Cath was formerly a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald, working as an arts writer and as literary editor. Prior to that, she completed her doctorate in English Literature at Oxford University.

She and Tim McGregor co-founded the Story Factory in 2012 and Cath has been our much-loved executive director ever since.

In 2016 she was recognised for her work in community, connection and literacy when she was selected as Australian of the Year Local Hero.

Vanessa is an experienced creative and educator with a passion for fostering creativity in young people. Born and raised on Darug land, she has taught across Western Sydney, regional NSW and overseas.

When she’s not creating content to inspire young people you can catch her on the airwaves highlighting the best of local music on FBI Radio.

Ruth has a background in not-for-profit fundraising and grant writing in Australia and The Netherlands and has experience working with a range of diverse communities.

She is a lover of all things related to books, reading and writing and genuinely believes in the power of storytelling. When her head is not in a book, she can be found attending live music gigs, watching rugby or off on adventures with friends.

Craig is Story Factory’s Engagement and Operations Manager, across every detail of our workshop delivery and the day-to-day running of Story Factory.

The speed of his emailing once broke the sound barrier. He also has a K-12 teaching degree, loves hiking long distances through the bush, and is known for walking and reading at the same time.

Russ is a proud descendant of the Ngarrindjeri people. He is a graduate of NIDA and has been performing stories for the last 20 years.

Along with his performing career Russ has a Masters in Teaching from UWS and has been teaching children and adults for many years. Before Russ joined Story Factory he was the National Program Manager for children and youth at NIDA.

Russ is now leading the development of Indigenous content across all Story Factory programs, as he continues to share his love of his mob with our students.

Elizabeth is an experienced communications and publishing professional who has worked across a range of Australian sectors, including museums, magazines, not-for-profits, and publishing houses. Most recently, she has been working to publish children’s books and playscripts with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Currency Press respectively.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) as well as a Master of Publishing from the University of Sydney, and is currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma of Modern Languages at the University of New England.

April has worked with students and teachers across NSW, in classrooms and in leadership roles at the Department of Education. She enjoys hands-on and inventive lessons that get students excited and curious about the world around them, particularly when those lessons can be drawn from the natural world.

She holds a Master of Teaching (Primary) and is interested in innovation in education and empowering students to have a greater say about issues that impact them.

She still believes in writing letters by hand and has an impressive picture book collection.

Peter has over 20 years of experience in financial management. Having worked in various industries over the years, most recently within the not-for-profit Youth Services sector.

Peter is a qualified CPA and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Western Sydney University. When he isn’t working, you’ll find Peter scouring Sydney for the best pup friendly eateries with his rescue pup Bella Bean.

Ruth has a background in not-for-profit fundraising and grant writing in Australia and The Netherlands and has experience working with a range of diverse communities.

She is a lover of all things related to books, reading and writing and genuinely believes in the power of storytelling. When her head is not in a book, she can be found attending live music gigs, watching rugby or off on adventures with friends.

Peter has over 20 years of experience in financial management. Having worked in various industries over the years, most recently within the not-for-profit Youth Services sector.

Peter is a qualified CPA and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Western Sydney University. When he isn’t working, you’ll find Peter scouring Sydney for the best pup friendly eateries with his rescue pup Bella Bean.

A lifelong lover of storytelling, Natasha is known for her unapologetic overuse of the em dash punctuation mark.

Natasha is currently completing her graduate studies in psychology and is particularly interested in how arts-based programs can support community wellbeing.

When she’s not working or studying, you will likely spot Natasha tending to her succulent garden, exploring new places with her camera, or absorbed in the latest fantasy novel.

Michel has over 30 years of experience in fundraising and philanthropy. He began his career at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in his hometown of Barcelona, Spain. After transferring to Australia, he worked at several prestigious international and national organisations, including World Animal Protection, the Australian Museum, and the Centennial Parklands Foundation.

