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Audience: General Public
Asphyxia
Author, Entertainer, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Asphyxia is the author of the magical series, The Grimstones. She is an experienced motivational speaker and loves to inspire people to be more creative and open-minded. She is an avid art-journaler and generously shares her process to help others benefit from this amazing life tool. Asphyxia is also a Deaf activist, sharing details of Deaf experience. She handcrafted her Grimstone family of puppets and their world from upcycled junk, and has since toured the world with the acclaimed, award winning theatre show, The Grimstones. Now Asphyxia is ready to inspire students to create their own art journals and miniature worlds from ordinary household rubbish. Check out her free online Auslan (sign language) course at www.asphyxia.com.au.
» Read more about Asphyxia
Abdi Aden
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Abdi’s world fell apart when he was only fifteen and Somalia’s vicious civil war hit Mogadishu. Unable to find his family and effectively an orphan, he fled with some sixty others, and joined another 300 heading to Kenya. On the way, death squads hunted them and they daily faced violence, danger and starvation. After almost three months, they arrived in at refugee camps in Kenya – of the group he’d set out with, only five had survived.
» Read more about Abdi Aden
Felice Arena
Author, Illustrator
Felice Arena is one of Australia’s much-loved children’s authors. His books have topped bestseller lists and garnered several awards, including six Australian Children’s Choice Book Awards. His works include the incredibly popular Specky Magee series, the hilarious Farticus Maximus books, Whippersnapper, Wish, the Boyz-Rule and Girlz-Rock books, the action-packed bionic-hero series Andy Roid, the Sporty Kids series and most recently his acclaimed historical adventure novels The Boy and the Spy, Fearless Frederic and A Great Escape.
Follow Felice on Twitter and Instagram @Fleech or visit his site: www.felicearena.com
» Read more about Felice Arena
David Astle
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
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
Luke Atkins
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Speaking Out
Luke Atkins is an ultra-endurance runner and personal safety expert. Luke has represented Australia in both taekwondo and endurance running competing all over the world from Mongolia to the USA.
Luke seamlessly draws the link between the mental toughness required to run for more than 24 hours non-stop and the daily grind. His concept that life is an endurance race has proven to be especially valuable for VCE students and corporate groups.
As a sponsored athlete in the Under Armour Australia team in Worlds Toughest Mudder and the General Manager of Hall’s Taekwondo his ideas on leadership and team work are invaluable.
As a martial arts instructor for over 15 years Luke has developed structured personal safety sessions for schools and corporate audiences.
» Read more about Luke Atkins
Amal Awad
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Social Issues
Amal Awad is a journalist, author and screenwriter who is focused on issues of society, religion and popular culture. She is the author of four books and is involved in several screenwriting projects. Amal is also a public speaker and has produced and presented for ABC Radio National.
» Read more about Amal Awad
Emilie Zoey Baker
Entertainer, Poet, Storyteller/Performer
Emilie’s Career: A Passion for Young Writers
For Emilie Zoey Baker, poetry and education are not just a career—they’re a passion. In addition to her work as a poet and slam champion, Emilie is the Creative Director of OutLoud, an exciting youth poetry slam competition that challenges young people to explore their creative potential and perform their ideas on stage. OutLoud has become one of the most important platforms for young voices in Victoria, inspiring students to be part of something bigger than themselves.
As the host of Better Off Said, an internationally acclaimed spoken word event, Emilie has seen firsthand how spoken word has the power to change lives—and she’s determined to bring that magic into classrooms across the world. She is also a celebrant for Marry Your Friends, a unique initiative that celebrates love, friendship, and creativity, blending the personal and the poetic in fun and memorable ways.
Her work spans across schools, festivals, and literary programs, and she’s been a lead educator with Australian Poetry Ltd, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Melbourne Writers Festival.
» Read more about Emilie Zoey Baker
Michael Gerard Bauer
Author
Michael Gerard Bauer is an in-demand speaker and a popular writer for children and young adults. His books have been shortlisted, won numerous awards and are used as class texts in many schools around Australia. He has written drama, comedy and adventure.
» Read more about Michael Gerard Bauer
Bernard Caleo
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Bernard Caleo draws and writes and performs. He loves comic books and what happens when you put words and pictures together.
Illustrator of The History of the City of Melbourne Bowls Club, written by Alex McDermott
Illustrator of You’ll be a Wonderful Dad (Hardie Grant 2022) written by Ailsa Wild
Illustrator of How to Win a Nobel Prize (Black Ink 2018) written by Lorna Hendry
Editor of The Tango Collection (Allen and Unwin 2009)
» Read more about Bernard Caleo
Isobelle Carmody
Author, Illustrator
Isobelle Carmody is a well known Australian author who has written many novels and short stories for children and adults and has a host of award winning novels to her credit. She began the first of her highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles while she was still at high school and worked on it while completing a Bachelor of Arts and then a journalism cadetship. Obernewtyn was accepted by the first publisher she sent it to and went on to be shortlisted in the “Older Readers” section of the CBC Book of the Year Award. The series and her short stories have established her at the forefront of fantasy writing in Australia.
She has written many award winning short stories and books since then and she also illustrated The Legend of Little Fur and The Kingdom of the Lost series.
She is now completing the last of her Obernewtyn Chronicles, The Red Queen while undertaking a PhD at the University of Queensland.
Website: www.isobellecarmody.net/
Blog: http://theslipstream.com.au/
Mark Carthew
Author, Entertainer, Storyteller/Performer
Dr Mark Carthew is an award winning Australian children’s author, poet, musician and educator well known for his books and series celebrating language, humour and wordplay.
His illustrated play script series VoiceWorks sold over one million titles worldwide. Mark’s rhyme and riddle books Newts, Lutes and Bandicoots, Wicked Wizards & Leaping Lizards and Witches’ Britches, Itches & Twitches! were created in collaboration with renowned UK illustrator Mike Spoor. Mark’s picture books include Five Little Owls illustrated by Crichton award winning illustrator Mini Goss and The Gobbling Tree, winner of Speech Pathology Australia’s 2009 Book of the Year. His anthology, Can You Keep a Secret? Timeless rhymes to share and treasure illustrated by Jobi Murphy was a Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book.
Anna Ciddor
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Anna Ciddor inspires audiences with her passion for uncovering historical secrets and turning them into gripping narrative, and her lively presentations are filled with ‘show-and-tell’ and audience participation. In 2021, Anna won the Nance Donkin Award for Children’s Literature. Her newest book, A Message Through Time is coming out in April 2023. It is a gripping adventure that immerses readers in a world filled with excitement, laughter, and amazing (and accurate) historical detail about life in Gaul in ancient Roman times – and also brings a Roman girl into the present! It is a stand-alone companion to The Boy Who Stepped Through Time which was short-listed for the Aurealis Award and long listed for the AHA Historical Novel Prize. Anna has written and illustrated nearly 60 books, including the best-selling Runestone, a historical fantasy, The Family with Two Front Doors, a story based on her grandmother’s childhood in 1920s Poland, and 52 Mondays, inspired by Anna’s childhood memories of 1960s Australia.
Read more at www.annaciddor.com
» Read more about Anna Ciddor
Danielle Clode
Author, Scientist
Danielle Clode writes books for adults and children about animals and nature. She’s passionate about the environment, sharing her knowledge about Australian animals and learning how to live more sustainably in our world.
» Read more about Danielle Clode
Amanda Cooper
Illustrator
Gallery for a Day is a travelling exhibition of the original illustrations and preliminary artwork from Australian picture books. Interactive workshops give the students an understanding of the planning and process involved in creating art for picture books.
» Read more about Amanda Cooper
Cath Crowley
Author
Cath Crowley is the author of the Gracie Faltrain trilogy, Chasing Charlie Duskin, Graffiti Moon, Rosie Staples’ Minor Magical Misunderstanding and Words in Deep Blue.
» Read more about Cath Crowley
Sue deGennaro
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Sue deGennaro is an author and an illustrator. She has illustrated 20 picture books, and is the author and illustrator of The Pros and Cons of Being A Frog (shortlist for the CBCA 2013 Early Childhood Prize), Eddie Frogbert and her newest picture book Missing Marvin released May 2018. Sue’s illustrations are quirky and infectiously funny. Sue has worked in many careers (including confectionery, circuses and home renovations!), and now (between making books) she often teaches writing & illustration.
To watch the book trailer for Sue’s charming picture book, Missing Marvin, please click here.
» Read more about Sue deGennaro
Linh Do
Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator
Linh Do is a Melbourne based activist with a globe-trotting lifestyle, having worked in over 15 countries. She’s done everything from changing one million lightbulbs (and mindsets) in Australia to working at the UN to create social change on environmental issues, and in 2013 was named as Australian Geographic’s Young Conservationist of the Year.
» Read more about Linh Do
Sean Dooley
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Sean Dooley has written for TV comedies like Full Frontal, Hamish and Andy and Spicks and Specks, is author of books such as The Big Twitch and Cooking with Baz, and is currently editor of Australian Birdlife magazine. He was also the national birdwatching champion, holding the record for seeing the most birds seen in one year. Sean Dooley is the Birdman.
» Read more about Sean Dooley
Kylie Dunstan
Author, Illustrator
Kylie Dunstan is an award winning author and illustrator of children’s picture books. Her first book Collecting Colour won CBCA Picture Book of the Year in 2009. She has since written 6 more books. The most recent Nannie Loves was an Honour Book in the 2017 CBCA Early Childhood Category.
» Read more about Kylie Dunstan
Nick Earls
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Nick Earls is the author of twenty-six books for adults, teenagers and children. Two of his novels have been adapted into feature films, and five have become stage plays. His books have won awards in Australia, the UK and US. He has a PhD in creative writing from the University of Queensland.
» Read more about Nick Earls
Declan Fay
Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Podcaster, Storyteller/Performer
Declan Fay is an award-winning writer who co-created the show Ronny Chieng: International Student which screened on ABC, BBC and Netflix. He has written for numerous shows such as The Weekly with Charlie Pickering and the hugely popular kids sketch show, You’re Skitting Me. Declan has also authored articles for The Age, The Guardian, The Herald-Sun and The Big Issue. On radio Declan has hosted shows on ABC, Triple M, Triple J and Triple R. Earlier this year he co-wrote a comedy podcast called Crossbread, which became one of the most popular podcasts in the Australia and the US.
In the media:
https://speakola.com/grad/declan-fay-but-now-you-all-have-a-blank-page-eltham-high-valedictory-2023?rq=declan%20fay
» Read more about Declan Fay
Corinne Fenton
Author
Corinne Fenton has a passion for picture books, especially those that have a connection with history. Her picture books are read by four to ninety-four year olds.
» Read more about Corinne Fenton
Pat Flynn
Author
An ex professional tennis player and teacher, Pat Flynn writes realistic fiction with a dose of humour for 8-16 year olds. His book The Tuckshop Kid won an Honour Book Prize at the CBCA Book of the Year Awards and his new books include The Trophy Kid and How to Get Dumped.
» Read more about Pat Flynn
Morris Gleitzman
Author
Morris is one of Australia’s most successful and experienced children’s authors. As a speaker he uses the mix of humour and emotion found in his best-selling books. His sessions are informal, interactive and fun. Sharing the secrets of his writing room, Morris leaves students informed and inspired, as well as equipped with tools for their own adventures in literacy and creativity. And he brings his own sandwiches.
» Read more about Morris Gleitzman
Jane Godwin
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Jane Godwin is a highly acclaimed author of over twenty-five books for young people, across all styles and ages. Her work is published internationally and she has received many commendations, the most recent being shortlistings in the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year Award with her picture book Tilly (illustrated by Anna Walker) and in the 2021 Book of the Year Award with her novel When Rain Turns to Snow, which has also been shortlisted for the 2021 Prime Minister’s Literary Award.
Anna Walker and Jane have created eight bestselling children’s picture books together – Little Cat and the Big Red Bus, All Through the Year, Today we have no Plans, Starting School, What Do You Wish For?, Go Go and the Silver Shoes, Tilly and Don’t Forget. They are currently working on their ninth collaboration.
Jane’s upper-middle grade novels include As Happy as Here and When Rain Turns to Snow, both published by Hachette, and Falling from Grace, published by Penguin.
For many years, Jane worked as the Children’s Publisher at Penguin Books Australia.
Jane is currently working on several picture books and a new upper-middle grade novel, set in the Otway Ranges. A Walk in the Dark will be published by Hachette in September 2022.
