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Audience: Teachers
Deborah Abela
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Deborah trained as a teacher before producing and writing children’s TV at Network Ten. She has written over 25 novels, including the Max Remy and Jasper Zammit (Soccer Legend) series, Grimsdon and New City, about kids living in a climate-changed world. Teresa: A New Australian is a migration story inspired by Deb’s dad who made the journey from Europe to Australia after the devastation of WW2. The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and the sequel, The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery is about a shy brilliant speller, whose family encourage her to enter the world’s greatest bee. Her first picture book is, Wolfie An Unlikely Hero. Deb is a proud ambassador for the literacy charity Room to Read.
» Read more about Deborah Abela
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
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
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, Online - Virtual Visits, Poet, Storyteller/Performer
Emilie Zoey Baker is an international poetry slam champion who will excite and delight all ages about poetry written for both page and stage.
» Read more about Emilie Zoey Baker
Tim Baker
Author, Journalist
Tim Baker is Australia’s favourite surfing writer, a former editor of Tracks and Surfing Life magazine, who has written a string of best-selling surfing biographies and collected surf stories. He has twice received the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame Culture Award and been shortlisted for the CUB Australian Sports Writing Awards.
» Read more about Tim Baker
Tristan Bancks
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Tristan Bancks tells stories for the page and screen. His books for kids and teens include Two Wolves, The Fall and the Tom Weekly series. Two Wolves won Honour Book in the 2015 Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. It also won the YABBA and KOALA Children’s Choice Awards, as did his latest thriller, The Fall. Detention, a gripping new novel about a daring escape and a lockdown in a school, is out July 2019.
Tristan is currently working with producers to develop several of his books for the screen. He’s excited by the future of storytelling and inspiring others to create. You can connect with him, learn more about his books, play games, watch videos and help him try to change the world at www.tristanbancks.com.
» Read more about Tristan Bancks
Catherine Bateson
Author
Catherine Bateson has won the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers twice and received three Honour Book Awards, including one for Older Readers. She teaches in the Professional Writing and Editing course at TAFE but is also available for school visits, to talk about both fiction writing and poetry.
» Read more about Catherine Bateson
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
Amanda Betts
Author, Education Consultant
Amanda (AJ) Betts is an award-winning author, teacher and cyclist, living in Perth. Her novel ‘Zac and Mia’ won the 2012 Text Prize for best unpublished manuscript.
» Read more about Amanda Betts
Tony Birch
Author
Tony Birch is a writer of short fiction, novels and essays. He is also an educator and teacher of writing and history.
» Read more about Tony Birch
Thomas Caldwell
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Thomas Caldwell is a writer, broadcaster, film critic, public speaker and film programmer. He is a specialist in film analysis and programming films for children and teenagers, and is the author of the secondary school textbook Film Analysis Handbook, which was published in 2005 by Insight Publications, with a revised edition published in 2017.
Thomas is currently the Artistic Director of the Children’s International Film Festival (Australia) and formally worked as a film programmer at the Melbourne International Film Festival, which included programming MIFF Schools (formally Next Gen) for six years.
He can be heard reviewing films on Afternoons once a fortnight on ABC Radio Melbourne, and was formally a regular guest on The Book Show (formerly Books and Arts) on ABC RN where he discussed book to film adaptations. Thomas used to also be a regular voice on Triple R (3RRR 102.7FM) as the producer and co-host of film criticism show Plato’s Cave and the film reviewer on the Breakfasters.
Thomas is experienced delivering film as text lectures and workshops to students and teachers, moderating Q&As, hosting In Conversation events and taking part in panel discussions. His film reviews, articles and interviews have appeared in The Age, Overland Literary Journal, Senses of Cinema, Metro, Screen Education and The Big Issue. He won the Ivan Hutchinson Award for Writing on Australian Film in the 2010 and 2015 Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA) Writing Awards.
Click here to read Thomas’s interview with the University of Melbourne about his career.
» Read more about Thomas Caldwell
Bernard Caleo
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits, Storyteller/Performer
Bernard Caleo is a performer, comic book maker, and comic book communicator.
» 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
Mark Carthew is an award winning editor and children’s author well known for his many books, including the recent The great Zoo Hullabaloo!, and his series that explore wordplay, music, movement, drama, jokes, rhymes and riddles! Mark’s recent picture book The Gobbling Tree was a winner of the Speech Pathology Australia’s Book of the Year.
» Read more about Mark Carthew
Anna Ciddor
Author, Illustrator, Online - Virtual Visits
Anna Ciddor inspires audiences with her passion for turning dry facts into gripping narrative. She has written and illustrated over 50 books, including the best-selling historical fantasy Runestone. In more recent years, Anna has created a hit with a story based on her grandmother’s childhood in 1920s Poland – The Family with Two Front Doors.
Her newest book, 52 Mondays (March 2019), is inspired by her own childhood memories of 1960s Australia. 52 Mondays has been shortlisted for the 2019 YABBA, KOALA and KROC children’s choice best book awards.
Read more at www.annaciddor.com.
» Read more about Anna Ciddor
Sherryl Clark
Author
Sherryl Clark writes stories for all ages – from picture books to verse novels and novels for middle/older readers. She loves inventing characters and doing research, and then weaving the amazing things she discovers into all kinds of stories.
» Read more about Sherryl Clark
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
John Danalis
Author, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer
John Danalis has been writing and illustrating for children and young adults for ten years. His works include picture books, chapter books and non-fiction.
» Read more about John Danalis
Oslo Davis
Corporate, Illustrator, Speaking Out
Oslo Davis is an illustrator and cartoonist who has drawn for magazines and newspapers worldwide. As a satirist, Oslo has a particular interest in drawing the foibles and ridiculousness of modern day life.
» Read more about Oslo Davis
Mary Delahunty
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Mary is a writer, award winning ABC Journalist and former Education Minister. She is National Director of Writing Australia and Chair of Orchestra Victoria. She was the first female solo prime time TV newsreader in Victoria, and the first female Planning Minister in Victoria.
» Read more about Mary Delahunty
Paul Dillon (DARTA)
Author, Education Consultant, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Well Within
Paul Dillon has a unique investment in the wellbeing of young people. Founder of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia and a former school teacher, Paul continues to conduct drug information sessions and workshops for school students across Australia and internationally, in countries as diverse as the UK, the Phillipines, and Indonesia.
» Read more about Paul Dillon (DARTA)
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
Daniel Ducrou
Author
Daniel Ducrou’s first novel, The Byron Journals (Text Publishing, 2010), tells the story of an eighteen-year-old classical musician from Adelaide who goes off the rails on a schoolies trip to Byron Bay.
» Read more about Daniel Ducrou
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.
» 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
Clementine Ford
Author, Corporate, Online - Virtual Visits, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Clementine Ford’s take on social issues is bold, brave and entertaining. She inspires and challenges people of all ages in equal measure.
» Read more about Clementine Ford
Adam Ford
Author, Poet, Storyteller/Performer
Adam Ford is a poet and zinemaker who lives in Chewton, in Central Victoria. He loves showing people how easy it can be to start making zines or writing poetry themselves.
