing and creativity everywhere from universities to correctional centres and is passionate about both working with young people and using her extensive experience and research to help schools and teachers to develop creative writing pedagogy.

Small Indiscretions
The Incredible Here and Now
The Incredible Here and Now (the play)
No More Boats
Girls In Boys’ Cars

» Read more about Felicity Castagna