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Speaker Type: Inspirational Speaker
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
Luke Atkins
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Speaking Out
Luke Atkins is an ultra-endurance runner and personal safety expert. Luke has represented Australia in both taekwondo and endurance running competing all over the world from Mongolia to the USA.
Luke seamlessly draws the link between the mental toughness required to run for more than 24 hours non-stop and the daily grind. His concept that life is an endurance race has proven to be especially valuable for VCE students and corporate groups.
As a sponsored athlete in the Under Armour Australia team in Worlds Toughest Mudder and the General Manager of Hall’s Taekwondo his ideas on leadership and team work are invaluable.
As a martial arts instructor for over 15 years Luke has developed structured personal safety sessions for schools and corporate audiences.
» Read more about Luke Atkins
Demet Divaroren
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Demet Divaroren was born in Adana, Turkey, and migrated to Australia with her family when she was six months old. She is the author of Living on Hope Street, which won the 2018 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards Prize for Writing for Young Adults and was shortlisted for a 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Award. Her writing has appeared in Griffith Review, The Age Epicure, The Big Issue, Island Magazine, From the Outer and Best Summer Stories. Demet appears as a panellist, guest speaker and workshop leader at literary festivals, universities and schools across Melbourne and teaches creative writing at Victoria Polytechnic.
» Read more about Demet Divaroren
Linh Do
Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator
Linh Do is a Melbourne based activist with a globe-trotting lifestyle, having worked in over 15 countries. She’s done everything from changing one million lightbulbs (and mindsets) in Australia to working at the UN to create social change on environmental issues, and in 2013 was named as Australian Geographic’s Young Conservationist of the Year.
» Read more about Linh Do
Sean Dooley
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Sean Dooley has written for TV comedies like Full Frontal, Hamish and Andy and Spicks and Specks, is author of books such as The Big Twitch and Cooking with Baz, and is currently editor of Australian Birdlife magazine. He was also the national birdwatching champion, holding the record for seeing the most birds seen in one year. Sean Dooley is the Birdman.
» Read more about Sean Dooley
Declan Fay
Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Podcaster, Storyteller/Performer
Declan Fay is an award-winning writer who co-created the show Ronny Chieng: International Student which screened on ABC, BBC and Netflix. He has written for numerous shows such as The Weekly with Charlie Pickering and the hugely popular kids sketch show, You’re Skitting Me. Declan has also authored articles for The Age, The Guardian, The Herald-Sun and The Big Issue. On radio Declan has hosted shows on ABC, Triple M, Triple J and Triple R. Earlier this year he co-wrote a comedy podcast called Crossbread, which became one of the most popular podcasts in the Australia and the US.
In the media:
https://speakola.com/grad/declan-fay-but-now-you-all-have-a-blank-page-eltham-high-valedictory-2023?rq=declan%20fay
» Read more about Declan Fay
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.
Archie’s latest book, Tribal Lores (2020) has won the Australian Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature for the Older Readers category.
» Read more about Archie Fusillo
Fiona Harris
Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Speaking Out, Storyteller/Performer
Fiona has been writing and performing for Australian stages and screens for many years. She wrote and co-starred on the ABC sketch comedy show, Flipside, as well as on channel nine’s sketch comedy series, Comedy Inc – The Late Shift series 5 and on all three series of the Network Ten sketch comedy series SkitHouse. She has also written and directed numerous shows for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
» Read more about Fiona Harris
Tony Wilson
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Tony Wilson has written two hilarious satirical novels about celebrity and tabloid media. He is also the author of five picture books, and has worked successfully on television (Race Around the World and Santo, Sam and Ed’s Cup Fever!), radio (Triple R’s Breakfasters) and print media (The Age and The Monthly).
» Read more about Tony Wilson
Lili Wilkinson
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits
Lili Wilkinson is a reader and writer of YA literature. She is the author of nine books for teenagers, and has a PhD in Creative Writing.
» Read more about Lili Wilkinson
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
Melissa Keil
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits
Melissa Keil’s young adult novels have been published around the world, and have been described as ‘humorous, heartfelt and angst-y romance with the potential to break the gender barrier’. When she is not writing, she can be found immersed in other people’s manuscripts in her day job as a children’s book editor.