» Read more about Adam Ford
Archie Fusillo
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development
Archie is one of the most in-demand and successful presenters of author talks and workshops in Australia. Archie’s versatility means he can communicate to, and cater for, a range of abilities and interests. The fact that he was a teacher and features writer probably helps.
» Read more about Archie Fusillo
Sean Fyfe
Corporate, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Sean aims to give parents, teachers and students greater insight and the practical tools to foster health and wellbeing along with academic and sporting achievement.
» Read more about Sean Fyfe
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 a shortlisting in the 2020 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award with her picture book, Tilly (illustrated by Anna Walker).
Anna Walker and Jane have created seven 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, and Tilly. They are currently working on their eighth collaboration.
Jane’s most recent novel is As Happy as Here, published by Hachette in August 2019, and her most recent picture book is I’ll Always be Older than You, illustrated by Sara Acton and published by Hardie Grant.
In July 2020, Jane has a new upper middle-grade novel called When Rain Turns to Snow, to be published by Hachette. In November, Sing me the Summer, a collaboration with Alison Lester, will be published by Affirm Press.
For many years, Jane worked as the Children’s Publisher at Penguin Books Australia.
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
Anna Goldsworthy
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Anna Goldsworthy is a prize-winning classical pianist and writer. She an engaging speaker and performer, and is passionate about bringing the lessons of classical music to the widest possible audience. She is Artist Director of the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival.
» Read more about Anna Goldsworthy
Gus Gordon
Author, Illustrator
Gus will be touring Melbourne in Book Week (23-27 August) in 2021.
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
Mini Goss
Author, Illustrator
Mini Goss is a Melbourne-based award winning author and illustrator, with more than 30 books to her name. Mini’s life-like, detailed illustrations draw readers into a world of imagination and humour that appeal to children and parent alike. She has won over fans in Australia and overseas with her quirky, realistic style.
» Read more about Mini Goss
Tanya Ha
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Tanya Ha is an award-winning environmentalist, best-selling author, broadcaster, science journalist and sustainable living advocate. More hip than hippie, she makes sustainability and science easier to understand and is known for her TV shows, including ABC’s Catalyst and the SBS series Eco House Challenge.
» Read more about Tanya Ha
Maggie Hamilton
Author, Education Consultant, Personal Development, Social Commentator
Author and researcher Maggie Hamilton writes books and for magazines; gives frequent talks and lectures; is a regular media commentator and a keen observer of social trends. Her many books, which have been published in Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Italy, China, Lithuania, Korea, the Arab States and Brazil, include What Men Don’t Talk About, which examines the lives of real men and boys; What’s Happening to Our Girls? and What’s Happening to Our Boys? which take a close look at the 21st century issues boys and girls face, and offer practical, workable solutions to these challenges; and Secret Girls’ Business a fun funky empowering gift book for teen girls.
» Read more about Maggie Hamilton
Belinda Hawkins
Author, Corporate, Curriculum Specialist, Journalist, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Belinda Hawkins has reported on national and international events for ABC TV and SBS TV for almost 30 years, filing from countries as diverse as Nigeria, Eritrea, Cuba, Germany and Russia. For the past twelve years she has been a senior journalist with ABC TV’s Australian Story program. Her documentary work has been recognised with a raft of awards, among them a Walkley award, seven Quill awards, four New York Festival Medals and four United Nations Media Peace Awards. She started her working life as high school teacher in country Victoria.
» Read more about Belinda Hawkins
Anthony Hill
Author
Anthony Hill is an award-winning author of historically accurate books for children and young adults. They include Soldier Boy (NSW Premier’s Award), about the youngest Anzac; and The Burnt Stick (CBCA Honour Book) a powerful story from the ‘Stolen Generations.’
» Read more about Anthony Hill
Robert Hillman
Author
Robert Hillman has published more than sixty works of fiction and non-fiction. His books feature in school libraries all over Australia and his autobiography, The Boy in the Green Suit, won the 2005 Australian National Biography Award. His publications cover sports, Australian history, nation building, Young Australian achievers, and the plight of refugees and asylum seekers
» Read more about Robert Hillman
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
Elizabeth Honey
Author, Illustrator
Elizabeth Honey is an award-winning author of poetry, picture books and novels. She is also an artist and illustrates her own books. Her playful humour, originality, and energy strike a chord with children everywhere. Her novels are published in many countries.
» Read more about Elizabeth Honey
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
Mark Wilson
Author, Illustrator
Mark Wilson is one of Australia’s most successful author/illustrators of children’s books. He currently has seventeen books in print in Australia and the USA. His picture books have won many awards including two Whiteley Awards for children’s picture books, two Wilderness Society Awards and five CBCA Notable Picture Book awards.
» Read more about Mark 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
Carole Wilkinson
Author
Carole speaks engagingly about her books and the research process. She shows how she finds her stories in history and how historical artifacts inspire her.
» Read more about Carole 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 award winning author and illustrator of novels and picture books for children and young adults. She was born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. As a result, Gabrielle’s books are a blend of both Australian and Chinese culture with a touch of fantasy. She has conducted workshops in writing and illustrating around Australia and overseas.
» Read more about Gabrielle Wang
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
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
Bec Kavanagh
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Bec Kavanagh is a Melbourne-based writer and academic whose work examines the representation of women’s bodies in literature.
She has appeared at the Melbourne & Sydney Writers Festivals and on Radio National’s Books and Arts Daily. Bec has judged a number of literary prizes, including the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, and her reviews can be found in The Australian, Bookseller & Publisher and Australian Book Review. She has written fiction and non-fiction for a number of publications including Westerly, Meanjin, Review of Australian Fiction and the Shuffle anthology.
Bec was the Schools Manager for the Stella Prize for five years, and is currently Schools Programmer at the Wheeler Centre and a sessional tutor and academic at LaTrobe University.
https://twitter.com/beckavanagh (@beckavanagh)
» Read more about Bec Kavanagh
Anna Krien
Author, Corporate, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
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
Julia Lawrinson
Author
Julia Lawrinson is an award-winning author for children and young adults and an engaging presenter for students of all ages. She had published ten novels from Aussie Nibbles to young adult fiction. Before You Forget is her most recently published book, read more about the young adult novel on her website.
» Read more about Julia Lawrinson
David Nyuol Vincent
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
David Nyuol Vincent is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. He was trained as a child soldier in Ethiopia and lived as a refugee in Kenya until he was twenty-six. Since rebuilding his life here in Australia, David has become an advocate for refugees and the Sudanese community and he is a Victorian Human Rights Youth Ambassador and a People of Australia Ambassador. He also helped to set up an all-Sudanese refugee football team, the Western Tigers, in the Brimbank soccer league. David is a true humanitarian and is committed to achieving peace for his people in Sudan.
» Read more about David Nyuol Vincent
Tammy van Wisse
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Marathon swimmer, Tammy van Wisse has swum one-and-a-half times around the planet, setting six world records – five of which are still current. She has swum the English Channel twice (the success rate is only seven percent), is the only person to have swum Bass Strait and spent three and a half months submerged in the mighty Murray River – to highlight the river’s environmental importance.