Jane often works in schools and the community, running literature and writing programs, making books and encouraging students in their own creative ventures. She is dedicated to pursuing quality and enriching reading and writing experiences for young people, whether it’s as a writer, a publisher or a speaker/facilitator in schools.
» Read more about Jane Godwin
Gus Gordon
Author, Illustrator
Gus Gordon is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and author. He has illustrated and written over 80 books for children. His illustrations are known for their loose and energetic line work, mixed media and humour. His writing is always anthropomorphic, which he attributes this to his love of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in The Willows.
» Read more about Gus Gordon
Leanne Hall
Author
Leanne Hall is an award-winning author of young adult and children’s fiction. Her most recent YA novel, The Gaps, won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for young adult literature. Leanne is an experienced teacher and writing mentor who is passionate about youth literature, Chinese Australian history and helping people develop their unique writing voice. She is currently a PhD candidate at RMIT – her research explores the use of Australian archives to write fiction about Chinese Australians.
» Read more about Leanne Hall
Rosalie Ham
Author
Rosalie Ham achieved a Bachelor of Education (majoring in Drama and Literature, Deakin) and a Master of Arts, Creative Writing (RMIT, 2007). Rosalie teaches Literature at Trinity College, University of Melbourne.
» Read more about Rosalie Ham
Fiona Harris
Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Speaking Out, Storyteller/Performer
Fiona has been writing and performing for Australian stages and screens for many years. She wrote and co-starred on the ABC sketch comedy show, Flipside, as well as on channel nine’s sketch comedy series, Comedy Inc – The Late Shift series 5 and on all three series of the Network Ten sketch comedy series SkitHouse. She has also written and directed numerous shows for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
» Read more about Fiona Harris
Jack Heath
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Jack Heath is the bestselling author of more than twenty action-packed books. He wrote his first novel in high school, and it was published while he was still a teenager. Since then his work has been translated into several languages, shortlisted for many awards and optioned for film and television. His enthusiastic presentations have helped thousands of kids get hooked on reading.
» Read more about Jack Heath
Justin Heazlewood
Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out, Storyteller/Performer
Justin Heazlewood is an award-winning triple-threat of writer, musician & comedian. As The Bedroom Philosopher he has appeared on Triple J & ABC TV, releasing three albums including the ARIA-nominated Songs From The 86 Tram. The video for Northcote (So Hungover) earning nearly half a million hits. In 2014 his first non-fiction book Funemployed, about being an artist in Australia, was an indie-hit, earning praise from artists and industry alike. In 2015 an 8-part series was commissioned for RN.
His 10-part Get Up Mum radio series based on his cassette recordings of himself as a kid was aired Radio National’s Life Matters. You can listen to the series here.
In 2020 Justin gave a witness statement and presented at the launch of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. He is an ambassador for the Satellite Foundation who offer support for children of parents with a mental illness.
» Read more about Justin Heazlewood
Lia Hills
Author, Poet, Storyteller/Performer
Lia Hills is a poet, novelist and translator. Her work has been published, performed, and translated both locally and internationally, and nominated for numerous awards, including the Miles Franklin Literary Award.
» Read more about Lia Hills
Fiona Wood
Author
Fiona Wood is the author of Six Impossible Things, Wildlife and Cloudwish. Six Impossible Things was shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year, Older Readers in 2011. Wildlife won the CBCA Award in 2014 and was shortlisted for numerous other awards. Cloudwish won the CBCA Award in 2016, and the 2016 Indie Book Award for YA fiction. It was also shortlisted for the Gold Inky Award, and the ABIA Award. Her books are published internationally. All three books are Junior Library Guild Selections in the US. Before writing YA fiction, Fiona worked as a screenwriter. She lives in Melbourne with her family.
» Read more about Fiona Wood
Tony Wilson
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
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
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
Paula Weston
Author
Paula has worked as a print journalist and government communication specialist, and is now one half of a writer-designer consultancy. She has been writing fiction for many years, finding her niche penning gritty young adult speculative thrillers with an Australian flavour in The Rephaim series and The Undercurrent.
» Read more about Paula Weston
Gabrielle Wang
Author, Illustrator
Gabrielle Wang is an author and illustrator born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. Her maternal great grandfather came to Victoria in 1853 during the Gold Rush. Her father is from Shanghai. Gabrielle’s stories are a diverse blend of eastern and western culture with a touch of fantasy. She has written more than twenty books for young readers, many of them shortlisted for awards, from the Prime Minister’s Award and Queensland Premier’s Award to children’s choice awards such as the Yabba and Koala as well as CBCA Notables. Two of Gabrielle’s books won the Aurealis Award – The Garden of Empress Cassia and A Ghost in My Suitcase which was also adapted to the stage by Barking Gecko Theatre in 2018. Her latest middle grade novel is Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon which was Shortlisted for the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, 2023 Queensland Literary Awards, 2023 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and was a Notable in the CBCA Book Awards. Gabrielle is the current Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador and was the Australian Children’s Laureate in 2022 and 2023.
» Read more about Gabrielle Wang
Sophie Cunningham
Author, Social Commentator
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 Cunningham
Shane Horsburgh
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Shane Horsburgh is a re-definer of masculinity, constantly challenging the accepted interpretation of what a ‘real man’ is and how this view impacts our everyday lives. From counter-terrorism operative to author, educator and sometime stage actor, Shane’s inspirational and engaging style helps young men become better students, friends, partners and husbands. He has been engaged to speak at the National Press Club and TEDx to national and international audiences.
» Read more about Shane Horsburgh
Simmone Howell
Author
Simmone Howell is an award-winning internationally published writer. She has written books, plays, screenplays, poetry, comic scripts, advertorials, speeches, shopping lists, blurbs, glossaries and legends. In addition to writing she teaches creative writing, mapping and journaling workshops for young people and adults. Her YA novels are: Notes from the Teenage Underground, Everything Beautiful, Girl Defective and Take Three Girls (September 2017 with Cath Crowley and Fiona Wood).
» Read more about Simmone Howell
Michael Hyde
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Journalist, Social Commentator
Michael’s novels for young adults, Hey Joe, MAX and Tyger Tyger have experienced critical success and continue to be widely read and taught in many schools. Hey Joe – about the Vietnam War, the movement against it and the sixties in Australia – was named as a Notable Book in the 2004 CBC Awards. Many of his short stories for younger readers are published in the Trend/Awesome Series including the popular titles: The Footy Coach from Hell, Seal Saves the Island and How I Got a Girlfriend. Michael also edited two senior anthologies for the Australian Association of English Teachers (AATE), Hunger (CBC Notable Book 2004) and The Girl who Married a Fly (CBC Notable Book 2002). Both anthologies feature popular YA Australian writers (including Michael) and like his novels, enjoy significant sales. Michael’s Change the Game series – choose-your-own-adventure sports books became overnight favourites with young readers, 20,000 + copies being sold in one year.
» Read more about Michael Hyde
George Ivanoff
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
George Ivanoff is the author over 100 books for young people, including many education titles. He is best known for his You Choose books — a series of interactive books where the reader gets to make key decisions about how the story progresses. His latest book is the middle grade novel, Monster Island. He is also author of the non-fiction Survival Guides, the RFDS Adventures, Meet The Flying Doctors, the OTHER WORLDS series and the Gamers trilogy. He enjoys speaking to all age levels, from primary school students through to adults.
» Read more about George Ivanoff
Linda Jaivin
Author, Literary Critic, Social Commentator
The author of The Shortest History of China, Linda Jaivin is one of Australia’s most versatile writers. Her work spans history, biography, memoir, travel, humour, eroticism, social issues (her novel The Infernal Optimist is set in an immigration detention centre), China studies, literary translation and cultural commentary. Her first novel, Eat Me, was a bestseller here and translated into more than a dozen languages abroad. She has been a frequent guest on television and radio and wrote and presented a Radio National Earshot program on the subject of privacy called Nothing to Hide and a four-part series on the state of arts criticism in Australia, Situation Critical, for RN’s Arts Hub. As an Australia Reads ambassador, Linda proudly champions books and reading. She also mentors emerging writers through the Australian Society of Authors and is an editor of the China Story Yearbook, produced by the Australian National University Centre for China in the World and a film translator, subtitling Chinese films including Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine and Wong Kar Wai’s Grandmaster and Zhang Yimou’s Hero.
The Shortest History of China will also be published in the US, UK and in a number of translations including Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, Greek and Bulgarian.
» Read more about Linda Jaivin
Toni Jordan
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Toni Jordan is the author of four novels. The international best-seller Addition was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. Fall Girl was published internationally and has been optioned for film, and Nine Days was awarded Best Fiction at the 2012 Indie Awards, was shortlisted for the ABIA Best General Fiction award and was named in Kirkus Review’s top 10 Historical Novels of 2013. Our Tiny, Useless Hearts was shortlisted for the Voss Literary Award and longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Toni has been widely published in newspapers and magazines and teaching creative writing at Faber Academy. Her most recent novel, The Fragments, was published in November 2018.
» Read more about Toni Jordan
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
Melissa Keil
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits
Melissa Keil’s young adult novels have been published around the world, and have been described as ‘humorous, heartfelt and angst-y romance with the potential to break the gender barrier’. When she is not writing, she can be found immersed in other people’s manuscripts in her day job as a children’s book editor.
» Read more about Melissa Keil
Cate Kennedy
Author
Cate Kennedy writes across most genres – fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Her short stories and essays regularly appear in magazines and literary journals. She is one of Australia’s most popular teachers of the short story form.
» Read more about Cate Kennedy
Valanga Khoza
Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Valanga Khoza was born in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. He grew up in a traditional setting surrounded by lively singing, drumming and dancing. The Limpopo area is rich in traditional healers, orators and storytellers, highly respected throughout Africa. These were his neighbours. Their nightly ceremonies carried songs and rhythms passed down through thousands of years. Valanga carries these influences through his songs and storytelling. He is also influenced by his travels throughout the world which were driven by his struggle against racism and his fight for freedom of the black people in South Africa.
» Read more about Valanga Khoza
Anna Krien
Author, Corporate, Social Commentator, Speaking Out, Women's Rights
Anna Krien is an award-winning Melbourne-based journalist, essayist, fiction writer and poet. Her book Night Games: Sex, Power & Sport, won the 2014 William Hill Sports Book of the Year in the UK, and is being developed into a television mini-series. Other publications include Into the Woods: The Battle for Tasmania’s Forests, Booze Territory, Quarterly Essay 66: The Long Goodbye: Coal, Coral and Australia’s Climate Deadlock and Quarterly Essay 45 Us and Them: On the Importance of Animals.
Anna’s debut novel Act of Grace was published in October 2019 and shortlisted for the 2019 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.
» Read more about Anna Krien
Michelle Law
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Michelle Law is an award-winning writer and screenwriter whose previous speaking engagements include TEDx events, Woodford Folk Festival, writer’s festivals, ABC radio and The Project. Her stories and essays have been widely anthologized and her films have screened nationally at festivals and on the ABC.
» Read more about Michelle Law
Benjamin Law
Author, Corporate, Journalist, Social Commentator, Speaking Out, Well Within
Benjamin Law is a Sydney-based journalist, columnist and screenwriter. He is the author of two books: the black comedy memoir The Family Law (2010) and the travelogue Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East (2012). The Family Law has been translated into French and is currently being developed for television. Gaysia was published in India in 2013, with the US and other territories to follow in 2014. Both of his books were nominated for Australian Book Industry Awards, and he is currently working on his third.
» Read more about Benjamin Law
Julia Lawrinson
Author
Julia Lawrinson has written more than a dozen books for children and teenagers, many of them award-winning. She grew up in the outer suburbs of Perth, Western Australia, not long after the first moon landing. She loves dogs, oceans, and sunsets, and still likes to gaze at the night sky, just in case.
Julia’s new memoir, How To Avoid A Happy Life, is coming out soon and is suitable for senior students and adults. The book has already received wonderful attention and praise:
‘Astute, compassionate, heartbreaking, compelling – and sometimes downright astonishing.’
Kate Evans – ABC Radio National host of The Bookshelf
‘How To Avoid A Happy Life is a potent elixir of heartbreaking incident and astonishing resilience, and I’d have to add redemption. Julia Lawrinson is that rarest of things: a true original voice. Such an inventively irreverent and fearlessly honest memoir! This book is exactly what George Eliot meant when she said, “Literature of the most intimate sublimity can actually tell us how emotionally crowded any given day can be, and yet still have a distinct philosophical vigor and indispensability. ” Julia Lawrinson has dignified the art of memoir.’