Fluent in Spanish, French, Catalan, and English, Michel is excited to bring the joy of creative writing to kids throughout Australia. You can often spot Michel on Sydney’s coastal walks with his loyal pups, Messi and Tofu.

Mikala Holloway is an experienced business professional with expertise in financial management, client relations, and strategic planning. She most recently served as Business Manager for a Leadership Development company and co-founded a Sydney-based shoe boutique with her sister in 2018. Holding a Bachelor of International and Global Studies from the University of Sydney, Mikala brings a diverse skill set and a passion for people, culture, and organisational effectiveness. Outside of work, she enjoys catching up with friends and spending time with her dog, Margot.

Craig is Story Factory’s Engagement and Operations Lead, across every detail of our workshop delivery and the day-to-day running of Story Factory.

The speed of his emailing once broke the sound barrier. He also has a K-12 teaching degree, loves hiking long distances through the bush, and is known for walking and reading at the same time.

Julie has been working in the non-profit sector for 12 years, and during that time has had extensive experience in bringing community together. Julie knows that when we work together, we do better. Working at the grassroots, Julie has gained valuable experience working with real every-day humans to help them minimise the challenges they may be facing. Through this work, Julie has developed a passion for working with young people and children, and creating safe, welcoming spaces for whoever walks through the door. Walking alongside people on their life adventure brings Julie joy, as well as the time spent with her two crazy boxer puppies, who also remind her not to be surprised at what living beings can get up to!

Sarib is an experienced volunteer manager with a background in humanitarian work. He has dedicated much of his time towards supporting the well-being of children in orphanages, refugee camps and disaster zones around the world.

Purnima has worked as a children’s book editor and a primary school English and additional needs teacher in India. She believes strongly in the power of celebrating process and progress. She completed her Master of Teaching in 2020 and has been on an earnest hunt for inclusive spaces that combine her love of language, stories, childcare, education, and art—for joy, wellbeing and expression. She found Story Factory in 2021 as a volunteer and now helps with Enrolments and Communications.

You might see her chuckling over her terrible trilingual puns every so often. A sucker for metaphors, she’s guilty of mixing and overstretching hers frequently. And she loves the thought of finding fragments of herself in scattered pieces of paper through time—words penned, and words gathered as talismans.

More recently she has been trying to practise being an empathetic adult to herself and embracing Compassionate Cringe (Dahl). She is currently working on a long-term patchwork-blanket-knitting project (isn’t patchwork such a wonderfully warming blanket metaphor for life—oh no, it’s incurable!)

Bec is a proud Wiradjuri Woman, an experienced creative, and educator with a deep passion for cultural education and supporting young people. She works to bridge cultural gaps and create a welcoming, supportive space for Aboriginal youth. Bec is dedicated to helping young people connect with their culture, find their voice, and build a positive future.

Outside of her professional work, Bec is an artist with a strong love of nature, often drawing inspiration from the natural world around her. With a belief in the power of education and creativity, Bec is committed to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Elizabeth is an experienced communications and publishing professional who has worked across a range of Australian sectors, including museums, magazines, not-for-profits, and publishing houses. Most recently, she has been working to publish children’s books and playscripts with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and Currency Press respectively.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) as well as a Master of Publishing from the University of Sydney, and is currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma of Modern Languages at the University of New England.

Jude is a Learning and Organisational Development (L&OD) Practitioner with 15+ years’ specialisation in Leadership, Culture, D&I, and Personal Development. He has worked with public and private organisations at senior levels across Finance, Education, Engineering, Insurance, Transport, Healthcare, and Consulting in the UK and Australia. His last role was as Head of OD for a firm in the Finance Sector.

Jude’s professional journey began at an early age of 18 when he became a Monk, and lived in Silence, Meditation and Study for 7 years. His subsequent journey took him into Mental Health Nursing, and then working with leaders of organisations as an OD Practitioner and Executive Coach.