Armed with the same energy and dedication as she has put into her incredible swimming career, Tammy brings a truly unique and inspiring presentation that entertains as it informs, and inspires as it motivates.
Tammy’s never-give-up world champion stories are enlightening, entertaining and powerfully motivating. She shares her secrets and strategies of how to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles showing audiences that with a commitment to a goal, and a belief in oneself – anything is possible.
Topics:
- Goal setting
- Motivation & Inspiration
- Breaking down goals into chewable chunks
- Sport
- Overcoming Adversity
- The Power of Perseverance
- Environment
- Adapting to change
- The Power of the Mind – building our inner strength
- International Women’s Day
- World Environment Day
Chris Turney
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Chris is an Australian and British professor of Earth science and author of three popular science books. Chris is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Fellow and Professor of Climate Change at the University of University of New South Wales, where he and his team are focusing their efforts on finding lessons from the past.
Chris investigates past and future climates, how people have responded to change, and recent human evolution and migration. He does this in a hands-on fashion: he digs down into the ice of Antarctica for core samples, the depths of a volcanic crater, or searches for Hobbit fossils (seriously!) across Indonesia. He has stories to tell and bring to life.
Chris has earned a reputation as scientist who can demystify and articulate, for any audience, exactly what it is that a scientist does for a living. His enthusiasm shows us not only why he pursues these interests, but points out what we stand to gain through scientific education.
» Read more about Chris Turney
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
Robyn Treyvaud
Education Consultant, Social Commentator
Robyn Treyvaud is an educational leader and an internationally recognised expert in online safety and digital citizenship and is the founder of Cyber Safe Kids, a global organisation that assists educators, school and parent communities to understand the challenges of living and working in the digital world and then equips them to meet these challenges.
Robyn provides advice to the media, industry and governments in Australia providing a balanced and evidence based view based on her work in schools in Australia and Asia for the past decade.
Cyber Safe Kids is a global partner of Common Sense Media a not for profit organisation in the US whose mission is to empower parents, teachers and young people by providing unbiased information, trusted advice and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in their lives.
Robyn is a leading consultant who works with public and private schools as well as international schools and conducts parent engagement programs and professional learning for educators. She provides schools with best practice approaches and resources to support a strategic, sustainable approach to digital citizenship and resilience.
» Read more about Robyn Treyvaud
Penny Tangey
Author, Storyteller/Performer
Penny is the author of three books for young people. Her first novel, Loving Richard Feynman was shortlisted for the 2010 CBCA Book of the Year (older readers).
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 on the picture book version of Mao’s Last Dancer, The Peasant Prince, took her to China with author Li Cunxin. The Peasant Prince won both the NSW and Qld Premiers Awards and CBCA Honor book in 2008.
Anne’s work concentrates on portraying character and expression in people in commissioned portraits, courtroom sketching and children’s books. Anne is in demand for drawing workshops here and overseas and gives presentations about the process of illustrating books for primary and secondary level.
» 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
Claire Madden
Corporate, Education Consultant, Speaking Out
Claire Madden is a social researcher, media commentator and next-gen expert, fluent in social media, youth culture, and engagement styles of these global generations, and a professional in interpreting what this means for educators, managers and marketers. Claire is in demand for her skill in effectively identifying the emerging trends and assisting business leaders to strategically respond to them.
Hello Gen Z reveals the critical importance of knowing how to engage this generation of hyperconnected, agile and adaptive digital savants as employees, consumers and emerging leaders. Hello Gen Z is required reading for any organisation wanting to future-proof and unlock the potential of the Post-Millennials.
» Read more about Claire Madden
Ellie Marney
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Ellie Marney is a teacher and an author of fiction for Young Adults. Her YA crime trilogy, the Every series, and her YA standalone, White Night, have been critically and commercially successful in Australia and overseas – her debut, Every Breath, was shortlisted for the Gold Inky Award, the Ned Kelly Award and the Sisters in Crime Davitt Award (YA), and in 2015 was named by the Australian Library Information Association as one of the top ten most-borrowed YA books in Australian libraries.
In the last two years she has diversified by independently publishing the Every series companion novel, No Limits, as well as a new YA rom-crime series, Circus Hearts. Ellie has been involved in the creation of the national campaign called #LoveOzYA to promote and advocate for Australian YA literature. She contributed to the critically-acclaimed Begin End Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, and runs the popular #LoveOzYAbookclub online. She also co-coordinates an online info-sharing group for Australian women self-publishers.
Ellie is a regular speaker at festivals and events, teaches writing and publishing through Writers Victoria, and advocates for Australian women’s writing as a Stella Ambassador in schools. She lives in regional north-central Victoria, with her partner (also a teacher) and their four sons
» Read more about Ellie Marney
John Marsden
Author, Corporate, Speaking Out
John Marsden is the author of titles including So Much to Tell You, Letters From the Inside, and the much celebrated Tomorrow series, adapted for film in 2010. From a childhood at a deeply conservative paramilitary school with strict standards and a culture of rugby and rowing, John developed a passion for reading, writing and education at an early age. So far has published fiction and non-fiction for children, young adults and adults and has founded the Candlebark School in Victoria.
» Read more about John Marsden
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
Maureen McCarthy
Author
Maureen McCarthy is one of Australia’s best loved writer’s for Young Adults. Her novels are full of gutsy and believable characters caught at the cusp of adulthood – a time when so much is changing and being decided. Her strong storylines celebrate the complexity of contemporary life with honesty and humor.
» Read more about Maureen McCarthy
Kate McLennan
Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Kate (left) is best known for her one-woman stage comedy show The Debutante Diaries. In the show Kate brings an entire school community to life as they plan their Year 11 debutante ball, pitting adult disaffection against teenage angst, with hilarious results.
» Read more about Kate McLennan
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
James Moloney
Author
James Moloney has written more than thirty books for readers between seven and seventeen years old. Many of his YA novels are widely studied in schools and two have won the CBCA Book of the Year Award. He is an engaging speaker for all ages from seven upwards.
» Read more about James Moloney
Dr Michael Nagel
Author, Corporate, Education Consultant, Personal Development, Social Commentator
Dr Michael Nagel is an Associate Professor and the Head of Education Programs in the School of Science in Education at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Dr Nagel teaches and researches in the areas of cognition, behaviour and learning and human development and early learning.
» Read more about Dr Michael Nagel
Angela Savage
Author, Social Commentator
Angela Savage’s crime novels are inspired by the six and a half years she spent living in South-east Asia in the late 1990s, working for the Red Cross on HIV/AIDS programs. Her love affair with Asia continues, and in 2008 she spent the year in Cambodia with her partner and their two-year-old.
» Read more about Angela Savage
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
Josh Nelson
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Josh Nelson (PhD) is an academic, broadcaster and filmmaker. He worked as a lecturer at The University of Melbourne in Visual Arts for a number of years and has extensive experience presenting to secondary schools across the state on film and media-related topics.