Howard Norman – US writer, author of Come to the Window
» Read more about Julia Lawrinson
Steven Lochran
Author
Steven Lochran is the critically acclaimed author of the PALADERO and VANGUARD PRIME series for young readers. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing and has over 15 years experience in the publishing industry, which he draws from in teaching writing workshops and providing author talks.
» Read more about Steven Lochran
David Lovegrove
Comics, Illustrator, Manga
David Lovegrove is a gifted artist who studied at two of Australia’s best art schools – The Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney and the Qld College of Art, Brisbane (where he gained his Master of Arts in Visual Arts). His passion is for exploring the ‘Way’ or the ‘Tao’ of the artist in the 21st Century, bringing together high skill and intuitive inspiration and freedom.
» Read more about David Lovegrove
Maria Tumarkin
Author
Maria Tumarkin is a Melbourne-based writer and historian, and a 2013-2014 Sidney Myer Creative Fellow. She is the author of three critically acclaimed books of narrative non-fiction, which explore some of today’s most pressing issues – identity, immigration, family, moral courage and trauma.
» Read more about Maria Tumarkin
Coral Tulloch
Author, Illustrator
Coral Tulloch has worked on close to 60 books for children for both Australian and International publishers. As an author and illustrator, working in both fiction and non-fiction, Coral brings a wide range of presentations from cartooning to discussions on the environment, for a wide audience group.
Her latest book, One Small Island co-authored and co-illustrated with Alison Lester tells the story of Macquarie Island. She is currently working on two illustrated fictions, which revolve around the continent she loves so well.
Coral is the creator of a syndicated children’s page, The Tales Of Wombat Creek, which appeared for over 20 years in newspapers throughout Australia and Internationally. She has a passion for environmental education and equally, a passion to help others express their own stories through either the written or visual narrative.
Her work for more than a decade has centred on her voyages and experiences of the Antarctic, with several works produced. Antarctica The Heart Of The World won the Wilderness Societies Environment Award for Children’s Literature in 2004 and was named one of the best ten books of the year by US Science Books and Films several years later.
Coral lives in Hobart with her husband, Peter.
» Read more about Coral Tulloch
Penny Tangey
Author, Storyteller/Performer
Penny writes books for young people. Her first novel, Loving Richard Feynman was shortlisted for the 2010 CBCA Book of the Year (older readers). Her novel As Fast As I Can won the Readings Childrens’ Book Prize and the Queensland Premier’s Award for Children’s Literature.
Penny performed stand-up comedy for many years beginning by winning the Victorian final of Triple J’s Raw Comedy Competition. Most recently she performed a show about education and teaching, Chalk and Talk, in the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
» Read more about Penny Tangey
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.
Anne has told stories in some of Australia’s major cultural institutions, art galleries and libraries as well as on ABC radio and TV. She has been invited guest at Storytelling festivals throughout Australia, the UK and in Mexico and Colombia. Anne is a consummate MC with the ability to create shows tailored to audience needs.
» Read more about Anne E. Stewart
Anne Spudvilas
Illustrator
Anne Spudvilas is a multi award-winning illustrator of children’s books. Her work has been awarded the NSW and Queensland Premiers Awards, CBCA Picture Book of the Year, ABIA Award for Younger Readers, the Crichton Award for Illustration and more.
Her passion is bringing to life the characters in her books and this carries over into commissioned portraits and courtroom sketching. Her portrait of much-loved children’s book creator Leigh Hobbs was an Archibald Prize finalist. Anne is in demand for drawing workshops here and overseas and gives presentations about the process of illustrating books for primary and secondary level.
Anne’s visits include a video presentation and chat with students about the process of putting a picture book together. She brings her childhood sketchbooks, current workbooks and the concertina dummy books that are part of the design process. Students love the drawing demonstrations and group workshops creating big drawings with charcoal. An instant exhibition! These workshops are great for primary and secondary level – Anne easily adjusts her presentations to all age groups.
» Read more about Anne Spudvilas
Trent Southworth
Corporate, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
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.
Trent assisted in the implementation and monitoring of the State Governments Young Offenders Act, which targets all young offenders aged between 10 and 18 years of age. Through his experience in the NSW Police, Trent witnessed first-hand the importance of ongoing education of young people in today’s society.
Since leaving the Police, Trent has developed and facilitated numerous seminars for students, teachers, parents and community groups Australia-wide.
» Read more about Trent Southworth
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
Marc Martin
Author, Illustrator
Marc Martin is one of Australia’s most talented new picture-book creators. Having formally trained as a graphic designer, he splits his time between his design studio and various illustration projects. His first book, A Forest, explores themes of sustainability, growth, and our relationship with the environment.
» Read more about Marc Martin
Glenda Millard
Author
Glenda Millard writes picture books, novels for younger readers and for young adults. Her books have been published in Australia and internationally and have won many accolades.
» Read more about Glenda Millard
Tristan Miller
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
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
Ellen Sandell
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Ellen has been National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, one of Australia’s largest non-profit climate organisations. During her leadership, the organisation grew from a handful of friends wanting to change the world to a national organisation with over 80,000 members and the ear of politicians and business leaders due to it’s quirky and innovative campaigns.
Ellen has become one of Australia’s leading commentators and campaigners on the issue of climate change. Since leaving the AYCC in late 2012 she has worked in politics, as Campaign Manager for Simon Sheikh’s Senate campaign in the ACT (mobilising thousands of volunteers and just missing out on a Senate seat) and as a Senior Campaigns Advisor for Greens leader Senator Christine Milne.
» Read more about Ellen Sandell
Andrew Rule
Author, Corporate, Journalist, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
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 Rule
Michael Robotham
Author, Corporate, Speaking Out
Michael Robotham is an internationally celebrated crime writer whose books have been translated into 25 languages and sold more than six million copies around the world.
Born in country NSW, he began his career as a journalist and went on to write for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Britain and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles were Sunday Times bestsellers in the UK.
Michael’s first psychological thriller, THE SUSPECT, caused a bidding war at the London Book Fair in 2002 and was sold into more twenty languages in less than three hours. It later became only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
In 2015, Michael’s novel, LIFE OR DEATH, won the coveted Crime Writer’s Association Gold Dagger award for the year’s best novel, beating Stephen King and Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling) who were on the shortlist. He has also twice won Australia’s Ned Kelly Award for best novel and the Australian Book Industry Award for best fiction in 2018 for THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS.
A six-part TV series based on THE SECRET SHE KEEPS has been made for Channel 10 and will screen in early 2020 with an international cast.
» Read more about Michael Robotham
Sally Rippin
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Sally Rippin was born in Darwin, but grew up mainly in South-East Asia. As a young adult she lived in China for three years, studying traditional Chinese painting. Sally has over seventy books published, many of them award-winning, including two novels for young adults. Her work includes the highly acclaimed Polly and Buster trilogy and the popular Billie B Brown and Hey Jack! books, which became the highest selling series for 6-8 year olds in Australia within the first year of their release. Sally is Australia’s highest selling female author and her books have sold more than 5 million copies in 14 languages.
Sally is a popular presenter in schools and at literary festivals both in Australia and overseas and has a regular program on 3RRR interviewing children’s authors and industry professionals. She is a passionate ambassador for the 100 Story Building, Dymocks Childrens’ Charities and also the Australian Reading Hour. Recently, she and Hardie Grant Egmont have collaborated on a weekly program of book-based activities for kids at home at www.sallyrippin.com
» Read more about Sally Rippin
Sonia Orchard
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist, Personal Development/Welfare, Social Issues, Victim/Survivor Advocate
Sonia is a writer, teacher, advocate, speaker and festival founder and director who believes in the power of storytelling to inspire, create belonging and connection, and effect positive change in the world.
Her writing and work is driven by her passions for social justice, the environment and child and teenage wellbeing. Most recently, since the publication of her memoir “Groomed”, she has become a strong advocate for CSA and SA survivors, campaigning for justice reform, and the rights of children, teenagers and victim survivors.
» Read more about Sonia Orchard
Wendy Orr
Author
Wendy Orr is the multi-award winning and internationally published author of over forty books ranging from picture books to adult, including Peeling the Onion and the Nim’s Island series, which have also become feature films. She is passionate about her craft and is known for the honesty and inspirational qualities of her sessions.
» Read more about Wendy Orr
Alice Pung OAM
Author, Corporate, Curriculum Specialist, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Alice Pung OAM 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 Pung OAM
Michael Pryor
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Michael Pryor is one of Australia’s most popular and acclaimed authors of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He has published more than thirty-five novels, more than sixty short stories, and has over one million words in print. He is one of the co-publishers of Aurealis, Australia’s longest running Fantasy and SF magazine. He has been shortlisted for the Aurealis Award eleven times, and nine of his books have been CBCA Notable books. His latest book is Graveyard Shift in Ghost Town. His website is www.michaelpryor.com.au
» Read more about Michael Pryor
Liz Porter
Author
Liz Porter is a freelance journalist best-known for her prize-winning books about “the real CSI” – the way forensic science is used to solve crime. Based in Melbourne, she is a former award-winning legal affairs reporter for The Sunday Age.
» Read more about Liz Porter
Ben Pobjie
Author, Journalist, Social Commentator
Ben Pobjie is the author of the Reality Recap of Australian History Error Australis and Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. He is the resident satirist for Medium and TV writer for the Saturday Age, he co-hosts the comedy podcast Gather Around Me, and is a regular voice on ABC radio,Triple R and 3CR as well as writing occasionally for TV.
» Read more about Ben Pobjie
Ailsa Piper
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Ailsa Piper’s book, For Life, is a moving insight into loss, hope and starting again – aided by the healing power of nature and some unexpected angels. Previous books were her walking memoir, Sinning Across Spain; and The Attachment: Letters From A Most Unlikely Friendship, co-authored with Tony Doherty. Her script, Small Mercies, was co-winner of the Patrick White Playwright’s Award. Ailsa has written for publications including Griffith Review, the SMH and the Guardian. She’s also an accomplished audiobook narrator.
» Read more about Ailsa Piper
Tim Pegler
Author, Journalist, Social Commentator
Acclaimed YA author Tim Pegler is an award-winning journalist, extensively published in newspapers, magazines and online. Tim’s experience covering social issues, such as homelessness, disability and juvenile justice, provides the foundation for much of his writing for young adults.
» Read more about Tim Pegler
Lucia Masciullo
Illustrator
Born and bred in Italy, Lucia moved to Australia in 2007. Since then she has collaborated with major Australian Publishers, illustrating more than twenty books, including Come Down, Cat!, Family Forest and the successful series Our Australian Girl. For these books Lucia has made it on to the CBCA Honour Book list, and she has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister Award.
She now lives on the Gold Coast.
» Read more about Lucia Masciullo
Bic Walker
Author, Entrepreneur, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Born in Vietnam in 1974, Bic Walker escaped war torn Vietnam at the age of four. Bic’s experience as a refugee was the catalyst for her first Book A Safe Place to Live. This autobiographical children’s book recounts her experience in fleeing Vietnam with her family in 1979 on a tiny boat bound for freedom. The events that transpired are the stuff of Hollywood movies: attacked by pirates and left drifting in the open ocean without fuel, the family were finally rescued by a Canadian oil tanker. Bic and her family were transported to Malaysia where they waited for six months before being taken to Australia.
» Read more about Bic Walker
Trace Balla
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Trace Balla loves to illustrate and write songs and stories, and inspire others in their creativity and awareness of the wonders of the natural world and the ample stories that surround us.
Her multi award winning books include Rockhopping, Rivertime, Shine, Landing with Wings, Leaflight and The Thank You Dish. Themes include gratitude, grief, slowing down, growing up, connecting with the land and its’ creatures, the joy of the outdoors and the lessons nature can teach us. She is currently working very slowly on a graphic novella about her life.
New releases from Trace:
Leaf-Light, from one of Australia’s most unique creative talents, Leaf-Light is a stand-alone companion to Landing with Wings. Join Miri on her quest to help a rescued baby emu find its feet in the world, and as she connects to her community in joyful and unexpected ways.
Landing With Wings, “Rich in country and family, deep in care for the future.”BRUCE PASCOE
The Heart of the Bubble – a story with 2020 set in the time of corona – a family’s awakening to what really matters.
These titles are available in discounted bulk orders as an ebook, with teacher notes and activities. To learn more, you can visit https://traceballa.com/
Trace enjoys visiting schools, festivals and community centres to inspire people of all ages and abilities with slide show talks as well as workshops. These include nature journaling, making graphic novels, mini books and story catching. Talks and workshops can be tailored to the group’s interests.
