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Speaker Type: Personal Development
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
Alice Pung OAM
Author, Corporate, Curriculum Specialist, Inspirational Speaker, 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
Courtney Collins
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Storyteller/Performer, Wellbeing
Courtney is passionate about turning big creative ideas into practical reality – and supporting others to do the same. From her experience as a novelist, screenwriter, podcast presenter and producing films in remote locations, Courtney values the power of the imagination as much as the power of finding achievable steps to action ideas.
With a PhD in creative writing, storytelling craft is her expertise. She is especially led by the values of diversity, respect and connection. Participants in all of Courtney’s workshops and presentations report that they leave empowered with new tools and knowledge to support them to achieve their own creative dreams.
» Read more about Courtney Collins
Sian Prior
Author, Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Speaking Out, Wellbeing
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, Wellbeing
Mike Rolls is a leading authority in resilience. Mike survived one of the deadliest diseases on the planet at the age of 18. This life-changing event marked the start of an unexpected journey toward helping others manage their own challenges with greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Mike’s message empowers people to reframe challenges and setbacks, priming them to step up to adversity with greater confidence. This simple yet effective philosophy that underpins his work and is a no-nonsense, practical approach that’s designed to help individuals tap into and unlock greater levels of resilience in both their personal and professional lives.
» Read more about Mike Rolls
Luke Kennedy
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Mental Health, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller/Performer, Wellbeing
Luke Kennedy is one of Australia’s most sought-after motivational speakers, mental health advocate, and best selling author. Known for his raw storytelling, powerful presence, and ability to deeply connect with audiences of all ages. From school halls to corporate boardrooms, his keynote/workshops inspire lasting change, resilience, and the importance of taking care of yourself (in all areas).
» Read more about Luke Kennedy
David Burton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Wellbeing
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
Sharon Torpey – The Drug Education Project
Drug and alcohol education, Personal Development, Wellbeing
One life lost due to alcohol or drug misuse is one too many….
The reality is all young people need drug and alcohol education, whether they indulge or not, as everyone can be affected by the choices of those who do. Our aim is to reduce the adverse health, social, cultural and economic consequences of alcohol and other drug use by minimising the harm for both the community and the individual.
» Read more about Sharon Torpey – The Drug Education Project
Ruth Clare
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Wellbeing
Ruth Clare is a highly sought-after TEDx motivational keynote speaker/ MC/ panel facilitator, trauma-informed psychological safety trainer, coach, mentor, qualified scientist and award-winning author.
With a background as a professional actor, a willingness to speak vulnerably and openly about the challenges she faced growing up in a home with family violence and neglect, and a warm, down-to-earth style that instantly connects, Ruth’s powerful stage presence captivates audiences of all ages.
From the TEDx stage to conference keynotes to school halls, Ruth’s keynotes and workshops are full of engaging stories and practical mental health and wellbeing insights, tools and strategies that inspire lasting change.
Topics
- How to turn fear into courage
- Staying cool under pressure
- Resilience in the face of change and challenge
- How to build psychological safety
Jessica Walton
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller, Wellbeing
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, Wellbeing, 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
Shabnam Safa
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Storyteller, Wellbeing
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
Scott Harris
Author, Corporate, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Wellbeing
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
Eleni Hale
Author, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Wellbeing
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
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
Dr Jodi Richardson
Anxiety, Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Wellbeing
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, Wellbeing
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
E-safety, Inspirational Speaker, New Speakers, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Issues, Wellbeing
If you’re looking for a powerful, engaging speaker on cyber safety, online presence, and bullying prevention – Jonny Shannon is your guy!
Jonny Shannon is a International Tech entrepreneur & Motivational Speaker.
From 2016 to 2024, Jonny has delivered one of the most sought-after presentations for both primary and high school audiences across Australia. His sessions aren’t just informative—they’re fun, memorable, and packed with real-life stories that help students understand how to take control of their digital world. Through relatable storytelling and practical advice, Jonny empowers students to deal with cyberbullying, stay safe online, build a positive digital footprint and mental health and wellbeing.
» Read more about Jonny Shannon
Tarang Chawla
Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Social Issues, Wellbeing
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, Wellbeing
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)
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
Sarah Hayden
Author, Education Consultant, Inspirational Speaker, Personal Development, Wellbeing
Sarah Hayden is a social worker, equine assisted psychotherapist and mother to five children. Sarah is neurodivergent herself and speaks with warmth, humour and just a little bit of sparkle.
» Read more about Sarah Hayden
Paul Dillon (DARTA)
Author, Education Consultant, Online - Virtual Visits, Personal Development, Social Commentator, Wellbeing
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)Audience
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