His writing has been published in two volumes of the Directory of World Cinema (Intellect Books), and in journals such as Overland, Kill Your Darlings, Screening the Past and Senses of Cinema. In 2013 Josh received the Ivan Hutchinson Award for Writing on Australian Film by the Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA).
Josh is also the former co-host of the long-running Triple R (102.7 FM) film show Plato’s Cave, and was the resident film critic on the Drive program with Rafael Epstein on ABC Melbourne. He currently works for the Melbourne International Film Festival as an education specialist within the MIFF Schools program.
» Read more about Josh Nelson
Jeannette Rowe
Author, Illustrator
Jeannette Rowe is one of Australia’s best selling preschool authors/illustrators. She has published over 100 picture books over the past twelve years and has sold nearly two million books around the world. She has also developed four Digital BookGames, including the award-winning YoYo Go Spy for iPad. Find out about these gameshere.
» Read more about Jeannette Rowe
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
Dr Marcus Robertson
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Speaking Out
Marcus is a medical doctor and popular motivational speaker, who has addressed thousands of school children and a large number of businesses over the last ten years on a wide variety of health and personal welfare subjects.
» Read more about Dr Marcus Robertson
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
Hannie Rayson
Author, Corporate, Curriculum Specialist, Speaking Out
Hannie Rayson is a multi-award winning playwright who has a reputation for topical complex dramas written with wit and insight. She is an accomplished public speaker – funny, incisive and thoughtful.
» Read more about Hannie Rayson
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
Author, Corporate, Curriculum Specialist, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Alice Pung is a writer and lawyer who loves teaching. Alice’s books are studied in secondary schools and universities in Australia as well as the United States, and she has taught writing workshops to students from the ages of 8 to 80 in Australia, China and the States. Alice is also an Ambassador for the 100 Story Building Project, a social enterprise which helps promote literature and literacy skills to young people in the Western suburbs.
» Read more about Alice Pung
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
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
Marissa Pinkas
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Marissa Pinkas is an experienced educator with 20 years of dedication in varied educational environments in South Africa, Western Australia and Victoria. Currently she is completing her Masters in Education at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Collaborative Learning. Marissa is an expert on the Context section of the VCE English curriculum.
» Read more about Marissa Pinkas
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
Tony Palmer
Author
Tony Palmer is a graphic designer by profession and writes part time about Australian History. His first novel, Break of Day is written with ringing clarity and real immediacy, putting his readers inside the skin of his characters.
» Read more about Tony Palmer
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 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 set in central Victoria where she lives.
- 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.
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, Education Consultant, Social Commentator
Clare Wright is a historian who has worked as a political speechwriter, university lecturer, historical consultant and radio and television broadcaster. Her first book, Beyond the Ladies Lounge: Australia’s Female Publicans, garnered both critical and popular acclaim. She researched, wrote and presented the ABC television documentary Utopia Girls and has co-written a four-part series to commemorate the centenary of WWI for ABC1. The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka won the 2014 Stella Prize. You can listen to Clare’s Radio National podcast, Shooting The Past here. Clare lives in Melbourne with her husband and three children.
» Read more about Clare Wright
Graeme Base
Author, Corporate, Illustrator, Speaking Out
A couple of decades ago, Graeme Base’s job description was distilled by his then six-year old son as “Oh, my dad just stays home and colours in.” Unable to forgive or forget this devastatingly accurate dismissal of his life’s work, Graeme has finally decided to embark on a global speaking tour to set the record straight: Sure he stays home and colours in, but he also writes the words!
» Read more about Graeme Base
Dianne Todaro-Wells
Author, Personal Development, Social Commentator
Dianne Todaro-Wells (Diploma of teaching), is an experienced educator and author specialising in relationship and sexual identity education. Dianne has a community radio program called ‘Speak up’ that serves communities to talk about information that inspires us all to have our ‘voice’.
» Read more about Dianne Todaro-Wells
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, Storyteller/Performer, Well Within
Daniel Witthaus has spent the past two decades challenging homophobia one cuppa at a time in schools, rural communities and, occasionally, developing countries like Sri Lanka, Poland and Indonesia. He 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 three Tasmanian schools Human Rights Week awards.
In 2013 Daniel founded the National Institute for Challenging Homophobia Education (NICHE), which focuses on the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people in regional, rural and remote Australia. NICHE has had success with both the YourStory cartoon series and the oi! challenging rural homophobia campaign.
» 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.
» 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 an acclaimed memoir, Shy. Her book 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
Angela Ireland
Corporate, Personal Development
Angela has been working in the area of Alcohol & other Drugs (AOD) for 15 years. Her passion is raising awareness of the impact of AOD on the family and the broader community. Her presentations and six week education program called ARC (Action for Recovery) are about changing behaviour. Angela’s work tangibly examines how to modify the impact and bring about change in attitude.
» Read more about Angela Ireland
Kelly Gardiner
Author
Kelly Gardiner writes historical fiction for readers of all ages. Her books range from a picture book, to adventure tales for younger readers, to acclaimed young adult novels. Her latest book is 1917, part of Scholastic’s Australia’s Great War series. Her previous novels include Goddess, based on the true-life story of a seventeenth century swashbuckling opera singer. An engaging speaker and educator, she most enjoys those moments of connection between author and audience – that instant camaraderie that brings together readers, writers, and stories. Kelly is also the co-host of Unladylike – a podcast on women and writing.
» Read more about Kelly Gardiner
David Hunt
Author, Speaking Out
David Hunt is a writer, historian and children’s book author. He is the best-selling author of Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia, which won the 2014 Indie Award for Best Non-Fiction Book. The sequel, True Girt, was shortlisted for the 2017 Russell Prize for Humour Writing and David’s narration was shortlisted for Audiobook of the Year at the 2017 Australian Book Industry Awards.
» Read more about David Hunt
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
Dr Susan Carland
Corporate, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Dr Susan Carland is an academic, author, and social commentator. She has a PhD from Monash University’s School of Social Sciences, and she is the director of the Bachelor of Global Studies, also at Monash University.
Susan is a regular Friday panellist on ABC TV’s News Breakfast, and hosted the ABC Radio National Series Assumptions. She has guest-hosted on ABC Melbourne radio, and was co-creator and presenter of SBS’s Salam Café. She has appeared on the Agony series, Lateline, Q and A, The Project, 7:30, The Drum, Home Delivery, and has featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Dumbo Feather, The Australian Women’s Weekly, Sunday Life, and 200 Women. Her first book was Fighting Hislam, was published by Melbourne University Publishing in 2017, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Age, The Saturday Paper, in academic publications, and numerous anthologies. In 2017, she presented on a panel at the United Nations in Geneva as a guest of The Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement.
In 2018 she was named on Who magazine’s “Women Who Fight” list, and in 2017, she was named on the “Who’s Who of Australian Women” list, in InStyle as a “Woman of Style”, and in Elle as one of 17 women “To Know and Be Inspired by”. In 2012 she was named on the “20 Most Influential Australian Female Voices” list by The Age. She has also been named on the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World list, and as a “Muslim Leader of Tomorrow” by the UN Alliance of Civilisations.