» Read more about Trace Balla
Clare Wright
Author, Broadcaster, Historian, Social Commentator, Women's Rights
Professor Clare Wright is an award-winning historian, author, broadcaster and public commentator who has worked in politics, academia and the media. Clare holds a PhD in Australian Studies from the University of Melbourne and an MA in Public History from Monash University and is currently a Professor of History at La Trobe University.
Her best-selling first book, Beyond the Ladies Lounge: Australia’s Female Publicans (Text) met with both critical and popular acclaim. Her best-selling second book, The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka (Text), was based on a decade of archival research into women’s role in the Eureka Stockade. The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka won the 2014 Stella Prize and the NIB Literary Award (and People’s Choice Award) and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, the NSW Premier’s History Awards, the WA Premier’s Literary Awards, the Victorian Community History Awards, and long-listed for a Walkely Award.
We Are the Rebels, a Young Adult version of The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka, was published by Text in 2015 and has been shortlisted for the Australian Children’s Book Council Awards.
The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka is currently being developed into a ten-part television drama series with Ruby Entertainment and Hollywood screenwriter/producer, Anne Kenney.
Clare’s latest book is the best-selling You Daughters of Freedom (Text), published in October 2018. It is the second book in her Democracy Trilogy. You Daughters of Freedom was shortlisted for the 2019 Prime Minister’s Literary Award, and is currently shortlisted for the Australian History Association’s Margarey Medal for Biography.
Clare has worked as a political speechwriter, university lecturer, historical consultant and as a broadcaster in both radio and television.
She is a popular public speaker and has presented numerous keynote addresses and dinner talks at academic conferences, AGMs, Writers Festivals, book stores and community and corporate events. Clare is a former Director on the Board of the The Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas.
Clare’s thought-provoking essays, reviews and opinion writing have appeared in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, The Conversation, Overland, Crikey and Meanjin as well as leading national and international scholarly journals.
Clare researched, co-wrote and presented the acclaimed television documentary, Utopia Girls: How Women Won the Vote, which first screened on ABC1 in June 2012.
Clare created and co-wrote the four-part documentary series, The War That Changed Us, for Electric Pictures and ABC1. The series premiered on 23 August 2014 as part of the ABC’s centenary of WW1 programming. The War That Changed Us won an ATOM Award for Best Documentary and was nominated for a Logie for Most Outstanding Factual Program.
Clare is the writer and host of the ABC Radio National history series and podcast, Shooting the Past and co-hosts the history podcast, Archive Fever.
As a freelance historical consultant, Clare’s clients include Sovereign Hill Museums Association, the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka and many television production companies. She runs her consultancy practice as Done Gone Productions.
For Clare’s scholarly outputs, see here.
In 2020, Clare was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours list for “services to literature and to historical research”.
Clare is currently Professor of History and Professor of Public Engagement at La Trobe University. Her new book, a history of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions and the third instalment of her Democracy Trilogy, will be published by Text in October 2024.
Alex Hammond
Author, Corporate, Speaking Out
Critically acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Alex Hammond’s debut novel Blood Witness was shortlisted for the 2014 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel. Its sequel, The Unbroken Line, was described as “a taut and intelligent thriller.” Both were optioned as a TV series. Each novel was also selected to be part of the State Library of Victoria’s Summer Read by a panel of judges in the year they were released. Alex toured regional Victoria on behalf of the Library as part of these events.
His latest novel, The Paris Collaborator, a mystery thriller set in 1944 in German-occupied Paris, is released in May 2021.
» Read more about Alex Hammond
Courtney Collins
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Storyteller/Performer
Courtney is passionate about turning big creative ideas into practical reality – and supporting others to do the same. From her experience as a novelist, screenwriter, podcast presenter and producing films in remote locations, Courtney values the power of the imagination as much as the power of finding achievable steps to action ideas.
With a PhD in creative writing, storytelling craft is her expertise. She is especially led by the values of diversity, respect and connection. Participants in all of Courtney’s workshops and presentations report that they leave empowered with new tools and knowledge to support them to achieve their own creative dreams.
» Read more about Courtney Collins
Angela Pippos
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Angela Pippos is a journalist, TV and radio presenter, columnist and author of The Goddess Advantage – One Year in the Life of a Football Worshipper. It’s as much about love, loyalty, stuffed tomatoes and Greek mythology as it is about Australian rules football.
» Read more about Angela Pippos
Daniel Witthaus
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, LGBTQ+, Storyteller/Performer, Well Within
Daniel Witthaus believes you can change the world one cuppa at a time. He has spent 29 years challenging homophobia and working on LGBTIQA+ inclusion one cuppa at a time in schools, rural communities and, occasionally, developing countries. 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.
In 2013 Daniel founded Rural Pride Australia which focuses on the needs of LGBTIQA+ people in regional, rural and remote Australia. His focus is on helping communities assess their LGBTIQA+ inclusion readiness, practical strategies that work outside metropolitan centres and working on what can be done “in the meantime” ahead of an LGBTIQA+ utopia.
He is also semi-obsessed with abandoned buildings and is an international gay gold medallist in tennis.
» Read more about Daniel Witthaus
Sally Warhaft
Author, Corporate, Journalist, Speaking Out
Sally Warhaft is a Melbourne broadcaster, anthropologist and writer and the host of the Wheeler Centre’s live journalism series, The Fifth Estate, now in its third year. She is a former editor of The Monthly magazine and the author of the bestselling book Well May We Say: The Speeches that Made Australia. Sally is a regular host and commentator on ABC radio and has a PhD in anthropology. She did her fieldwork in Mumbai, India, living by the seashore with the local fishing community.
» Read more about Sally Warhaft
Claire Dunn
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Claire Dunn is a writer, journalist, educator, barefoot explorer and author of My Year Without Matches, the memoir of her extraordinary journey living in the bush for a year learning wilderness survival skills. Her latest book is Rewilding the Urban Soul, a memoir about searching for the wild in the city, set for release in June 2021.
» Read more about Claire Dunn
Sian Prior
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Speaking Out
Sian Prior is probably best known as an ABC radio presenter, a columnist and critic for The Age, and a musician. But this accomplished public performer is also the author of two acclaimed works of non fiction, ‘Shy: a memoir and ‘Childless: a story of freedom and longing’ (shortlisted for The Age Book of the Year in 2022). Her first memoir ‘Shy’ solves the riddle of how someone who has grappled for decades with debilitating social anxiety has nevertheless managed to carve out a series of successful careers in the public eye.
» Read more about Sian Prior
Michael Camilleri
Illustrator
Michael Camilleri is a Melbourne artist who creates books, comics and visual theatre. Michael’s latest illustration work can be seen in One Minute’s Silence by David Metzenthen. His illustration work also features in The Devil You Know by Leonie Norrington and on the album art and accompanying picture book for Martin Martini’s Vienna 1913. He lives with his partner Katherine and their son Ruben.
To check out Michael’s work and read some of his comics, visit www.epicboy.com
» Read more about Michael Camilleri
Kelly Gardiner
Author
Kelly Gardiner writes historical fiction, fantasy, and crime fiction for all ages. Her latest book is Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective, a Jane Austen-inspired crime novel co-authored with Sharmini Kumar.
Her most recent series is ‘The Firewatcher Chronicles’ and her other books include 1917, shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Young People’s History Prize; Act of Faith and The Sultan’s Eyes, both shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards; and the ‘Swashbuckler’ pirate trilogy. Goddess, a novel based on the life of the sword-fighting opera star, Mademoiselle de Maupin, is being adapted for the screen.
Kelly taught creative writing at La Trobe University for many years and is now writing full-time and running writing retreats and masterclasses. She is President of Sisters in Crime Australia and Deputy Chair of the Australian Society of Authors.
» Read more about Kelly Gardiner
Dean Rankine
Comics, Illustrator
Dean Rankine is a Ledger and Stanley Award winning comic book artist and writer best known for his work on Simpsons Comics. His other credits include; Futurama, Rick and Morty, Invader Zim, Underdog, Oggy and the Cockroaches and The Riverdale Diaries : Starring Veronica. He’s the illustrator on the Timmy the Ticked-Off Pony series – written by Magda Szubanski. He illustrated the Funny Thing Happened to Simon Sidebottom and The Stuff Happens series. And is the writer/illustrator on the new book series – Death Metal Emo Elves.
» Read more about Dean Rankine
Mike Rolls
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Mike is a survivor of one of the deadliest diseases on the planet. His story of courage, determination and pure resilience will inspire, educate and entertain!
» Read more about Mike Rolls
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
Maree Coote
Author, Illustrator, Speaking Out
One of the very first to identify the contemporary rise of Melbourne’s cultural and place power, Maree Coote is an energetic inspirational speaker. Her unique understanding of her topic (Melbourne) is made accessible through her command of history, culture, art and design for a wide variety of audiences. According to Philip Adams, “Melbourne never had a more ingenious ambassador.” Coote’s first book The Melbourne Book: A History of Now is in its fourth edition after 12+ years in print, and has been dubbed ‘Melbourne’s Bible’.
Maree’s ingenious typography has caught the attention of international design bodies with her book Spellbound: Making Pictures with the A-B-C winning the coveted Bologna Ragazzi 2017 Special Mention Prize in Italy. (She’s the first Australian to win this prize since Shaun Tan 10 years ago.) It was also shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year awards.
An earlier book Alphabet City Zoo also won a Distinction Prize in Korea’s Nami Concours Awards in a field of entries from 149 countries.
Luke Kennedy
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Mental Health, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Luke Kennedy is one of Australia’s most sought-after motivational speakers, mental health advocate, and best selling author. Known for his raw storytelling, powerful presence, and ability to deeply connect with audiences of all ages. From school halls to corporate boardrooms, his keynote/workshops inspire lasting change, resilience, and the importance of taking care of yourself (in all areas).
» Read more about Luke Kennedy
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
Neridah McMullin
Author, Storyteller/Performer
Neridah is an inspiring presenter who knows how to connect with her students, making Australian history, Indigenous history and Sport accessible to children in a fun and engaging way.
» Read more about Neridah McMullin
Nova Weetman
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Nova Weetman wrote her first book at 12. A dystopian story about jelly eating, it’s predictably unpublished. From there, she honed her story writing skills in the world of film and TV, before returning to the thing she loves most – writing prose. Now she writes YA novels and middle fiction, and short non-fiction and fiction for various literary magazines and online publications.
» Read more about Nova Weetman
Erin Gough
Author
Sarah Ayoub
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Sarah Ayoub is a journalist, author and academic researching intersectional literature. Her work has been published in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, ELLE, Marie-Claire, Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books and more. She has worked as a lecturer and tutor in journalism and writing with the University of Sydney, University of NSW and University of Notre Dame, and recently completed a PhD examining the intersections of interventionist ethnic Australian YA literature. She is the author of Hate is such a Strong Word and The Yearbook Committee, the latter of which was longlisted for The Gold Inky, Australia’s premier teen choice award. Sarah is a Schools Ambassador with The Stella Prize, has mentored the youth curators of The Sydney Writers’ Festival YA program, contributed to the anthology Arab, Australian, Other and most recently been a judge for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Sarah’s forthcoming novel, The Cult of Romance, will be published by HarperCollins in March 2022, and her first picture book, The Love that Grew, will be out in April of the same year. She is currently working on her first novel for adults as the Writer-in-Residence of Sweatshop Literacy Movement.
» Read more about Sarah Ayoub
Nicole Jenkins
Author
Nicole is a fashion historian: an award-winning writer, educator and retailer, the author of two books and curator of perhaps the largest collection of Australian fashion in the world.
She has presented talks and workshops around Australia.
» Read more about Nicole Jenkins
David Burton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
David is a multi-award-winning writer from Queensland. In 2015, David published his funny, sad and serious memoir How to Be Happy, which tackled an adolescence of depression, anxiety and sexual confusion head on. He’s regularly requested for his hilarious and inspiring talks.
» Read more about David Burton
Favel Parrett
Author
In 2011, Favel Parrett’s career was launched with her critically acclaimed debut PAST THE SHALLOWS. It was sold internationally and was shortlisted in the prestigious Miles Franklin Award and won the Dobbie Literary Award. Favel won the ABIA Newcomer of the Year Award in 2012. Her next novel, WHEN THE NIGHT COMES, was also critically acclaimed and further consolidated Favel’s reputation with booksellers and readers. THERE WAS STILL LOVE was Favel’s eagerly awaited third novel and it was shortlisted for the Stella Prize and won Book of the Year at the 2020 Indie Book Awards. WANDI was her first novel for children and was published in October 2021. KIMMI is her second novel for children and was published in November 2023.