» Read more about Melissa Keil
Michelle Law
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Michelle Law is an award-winning writer and screenwriter whose previous speaking engagements include TEDx events, Woodford Folk Festival, writer’s festivals, ABC radio and The Project. Her stories and essays have been widely anthologized and her films have screened nationally at festivals and on the ABC.
» Read more about Michelle Law
Tristan Miller
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Tristan Miller has had an incredible story, for such a regular guy. He dealt with a number of life’s highs and lows, before finally losing his dream job at Google in the Global Financial Crisis of 2009. Instead of laying down, he turned his life into an amazing adventure by running 52 marathons in 52 weeks, in 42 countries, on all 7 continents!
» Read more about Tristan Miller
Ellen Sandell
Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Ellen has been National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, one of Australia’s largest non-profit climate organisations. During her leadership, the organisation grew from a handful of friends wanting to change the world to a national organisation with over 80,000 members and the ear of politicians and business leaders due to it’s quirky and innovative campaigns.
Ellen has become one of Australia’s leading commentators and campaigners on the issue of climate change. Since leaving the AYCC in late 2012 she has worked in politics, as Campaign Manager for Simon Sheikh’s Senate campaign in the ACT (mobilising thousands of volunteers and just missing out on a Senate seat) and as a Senior Campaigns Advisor for Greens leader Senator Christine Milne.
» Read more about Ellen Sandell
Alice Pung OAM
Author, Corporate, Curriculum Specialist, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Speaking Out
Alice Pung OAM is a writer and lawyer who loves teaching. Alice’s books are studied in secondary schools and universities in Australia as well as the United States, and she has taught writing workshops to students from the ages of 8 to 80 in Australia, China and the States. Alice is also an Ambassador for the 100 Story Building Project, a social enterprise which helps promote literature and literacy skills to young people in the Western suburbs.
» Read more about Alice Pung OAM
Ailsa Piper
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Speaking Out
Ailsa Piper has worked throughout Australia as a writer, theatre director, actor, speaker, teacher and memorably, a pate-wrapper! She completed her MA at the University of Melbourne during her three-year stint as an actor in Neighbours’ Ramsay Street, winning the Patrick White Playwright’s Award in her spare time. She is a passionate – some would say obsessive – walker, and her book Sinning Across Spain, reflects that.
» Read more about Ailsa Piper
Bic Walker
Author, Entrepreneur, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Born in Vietnam in 1974, Bic Walker escaped war torn Vietnam at the age of four. Bic’s experience as a refugee was the catalyst for her first Book A Safe Place to Live. This autobiographical children’s book recounts her experience in fleeing Vietnam with her family in 1979 on a tiny boat bound for freedom. The events that transpired are the stuff of Hollywood movies: attacked by pirates and left drifting in the open ocean without fuel, the family were finally rescued by a Canadian oil tanker. Bic and her family were transported to Malaysia where they waited for six months before being taken to Australia.
» Read more about Bic Walker
Trace Balla
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
- Leaf-Light, from one of Australia’s most unique creative talents, Leaf-Light is a stand-alone companion to Landing with Wings. Join Miri on her quest to help a rescued baby emu find its feet in the world, and as she connects to her community in joyful and unexpected ways.
- Landing With Wings, “Rich in country and family, deep in care for the future.”BRUCE PASCOE
- The Heart of the Bubble – a story with 2020 set in the time of corona – a family’s awakening to what really matters.
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
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
» Read more about Daniel WitthausDaniel has spent a quarter of a century challenging homophobia and working on LGBTIQ inclusion one cuppa at a time in schools, rural communities and, occasionally, developing countries like Poland, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. He has also worked with Kids Help Line, VicHealth, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and No to Violence, a national men’s family violence organisation.
Daniel is the author of Beyond Priscilla: one gay man, one gay truck, one big idea… (2014), Beyond ‘That’s So Gay!’: Challenging homophobia in Australian schools (2010) and the Pride & Prejudice educational package (2002, 2012) – which won Human Rights Week awards for work in three Tasmanian schools. His latest book, Beyond Debate, is due for release in June 2023.
In 2013 Daniel founded Rural Pride Australia, formerly NICHE, which focuses on the needs of LGBTIQ people in regional, rural and remote Australia. For the last 7 years Rural Pride Australia has worked in partnership with the Victorian State Government and its Commissioner for LGBTIQ+ Communities to deliver the LGBTIQ Equality Roadshow, Regional Communities of Practice and Rainbow Ready Roadmap to 29 regional and rural Victorian communities.