Susan is an ambassador for UNICEF Australia, and is also a certified scuba diver!
» Read more about Dr Susan Carland
Shamini Flint
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Shamini Flint is an engaging, witty and inspirational speaker. She holds audiences of any age spellbound with tales of growing up in Malaysia and travelling the world in search of an identity (or at least a good curry). Her ability to discuss important issues in an accessible way is unparalleled.
» Read more about Shamini Flint
David McLean
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Social Issues
Author, educator, actor and broadcaster, David has over a quarter of a century of experience in education, having headed English departments and run workshops for students and professional development for teachers. He has authored novels and developed curriculum resources that are sold nationally and internationally. He has an engaging presentation style encouraging active participation where possible.
» Read more about David McLean
Rebecca Lim
Author, Illustrator
Rebecca Lim is a writer, illustrator, editor and lawyer based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of nineteen books, including The Astrologer’s Daughter (a Kirkus Best Book of 2015 and CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers), Afterlight and the bestselling Mercy. Her work has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, Aurealis Award, INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award and Davitt Award, and has also been longlisted for the Gold Inky Award and the David Gemmell Legend Award.
She is a co-founder of the Voices from the Intersection initiative to support emerging young adult and children’s authors, illustrators and publishing professionals who are Indigenous, people of colour, LGBTIQA+ or living with disability, and a co-editor of Meet Me at the Intersection, a groundbreaking anthology of YA #OwnVoice memoir, poetry and fiction.
» Read more about Rebecca Lim
Belinda Murrell
Author
Belinda Murrell is an internationally published, best-selling author of more than 30 children’s books, who regularly speaks to thousands of children every year at schools, festivals and literary events around Australia. Belinda is an engaging presenter whose author talks and creative writing workshops are interactive, dynamic and inspiring, leaving students excited about books and reading.
Belinda’s books include The Sun Sword fantasy trilogy, her popular Lulu Bell and Pippa’s Island series and her award-winning historical timeslip novels for older readers including The River Charm, The Forgotten Pearl, The Ivory Rose and The Lost Sapphire. Her latest junior fiction story is Meet Zoe and Zac, the first book in the new Aussie Kids series, celebrating the diversity of Australian children. Her website is www.belindamurrell.com.au
» Read more about Belinda Murrell
Samantha Turnbull
Author, Poet, Storyteller/Performer
Samantha Turnbull is a children’s writer, multimedia journalist and slam poet.
She is also the creator of the number one-rating children’s podcast FIERCE GIRLS, released by the ABC in 2018 and the author of the best-selling five-book children’s series The Anti-Princess Club, published by Allen & Unwin.
When not creating books or podcasts, Samantha works as a multimedia journalist (radio, TV and online) for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, based in the sought-after possie of Byron Bay.
And last but not least, Sam is a multi-award-winning slam poet (including 2015 Bard of Sydney at the NSW State Library Shakespearean Sonnet Slam, and four-time state finalist in the Australian Poetry Slam).
Sam’s favourite thing to do is visiting schools and writers festivals to help children develop a passion for storytelling in all of its forms.
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
Samantha Gash
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Samantha took the ultimate challenge and entered the ‘4 Deserts Grand Slam’, which requires competitors to run four 250km ultra marathons across the driest (Chile), windiest (China), hottest (Sahara) and coldest deserts (Antarctica) on earth – it is regarded as one of the toughest endurance series on the planet. Samantha made history by becoming the first woman and the youngest person ever to complete the Grand Slam. Her journey was captured for the big screen in the award winning film Desert Runners. She now uses her capacity to run long distances to impact social change in developing countries and within Australia. In 2014, she ran 1968kms across rural South Africa to fund an initiative that improves access to feminine hygiene products and education.
» Read more about Samantha Gash
Damon Young
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Damon Young combines a love of ideas and language with a fun, entertaining style. And lots of superhero t-shirts.
» Read more about Damon Young
Dr Arne Rubinstein
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Social Issues
Dr Arne Rubinstein is an expert on adolescent development, with 30 years experience as a doctor, counsellor, mentor, speaker and workshop facilitator. His programs and seminars have been attended by over 25,000 people in Australia and around the world and are designed to support boys and girls to successfully make a safe, healthy transition from children to young adults, with a particular focus on creating coming of age Rites of Passage. In 2008, he was nominated for Australian of the Year for his groundbreaking work with youth.
» Read more about Dr Arne Rubinstein
Maria Katsonis
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Maria is the good Greek girl who grew up above her parents’ Melbourne milk bar and shared a bedroom with her yiayia – until university when she discovered her rebellious side. She tells her story in her acclaimed memoir together with her experience of a complete mental breakdown that shattered her professional and personal identity. Maria is now a vocal mental health advocate and an ambassador for Beyond Blue.
» Read more about Maria Katsonis
Dr Leah Kaminsky
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Leah Kaminsky is a family physician and an award-winning author of eight books.
» Read more about Dr Leah Kaminsky
Erin Gough
Author
Erin Gough is a Sydney-based writer whose first YA novel, The Flywheel, won Hardie Grant Egmont’s Ampersand Prize. The Flywheel was published in the US as Get it Together, Delilah! and in Germany, and was shortlisted for the CBCA’s Book of the Year for Older Readers and the Centre for Youth Literature’s Gold Inky. It was also named a White Raven International Youth Library title. Her second YA novel, Amelia Westlake, was published in 2018 and won the Readings YA Book Prize.
Erin’s award-winning short stories have appeared in a number of journals and anthologies including Best Australian Stories, The Age, Overland, Southerly and Going Down Swinging. Erin is a past recipient of the Varuna Eleanor Dark Flagship Fellowship for Fiction and an Australian Society of Authors Mentorship.
Clare Atkins
Author
Clare Atkins wrote her first book, Nona & Me, which living in Arnhem Land, and is now based in Darwin. Nona & Me won the 2016 Book of the Year in the NT Literary Awards and was an Honour Book in the 2015 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards. She has worked as a scriptwriter on many successful television series including All Saints, Home and Away, Winners & Losers and Wonderland.
» Read more about Clare Atkins
Donna Campisi
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development
Donna Campisi is an adventurer at heart. She’s an inspiring speaker, author, podcaster, adventurer, humanitarian, and marathoner. Donna is also an adventure & performance coach. Inspiring many people with her challenges and ‘go do it’ attitude, that those who work with her are achieving their big goals!
» Read more about Donna Campisi
Nick Bracks
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Nick’s early career in the fashion and entertainment industries ultimately led him to his ongoing work in mental health awareness. He earned international modelling contracts and made regular appearances on Australian television as a presenter as well as a personality. During his time on Dancing with the Stars, Nick publicly spoke about his experience with depression and anxiety for the first time.
» Read more about Nick Bracks
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
Aviva Reed
Education Consultant, Illustrator, Storyteller/Performer
Aviva Reed is a visual ecologist, illustrator and collaborator on the Small Friends book project; a series of science-adventure storybooks created by artists, writers, scientists and educators that explores symbiotic relationships between microbes and larger forms of life.