She lives in Victoria and is passionate about wildlife.
Her research for her latest book makes for fascinating reading. Favel underwent many medical and psychological tests to ensure she could travel to the Antarctic. One of the particular strengths of her writing is her ability to describe the physical sensation of being in this extreme environment – of walking across Antarctic snow for the first time and of the wonder of encountering the vast white landscape.
Favel has also had many short stories published in journals and anthologies, such as Best Australian Short Stories, Meanjin, Griffith Review, and Island.
You can find out more about Favel Parrett at www.favelparrett.com.au
» Read more about Favel Parrett
Ron Murray
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Entertainer, First Nations, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Ron is a much loved and highly respected Victorian Indigenous educator, storyteller and musician. He is in demand as a speaker, sharing his knowledge of Indigenous culture with passion, honesty and humour.
» Read more about Ron Murray
Steve Mushin (Stephen Mushin)
Author, Design, Drawing and Creative Thinking Teacher, Education Consultant, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, STEM Teacher
Steve Mushin’s graphic novel style STEM book Ultrawild, An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City On Earth (Allen and Unwin, Nov 2023) was described by The Guardian as:
‘a brain-meltingly intricate and inspiring compendium of the gigantic ideas needed to repair the planet.’
Steve is an industrial designer, hack engineer and illustrator. He collaborates with scientists, and engineers to develop outrageous, but scientifically possible inventions to rewild cities back into jungles.
Steve runs creative thinking, illustration and design workshops with primary and secondary schools, universities and businesses, where he uses his ‘design thought experiments’ as starting points for madcap STEM explorations.
In 2015, he was awarded an Australian Design Honours for work in sustainability design education.
MEDIA LINKS:
Video interview: The Wheeler Centre
Profile: Australian Design Centre
Article: Sydney Morning Herald
» Read more about Steve Mushin (Stephen Mushin)
Helen Chebatte
Author
Helen is an author and an actor. Using both her performance and writing skills, Helen brings dual knowledge and understanding to the art of expression.
» Read more about Helen Chebatte
Gabrielle Tozer
Author, Journalist
Gabrielle Tozer is an internationally published author with a background in journalism, editing and copywriting. Her YA novel, The Intern, won the State Library of Victoria’s 2015 Gold Inky Award, and its sequel Faking It is out now. Gabrielle has shared her passion for storytelling and creativity at numerous events, including the Sydney Writers’ Festival’s Children’s Festival of Moving Stories, Somerset Celebration of Literature, National Young Writers’ Festival and the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s National Conference.
» Read more about Gabrielle Tozer
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 reviews and articles on film appear weekly in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and other Nine publications, and in his own Substack newsletter Moving Targets (www.jakewilson.com.au).
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
Kirsty Eagar
Author
Kirsty Eagar is the award-winning author of the Young Adult novels: Summer Skin, Raw Blue, Night Beach and Saltwater Vampires. She believes storytelling is a life skill, and her author talks and workshops are structured using tenets of performance psychology to ensure they are distilled, sequenced and practical.
» Read more about Kirsty Eagar
Tim Harris
Author, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Tim Harris is the bestselling author of several laugh-out-loud series for kids, including Toffle Towers, Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables and Exploding Endings. A former primary school teacher of 15 years, his stories are filled with quirky scenarios, loveable characters and plenty of imagination. Tim’s ‘humour with heart’ writing style has seen his books receive multiple awards, including two KOALA Honour Books (2017 and 2019) and a CBCA Notable (2018). His books have been published in Australia and the USA, and have been translated into numerous languages.
An advocate for creativity and short stories, Tim’s presentations and workshops are dynamic and entertaining. He is a sought-after presenter, having worked in hundreds of schools across Australia.
» Read more about Tim Harris
Ruth Clare
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Ruth Clare is the author of the award-winning memoir, ENEMY (Penguin, 2016), a three-time TEDx speaker and lived experience mental health coach. In addition to writing for publications such as The Age, Elle, Meanjin and The Good Weekend, Ruth is working on a memoir based on her late life diagnosis with ADHD. Ruth explores serious topics related to mental health, resilience, courage, identity and authenticity using humour and a knack for entertaining developed during her years as a professional actor.
She shares stories of hiding the trauma of her childhood, pretending everything was okay while she struggled alone with anxiety, perfectionism, shame and never feeling good enough, and how she finally got brave enough to share her experience with others. Weaving in polyvagal, mindfulness and breathing exercises, alongside cognitive approaches, Ruth simplifies complex ideas learnt on her own recovery journey and mental health studies, to deliver genuine insights and practical tools participants can immediately use in their own lives.
Ruth’s talks deliver a transformative experience for audiences, showing them how to stop being so hard on themselves and live with more calm awareness, self-compassion, optimism and confidence.
Topics:
• Mental Health
• Resilience and overcoming adversity
• Neurodivergence and Identity
• Owning your stories and rewriting your life
Mark Smith
Author
Mark is an award-winning author who offers a unique insight into reading and writing – he came to both late, but has now published four books, including The Road to Winter, which is taught in schools around Australia. His first adult novel entitled Three Boys Gone, will be published January 2025.
The second book in the Winter Trilogy, Wilder Country, won the 2018 Australian Indie Book of The Year for YA. Mark combines his love of surfing, riding and travelling with adventure stories teens love. An experienced educator, his storytelling, humour and insights will keep students enthralled online or in-person.
Mark is also an award-winning short story writer who offers writing workshops for middle-school and senior students wanting to develop their craft. He is available for residencies, offering the opportunity to engage with students in workshops across multiple year levels.
» Read more about Mark Smith
Jessica Walton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Jessica Walton is a queer, disabled writer and speaker. They co-wrote an episode of Get Krack!n focused on disability, which aired on ABC in 2019. They are the author of graphic novel Stars In Their Eyes, with artwork by Aśka (Fremantle Press 2021) and Introducing Teddy, illustrated by Dougal MacPherson (Bloomsbury 2016). Jess also has two short stories for teens and kids published in Australian anthologies Funny Bones (Allen and Unwin 2019) and Meet Me at the Intersection (Fremantle Press 2018), as well as poetry in a few anthologies, magazines and journals.
» Read more about Jessica Walton
Alicia Sometimes
Author, Broadcaster, Poet, Storyteller
Alicia Sometimes is a writer, poet and broadcaster. She regularly appears on ABC radio talking books and culture and is often touring with her poetry. She has also appeared on ABC TV’s Sunday Arts, News Breakfast, Recovery and SBS’s Nomad program. Alicia was a 2014 Fellow at the State Library of Victoria and writer and director of the science-poetry show, Elemental that toured extensively in planetariums around the world.
» Read more about Alicia Sometimes
Judy Horacek
Author, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Judy Horacek is an award winning Australian cartoonist, children’s book illustrator and writer. In 2004, she and Mem Fox created Where is the Green Sheep? which became an instant children’s classic, and winner of the CBCA Gold Medal for Early Childhood. She has since done four books of her own that she has both written and illustrated, and three other books with Mem, Judy is an experienced presenter in schools, both talking about her own work and helping children to make their own drawings and stories. Her classes are always full of laughter and fun, and her enthusiasm is infectious.
» Read more about Judy Horacek
Lucinda Gifford
Author, Illustrator
Lucinda works as a children’s illustrator and author from her colourful, ink-splattered home studio. She loves to draw and especially enjoys improvised sketching with groups of children because – through the chaos – wonderful things can emerge.
» Read more about Lucinda Gifford
Kate Mildenhall
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Podcaster
Kate Mildenhall is an author, writing teacher and podcaster. Her debut novel SKYLARKING was longlisted for Debut Fiction in The Indie Book Awards 2017 and the 2017 Voss Literary Award. Her second novel, THE MOTHER FAULT was longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2021 Aurealis Science Fiction Novel of the Year. Her latest novel is THE HUMMINGBIRD EFFECT (2023), shortlisted for the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year and longlisted for the Stella Prize and the Indie Book Awards Fiction, 2024. She has recently published a Children’s picture book titled To Stir With Love (2024).
Kate has been the recipient of residencies at Varuna, the Writers House, Bundanon Trust and the Michael King Writers Centre in Aotearoa. She is a regular guest at writers festivals and in 2023 was runner up in the Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship for work on her fourth novel.
For the past six years Kate has co-hosted The First Time Podcast where she has spoken with over 200 Australian and international writers including George Saunders, Behrouz Boochani, Helen Garner, Sarah Winman, Tim Winton, Richard Flanagan and Charlotte Wood. Kate is highly regarded as a festival moderator and speaker and has been a guest at many Australian and International Writers Festivals.
Kate is currently undertaking a PhD in creative practice at RMIT University. Her first picture book will be released in 2024. Kate lives in Hurstbridge on Wurundjeri lands, with her partner and two children.
» Read more about Kate Mildenhall
Tasneem Chopra
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller, Well Within, Women's Rights
Tasneem is a whole lot of parts, symbolising the hybrid identity of today’s global citizen, which she speaks to with sheer wit. She is an East African born, Indian origin, Bendigo raised, Melbourne loving, daughter, mother, middle-child, karaoke swooning, sleep deprived, vertically challenged, feminist, Muslim, exhausted, activist – and she won’t compromise on any of those titles.
» Read more about Tasneem Chopra
Robyn Davidson
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
A charismatic,engaging, intellectually adventurous, deep thinker who also makes her audiences laugh. Talks accompanied by stunning National Geographic photography.
» Read more about Robyn Davidson
Alex Miles
Author
Since publishing her first play at age seventeen, Alex (Lee) Miles has written for stage and screen, for brides, with the book Sixty Secrets for a Happy Bride, and for spys-in-waiting with eight Zac Power books. Using her background in theatre, Alex entertains with interactive workshops on writing and the Imagination Muscle. Her Starring Olive Black children’s series launched in 2017.
» Read more about Alex Miles
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
Shivaun Plozza
Author, New Speakers
Shivaun Plozza’s critically acclaimed debut novel, Frankie, was nominated to ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List, highly commended at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, and won the Davitt Award for best YA crime novel. Her second novel, Tin Heart, was nominated to ALA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults List and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Shivaun’s most recent YA novel, The Worst Perfect Moment, received three starred reviews and sold into multiple territories. Shivaun’s middle grade debut, The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars, was a JLG selection. She has written three other middle grade novels: A Reluctant Witch’s Guide to Magic, Meet Me at the Moon Tree and her latest, Summer of Shipwrecks. Shivaun lives in Australia with her cat, Fenchurch.
» Read more about Shivaun Plozza
Mark Brandi
Author, New Speakers
Mark Brandi is an award-winning Melbourne author who was born in Italy, then raised in country Victorian pub. He was the first Australian to win the coveted British Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger, but his road to becoming a successful novelist took a few unusual detours.
» Read more about Mark Brandi
Ally Watson
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, Well Within, Women's Rights
Ally Watson is the founder and CEO of Code Like a Girl, a social enterprise that provides girls and women with the confidence and tools to take on the world of code and re-imagine the future of technology.
As one who has seen first-hand how traditional gender stereotypes have limited opportunity for women across society at large, she strives tirelessly each day towards breaking these biases.
Recently decorated with an Order of Australia Medal, Watson is a multi-award winning social entrepreneur whose heartfelt motivation is to create innovative learning environments where every woman, from any background, feels included, inspired and capable in the world of technology.
Ally’s unique and refreshing insights and research on gender-diversity within the technology industry allows for the delivery of thought-provoking and action-inspiring presentations.
» Read more about Ally Watson
Shabnam Safa
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Shabnam is a driven community development practitioner who is passionate about cultivating true partnerships between communities and structures of power to create lasting solutions and social change.
She grew up as a Hazara Afghan refugee in Pakistan before arriving in Australia at the age of 15. Inspired by her own experience of forced displacement, she is a strong advocate for meaningful participation of refugees in addressing the complex challenges of resettlement, inclusion, and belonging.
Shabnam has founded and led multiple initiatives in Australia and abroad supporting refugees and host communities. She is part of a small national team at the Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) working to establish a holistic community-led refugee sponsorship program in Australia, building community capacity to welcome newcomers. She is the inaugural Chairperson at the National Refugee-led Advisory and Advocacy Group (NRAAG), a refugee-led organisation creating spaces for effective elevation of voices with lived experience in key decisions, policies, and discourse about refugees.