He is also semi-obsessed with abandoned buildings and is an international gay gold medallist in tennis.
Claire Dunn
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Claire Dunn is a writer, journalist, educator, barefoot explorer and author of My Year Without Matches, the memoir of her extraordinary journey living in the bush for a year learning wilderness survival skills. Her latest book is Rewilding the Urban Soul, a memoir about searching for the wild in the city, set for release in June 2021.
» Read more about Claire Dunn
Sian Prior
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Speaking Out
Sian Prior is probably best known as an ABC radio presenter, a columnist and critic for The Age, and a musician. But this accomplished public performer is also the author of two acclaimed works of non fiction, ‘Shy: a memoir and ‘Childless: a story of freedom and longing’ (shortlisted for The Age Book of the Year in 2022). Her first memoir ‘Shy’ solves the riddle of how someone who has grappled for decades with debilitating social anxiety has nevertheless managed to carve out a series of successful careers in the public eye.
» Read more about Sian Prior
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
Luke Kennedy
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Luke S. Kennedy is one of Australia’s most sought after Speaker for Primary Schools, High Schools, Staff PDs, Community & Parent events, Corporate sessions, and prisons. Through his unique approach, strong ability to connect with any audience, & his thrilling story – he hits home with some deep topics & creates big mindset shifts for all demographics. After most of his talks & workshops, he’s told by organisers that it’s the best presentation they’ve seen.
Luke adapts his story and content for Primary schools and most of Luke’s schedule are re-bookings from past schools and organisers eager to have him return. Feedback received later by attendees, students, parents, and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive!
Becoming a successful business owner, mental health advocate, and one of Australia’s top motivational speakers, his purpose is to now use his experience to inspire, motivate, and enlighten others. To stop worrying what other people think. To develop personally & professionally. To shed the labels. To be free.
Luke uses his “Breathtaking” story to inspire deep, lasting change, and self-awareness, for a wide range of audiences, from primary schools, high schools, businesses, events, and even prisons. For eight years of his life, Luke was an obese alcoholic and drug addicted thug (Luke PG’s Story & Content for Primary Schools). Leading a violent street fighting crew, he was stabbed on two separate occasions; once in the lung, the other time in the head. On the outside, he looked strong and confident, even happy at times, but on the inside his thoughts would haunt him. He was incredibly scared, depressed, anxious, paranoid, and was obsessed with what others thought about him.
Through on the edge of your seat stories, Luke now connects deeply with any demographic. It doesn’t matter what the demographic is though, he’s found that all suffer from the same internal battles; worrying what people think, living up to labels/expectations, social awkwardness, anxiety, dealing with past trauma, and not knowing who they really are or where to fit in. Luke’s talks have proven to help in all of these areas.
Sarah Ayoub
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Sarah Ayoub is a journalist, author and academic researching intersectional literature. Her work has been published in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, ELLE, Marie-Claire, Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books and more. She has worked as a lecturer and tutor in journalism and writing with the University of Sydney, University of NSW and University of Notre Dame, and recently completed a PhD examining the intersections of interventionist ethnic Australian YA literature. She is the author of Hate is such a Strong Word and The Yearbook Committee, the latter of which was longlisted for The Gold Inky, Australia’s premier teen choice award. Sarah is a Schools Ambassador with The Stella Prize, has mentored the youth curators of The Sydney Writers’ Festival YA program, contributed to the anthology Arab, Australian, Other and most recently been a judge for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Sarah’s forthcoming novel, The Cult of Romance, will be published by HarperCollins in March 2022, and her first picture book, The Love that Grew, will be out in April of the same year. She is currently working on her first novel for adults as the Writer-in-Residence of Sweatshop Literacy Movement.
» Read more about Sarah Ayoub
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
Ailsa Wild
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Ailsa Wild is an author of more than twenty books and a performer with a history in circus and collaboration. She writes for audiences of all ages, both fiction and non-fiction. In her day job, Ailsa facilitates story-making with children and adults in all kinds of circumstances. Her appearances are always interactive, responsive to her audience, and she aims to give people a greater sense of their own creativity and their capacity for craft. She’s written picture books, mystery adventures, science stories, self-help, and a biography/memoir about the nursing in the pandemic.