» Read more about Aviva Reed
Claire Zorn
Author
Claire Zorn is the critically acclaimed author of young adult novels The Sky So Heavy and The Protected. Both books have been shortlisted for multiple awards. The Protected was awarded Young Adult Book of the Year 2015 by the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and won both the 2015 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the 2015 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for young adult fiction.
» Read more about Claire Zorn
Rowan McAuley
Author
Rowan McAuley loves to engage children and adults alike in dynamic, interactive presentations and workshops. As a visual and kinesthetic learner herself, she wants her audience to become participants, and to feel excited about reading and creative writing.
» Read more about Rowan McAuley
Favel Parrett
Author
Favel Parrett is the author of Past the Shallows, which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2012. Her latest novel, When the Night Comes, took her to Antarctica by ship and was the trip of a lifetime.
» Read more about Favel Parrett
Ron Murray
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Entertainer, 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
Elise Hurst
Author, Illustrator
Elise Hurst is a writer and illustrator who is enthralled by the places that imagination can take you. Starting out as a traditional artist she soon discovered a passion for narrative and her work uses both visual and written languages to convey meaning. In her sessions Elise loves to equip people with the tools to draw their wildest ideas.
» Read more about Elise Hurst
Stephen Mushin
Author, Education Consultant, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Industrial designer, hack engineer, DIY aquaculturalist and illustrator Stephen Mushin collaborates with scientists, and engineers in underground workshops to solve ‘elephant in the room’ scale ecological problems.
» Read more about Stephen Mushin
Jacqueline Harvey
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant
Jacqueline Harvey is the author of 40 novels for younger readers and a Children’s Book Council of Australia, award winning picture book. Her bestselling Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose and Kensy and Max series are all published internationally and have garnered various short listings and awards. Jacqueline travels widely, speaking and teaching in Australia and overseas.
» Read more about Jacqueline Harvey
Jake Wilson
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Journalist
Jake Wilson is a freelance writer whose film reviews appear weekly in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and other Fairfax Media publications. His book Mad Dog Morgan, a critical study of the film of the same name, was published in 2015 as part of the Australian Screen Classics series.
» Read more about Jake Wilson
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), and a passionate advocate for the rights of children. She is also a TEDx and keynote speaker, copywriter and teacher. Her work has appeared in publications such as Meanjin, Elle, The Good Weekend and Better Reading.
Ruth’s memoir is about the way she faced her experience growing up with a violent father and an alcoholic mother with courage and strength. It is also a compassionate unravelling of the psychological impact of war on veterans and their families.
Though the issues she talks about are tough, Ruth is an open, inspiring and entertaining speaker. She believes honest discussion about the things that hurt us can be the beginning of real change.
Ruth also speaks on the nature of resilience – how to fight back instead of surrendering, hope as an attitude not an emotion, the way to effectively challenge negative thinking and how being kinder to yourself can help you move on from trauma to create a thriving life.
» Read more about Ruth Clare
Kate James
Personal Development
Kate James is a coach and mindfulness teacher working with people who are seeking purposeful lives.
In workshops and annual retreats in Bali and Byron Bay, Kate introduces participants to a range of different styles of meditation as well as the principles of mindfulness and how they can be integrated into every day life.
She is the author of Believe in Yourself & Do What You Love and Be Mindful & Simplify Your Life.
» Read more about Kate James
Mark Smith
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Mark is an award-winning author who offers a unique insight into reading and writing – he came to both late, but has now published three books, including The Road to Winter, which is taught in schools around Australia.
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.
» Read more about Mark Smith
Steve Bell
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Steve Bell is an inspirational individual who has forged his own path through life. The world’s highest and most difficult mountains are the backdrop for his vivid lessons on growing up, personal fulfillment and building a business.
» Read more about Steve Bell
Jessica Walton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Jessica Walton’s picture book Introducing Teddy started as a Kickstarter project, gaining the attention of international media and eventually, Bloomsbury Publishing. Now published in 13 countries and translated into 9 different languages, the book introduces the youngest readers to understanding gender identity and transition in an accessible and heart-warming story about being true to yourself and being a good friend. Jess is a cancer survivor, amputee, queer, daughter of a trans parent, feminist, musician and teacher. She has spoken to any and every age group about her book, writing, LGBTI issues, cancer and disability.
» 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
Kate Mildenhall
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Podcaster
Kate Mildenhall is a writer and educator who has worked in schools, at the State Library of Victoria and has volunteered with Teachers Across Borders in Cambodia. Her debut novel, Skylarking, based on the true story of best friends growing up on a remote Cape in 1880s Australia, was published in 2016.
» Read more about Kate Mildenhall
Tasneem Chopra
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller, Well Within
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
Caroline Baum
Author
Caroline is an engaging, entertaining and brutally honest speaker about her experiences as an only child growing up in a privileged European family burdened with hidden trauma. She talks with insight and humor about the complex dynamics of difficult parents and what it means to become a Good Daughter despite conflict, estrangement and illness.
» Read more about Caroline Baum
Nevo Zisin
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
Nevo is a young, passionate activist and writer. They also happen to be transgender and identify as non-binary. Releasing their memoir, Finding Nevo, on gender and sexuality at the age of 21, Nevo is unafraid to delve into difficult and often taboo topics while remaining relatable and engaging.
» Read more about Nevo Zisin
Kay Perry
Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Social Issues
Kay Perry is a teacher and examiner with decades of experience in the teaching of Literature and English at tertiary and senior secondary levels. She is the author of several study guides and is yet to respond to the advice to “put down that book and go outside”.
» Read more about Kay Perry
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
Liv Downing
Inspirational Speaker, Mindfulness, Personal Development, Well Within
Liv is a passionate and engaging speaker with over 15 years of experience working across the corporate and non-profit sectors across both Australia and the US.
As a registered psychologist and qualified meditation teacher, her sessions bring a balance of science and practice and are interactive, fun and practical.
In her role as a mindfulness educator, she brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to her sessions through sharing both her personal and professional experiences.
» Read more about Liv Downing
Manal Younus
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Poet, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Manal Younus is a writer, poet, performer, and creative producer. As a young, black Muslim woman of Eritrean origins living in Australia, Manal uses her art forms to create and explore her own identity and spark thought in the minds of the audiences and communities she engages with.
» Read more about Manal Younus
Nicki Greenberg
Author, Illustrator
Nicki Greenberg is an award-winning author and illustrator. Her books include critically acclaimed graphic adaptations of The Great Gatsby and Hamlet (winner, CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2011). She has written and illustrated many books for children, and enjoys giving dynamic workshops and presentations for all age groups. In her past life, Nicki worked as a lawyer.
» Read more about Nicki Greenberg
Shivaun Plozza
Author, New Speakers
Shivaun Plozza is an award-winning author of books for young adults. Her novel, Frankie, was shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year and the Gold Inky; it won the Davitt Award for best YA Crime Novel. She is a former English and Philosophy secondary school teacher and regularly teaches creative writing skills to adults and teens around the country. When she isn’t writing or teaching, Shivaun works as a freelance editor, manuscript assessor and graphic designer.