A final year PhD candidate in Emotional Intelligence, Deep Self-Awareness, and Transformational Leadership at Notre Dame University, and Lecturer at the Macquarie University Business School, Jude has peer-reviewed publications, and held keynote appearances. He speaks on a range of topics where Mindfulness has been shown to be effective for people, teams, and organisations, bringing a unique pracademic blend of research, Learning and OD, and monastic experience.

Nat has worked in production and communications in both Sydney and New York. She thrives on sharing the stories of amazing people and where better to do that, than Story Factory!

Nat is the wizard who pulls together our student writing into beautiful publications, fueled by her passion for contributing to the empowerment of Australia’s young people.

With her extensive skills and experience, she looks forward to making a difference and celebrating the amazing creativity of our students.

Mikala Holloway is an experienced business professional with expertise in financial management, client relations, and strategic planning. She most recently served as Business Manager for a Leadership Development company and co-founded a Sydney-based shoe boutique with her sister in 2018. Holding a Bachelor of International and Global Studies from the University of Sydney, Mikala brings a diverse skill set and a passion for people, culture, and organisational effectiveness. Outside of work, she enjoys catching up with friends and spending time with her dog, Margot.

April has worked with students and teachers across NSW, in classrooms and in leadership roles at the Department of Education. She enjoys hands-on and inventive lessons that get students excited and curious about the world around them, particularly when those lessons can be drawn from the natural world.

She holds a Master of Teaching (Primary) and is interested in innovation in education and empowering students to have a greater say about issues that impact them.

She still believes in writing letters by hand and has an impressive picture book collection.

Vanessa is an experienced creative and educator with a passion for fostering creativity in young people. Born and raised on Darug land, she has taught across Western Sydney, regional NSW and overseas.

When she’s not creating content to inspire young people you can catch her on the airwaves highlighting the best of local music on FBI Radio.

Russ is a proud descendant of the Ngarrindjeri people. He is a graduate of NIDA and has been performing stories for the last 20 years.

Along with his performing career Russ has a Masters in Teaching from UWS and has been teaching children and adults for many years. Before Russ joined Story Factory he was the National Program Manager for children and youth at NIDA.

Russ is now leading the development of Indigenous content across all Story Factory programs, as he continues to share his love of his mob with our students.

Nita has been an English Teacher for over 20 years in South-Western Sydney and has worked with Story Factory as a teacher since 2017. She is a creative and innovative educator with a passion for igniting creativity in young people and empowering them to understand the ways they learn and their creative processes.

She works to create an environment where student voice is central, and where critical thinking, risk-taking, and a range of creative approaches are valued to achieve the best possible learning outcomes for all students.

When Nita isn’t working for Story Factory, she loves to see live music and theatre, spend time near the ocean, and hang out with her husband, three young adult sons, and fur-baby Hugo the whippet.

Tony first joined Story Factory in 2016 and became a full-time Storyteller in 2018. He was a high school English teacher for nearly 20 years and has worked as an education consultant and in arts education.

Tony continues to present to teachers and students at state, national and international conferences. He can incorporate a quote from Mean Girls into any workshop and loves that his job allows him to play with words and ideas with kids of all ages.

Alice is an experienced teacher, writer and community-builder whose love for storytelling has manifested in weird and wonderful ways over the years. She started off as an advertising copywriter, then co-founded a collective called Even Books that put on warehouse parties and exhibitions themed around a different novel each time.

She joined FBi as their Creative Director for a number of years, made a podcast for Kinderling Kids radio, and was the Editor of underground publication TwoThousand. Alice later became an English teacher, working in public and independent schools across Sydney and the Central Coast, and leading professional development workshops for teachers and leaders in NSW, WA, ACT and the UK.

She is passionate about creating and delivering innovative learning experiences that enable agency and equity, and has a particular interest in the role that physical movement and embodied learning can play in student engagement and success.