Ailsa’s first graphic novel The Invisible War (with Scale Free Network) was selected as a ‘Notable of 2017’ by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and won Most Outstanding Educational Resource at the 2017 Australian Educational Publishing Awards. The Invisible War was just released in the USA by Lerner Books, with Korean and Arabic versions scheduled for release in 2020.
Ailsa’s work has appeared in Meanjin, The Monthly, ABC online, #METOO: stories from the Australian movement (Picador) and on stages across Australia. She has spoken at many literary festivals including Melbourne Writers Festival, World Science Festival Brisbane, Ipswich StoryArts Festival. She has also guest lectured at several universities and presented at more than 200 schools around Australia. She has a Masters of Creative Media (creative writing) from RMIT and has collaborated with scientists, musicians, children, nurses and circus performers.
» Read more about Ailsa Wild
Steve Mushin (Stephen Mushin)
Author, Design, Drawing and Creative Thinking Teacher, Education Consultant, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, STEM Teacher
Steve Mushin’s graphic novel style STEM book Ultrawild, An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City On Earth (Allen and Unwin, Nov 2023) was described by The Guardian as:
‘a brain-meltingly intricate and inspiring compendium of the gigantic ideas needed to repair the planet.’
Steve is an industrial designer, hack engineer and illustrator. He collaborates with scientists, and engineers to develop outrageous, but scientifically possible inventions to rewild cities back into jungles.
Steve runs creative thinking, illustration and design workshops with primary and secondary schools, universities and businesses, where he uses his ‘design thought experiments’ as starting points for madcap STEM explorations.
In 2015, he was awarded an Australian Design Honours for work in sustainability design education.
MEDIA LINKS:
Video interview: The Wheeler Centre
Profile: Australian Design Centre
Article: Sydney Morning Herald
» Read more about Steve Mushin (Stephen Mushin)
Ruth Clare
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Ruth Clare is the author of the award-winning memoir, ENEMY (Penguin, 2016), a three-time TEDx speaker and lived experience mental health coach. In addition to writing for publications such as The Age, Elle, Meanjin and The Good Weekend, Ruth is working on a memoir based on her late life diagnosis with ADHD. Ruth explores serious topics related to mental health, resilience, courage, identity and authenticity using humour and a knack for entertaining developed during her years as a professional actor.
She shares stories of hiding the trauma of her childhood, pretending everything was okay while she struggled alone with anxiety, perfectionism, shame and never feeling good enough, and how she finally got brave enough to share her experience with others. Weaving in polyvagal, mindfulness and breathing exercises, alongside cognitive approaches, Ruth simplifies complex ideas learnt on her own recovery journey and mental health studies, to deliver genuine insights and practical tools participants can immediately use in their own lives.
Ruth’s talks deliver a transformative experience for audiences, showing them how to stop being so hard on themselves and live with more calm awareness, self-compassion, optimism and confidence.
Topics:
• Mental Health
• Resilience and overcoming adversity
• Neurodivergence and Identity
• Owning your stories and rewriting your life
Jessica Walton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Jessica Walton is a queer, disabled writer and speaker. They co-wrote an episode of Get Krack!n focused on disability, which aired on ABC in 2019. They are the author of graphic novel Stars In Their Eyes, with artwork by Aśka (Fremantle Press 2021) and Introducing Teddy, illustrated by Dougal MacPherson (Bloomsbury 2016). Jess also has two short stories for teens and kids published in Australian anthologies Funny Bones (Allen and Unwin 2019) and Meet Me at the Intersection (Fremantle Press 2018), as well as poetry in a few anthologies, magazines and journals.
» Read more about Jessica Walton
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
Tasneem Chopra
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller, Well Within, Women's Rights
Tasneem is a whole lot of parts, symbolising the hybrid identity of today’s global citizen, which she speaks to with sheer wit. She is an East African born, Indian origin, Bendigo raised, Melbourne loving, daughter, mother, middle-child, karaoke swooning, sleep deprived, vertically challenged, feminist, Muslim, exhausted, activist – and she won’t compromise on any of those titles.
» Read more about Tasneem Chopra
Robyn Davidson
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
A charismatic,engaging, intellectually adventurous, deep thinker who also makes her audiences laugh. Talks accompanied by stunning National Geographic photography.