A Director at the Centre for Multicultural Youth, Shabnam also serves on multiple government advisory boards influencing policy design and program delivery to devise unique solutions for the unique challenges and opportunities facing refugee and migrant communities in Australia. She is an emerging leader in the Afghan Australian community and since the fall of Kabul in August 2021 has been one of the leading voices behind the Action for Afghanistan campaign.
She was recently inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her tireless work in promoting refugee rights, social cohesion, meaningful diversity and inclusion. Fun fact about Shabnam: she is also a former Karate champion with multiple national and international titles to her name.
» Read more about Shabnam Safa
Bri Lee
Author, Social Issues, Women's Rights
Bri Lee is an author, freelance writer, and speaker based in Sydney.
After graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and Arts (Mandarin) degree in 2014, she was admitted to the legal profession early in 2017. Bri is now completing an MPhil in Creative Writing.
Her first book, a memoir called Eggshell Skull, was published by Allen & Unwin in June 2018. It explores sexism in the legal industry and justice system, and tells the story of how many barriers women—including Bri herself—face when trying to access justice. The book won several awards including the Biography of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards. It also received several other listings, including being longlisted for The Stella Prize.
Bri is a well-known advocate for criminal justice law reform. She worked as a Research Assistant to Prof. Jonathan Crowe at Bond University where together they co-authored a paper detailing Queensland’s consent and ‘mistake of fact’ laws. After more than a year of campaigning their work was successful, and the Queensland Attorney-General referred the issue to the Law Reform Commission.
Bri’s second book, released in November 2019, is an essay called Beauty. In Beauty, Bri Lee explores our obsession with thinness and asks how an intrinsically unattainable standard of physical ‘perfection’ has become so crucial to so many.
» Read more about Bri Lee
Jo Stanley
Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Storyteller/Performer
Having started her career as a comedian, Jo is a dynamic and entertaining speaker. She has presented to schools, universities, conferences, the corporate world, and community groups. Her areas of expertise are:
- Gender equality
- Resilience and mindfulness
- Purpose
- Media
- Personal branding
Scott Harris
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development
Scott Harris traveled the world solo with multiple disabilities to show us we can do anything we put our mind to. After a dirt bike accident in 2008, he spent three years at Epworth Rehabilitation learning to live with these disabilities and came out the other side with a completely new approach to life. He wrote the book Crashing Into Potential: Living with my injured brain, which tells the story of how he went from zero to hero despite being knocked down many times along the way.
» Read more about Scott Harris
Christian White
Author
It took Christian White over a decade to find ‘overnight success’. Before he became a screenwriter and an award-winning author with his bestselling novel, The Nowhere Child, he slogged away at his computer on nights and weekends, relying on a long list of unusual day jobs to supplement his writing habit. As a speaker he is honest and self-deprecating, as he explains how writing for the screen helped him write for the page, he reveals the importance of letting others read your work, and shares all the things he learned from Stephen King.
» Read more about Christian White
Chris Hammer
Author
Chris is the author of Scrublands– the bestselling Australian crime novel set in a drought-ravaged town – and The River – an account of his journey through the Murray-Darling Basin.
Now a full-time author, Chris was a journalist for more than 30 years, covering federal politics and travelling as a roving foreign correspondent.
» Read more about Chris Hammer
Adam Cece
Author, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Adam Cece is an award-winning author of children’s books, including the hilarious Huggabie Falls series, and an SA Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador. His mission, which he has chosen to accept, is to travel the country and inspire children to read and write, by sharing his journey, and his world of books and words, and delving into the process of writing and the structure of stories, and, most importantly, having lots of fun in the process.
Follow Adam on Twitter and Instagram @ceceadam or at www.adamcece.com.
» Read more about Adam Cece
Meredith Gaston
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Meredith Gaston Masnata is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author, artist, wellness coach and speaker celebrating mindful, joyous and spirited living in a modern world.
Whilst exhibiting her artwork locally and abroad from a young age, Meredith graduated from The University of Sydney, majoring in Art History and Theory and Gender and Cultural Studies. Continuing her education as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach through IIN, New York, Meredith frequently features in the media, educational and corporate spheres inspiring wellbeing in daily life. She is a regular guest on ABC radio. Meredith’s twelve lovingly illustrated books are translated into various foreign languages and her artworks are collected worldwide.
Anna Snoekstra
Author
Anna Snoekstra is the bestselling author of four novels, which have been published in twenty countries and translated into many different languages. She is also a screenwriter for film and television.
» Read more about Anna Snoekstra
Jenna Guillaume
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist, Social Commentator
Jenna Guillaume is a lively and engaging author and journalist with a passion for empowering young people – and having a lot of fun along the way. She loves to talk about things like body image, social media and online toxicity, the intersection of feminism and pop culture, digital media, mental health and self-love.
» Read more about Jenna Guillaume
Neil Grant
Author
Neil Grant was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He spent many years slouching through Europe and Asia with a stack of notebooks until, in 2001, Allen & Unwin agreed to publish his first novel, Rhino Chasers. This was followed by Indo Dreaming in 2005, which saw him researching traditional whale-hunting, surf culture and two-minute noodles in Indonesia. In 2009, he travelled to Afghanistan to gather material for a book on asylum seekers, a journey that changed his life; The Ink Bridge was published in 2012. The Honeyman and the Hunter is based partly in India – the birthplace of his mother.
» Read more about Neil Grant
Patrick Guest
Author, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
After many years spent gathering stories and tapping away in darkened rooms, Patrick has overcome his fear of public speaking and is now an accomplished performer – equal parts inspiring and entertaining – who isn’t afraid to explore the deeper motivations behind his stories. Patrick has a talent for engaging and involving his whole audience (even the kid at the back of the hall who doesn’t want to be there).
» Read more about Patrick Guest
Gabriel Evans
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Gabriel Evans is a picture book author and illustrator.
His books have been published in fourteen countries, read on ABC’s Play School and reviewed in the New York Times. They’ve been shortlisted twice in the Children’s Book Council Picture Book of the Year with a further six notable books in the same award.
Gabriel is a dynamic and engaging speaker, giving interactive sessions on the craft of creating picture books. He’s visited educational institutions in major cities and remote regions around Australia.
Jared Thomas
Author, Education Consultant, First Nations, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Social Issues
Dr Jared Thomas is a Nukunu person of the Southern Flinders Ranges and the Research Fellow, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Material Culture and Art at the South Australian Museum, and an internationally recognised author.
» Read more about Jared Thomas
Eleni Hale
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues
Eleni Hale is an author and journalist based in Melbourne. Her debut novel, inspired by real life events, won the Readings Book Prize among other accolades and tells the story of one girl’s journey through institutional care.
» Read more about Eleni Hale
Fiona Harris & Mike McLeish
Drama, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Married couple, Fiona Harris and Mike McLeish are award-winning performers who have been working full-time in the arts industry for twenty years.
Fiona and Mike have written and acted in two series of the award-winning short-form comedy series; The Drop Off. They have also adapted The Drop Off into an adult fiction novel with Echo Publishing, due for release in 2020. They recently received funding from the ACTF to develop a young adult television series. Fiona also taught drama to teenagers at Stage School Australia for four years.
Fiona and Mike run school sessions for secondary students, as well as script and performance workshops.
» Read more about Fiona Harris & Mike McLeish
Cori Brooke
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Cori Brooke is a Canadian-Australian Children’s Book Council of Australia shortlisted children’s picture book author (All I Want for Christmas is Rain), public servant and Mom. Cori loves to share her books, book-related artifacts and books she loves with kids and adults. She loves talking about her writing process, and the process of writing generally, in a fun, accessible and kid-friendly way. Having just learned to juggle (literally, but also a metaphor for her life) Cori might incorporate that into her visits soon!
» Read more about Cori Brooke
Anna Zobel
Author, Illustrator
Anna Zobel is an author and illustrator from Melbourne. Her middle-grade series Little Gem was a CBCA Notable in 2022, and was also shortlisted for the Readings Prize. She is the illustrator of several books including Who’s Your Real Mum?, which made the 2020 CBCA Shortlist and was chosen for the eminent White Raven Award in Europe. Her new book This Camp is Doomed will be released in August 2023. Besides writing and illustrating, Anna is also a gallery teacher with a primary background. She is passionate about fostering confidence, and helping students to discover their own unique style.
» Read more about Anna Zobel
Caz Goodwin
Author
Caz Goodwin is an award-winning, internationally published children’s author, passionate about inspiring young readers through storytelling. Her books have won or been shortlisted for awards, including the 2024 CBCA Book of the Year, the 2024 and 2022 Speech Pathology Book of the Year, and Singapore’s National Arts Council Beyond Words Award. As the head of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) in Victoria and an Australia Reads ambassador, she is dedicated to championing children’s literature and has spoken at numerous local and international festivals, conferences, community events, libraries and schools. Her books have been produced in Braille for low-vision readers, featured in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, and showcased on Sarah Ferguson’s Fergie and Friends show, CBCA Storytime, podcasts, newspapers, and radio.
For more about Caz’s work, visit www.cazgoodwin.com
» Read more about Caz Goodwin
Alice Bishop
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Alice Bishop is from Christmas Hills, Victoria. Her first book A Constant Hum, tracks the lingering aftermath of Australian bushfire. It was recently shortlisted for the 2019 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction and recognised in the Penguin Literary Prize. Alice’s work focuses on place, people and climate—often highlighting the quiet moments that make us who we are.
» Read more about Alice Bishop
Danielle Binks
Author, Personal Development, Social Issues
Danielle Binks is a literary agent and author of middle-grade and young-adult fiction books. She is a passionate ‘youth literature advocate’ who champions Australia’s national youth literature and writes compelling contemporary stories for young people.
» Read more about Danielle Binks
Nikki Gemmell
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer, Women's Rights
Nikki is known as Australia’s most honest author. Whether it’s her provocative novel The Bride Stripped Bare; After, her non fiction book about the euthanasia death of her mother, or her highly popular column in the Weekend Australian magazine (which tackles many issues pertinent to educators and students,) she gets the nation thinking. She’s also written two series of books for primary aged school children.
» Read more about Nikki Gemmell
Rawah Arja
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Rawah Arja is a passionate young Muslim author from Western Sydney whose work has featured at the Sydney Writer’s Festival, SBS Voices as well as the Sydney Review of Books. She teaches creative writing workshops at schools, specialising in reluctant readers and writers.
» Read more about Rawah Arja
Tyson Yunkaporta
Academic, Author, First Nations, New Speakers
Tyson Yunkaporta is an academic, an arts critic, and a researcher who belongs to the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. He carves traditional tools and weapons and also works as a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne.
» Read more about Tyson Yunkaporta
Lisa Fuller
Author
Lisa is a Wuilli Wuilli woman from south-east Queensland, who has been surviving Canberra winters since 2006. Her debut YA novel, Ghost Bird, has won and been shortlisted in a slew of awards. She teaches creative writing at the University of Canberra, where she is also doing her PhD in creative writing.
» Read more about Lisa Fuller
Astrid Edwards
Education Consultant, Social Issues, Storyteller
Astrid is a bibliophile. She is the host of The Garret: Writers on Writing and has interviewed more than 200 of Australia’s most prominent writers. In 2023 she began a PhD at the University of Melbourne exploring potential and perceived barriers to publishing and selling climate fiction in Australia.
She regularly moderates and participates in panels at literary festivals, and you can read her book reviews in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Future Women, Kill Your Darlings, The Big Issue, Australian Book Review and Australian Foreign Affairs.
She is one half of Bad Producer Productions, an independent podcast network specialising in arts and sport (she represents the Arts part). Astrid also teaches in the Associate Degree of Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT University and sometimes judges literary prizes.
Astrid is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She served on the Victorian Disability Advisory Council advising the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers (2019 to 2022). She the former Chair of Melbourne Writers Festival (2019-2022) and the former Deputy Chair of Writers Victoria (2014-2018).
In 2021 Astrid contributed to the anthology Growing Up Disabled in Australia and made her debut appearance on Q+A in 2021. She previously received grants from the Australia Council for the Arts (2017 and 2018) and The Copyright Agency (2017 and 2019).
Before embarking on this creative storytelling career, Astrid was an economics and policy consultant for almost a decade. She specialised in climate and social policy, and to this day she is trying to figure out how stories can help to save the planet.
Astrid is a member of Mensa Australia.