» Read more about Shivaun Plozza
Ally Watson
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, Well Within
No one defies the computer science stereotype quite like Ally Watson with her charming Scottish accent, disarming wit and colourfully tattooed skin. Her unique and refreshing insights into the life of a female developer in a male-dominated industry allow for the delivery of thought-provoking and action-inspiring presentations that are deemed to spark positive change in the technology industry.
» Read more about Ally Watson
The Cyber Safety Lady
Education Consultant, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Well Within
Leonie Smith (aka The Cyber Safety Lady) is one of Australia’s leading Cyber Safety experts. She is passionate about empowering children, teens and adults to take positive, preemptive steps to stay safer online. She’s done the hard yards as a mum of 4. Leonie has spoken to thousands of students, teachers, parents, seniors and business, Australia wide. Her practical and sometimes technical solutions for online safety have been called life changing!
Cyber Safety is more important now than ever with the numbers of students online increasing significantly due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Large meetings and school assemblies are now not possible and students are using remote learning tools in a whole new way!
Leonie is now taking webinar and video presentation bookings for 2021 to assist your school or business in navigating the increase in online exposure during the current climate. We have interactive sessions developed to provide specific content to each of the following audiences:
- Students: Gr 1-2, Gr 3-4, Gr 5-6, Yrs 7-8 and Yrs 9-12
- Parents
- Educators
- Seniors
- Corporate / Business Clients
» Read more about The Cyber Safety Lady
Shabnam Safa
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Shabnam is a visionary young woman who grew up as a refugee in Pakistan before she called Australia home at the age of 15. Since then she has persistently worked to positively shift the way our communities see and talk about a young, former refugee, woman of colour. Her passion to empower and motivate those around her to realise their potential, follow their aspirations and keep challenging traditional stereotypes and the status quo knows no bounds.
Having worked in Australia, India, America and Europe to promote education and global citizenship, she has co-founded two not for profit organisations helping refugees and asylum seekers in Australia and abroad. She has also earned her black belt in Karate and holds several national and international titles.
» Read more about Shabnam Safa
Sophie Jamieson
Education Consultant, New Speakers, Nutrition, Personal Development, Sustainability, Well Within
Sophie Jamieson is a qualified Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist specialising in food systems, nutrition and sustainability. Sophie is passionate about creating a healthy, fair and sustainable food system where people enjoy good food that makes people feel good, learn well, grow strong and succeed in sport.
Drawing on her vast experience in food, nutrition and sustainability, Sophie cuts through the noise to revel the key information and strategies her audience needs to make informed decision about what they grow and eat.
» Read more about Sophie Jamieson
Emily Conolan
Author, New Speakers
Emily Conolan is a writer and teacher, also known for her humanitarian work. She is the author of The Freedom Finders series, migration stories from colonization to the present day with an interactive pick-a-path format.
» Read more about Emily Conolan
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
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
A.S. Patric
Author
Alec Patric is an award winning writer. He is also a bookseller in Bayside Melbourne and teaches Creative Writing Australia-wide.
» Read more about A.S. Patric
Matt Beard
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Philosophy, Social Issues
Dr Matt Beard is a dad, husband and award-winning moral philosopher with experience helping people find meaningful, practical advice in the history of philosophy.
He is an accomplished speaker, broadcaster and facilitator who brings enthusiasm, rigour, humour and accessibility to his work.
» Read more about Matt Beard
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
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Author, Illustrator
Maxine Beneba Clarke delivers presentations on her short fiction collection Foreign Soil which is a 2019 VCE Literature text.
Maxine has written portraits for The Saturday Paper for four years, including profiles of Hugh Jackman, Roxane Gay, Julian Assange, Uncle Jack Charles, Paul Barry, Catherine Deveny, and Tony Abbott. She has guest taught short fiction, profile writing and arts journalism at a number of Australian universities, and also offers talks and workshops on portrait writing.
» Read more about Maxine Beneba Clarke
Meredith Gaston
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Internationally acclaimed author, artist, INN Health Coach and speaker Meredith Gaston is passionate about joyous, mindful and inspired living. She delivers spirited presentations about integrative wellbeing in daily life, based on her various bestselling titles.
» Read more about Meredith Gaston
Take Three Girls
Author
3 renowned authors, 1 compelling story: Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell and Fiona Wood tackle teenage woes in the age of tech in CBCA 2018 Book of the Year winner Take Three Girls.
ADY – not the confident A-Lister she appears to be.
KATE – brainy boarder taking risks to pursue the music she loves.
CLEM – disenchanted swim-star losing her heart to the wrong boy.
When St Hilda’s establishes a Year 10 Wellness Program in response to the rise of cyber–bullying, three girls are thrown together and an unlikely friendship is sparked. One thing they have in common: each is targeted by Psst, a site devoted to gossip and slander that must have a source within St Hilda’s.
Ella Holcombe
Author
Ella is the author of The House on the Mountain, a gently told, beautifully illustrated account of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires from a child’s perspective (recommended for 7+). Ella also loves to share her own stories of growing up in the bush, as well as her family’s current rebuilding process in Kinglake.
» Read more about Ella Holcombe
Lee Kofman
Author, Personal Development, Social Issues
Dr Lee Kofman spent ten years researching issues around body image and visible difference. She is also an author and editor of seven books. In her most recent book, the critically acclaimed memoir Imperfect, she tells her story of growing up while suffering anguish about her body that was severely scarred during multiple childhood surgeries, and later in life raising a child with albinism. Drawing on Lee’s experience and research, Imperfect also explores how we can live a fulfilled life in an ‘imperfect’ body.
Lee is also a passionate and versatile teacher. She used to teach social sciences across three major universities, and for the last 13 years she has been regularly teaching a wide range of writing workshops all around Australia. She is a candid, engaging and warm speaker about body image, visible differences, parenting and the art of writing. She also often discusses migration, having written extensively about her two migrations: from Russia to Israel, and later to Australia. And she is an experienced panel moderator, who has interviewed many well-known Australian and international authors. She speaks regularly at literary festivals, libraries, bookshops and in the media.
» Read more about Lee Kofman
Sumaya Harare
Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Coming to Australia at the age of 7 with her family as a refugee, Sumaya and her family were settled in the suburb of Brighton East, a predominantly Caucasian suburb. She started at a nearby primary school, the only English she knew having learnt from Sesame Street. Her experiences of being bullied and ostracized in school caused her to develop social anxiety and a diminished self-worth which she wouldn’t know about until into her mid to late 20s. She connects with students from schools all over the country on topics of bullying and overcoming it, body image issues and integrating as a refugee.
» Read more about Sumaya Harare
Ingrid Laguna
Author, Education Consultant
Ingrid Laguna is a dynamic and engaging author, educator, musician and inspirational speaker. She is the author of junior fiction novel Songbird, a story about a young Iraqi, Muslim girl struggling to fit into her new life in an outer suburb of Melbourne. Drawing on over five years of experience working with school-aged new arrivals to Australia, many from refugee backgrounds, Ingrid uses a range of strategies to support students to tell their stories in a way that is engaging and alive, with strong characters and effective language choices.