» Read more about Robyn Davidson
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
Ally Watson
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, Well Within, Women's Rights
Ally Watson is the founder and CEO of Code Like a Girl, a social enterprise that provides girls and women with the confidence and tools to take on the world of code and re-imagine the future of technology.
As one who has seen first-hand how traditional gender stereotypes have limited opportunity for women across society at large, she strives tirelessly each day towards breaking these biases.
Recently decorated with an Order of Australia Medal, Watson is a multi-award winning social entrepreneur whose heartfelt motivation is to create innovative learning environments where every woman, from any background, feels included, inspired and capable in the world of technology.
Ally’s unique and refreshing insights and research on gender-diversity within the technology industry allows for the delivery of thought-provoking and action-inspiring presentations.
» Read more about Ally Watson
Shabnam Safa
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller
Shabnam is a driven community development practitioner who is passionate about cultivating true partnerships between communities and structures of power to create lasting solutions and social change.
She grew up as a Hazara Afghan refugee in Pakistan before arriving in Australia at the age of 15. Inspired by her own experience of forced displacement, she is a strong advocate for meaningful participation of refugees in addressing the complex challenges of resettlement, inclusion, and belonging.
Shabnam has founded and led multiple initiatives in Australia and abroad supporting refugees and host communities. She is part of a small national team at the Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) working to establish a holistic community-led refugee sponsorship program in Australia, building community capacity to welcome newcomers. She is the inaugural Chairperson at the National Refugee-led Advisory and Advocacy Group (NRAAG), a refugee-led organisation creating spaces for effective elevation of voices with lived experience in key decisions, policies, and discourse about refugees.
A Director at the Centre for Multicultural Youth, Shabnam also serves on multiple government advisory boards influencing policy design and program delivery to devise unique solutions for the unique challenges and opportunities facing refugee and migrant communities in Australia. She is an emerging leader in the Afghan Australian community and since the fall of Kabul in August 2021 has been one of the leading voices behind the Action for Afghanistan campaign.
She was recently inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her tireless work in promoting refugee rights, social cohesion, meaningful diversity and inclusion. Fun fact about Shabnam: she is also a former Karate champion with multiple national and international titles to her name.
» Read more about Shabnam Safa
Jo Stanley
Author, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Storyteller/Performer
Having started her career as a comedian, Jo is a dynamic and entertaining speaker. She has presented to schools, universities, conferences, the corporate world, and community groups. Her areas of expertise are:
- Gender equality
- Resilience and mindfulness
- Purpose
- Media
- Personal branding
Scott Harris
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development
Scott Harris traveled the world solo with multiple disabilities to show us we can do anything we put our mind to. After a dirt bike accident in 2008, he spent three years at Epworth Rehabilitation learning to live with these disabilities and came out the other side with a completely new approach to life. He wrote the book Crashing Into Potential: Living with my injured brain, which tells the story of how he went from zero to hero despite being knocked down many times along the way.
» Read more about Scott Harris
Meredith Gaston
Author, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Meredith Gaston Masnata is an internationally acclaimed bestselling author, artist, wellness coach and speaker celebrating mindful, joyous and spirited living in a modern world.
Whilst exhibiting her artwork locally and abroad from a young age, Meredith graduated from The University of Sydney, majoring in Art History and Theory and Gender and Cultural Studies. Continuing her education as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach through IIN, New York, Meredith frequently features in the media, educational and corporate spheres inspiring wellbeing in daily life. She is a regular guest on ABC radio. Meredith’s twelve lovingly illustrated books are translated into various foreign languages and her artworks are collected worldwide.
Jenna Guillaume
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Journalist, Social Commentator
Jenna Guillaume is a lively and engaging author and journalist with a passion for empowering young people – and having a lot of fun along the way. She loves to talk about things like body image, social media and online toxicity, the intersection of feminism and pop culture, digital media, mental health and self-love.
» Read more about Jenna Guillaume
Sumaya Harare
Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer, Well Within, Women's Rights
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
Eleni Hale
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues
Eleni Hale is an author and journalist based in Melbourne. Her debut novel, inspired by real life events, won the Readings Book Prize among other accolades and tells the story of one girl’s journey through institutional care.
» Read more about Eleni Hale
Fiona Harris & Mike McLeish
Drama, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Married couple, Fiona Harris and Mike McLeish are award-winning performers who have been working full-time in the arts industry for twenty years.