Philip has dedicated his career to equipping young people to tell their story, their way. He is an Australian Poetry Slam champion, has toured poetry nationally and internationally, and has a collection of poems with Pitt Street Poetry. His experience has been extremely diverse; from First Nations communities in the remote Northern Territory, and juvenile justice centres in Western NSW, to facilitating TedX Sydney. He has visited hundreds of schools, worked with thousands of students, and negotiated with teachers and arts organisations to design programs that closely align with the curriculum requirements.

Samantha is a teacher, writer, and manager of people and processes, with rich experience in industries that foster creativity in young people. Her career includes work in schools, publishing houses, the fitness industry, and performing arts sectors. With a Masters of Creative Writing, Bachelor of Creative Arts (Hons) and Bachelor of Secondary Education, her love of learning is never-ending.

On a perpetual quest to fulfil her childhood dreams, outside of Story Factory she dangles from aerial silks, wrangles her energetic toddler, and writes young adult and dystopian fiction (and, once, a dissertation on vampires). Her life is both a literal and metaphorical circus.

Carol was an active volunteer at Story Factory for years before becoming a storyteller. She is passionate about making creative writing fun and enjoyable.

Carol is a trained teacher and has taught in primary and secondary schools. Currently she mentors trainee teachers for UTS as a tertiary supervisor.

Before returning to her home in Redfern in 2011, Carol was a lecturer for post graduate trainee teachers at two London universities and was Chair of Governors at a large comprehensive boys school in London’s South East.

Ailsa is a creative professional passionate about intersections of technology and art. She is equiped with experiences across facilitating creative writing, arts skills and coding workshops, audio-visual tech, digital live streaming and a Bachelor of Fine Arts/ Arts.

Ailsa is dedicated to participating in marginalised communities by skill sharing, mentoring and art-making. She also makes sound art, performance, fiction and poetry. She is exploring liminal spaces and identities, cultural practice, conflicting feelings and discordant sounds.

Ailsa’s favourite things are brunch, swimming in saltwater and long walks. She is working on practising patience and deep listening.

Harriet is a proud Wiradjuri woman of north east Wiradjuri Country, living and working on Gadigal land.

Currently, Harriet is completing her Bachelor of Education (Primary), in which she hopes to use her knowledge and experience for better supporting the young, deadly children of our community. She has previously worked in primary schools across Sydney in before and after school care programs, where she undertook an inclusion support role.

Harriet particularly enjoys escaping the city and spending time in any Australian terrain where she can find cool bugs or birds.

Adriana has been working with children and teenagers for over seven years at a non-profit organisation in Brazil. She believes that education is our weapon to change the world and when it is combined with the encouragement of creativity, there are no limits to where one can go.

Graduated in International Relations in Brazil, Adriana has lived in five different countries and is currently completing her Masters in Journalism at the University of Sydney. She is a fan of chronicles and has a long time passion for creative writing, which has allowed her to share her adventures around the world with her friends and family over the years.

Adriana is passionate about cultures, art, and exploring new places with her camera, searching for stories that make her eyes sparkle. In her spare time she loves watching silly romcoms, practicing yoga and taking a swim in the sea.

Helen has over 20 years’ experience as a teacher, and is passionate about putting creativity back at the heart of education. She is a veritable dynamo, has a wonderful warm manner with kids and grown ups, and is a fantastic organiser.

Helen plays a key role in maintaining the Story Factory’s connections with the local community and led the Home Project to success in 2014.

Helen is known far and wide for her mastery of the colour red and can often be spotted sporting a fabulous red ensemble.

Nick is a hip hop artist and songwriter who has has toured and collaborated with many of Australia’s premier musicians.

Nick has extensive experience facilitating poetry and writing workshops in schools, youth centres and juvenile justice around NSW. He started at Story Factory as a volunteer in 2021 before joining the Storyteller team in 2023, working across both digital and face to face programs.

He loves reading and doing crosswords to the soundtrack of his burgeoning record collection and is a certified apple juice connoisseur.

Oliver Twist is a writer and actor. He has toured Australia with his critically acclaimed shows Jali and Griot, and appeared on SBS and the ABC.