» Read more about Astrid Edwards
Ceridwen Dovey
Author
Ceridwen is a skilled public speaker who is passionate about delving into some of the complexities of the writing process. She loves to provide context and background to her own writing journey so that students (and teachers) feel empowered to engage with her books and with literature in general.
» Read more about Ceridwen Dovey
Dr Jodi Richardson
Anxiety, Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
Dr Jodi Richardson is dedicated to elevating the mental health and wellbeing of others. She empowers parents, educators and other professionals with practical skills and techniques for maximising wellbeing and overcoming the inattention, overwhelm and avoidance that come with anxiety.
» Read more about Dr Jodi Richardson
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
Gabriel Bergmoser
Author, Storyteller/Performer
Gabriel Bergmoser is an award-winning author, playwright and screenwriter. His books have been translated into multiple languages and plays performed internationally
» Read more about Gabriel Bergmoser
Cath Moore
Author, Social Issues
Cath Moore is an award winning author, filmmaker and academic, specializing in YA and own-voice storytelling for the page and screen. Cath also runs story development workshops for secondary students and new writers.
» Read more about Cath Moore
Gary Lonesborough
Author, First Nations
Gary Lonesborough is a writer of young adult fiction, with experience working in the Aboriginal health, the disability sector and the film industry.
» Read more about Gary Lonesborough
Claire Saxby
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer, Sustainability
Claire Saxby writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction for young people. She speaks (and sometimes sings) about history, humour, our environment, making stories, writing poetry and researching.
» Read more about Claire Saxby
Jonny Shannon
Inspirational Speaker, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
If you’re looking for a powerful, engaging speaker on cyber safety, online presence, and bullying prevention – Jonny Shannon is your guy!
Jonny Shannon is a International Tech entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker.
From 2016 to 2024, Jonny has delivered one of the most sought-after presentations for both primary and high school audiences across Australia. His sessions aren’t just informative—they’re fun, memorable, and packed with real-life stories that help students understand how to take control of their digital world. Through relatable storytelling and practical advice, Jonny empowers students to deal with cyberbullying, stay safe online, build a positive digital footprint and mental health and wellbeing.
» Read more about Jonny Shannon
George Green
Author, Inspirational Speaker
George is an accomplished motivational speaker with over ten years experience in inspiring young people. George details his journey from the Hip-Hop industry to finding faith and his transition to successful children’s author.
» Read more about George Green
Huda Hayek
Author, Inspirational Speaker
H. Hayek learned as an adult to embrace all the parts that make her unique. Hayek believes all children, no matter their backgrounds, can do this early and use it as a tool for success.
» Read more about Huda Hayek
Alex Dekker
Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Alex Dekker is an award-winning social entrepreneur and the founder of Alex Makes Meals, a not-for-profit that has provided over 700,000 meals to people in need. As a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and 2024 Young Melburnian of the Year, Alex shares inspiring insights on leadership, resilience, and creating sustainable impact in both schools and corporate settings.
Alex’s work has garnered numerous accolades, including being nominated for Victorian Young Australian of the Year (2021) and receiving the 2022 Premier’s Sustainability Award and the National Banksia Award. His efforts demonstrate that age is no barrier to making a profound difference.
» Read more about Alex Dekker
Tarang Chawla
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Tarang Chawla is a speaker, writer and founder of Not One More Niki, working to end violence against women. He is a gender equality, human rights and mental health advocate who was named a Young Australian of the Year Finalist and listed as one of Australia’s Top 40 Under 40 Asian Australians.
Dr Joanne Orlando (PhD, M.Ed, B.Ed)
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Welfare
Dr Joanne Orlando (PhD, M.Ed, B.Ed) is one of Australia’s favourite and most trusted digital wellbeing experts. Through her ground-breaking research she provides specialist advice and solutions to today’s most pressing digital wellbeing issues for children and adults. Joanne is a popular presenter on TV, with over 10 years presenting digital wellbeing segments on Sunrise, Morning Show, Today Show and The Project. She has developed terms such as ‘sharenting’ and ‘zombie scrolling’ which have now entered everyday lexicon. Joanne is the creator of digital literacy and wellbeing education program TechClever, and her most recent book Life Mode On, was released worldwide in 2021.
» Read more about Dr Joanne Orlando (PhD, M.Ed, B.Ed)
Ren Alessandra
Author, Entertainer, Poet, Storyteller
Ren is a national award-winning spoken word artist and English teacher who merges her love of both arts into active, engaging and empowering writing workshops and performances.
See more at Ren’s website here.
» Read more about Ren Alessandra
Mirranda Burton
Author, Comics, Illustrator, Social Issues
Mirranda Burton is an artist, writer and author of graphic novels. Her work is fuelled by a passion for history, social issues and a dream of humans finding new ways to understand each other.
» Read more about Mirranda Burton
Emily Gale
Author
Emily Gale has seen the book industry from different sides over more than twenty years. She’s worked in publishing houses, a bookshop, two school libraries and a literary agency, has chaired festival panels and is a vocal advocate for children’s literature wherever she goes. Meanwhile she has written novels for several age groups, with a particular interest in middle-grade and Young Adult fiction.
» Read more about Emily Gale
Katrina Nannestad
Author
Katrina Nannestad is an award-winning children’s author who writes humour, adventure, action, mystery and history. Katrina loves sharing her passion for stories, and encouraging others to read, write and find the joy in life.
» Read more about Katrina Nannestad
Matthew Lin
Entertainment, Illustrator, Manga
Matthew Lin is a graphic designer and illustrator who has over 25 years experience — with the majority of that time in publishing, as well as advertising and promotional design.
Matthew began his career as a MAC operator in a small ad agency in Parramatta. After a year he moved on to be a designer and illustrator for Scholastic, then a senior designer/illustrator at Creata Promotion. He was an Art Director at Horwitz Publications and then Creative Director at Online Media Group. In 2004, Matthew decided it was time to go freelance and since then, hasn’t looked back!
» Read more about Matthew Lin
Joel McKerrow
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Poet, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Creativity specialist Joel McKerrow is an award-winning author, speaker, educator, and is one of Australia’s most successful and experienced performance poets. For fifteen years full-time he has toured on stages throughout world, including representing Australia at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championships. With seven poetry albums and six poetry books, as well as his first junior-fiction/Graphic novel being published in March 2024 (Urban Legend Hunters: The Dreaded Mr Snipe), Joel brings a wealth of creative experience in both poetry and story-writing sure to inspire and equip your students.
» Read more about Joel McKerrow
Clem Bastow
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Clem is an Autistic advocate, screenwriter and cultural critic who has relished getting in front of an audience ever since they were sent home from a Year 9 birthday party following a tour de force performance of twenty road safety PSAs. Clem is particularly passionate about Autism advocacy and loves to help debunk myths and misconceptions about Autistic people in the workplace, in education, and in general. With more than two decades’ worth of broadcasting and performance under their belt, Clem has extensive public speaking experience, and their screenwriting and standup comedy skills means that addresses delivered by them don’t tend to result in glazed eyes and rushes for the exit. Their various speaking engagements have covered everything from gender liberation to Autism to cult cinema. Clem is also an experienced host and emcee, having chaired panel discussions and hosted Q&As for a wide variety of events and organisations, including Melbourne International Film Festival, Cinema Nova, AFI/AACTA, Festival Of Dangerous Ideas, Melbourne Writers Festival and Amaze.
» Read more about Clem Bastow
Andrea Rowe
Author, Personal Development
Energising, passionate, sometimes silly and forever hunting stories, Andrea turns children’s light bulbs on for their own story creations and loves inspiring text connection chats. As a professional copywriter for Australia’s top charities and past media manager for Government Ministers, she’s inspired teenagers to explore career opportunities in writing and communications.
Andrea’s best-selling debut picture book Jetty Jumping won the 2022 CBCA Picture Book of the Year for Early Childhood and the 2023 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year for 5 to 8-year-olds.
It was followed by best-selling picture book Sunday Skating, released in Australia, UK, Europe and the USA.
Her early childhood picture book, In the Rockpools, was a 2024 Notable Book of the Year: Early Childhood, with her latest book, Amid the Sand Dunes, released in 2024. She has more 8 books in production including non-fiction picture books.
» Read more about Andrea Rowe
Jane Harrison
Author, First Nations
Jane Harrison is descended from the Muruwari people of NSW and is an award-winning playwright and author. Her play The Visitors premiered at Sydney Festival in 2020 in a sold-out season and won the 2022 Sydney Critics Award for Best New Australian Work. Her first play Stolen played across Australia and internationally for seven years, Rainbow’s End was on the NSW English curriculum 2016 – 2021 and won the 2012 Drover Award. Jane’s YA novel Becoming Kirrali Lewis won the 2014 Black & Write! Prize and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards and the Victorian Premier’s Awards. Jane writes about belonging and identity.
» Read more about Jane Harrison
Zeno Sworder
Author, Illustrator
Zeno Sworder is an award winning writer, artist and picture book maker. He is passionate about literacy, creativity and diversity.
» Read more about Zeno Sworder
Jess McGeachin
Author, Illustrator, Storyteller
Jess is an author and illustrator from Melbourne. Drawing quite literally from a day job at Melbourne Museum, Jess loves sharing stories about nature and encouraging students to draw the world around them.
Heidi McKinnon
Author, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Heidi is passionate about sharing her love of story, art and creativity with children and young people.
» Read more about Heidi McKinnon
Amelia Mellor
Author
Amelia Mellor is an award-winning author of kids’ fantasy fiction, and a former English teacher. She is an enthusiastic, theatrical speaker with a passion for all things weird and wonderful in history and nature.
» Read more about Amelia Mellor
Jeremy Lachlan
Author
Jeremy Lachlan is a best-selling, award-winning author based in Sydney, NSW. His life-long obsession with adventure (and a trip to the Cairo Museum) inspired him to create The Jane Doe Chronicles, an epic action-adventure/fantasy series about a dangerous, infinite labyrinth between worlds and the girl destined to rule it. An experienced, energetic, inspiring and down-to-earth speaker, Jeremy loves nothing more than sharing his passion for story with readers of all ages.
Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds (2018)
Jane Doe and the Key of All Souls (2020)
Jane Doe and the Quill of All Tales (2023)
» Read more about Jeremy Lachlan
Lisa Shanahan
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Lisa is an award-winning writer of picture books, and novels for younger and older readers. Some of her funny, heartfelt books include The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler, which received the 2017 Queensland Literary Award for Children’s Fiction, the 2018 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for 8–12-year-olds and was also shortlisted in the 2018 CBCA Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers. Her picture book, Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee! (ill. Binny Talib) was a 2018 CBCA Honour Book of the Year for Early Childhood and was also shortlisted in the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Children’s Fiction. Her novel for teenagers My Big Birkett was published to critical acclaim in Australia, where it was shortlisted for the 2007 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers and in the United States, where it was a 2008 New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age. Her most recent picture book for babies, the delightful Hello World (ill. Leila Rudge) won the 2022 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for Birth-3-year-olds.
Trained as an actor, Lisa is a witty, dynamic, and entertaining presenter, who loves to inspire young people to look at stories, and the world, with a vivid, new freshness.
Hello World
Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee!
Laugh Your Head Off 4 Ever
Big Pet Day
Bear & Chook
Bear & Chook by the Sea
The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler
My Big Birkett
The Lisa Shanahan Story Collection (Read by Claudia Karvan)
Lian Tanner
Author
Lian Tanner is an award-winning author of children’s books, as well as an engaging and and entertaining speaker. She uses laughter, storytelling and challenges to inspire students to read, while at the same time providing them with tools they can use to write their own stories.
- Museum of Thieves: The Keepers 1 (2010)
- City of Lies: The Keepers 2 (2011)
- Path of Beasts: The Keepers 3 (2012)
- Ice Breaker: Hidden Series 1 (2013)
- Sunker’s Deep: Hidden Series 2 (2014)
- Fetcher’s Song: Hidden Series 3 (2016)
- Accidental Heroes: The Rogues 1 (2017)
- Secret Guardians: The Rogues 2 (2018)
- Haunted Warriors: The Rogues 3 (2019)
- Ella and the Ocean (illus.Jonathan Bentley, 2019)
- A Clue for Clara (2020)
- Rita’s Revenge (2022)
- Spellhound: The Dragons of Hallow 1 (2023)
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Fledgewitch: The Dragons of Hallow 2 (2024)
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When the Lights Went Out (illus.Jonathan Bentley, 2024)
All published by Allen & Unwin
» Read more about Lian Tanner
Leanne Yong
Author
Leanne is an Asian-Australian YA author who speaks about writing with your unique voice. She also enjoys talking about game and puzzle design, as the owner and designer at acclaimed Sydney escape room Next Level Escape.