Fiona and Mike have written and acted in two series of the award-winning short-form comedy series; The Drop Off. They have also adapted The Drop Off into an adult fiction novel with Echo Publishing, due for release in 2020. They recently received funding from the ACTF to develop a young adult television series. Fiona also taught drama to teenagers at Stage School Australia for four years.
Fiona and Mike run school sessions for secondary students, as well as script and performance workshops.
» Read more about Fiona Harris & Mike McLeish
Cori Brooke
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Cori Brooke is a Canadian-Australian Children’s Book Council of Australia shortlisted children’s picture book author (All I Want for Christmas is Rain), public servant and Mom. Cori loves to share her books, book-related artifacts and books she loves with kids and adults. She loves talking about her writing process, and the process of writing generally, in a fun, accessible and kid-friendly way. Having just learned to juggle (literally, but also a metaphor for her life) Cori might incorporate that into her visits soon!
» Read more about Cori Brooke
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
Nikki Gemmell
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer, Women's Rights
Nikki is known as Australia’s most honest author. Whether it’s her provocative novel The Bride Stripped Bare; After, her non fiction book about the euthanasia death of her mother, or her highly popular column in the Weekend Australian magazine (which tackles many issues pertinent to educators and students,) she gets the nation thinking. She’s also written two series of books for primary aged school children.
» Read more about Nikki Gemmell
Rawah Arja
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Rawah Arja is a passionate young Muslim author from Western Sydney whose work has featured at the Sydney Writer’s Festival, SBS Voices as well as the Sydney Review of Books. She teaches creative writing workshops at schools, specialising in reluctant readers and writers.
» Read more about Rawah Arja
Jacinta Parsons
Author, Broadcaster, Inspirational Speaker
Jacinta Parsons is a broadcaster, radio maker, writer and public speaker who currently co-hosts the Breakfast program on ABC Local Radio Melbourne with Sami Shah.
She began her radio-life at community radio station 3RRR over a decade ago, where she coordinated live music broadcasts and hosted several shows including Detour and Breakfasters.
She made the move to the ABC in 2015, working with the Double J team and as Music Director for Local Radio. As well as presenting The New Music Show on ABC Radio, she has produced and presented a number of national broadcast events.
Jacinta is an ambassador for the Crohn’s and Colitis Association and speaks and writes about the impact of living with chronic illness.
She has also be an active member of the arts and music community and is a board member for Melbourne disability theatre company, Rollercoaster.
» Read more about Jacinta Parsons
Dr Jodi Richardson
Anxiety, Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
Dr Jodi Richardson is dedicated to elevating the mental health and wellbeing of others. She empowers parents, educators and other professionals with practical skills and techniques for maximising wellbeing and overcoming the inattention, overwhelm and avoidance that come with anxiety.
» Read more about Dr Jodi Richardson
Chris Daicos
Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Well Within
Dip Tch, BA, BSW, MAPP, FACEL
Chris is a trained teacher and social worker who has also completed the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology. She has over three decades of experience supporting organisations in the public and private sector to enhance functioning and develop wellbeing. Her work was recognized by the Australian Council for Educational Leaders for which she was awarded a fellowship.
» Read more about Chris Daicos
Jonny Shannon
Inspirational Speaker, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Well Within
I found school extremely difficult, having dyslexia and other disabilities which led to failing all my subjects and being bullied a lot. After overreacting too many times, I was finally expelled for fighting too much.
It wasn’t until my last school that a counsellor took me aside to work through some of the key issues I was facing. The difference for me was from “night to-day”. I quickly turned my academic performance around and focused on my emotional well-being & set some big goals. Surprised in the difference seeing a counsellor made, I committed to doing youth work to help other students like myself for the rest of my life.
» Read more about Jonny Shannon
George Green
Author, Inspirational Speaker
George is an accomplished motivational speaker with over ten years experience in inspiring young people. George details his journey from the Hip-Hop industry to finding faith and his transition to successful children’s author.
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Huda Hayek
Author, Inspirational Speaker
H. Hayek learned as an adult to embrace all the parts that make her unique. Hayek believes all children, no matter their backgrounds, can do this early and use it as a tool for success.
» Read more about Huda Hayek
Alex Dekker
Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Alex Dekker is an impact-driven entrepreneur and changemaker, reshaping food relief in Australia through the not-for-profit organization he founded, Alex Makes Meals. At just 24 years old, Alex was named on Forbes’ prestigious 30 Under 30 list for his groundbreaking work in social impact. What began as a small initiative to feed healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic has grown into a powerful movement, delivering over 700,000 meals annually to vulnerable individuals and families across Melbourne.