JALI, a memoir was published by Penguin Random House in 2023, and Family (an anthology Oliver contributed to) was published in 2023 by Text Publishing!

As a comic, he has been chosen to open for the best national and international acts. He has been lauded as a talent both by critics and by audiences, gaining him award nominations for his work.

He has facilitated workshops for performance students around Australia and tutored in creative writing at various levels!

For more writing by Oliver, visit  https://substack.com/@oliveretwist

Jerry Ray is a multi-purpose creative, who is passionate about doing stuff that brings people together.

He writes and produces theatre and zany variety shows, creates and hosts role-play games (a little like D&D), facilitates community arts festivals, designs and teaches creative writing programs, writes and illustrates picture books and is currently working on a handful of weird sci-fi novels that he’ll likely never convince publishers to print.

When Jerry’s not wringing his brain for dumb ideas to throw at the world, he’s probably hiking, or playing video games.

Marcus has ten years of experience teaching and tutoring high school English, and, having recently graduated from the Screenwriting Master Program at AFTRS, is in development on two feature films.

He also has trained in facilitating both listening circles and co-creative writing workshops, but has not trained in dance*.

*This doesn’t stop Marcus from dancing. Nothing stops Marcus from dancing.

Ada has written for the Guardian, ABC News, Voiceworks, the Newcastle Writers Festival, and others. Her manuscript – a novel – was last year long listed for the Richell Prize from Hachette Australia, chosen from over 700 submissions.

She studied a Graduate Diploma in Education Studies at the University of Tasmania, as well as a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne, majoring in geography. Having grown up in Tasmania, she is passionate about the intersection of literacy, class and place.

Ada is proud to have been educated in the public school system, and believes strongly in improving educational equality in Australia.

Laura has a clear passion for social justice, chocolate chip cookies, and reading — a triage that has become its own cyclic method to managing the world we live in today. She has worked as a senior high school English and History Teacher, where she specialised in unit programming, was a lead teacher in a school wide cross-curricular literacy initiative, and established a co-curricular that centred critical thought. Alongside teaching and tutoring, Laura has volunteered with amazing organisations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Australia, Mahboba’s Promise, and Rough Edges. These experiences further cemented her belief that curiosity and empathy must underpin our education system, and that critical and reflective thinking is the key to a more egalitarian future for all of us.

When she’s not listening to podcasts, reading, or heading down a Substack blackhole, you’ll find her at the beach — rain, hail or shine — with a ridiculously-priced acai bowl in hand, listening to Tracy Chapman.

Chloe holds a Bachelor of Arts from UNSW and a Master of Teaching (Primary) from the University of Sydney, and has worked as a primary school teacher in public schools across Western Sydney. She is looking forward to bringing her creative flair and love of the arts to Story Factory, all while continuing important work with young people in her local community.

Chloe strongly believes that our differences make a difference. An advocate for special and inclusive education, she enjoys coming up with quirky yet meaningful ways to engage students with diverse needs.

Chloe’s favourite things include drawing, animated films, collecting objects with cute characters on them and spending time with her pup, Sumi. A proud Filipina, she will embrace her roots with hours of karaoke— making modest efforts to sing every ensemble part of a musical number on her own.

Gemma is the Executive Director of CAGES Foundation; a Private Ancillary Fund that supports organisations working to ensure every Indigenous child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

She is a director of The Funding Network, an advisor for the Roslyn and Carlo Salteri Foundation and a founding member of Philanthropy Australia’s New Generation of Giving program.

Gemma is also a graduate of the Australian Companies Institute of Directors and the Chief Executive Women’s Leadership program. In 2016 Gemma was awarded Philanthropy Australia’s Emerging Philanthropist Award.

Prior to her work in philanthropy Gemma worked in marketing and product development for consumer product businesses such as Avon Products, The Body Shop International and held various senior management positions at Blackmores Australia including most recently heading up their product innovation team for Asian markets.