» Read more about Ingrid Laguna
Jared Thomas
Author, Education Consultant, Online - Virtual Visits, Social Issues
Dr Jared Thomas is a Nukunu person of the Southern Flinders Ranges and the Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art and Material Cultural at the South Australian Museum and an international award-winning 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
Marcia Langton
Academic, Author, Curriculum Specialist, Social Issues
Professor Marcia Langton is one of Australia’s most important voices for Indigenous Australia. She first became an Indigenous rights activist at Queensland University in the 1970s, and since then has worked with the Central Land Council, the Cape York Land Council and for the 1989 Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody.
In more recent times, Professor Langton has become an academic and now works at Melbourne University. Professor Langton has received many accolades, including an Order of Australia, and has authored several books. In 1999 Professor Langton was one of five Indigenous leaders who were granted an audience with the Queen to discuss the proposed recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Australian Constitution. She is also a frequent guest on the ABC’s Q&A show.
» Read more about Marcia Langton
Way Back When Historians
Historian, Online - Virtual Visits
Way Back When Consulting Historians is a team of four professional historians: Sarah Rood, Katherine Sheedy, Lucy Bracey and Fiona Poulton. They work with a range of clients – from schools to local councils and community organisations – on many different projects, including books, exhibitions, oral history projects and digital histories. Way Back When is passionate about uncovering and telling stories, and helping communities make connections to the past that inform and give meaning to the present.
» Read more about Way Back When Historians
Fiona Poulton
Author, Historian
Fiona is driven in her work to bring the past to life and to create histories that are accessible and engaging for a range of different audiences. She particularly loves the thrill of research, digging through archives and collections, and working with communities to uncover memories and stories. Fiona is an experienced heritage practitioner and oral historian and is inspired by the potential of digital technologies to transform the way that we present history, using individual voices to add a richly personal quality to a story.
Fiona has co-authored several books, including histories of the Monash Business School, Victorian AIDS Council, and the City of Melton. Boroondara Remembers: Stories of World War I received a Victorian Community History Award in 2015.
» Read more about Fiona Poulton
Katherine Sheedy
Author, Historian
Katherine’s passion for making history accessible to a general audience inspired her decision to follow a career as a professional historian. She has broad experience in all aspects of professional history including commissioned histories, heritage, significance assessment and oral history. Katherine is the author of histories on educational institutions, businesses and professional bodies.
In all her work Katherine has been an enthusiastic supporter of oral testimony, in particular its ability to enable contributions from people who may otherwise be unlikely to contribute to the historical record.
» Read more about Katherine Sheedy
Lucy Bracey
Author, Historian
Lucy enjoys communicating about the past across a wide variety of formats. Her co-authored books include a history of the Children’s Protection Society and a children’s book exploring the history of Boroondara during World War I. Lucy has produced two radio documentaries for ABC Radio National and created audio documentaries using oral history interviews for a range of online history projects, including websites for ChillOut in Daylesford and the Sephardi Association of Victoria. She has curated exhibitions at the City Museum at Old Treasury, Counihan Gallery in Brunswick and State Library Victoria.
Like her Way Back When colleagues, Lucy is committed to giving back to her community. She currently serves as a councillor for the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and is on the collections committee of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute.
» Read more about Lucy Bracey
Sarah Rood
Author, Historian
In her career as a professional historian, Sarah has experience in all areas of public history, specialising in digital histories and exhibitions. She is motivated by her firm belief that the past shapes the present and the future, and enjoys working with community groups to record and document their stories. Sarah aims to produce interesting and engaging histories by communicating stories in an absorbing way and by using her narrative skills to help communities reconnect with their past, facilitating a sense of achievement and ownership.
Sarah has worked on histories of private companies, community groups, sporting clubs, schools and universities. These histories have taken the form of books, exhibitions and websites. Sarah has also curated exhibitions for MFB, Melbourne Museum, Monash Museum of Computing History, Jewish Museum of Australia, Robert Blackwood Hall and Moreland City Council, and created audio histories for Culture Victoria, VicRoads and ABC Radio National.
» Read more about Sarah Rood
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
Lucy and Rosie Thomas: PROJECT ROCKIT
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
Cofounders of PROJECT ROCKIT, Lucy and Rosie Thomas have dedicated their lives to making the world better for young people. The pair launched PROJECT ROCKIT when they were fresh out of school and restless for change on issues of bullying, hate and prejudice. Over a decade later, PROJECT ROCKIT is a thriving social enterprise, reaching hundreds of thousands of students and serving as a cyber safety partner to major social media platforms. Rosie and Lucy regularly appear in the media and have received numerous awards honouring their work.
Although three years apart, the Thomas sisters hold a shared vision that has translated into a strong social impact. They have both received Order of Australia medals, been named by UNICEF among 12 Digital Champions for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age and are recipients of the global Family Online Safety Institute’s award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Online Safety.’ Together the duo sit on a range of boards including Facebook’s Global Safety Board, Twitter’s Global Trust and Safety Council and the Australian Office of the eSafety Commissioner’s Online Safety Consultative Working Group.
Rosie and Lucy are able to offer online sessions during Term 2 due to the coronavirus disrupting learning in many states. Please contact us for more information.
» Read more about Lucy and Rosie Thomas: PROJECT ROCKIT
Lucy Thomas OAM
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
Lucy Thomas is the cofounder and CEO of PROJECT ROCKIT, Australia’s youth-driven movement against bullying, hate and prejudice, Lucy has dedicated her whole life to empowering school students to improve the world around them. She has personally worked with thousands of young people all over the world, from Wangaratta to Texas, Wollongong to Auckland, Atherton to Perth.
Hear the story of how a simple idea grew into an enduring social movement and leave the session with simple, safe and socially credible strategies for challenging (cyber)bullying. As a keynote speaker, social entrepreneur and facilitator, Lucy is a mighty force of kindness, equipped with the precious ability to creatively engage young people to generate positive social change.
» Read more about Lucy Thomas OAM
Rosie Thomas OAM
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
Rosie Thomas OAM has been hungry for creating positive change ever since she can remember. After launching PROJECT ROCKIT with her sister when she was fresh out of high school, she’s since dedicated the last 15 years to growing Australia’s youth-driven movement against bullying, hate and prejudice. Rosie is a highly experienced and passionate (brace yourselves) speaker and is committed to helping her audience realise their own unique purpose and ability to change the world for good.
» Read more about Rosie Thomas OAM
Yves Stening
Author, Child Eating Habits, Storyteller/Performer
Fun, witty and informative, Yves Stening delights children and teachers alike with his wonderful kids series, Dinner Detectives.
» Read more about Yves Stening
Nikki Gemmell
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
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
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 Edwards is an interviewer, podcaster and advocate.
She is a bibliophile and hosts two bookish podcasts – The Garret: Writers on Writing and Anonymous Was A Woman. She serves as the Deputy Chair of Melbourne Writers Festival and teaches professional writing at RMIT University.
Astrid has Multiple Sclerosis and is a Member of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council advising the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers.
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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).
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