Alex’s work has garnered numerous accolades, including being nominated for Victorian Young Australian of the Year (2021) and receiving the 2022 Premier’s Sustainability Award and the National Banksia Award. His efforts demonstrate that age is no barrier to making a profound difference.
» Read more about Alex Dekker
Tarang Chawla
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues
Tarang Chawla is a speaker, writer and founder of Not One More Niki, working to end violence against women. He is a gender equality, human rights and mental health advocate who was named a Young Australian of the Year Finalist and listed as one of Australia’s Top 40 Under 40 Asian Australians.
Dr Joanne Orlando (PhD, M.Ed, B.Ed)
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Welfare
Dr Joanne Orlando (PhD, M.Ed, B.Ed) is one of Australia’s favourite and most trusted digital wellbeing experts. Through her ground-breaking research she provides specialist advice and solutions to today’s most pressing digital wellbeing issues for children and adults. Joanne is a popular presenter on TV, with over 10 years presenting digital wellbeing segments on Sunrise, Morning Show, Today Show and The Project. She has developed terms such as ‘sharenting’ and ‘zombie scrolling’ which have now entered everyday lexicon. Joanne is the creator of digital literacy and wellbeing education program TechClever, and her most recent book Life Mode On, was released worldwide in 2021.
» Read more about Dr Joanne Orlando (PhD, M.Ed, B.Ed)
Mick Elliott
Author, Entertainer, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller
Mick Elliott is an author, illustrator, TV producer, screenwriter, literacy ambassador and professional mischief-maker. As well as multiple best-selling books, Mick has written and produced acclaimed children’s TV programmes for Nickelodeon, the Sesame Workshop, Channel TEN and the ABC.
» Read more about Mick Elliott
Joel McKerrow
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Poet, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Creativity specialist Joel McKerrow is an award-winning author, speaker, educator, and is one of Australia’s most successful and experienced performance poets. For fifteen years full-time he has toured on stages throughout world, including representing Australia at the Individual World Poetry Slam Championships. With seven poetry albums and six poetry books, as well as his first junior-fiction/Graphic novel being published in March 2024 (Urban Legend Hunters: The Dreaded Mr Snipe), Joel brings a wealth of creative experience in both poetry and story-writing sure to inspire and equip your students.
» Read more about Joel McKerrow
Wai Chim
Author, Inspirational Speaker
Wai Chim is the Chinese-American-Australian author of a number of titles for kids and young adults including The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling. Her dynamic and energetic presentations focus on culture, nurturing a love for story and a passion for the human experience.
» Read more about Wai Chim
Clem Bastow
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues
Clem is an Autistic advocate, screenwriter and cultural critic who has relished getting in front of an audience ever since they were sent home from a Year 9 birthday party following a tour de force performance of twenty road safety PSAs. Clem is particularly passionate about Autism advocacy and loves to help debunk myths and misconceptions about Autistic people in the workplace, in education, and in general. With more than two decades’ worth of broadcasting and performance under their belt, Clem has extensive public speaking experience, and their screenwriting and standup comedy skills means that addresses delivered by them don’t tend to result in glazed eyes and rushes for the exit. Their various speaking engagements have covered everything from gender liberation to Autism to cult cinema. Clem is also an experienced host and emcee, having chaired panel discussions and hosted Q&As for a wide variety of events and organisations, including Melbourne International Film Festival, Cinema Nova, AFI/AACTA, Festival Of Dangerous Ideas, Melbourne Writers Festival and Amaze.
» Read more about Clem Bastow
Heidi McKinnon
Author, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Heidi is passionate about sharing her love of story, art and creativity with children and young people.
» Read more about Heidi McKinnon
Lisa Shanahan
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller/Performer
Lisa is an award-winning writer of picture books, and novels for younger and older readers. Some of her funny, heartfelt books include The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler, which received the 2017 Queensland Literary Award for Children’s Fiction, the 2018 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for 8–12-year-olds and was also shortlisted in the 2018 CBCA Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers. Her picture book, Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee! (ill. Binny Talib) was a 2018 CBCA Honour Book of the Year for Early Childhood and was also shortlisted in the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Children’s Fiction. Her novel for teenagers My Big Birkett was published to critical acclaim in Australia, where it was shortlisted for the 2007 CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers and in the United States, where it was a 2008 New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age. Her most recent picture book for babies, the delightful Hello World (ill. Leila Rudge) won the 2022 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for Birth-3-year-olds.