» Read more about Leanne Yong
Freda Chiu
Author, Illustrator
Freda Chiu is an Australian Chinese illustrator, author and educator whose work has been published locally and internationally. As well as writing, she has illustrated children’s books and middle-grade novels for acclaimed authors. In 2022, she was shortlisted for the CBCA Award for New Illustrator and the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award for her debut picture book as author/illustrator, A Trip to the Hospital. Freda works with a variety of mixed media techniques including pencil, gouache, mono-printing and digital in her cosy home studio.
As a presenter and teacher, Freda is energetic, encouraging and engaged with her inner-child. She hopes for children to go home feeling inspired to create.
» Read more about Freda Chiu
Zanni Louise
Author
Author of over 40 books for kids, Zanni Louise inspires young people to fall in love with books, as well as tell and write their own stories.
Hazel’s Treehouse
A Guide to Falling of the Map
This is Family
Too Busy Sleeping
Archie and the Bear
Tiggy and the Magic Paintbrush
Errol
Mum For Sale
Stardust School of Dance
Daring Delly
Human Kind
Paris Takes Over The World
Florence and Fox
Wonder Earth
We Are All People
I Feel the World
Pigasus
This Is Love
Queenie In Seven Moves
Lost Bunny (Monsties Book One)
Sarah Armstrong
Author
Sarah’s school presentations and workshops are interactive, fun and very practical. She shares writing tools she uses in her own books and takes the students behind the scenes of a writer’s life, with stories and photos.
Website: http://www.sarah-armstrong.com/
Instagram:@saraharmstrongwriter
» Read more about Sarah Armstrong
Cate James
Illustrator
Cate James is an award-winning illustrator of picture books from Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Be prepared for a fun and interactive time – Cate is always keen to prove that anyone can draw.
» Read more about Cate James
Graham Akhurst
Academic, Author, First Nations
Graham Akhurst is an Indigenous writer and academic from the Kokomini of northern Queensland. He is an expert in the critical study of Indigenous Australian literature and is a teacher of Creative Writing and Indigenous Australian Studies at University level.
» Read more about Graham Akhurst
Charlie Archbold
Author, Education Consultant
Through award winning children’s books Charlie creates wonderful stories that leave a lasting impression. From picture book to YA Charlie is able to connect with the hearts, minds, humour, and dreams of her readers.
Publications include: Mallee Boys, Indigo Owl, The Sugarcane Kids and the Red Bottomed Boat, Raised by Moths and The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage.
» Read more about Charlie Archbold
Maura Pierlot
Author
Maura Pierlot is an author, playwright and filmmaker based in Canberra. Her groundbreaking work on youth mental health, Fragments, is now an award-winning web series and feature length film. Maura’s work has won, and been shortlisted for, numerous writing awards. She has a PhD in philosophy, specialising in ethics.
» Read more about Maura Pierlot
Melanie Saward
Author, First Nations
Melanie Saward is a proud Bigambul and Wakka Wakka woman based in Tulmur (Ipswich), Queensland, a city west of Brisbane. An experienced university lecturer, Melanie loves to talk about her books and writing, and run practical writing workshops.
» Read more about Melanie Saward
Sami Bayly
Author, Illustrator, Sustainability
Sami loves to capture her audiences with weird and wonderful stories about the most unusual aspects of nature. She incorporates her non-fiction writing with storytelling, as she finds they really do work hand in hand.
You are guaranteed to leave her sessions with a new animal discovery, an updated drawing tip and even a poo fact or two!
» Read more about Sami Bayly
Judith Rossell
Author, Illustrator
Judith Rossell created the best-selling, award-winning Stella Montgomery series (Withering-by-Sea, Wormwood Mire and Wakestone Hall) and her new middle-grade novel, The Midwatch, will be published in 2024. She has written 16 books and illustrated more than 80. She enjoys sharing her love of illustrating and writing, and encouraging others to create their own characters and stories.
» Read more about Judith Rossell
Marcelo Baez
Comics, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Marcelo is professional illustrator and creative facilitator based on the NSW South Coast. Working internationally and locally as an illustrator for over 27 years, and over 14 years as a creative facilitator and presenter.
He also teaches a large variety of drawing comics/character design/visual storytelling for kids as well as teaching a variety of creative adult workshops for the corporate and public sectors. He has been an invited guest to Supanova, OZ Comic con and Gamma Con.
Cheryl Leavy
Author, First Nations, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, Storyteller
Cheryl is an award-winning First Nations writer who is passionate about language revitalisation and truth telling through story.
She has led some of Australia’s most successful social justice initiatives across health, education and environment.
» Read more about Cheryl Leavy
Idan Ben-Barak
Author, Scientist, stem
Idan is an award-winning children’s author who writes thought- (and laughter-) provoking science books. So far, he has written about germs, brains, minds, hands, senses, immunity; he’s even written a picture book about his PhD thesis topic, the origin of life. He’s keen to find out what happens next.
How Do I Know If I’m Upside Down?
Argh! There’s a Skeleton Inside You!
Why Aren’t We Dead Yet? The Survivor’s Guide to the Immune System
Small Wonders: How Microbes Rule Our World
» Read more about Idan Ben-Barak
Eliza Hull
Author, Disability Advocate, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Musician, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Eliza Hull is an award-winning musician, writer and disability advocate. She is passionate about changing the way the world views disability.
In her role as disability advocate and consultant, Eliza has presented Keynotes for major Australian and International organisations and given speeches at Parliament House, The Human Rights Convention ‘Free and Equal’, for the NDIS, DARU and at several hospitals, schools and universities including Sydney University and the Melbourne Women’s Hospital. She is also a fixture of the writing festival circuit.
Eliza regularly runs workshops in Disability Awareness Training and has written training for major Australian companies and organisations seeking to become more inclusive and accessible for all.
She also runs facilitated workshops in songwriting, recording, and storytelling for participants with disabilities.
The World We Can Build (co-author)
Come Over to My House (co-author)
We’ve Got This: Essays by Disabled Parents (creator and editor)
Growing Up Disabled in Australia (Anthology)
Teacher Teacher (Anthology)
» Read more about Eliza Hull
Victoria Carless
Author, Playwright
Victoria is an author and playwright with a special interest in writing and teaching magic realism. She has written books for middle grade and young adult readers, and her workshops and talks are suitable for upper primary and secondary school students.
» Read more about Victoria Carless
Rhiân Williams
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development/Welfare, Social Issues
Rhiân is an enthusiastic and engaging story teller, equally at home running a treasure hunt for beetles and Australian animals for a group of three year olds at a public library, to bringing fire fighters and other emergency personnel together with kids and grown ups alike to discuss emergency preparedness, through to speaking on radio about the importance of reading and books with her regular segment on ABC Canberra.
» Read more about Rhiân Williams
Solli Raphael
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development/Welfare, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Solli Raphael is a globally renowned and award-winning speaker and performer who has delivered inspiring presentations for nearly a decade. Within schools, Solli has become known for turning pressing and complex social concerns and concepts into relatable and meaningful conversations for young audiences.
29 Things You Didn’t Know About Me
» Read more about Solli Raphael
Michael Earp
Author, Bookseller
Michael Earp is a non-binary writer and editor of books for young adults with over 20 years bookselling and publishing experience as a children’s and YA specialist. They love talking about minority representation (with a LGBTQIA+ focus) in literature for young people.
Borderlands: Riding the Slipstream edited by Paul Collins
Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories
Avast! Pirate Stories from Transgender Authors
Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories edited by Tobias Madden
» Read more about Michael Earp
Tobias Madden
Author, Entertainer, LGBTQ+
Tobias is a queer YA author, editor, and publishing professional, originally from Ballarat, Victoria, now based in New York City, USA.
» Read more about Tobias Madden
Sam Drummond
Author, Education Consultant, Social Issues
Sam Drummond is a powerful speaker who gets to the heart of some of society’s most pressing issues such as disability education inclusion and equity
He uses his experience as a media presenter and speech writer to weave personal stories through the headlines, to show the people behind the statistics.
» Read more about Sam Drummond
Lee Constable
Author, STEM Teacher, Sustainability
Lee Constable is a science and sustainability presenter and author. Her work includes hosting kids science TV Shows Scope (Network 10) and Explainer Hacks (ABC Education).
» Read more about Lee Constable
Jock Serong
Author, Social Issues
Jock is an Australian novelist with a deep interest in who we are as a nation. He explores that interest through stories of our history, and especially our coastlines and islands.
Jock Serong’s novels have received the ARA Historical Novel Prize, the Colin Roderick Award, the Ned Kelly Award for First Fiction and, internationally, the inaugural Staunch Prize (UK) and the Historia Award for Historical Crime Fiction (France). He has been a criminal barrister, writer and editor of journals and is now a celebrated novelist. He lives with his family on Victoria’s far west coast.
» Read more about Jock Serong
Anita Thomas
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Marine Biologist, Scientist
Anita is a passionate marine biologist, storyteller, illustrator and ocean advocate who brings the wonders of the sea to life. From working with whales to restoring reefs, her talks inspire curious minds of all ages to dive into science, follow their dreams, and help protect our blue planet.
» Read more about Anita Thomas
Binny Talib
Author, Illustrator
Binny is an award-winning illustrator/author with over 30 published books around the world. She’s known for her whimsical style, love of animals, and joyful approach to creativity. Her workshops are warm, engaging, and hands-on — perfect for kids who love to draw, imagine, and make a bit of a mess along the way.
» Read more about Binny Talib
Jake A Minton
Comics, Illustrator
Jake A Minton is a children’s book illustrator and graphic novelist. His picture books have been shortlisted by the CBCA and his work is in print in over 12 countries. Jake has been described as one of Australia’s most naturally gifted illustrators and visual storytellers.
» Read more about Jake A Minton
Ashleigh Barton
Author
Ashleigh Barton is an engaging speaker for children of all ages. Through her interactive presentations which cover Ashleigh’s publishing career both in-house and as an author of bestselling picture books, junior fiction and middle grade novels, Ashleigh aims to inspire creativity, perseverance and a love of stories.
» Read more about Ashleigh Barton
Brenton McKenna
Author, Comics, Education Consultant, Entertainment, First Nations, Illustrator, Storyteller
Brenton Mckenna is Australia’s first published Graphic Novelist and Newspaper Cartoonist. He is a Yawuru man from Broome WA who turned his love of comic books as a kid into a thriving career spanning two decades. Brenton shares his experience and secrets to becoming a comic creator while drawing you into your own mad world of ideas to create from.
» Read more about Brenton McKenna
Sheree Marris
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Sheree Marris is a marine biologist, award-winning author, and one of Australia’s most dynamic science communicators—renowned for transforming the ocean’s strangest secrets into unforgettable insights on leadership, innovation, adaptability and strategy. Using nature as a masterclass for life, love, business and survival, her keynotes combine breathtaking visuals, razor-sharp storytelling and wicked humour to create immersive, intelligent and wildly entertaining experiences.
» Read more about Sheree Marris
Troy Hunter
Author
Troy Hunter is an adult and YA author who works as a marketing and communications consultant. His first YA crime novel, Gus and the Missing Boy, came out in 2024 and was shortlisted for the 2024 Ned Kelly Awards – Best Debut Crime Fiction. His second novel, Gus and the Burning Stones, will be published in August 2025.
He is also the co-host of the Queer Writes Sessions podcast.
Troy offers writing workshops for secondary/senior students across topics including writing crime, writing short stories, queer writing, and developing authentic characters.
» Read more about Troy Hunter
Randa Abdel-Fattah
Author, Social Commentator
Randa is a prominent Australian author, academic, human rights advocate, former lawyer and mother of four children. She was recently nominated for Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Award, the world’s biggest children’s and young adult literature award. The award-winning author of 11 novels published and translated in over 20 countries, Randa writes across a wide range of genres and actively seeks to translate her academic work into creative interventions which reshape dominant narratives around race, human rights, multiculturalism and identity in popular culture. She has been publishing her op eds in Australia’s national and international newspapers and journals since 1998. She has had regular appearances on Q&A, the Drum, Lateline and the 7.30 Report and radio interviews (RN Drive, ABC Books and Arts, the Conversation Hour etc).
» Read more about Randa Abdel-FattahAudience
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