Ali Green is an award-winning business leader, recognised for combining commercial success with purpose-driven impact. During her 16-year tenure as co-founder and CEO of Pantera Press, she transformed the company into one of Australia’s leading independent publishers, culminating in its acquisition by Hardie Grant in 2024.

Her visionary leadership has earned her numerous accolades, including recognition in Business Elite’s ’40 Under 40,’ the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Most Influential Women, APAC Entrepreneur’s ‘Most Dynamic Female Leader Spearheading Change,’ and twice as Business News’ Sydney Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Arts, Culture, and Media.

A Harvard Business School alumna, Ali currently serves as Deputy Chair of Story Factory and Director of The Imprint Foundation. She has a decade of leadership experience as Co-Deputy Chair of Writing NSW and was a founding member of Philanthropy Australia’s New Generation Program.

Cath was formerly a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald, working as an arts writer and as literary editor. Prior to that, she completed her doctorate in English Literature at Oxford University.

She and Tim McGregor co-founded the Story Factory in 2012 and Cath has been our much-loved executive director ever since.

In 2016 she was recognised for her work in community, connection and literacy when she was selected as Australian of the Year Local Hero.

Ben is a journalist, columnist, TV screenwriter and author of two books – The Family Law (2010) and Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East (2012) – both of which have been nominated for Australian Book Industry Awards.

The Family Law is now a major SBS TV series, translated into a number of languages.

James is a Principal at the Boston Consulting Group. At BCG, his experience includes working with a range of public and private sector and not-for-profit clients, and he actively supports a range of pro bono initiatives.

Prior to joining BCG, James worked as a paralegal at Herbert Smith Freehills and as a research assistant at the University of Sydney Law School.

James holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Sydney.

Grant has more than 25 years of financial markets experience, both in Australia and internationally , culminating as the Head of Fixed Income at UBS Australia. He was then Chief of Staff to Hon Joe Hockey (Shadow Treasurer and Commonwealth Treasurer) from 2012 – 2015. Most recently he was the ASX’s Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs.

Grant has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the AICD.

He is also a Director of Ascham School and Quest for Life and an avid reader of fiction.

Dr Amy Thunig (B.Arts, M.Teach, PhD) is a Gomeroi/Gamilaroi/Kamilaroi yinarr and mother who resides on Awabakal Country. A full-time academic in the field of education, Amy is also an author, with her first book ‘Tell Me Again’ released in November 2022 via UQP. Amy contributes on various committees and councils including the AECG, and is a media commentator and panellist, regularly appearing on television programs such as ABC’s The Drum.

Murat Dizdar PSM is the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, which delivers quality education and training services for the people of New South Wales. This includes the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector, government and non-government schools, and the Vocational Education and Training sector.

Murat’s career began as a social sciences teacher at Ashcroft High School. He has experience in a range of school leadership roles, including senior principal of Belmore and Punchbowl Boys High Schools.

He was awarded the Australia Day Public Service Medal in 2016, an Australian Council of Educational Leaders (ACEL) NSW Fellowship in 2019, an ACEL National Fellowship in 2020 and the Nanga Mai Department of Education and NSW AECG Inc Partnership Award 2021.

Murat is also a proud graduate of the NSW public education system. He never forgets the impact that Mr Griffiths, Ms Johanson, Mr Baker and Mr Sturm had on his life as a young student at Fort Street High School.

David Hua is the Director of Audio and Language Content at SBS.

David Hua has over 20 years experience in the media industry. He has held a number of senior executive roles at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and has been responsible for diverse portfolios across content, marketing, commercial, radio, and digital. Most recently, he led the ABC’s international services including ABC Radio Australia, ABC Australia (TV), and digital services that connect audiences around the world with Australian stories.

David did most of his tertiary education at the University of Technology, Sydney where he received his Honours and Masters degrees in media communications.

Born overseas, David now lives in Sydney and speaks Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.