Trained as an actor, Lisa is a witty, dynamic, and entertaining presenter, who loves to inspire young people to look at stories, and the world, with a vivid, new freshness.
Hello World
Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee!
Laugh Your Head Off 4 Ever
Big Pet Day
Bear & Chook
Bear & Chook by the Sea
The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler
My Big Birkett
The Lisa Shanahan Story Collection (Read by Claudia Karvan)
Philip Wilcox
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Poet, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Philip Wilcox is an awarded and published full-time poet, touring nationally and internationally. He is an Australian Poetry Slam champion and two-time New South Wales Poetry Slam champion. He believes poetry is for everyone: sleazy advertising executives, criminals, and even school students. He has made it his mission to share his poetry in the hope of sparking a passion for words and language and in the last 8 years, Philip has worked with upwards of 100,000 students in over 300 schools in 12 countries.
» Read more about Philip Wilcox
Biffy James
Author, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development/Welfare, Storyteller/Performer
Biffy James understands the tragedy of being a teenager. It’s hard, it’s exhausting and it’s confusing. But also? It can be kinda hilarious.
By sharing embarrassing, sometimes heartbreaking anecdotes of her own adolescence; encouraging students to find that thing that makes them feel completely themselves; and reminding them that high school isn’t forever, Biffy creates a space for teenagers to feel that maybe someone gets it: the world really is super weird.
Doesn’t mean you can’t conquer the world, though.
» Read more about Biffy James
Marcelo Baez
Comics, Entertainment, Illustrator, Inspirational Speaker
Marcelo is professional illustrator and creative facilitator based on the NSW South Coast. Working internationally and locally as an illustrator for over 27 years, and over 14 years as a creative facilitator and presenter.
He also teaches a large variety of drawing comics/character design/visual storytelling for kids as well as teaching a variety of creative adult workshops for the corporate and public sectors. He has been an invited guest to Supanova, OZ Comic con and Gamma Con.
Cheryl Leavy
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Social Issues, Storyteller
Cheryl is an award-winning First Nations writer who is passionate about language revitalisation and truth telling through story.
She has led some of Australia’s most successful social justice initiatives across health, education and environment.
» Read more about Cheryl Leavy
Eliza Hull
Author, Disability Advocate, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Musician, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Eliza Hull is an award-winning musician, writer and disability advocate. She is passionate about changing the way the world views disability.
In her role as disability advocate and consultant, Eliza has presented Keynotes for major Australian and International organisations and given speeches at Parliament House, The Human Rights Convention ‘Free and Equal’, for the NDIS, DARU and at several hospitals, schools and universities including Sydney University and the Melbourne Women’s Hospital. She is also a fixture of the writing festival circuit.
Eliza regularly runs workshops in Disability Awareness Training and has written training for major Australian companies and organisations seeking to become more inclusive and accessible for all.
She also runs facilitated workshops in songwriting, recording, and storytelling for participants with disabilities.
Come Over to My House (co-author)
We’ve Got This: Essays by Disabled Parents (creator and editor)
Growing Up Disabled in Australia (Anthology)
Teacher Teacher (Anthology)
» Read more about Eliza Hull
Rhiân Williams
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development/Welfare, Social Issues
Rhiân is an enthusiastic and engaging story teller, equally at home running a treasure hunt for beetles and Australian animals for a group of three year olds at a public library, to bringing fire fighters and other emergency personnel together with kids and grown ups alike to discuss emergency preparedness, through to speaking on radio about the importance of reading and books with her regular segment on ABC Canberra.
» Read more about Rhiân Williams
Solli Raphael
Author, Curriculum Specialist, Education Consultant, Entertainment, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development/Welfare, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer
Solli Raphael is a globally renowned and award-winning speaker and performer who has delivered inspiring presentations for nearly a decade. Within schools, Solli has become known for turning pressing and complex social concerns and concepts into relatable and meaningful conversations for young audiences.
29 Things You Didn’t Know About Me
» Read more about Solli Raphael
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 AwadAudience
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