I love to paint and sculpt in my great studio on a rural property. I have had many exhibitions and work in a range of mediums and techniques. My role as a celebrant enables me to meet new people and to enjoy hearing their stories and to creatively plan weddings, funerals and namings.

Toni Jordan is a novelist, columnist and lecturer in creative writing. She is passionate about all aspects of fiction; creativity; the role of the arts; and business and personal communication. Her debut novel was the international best-seller Addition, which was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

Indigo Willing was adopted from Vietnam to Australia. She is passionate about promoting adoptee and Asian Australian perspectives. She has authored a number of book chapters and articles on adoption, and is also a key organizer of community projects and films festivals focused on exploring adoptee and Asian Australian experiences.

Anna works at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image specialising in all facets of digital media and public events programming. She currently curates ACMI’s Desert Island Flicks and Live In The Studio programs. Her experience has led her to work as a part time lecturer at RMIT University in the study of social media. In addition to being a digital storytelling practitioner and trainer, Anna is an experienced radio producer and presenter.
She is currently working on her first documentary.

Kate is a radio journalist and producer for http://www.tunefm.net, as well as a writer for http://www.thescavenger.net on youth, technology, politics & media affairs. As a young Transwoman, Kate also offers a unique perspective on issues such as Human and LGBT rights, workplace equality and social diversity. She currently resides within the New England region of New South Wales.

Jennifer Mills is the author of the novels Gone and The Diamond Anchor, as well as numerous award-winning short stories, poems and essays. A passionate, politically engaged writer and traveller, she lives in Alice Springs.

Nelly Thomas is a highly sought-after comedian, speaker and MC. She has been described as one of Australia’s most intelligent performers and has appeared in dozens of festivals around the world. Nelly also does regular media appearances, has released a sexual health DVD and is writing her first book with Random House. And she was once an under-13s BMX champion.

Carmen is Managing Editor of the International Journal of Stroke, flagship publication of the World Stroke Organization. She is passionate about public health and using media to share the publicly funded outcomes of science and medical research with the public. Carmen is a doco filmmaker and has just completed her first doco ‘First time I bled’. She is an award winning writer and has presented on media and science in many forums. Carmen is a blogger,develops podcasts and vodcasts, and tweets as International Journal of Stroke.

Karen Pickering is the host of Cherchez la Femme, a monthly digest of current affairs and popular culture from a feminist perspective. In her spare time she teaches. With Clem Bastow, she founded The Dawn Conspiracy, an annual celebration of feminist culture to coincide with International Womens Day. Obviously, she hates men, is unfunny/angry, and cannot bake.

Emily Maguire is the author of three novels and two non-fiction books. Her articles and essays on sex, religion and culture have been published widely including in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Monthly and The Age. She is the recipient of the 2007 Edna Ryan Award for writing about women’s issues and in 2010 was named as a Sydney Morning Herald Young Novelist of the Year.

Think, Create, Communicate and Change are Leslie’s bywords. Original thinker, award-winning author of 2 non-fiction books and a new novel, The Book of Rachael, Leslie is a Sun-Herald columnist and familiar radio, TV and social media commentator on ethics, work and life. Leslie takes the pulse of the audience to deliver a combination of clear & informed thinking and table-thumping passion that enthuses and inspires. She’s a good listener, too.

Nell is a NIDA graduate who, since 1997, has worked as a television presenter with Showtime. She is one of Al Gore’s Climate Project presenters and was a 2010 City of Sydney Cycling Ambassador. She is a founding member of the Running Stream Water Users Association and was Vice President of the Bondi Girls Surf Riders. Nell starred in ‘Puberty Blues’.

Dr. Meredith Nash specialises in body image, pregnancy, feminism and celebrity. She is widely known for having conceived The Baby Bump Project. She is currently writing her first book about ‘skinny’ pregnancy.

Virginia Lovett is the General Manager of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. She has also worked as an advisor during the Carr government in New South Wales. Virginia is currently Deputy Chair of Force Majeure and a board member for Arena Theatre. She has sat on the boards of Sydney’s Mardi Gras, Legs on the Wall and Craft Victoria. In 2006, Virginia was awarded a Churchill Fellowship

Karen’s corporate gigs and stand-up routines combine learning, laughing and a measure of slightly contentious ethical viewpoints, plus bracing observations on social and political goings on in Australia and internationally.

She’s well-spoken, natural and unaffected, and her business credentials unquestionable. She’s a qualified trainer, a successful business woman and has a thirst for commerce and humour – what a fabulous combination!

Deveny is best known for her work on ABC774, QandA and as a columnist with The Age. She is in constant demand as corporate speaker, after dinner entertainment, panel member, guest lecturer and to deliver key note addresses Her one woman show God Is Bullshit was a sold out in 2010 comedy festival. She is writing her seventh book, ‘Tantrum With Reality’.

Clementine Ford is a social media addict with a strong background in feminist/social commentary. She has presented talks for various institutions, including ACMI, Adelaide Writer’s Week and This Is Not Art. Her radio broadcasting history includes Adelaide’s 5AA, ABC 891 and Melbourne’s 3RRR. She has worked as both a policy and project officer for the YWCA and a media officer for a state political campaign. Clementine is currently writing her first novel for Young Adults. She is fond of sarcasm and sangria in equal measure.

Author, social commentator and outspoken feminist, Monica has published widely on a range of subjects; from wry social commentary to serious political analysis. Co-author of the controversial book The Great Feminist Denial, she is a passionate and engaging speaker, most especially when it comes to issues that affect women. She is currently writing a book for MUP on contemporary motherhood.

Clare has worked as a political speechwriter, university lecturer, historical consultant and radio and television broadcaster. In 2005, she was named as one of Australia’s top 20 public intellectuals. Clare is currently a freelance historian, writing a book about women’s role at the Eureka Stockade and making a documentary for ABC1 about how women got the vote in Australia.

Sian Prior is best known as an ABC radio presenter and a freelance journalist, specialising in the arts, popular culture and travel. She is also a public forum host and MC, an award-winning short fiction writer and a teacher of professional writing at RMIT and various Writers Centres. Sian has a second career as a musician, performing regularly as a soprano and a clarinettist.