Speakers
Dr Erin Bradshaw
Erin Bradshaw is a Monash University PhD and staff alumni working at Phillip Island Nature Parks as its Visitor Research Officer. Previously, she was lead research assistant on the ARC project "The culture of implementing Freedom of Information in Australia". She is a freelance writer and researcher who has previously co-written and published academic articles on Freedom of Information, Journalism studies, and Australian Journalism History. Her article "A distressing a peculiar disease: endometriosis in the Australian Press 1949-2011" was highlighted by both The Conversation and Trove in 2023.
LinkedIn: Erin Bradshaw, Conversation article, Trove article, Sage Journals
Guest Panellist: After the PhD and Beyond Academia (Thursday 7th August at 3:00pm - 4:30pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Alita Brydon
Alita Brydon is a writer, relationships expert and the creator of Bad Dates of Melbourne. This social media channel has been called a “national phenomenon” in the media and has reached over 18 million people in the last year. Alita has featured on A Current Affair, ABC Breakfast and Today Extra as a dating expert. Her first book "How to Become a Dangerous Woman" is a guide for women wanting to take part in the feminist revolution and will soon be published by HarperCollins.
Instagram: @AlitaBrydonn@Baddatesofmelbourne Facebook: Bad Dates of Melbourne
Guest Panellist: Hinge or Cringe (Wednesday 06 August at 12:00pm - 1:00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Chris C.F.
Chris is a filmmaker from Naarm (Melbourne, Australia) who works as a Director, Producer, Writer and Editor across documentary, narrative and experimental film projects. Having lived and worked between Naarm (Melbourne), Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and Toraja (Sulawesi, Indonesia), his work is grounded in collaborative modes of filmmaking, and dedicated to the development of independent filmmaking practices in Australia and South-East Asia. Chris co-founded film collective Dogmilk in 2017, and his work has been exhibited at International and Australian film festivals and arts institutions.
Guest Panellist: CTRL + SHOOT: Film Collectives in a Shifting Landscape (Wednesday 06 August at 1.30pm - 2.30pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Dr. Aizi Chang
Aizi Chang is a communication and media scholar whose research explores Chinese feminist activism, digital censorship, and platform cultures. She completed her PhD at Monash University in November 2024 and currently teaches in the School of Media, Film and Journalism. As the Head of Partnerships and Development at AWDPI Australia, she is committed to expanding the organisation’s impact through strategic collaborations with higher education institutions across Australia.
LinkedIn: Aizi Chang
Moderator: Connection as Power: Asian Women’s Leadership Across Australian Communities (Thursday 7 August at 12.00pm - 1.00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Teesta Chattoraj
Teesta is a PhD student in the School of Media, Film and Journalism. Her research is part of the Australian Research Council-funded Discovery Project Mapping Australian Homemade, Amateur & Do-it-Yourself Cultural Economies. Within this project, she explores how intangible heritage informs the creative practices, innovations and adaptive strategies of South Asian diasporic communities, particularly in contexts distant from their cultural origins. Her work draws on ethnographic methods to engage with and immerse herself in South Asian communities in Australia.
Prior to her PhD, Teesta independently led a research project funded by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The project explored the role of storytelling, the preservation of oral traditions and mythology and the revitalisation of handicrafts among geographically isolated Indigenous communities in Eastern India. This project culminated in the development of design solutions in collaboration with Indigenous Payatkar and Sohrai artists.
Moderator: Remixing, Rebooting, And Rewiring Creativity: Lessons From Homemade, Amateur And DIY Practice Panel (Thursday 7th August at 1:30PM - 2:30pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Stephanie Corsetti
Stephanie Corsetti is a journalist, broadcasting specialist and now media educator at Monash University. She has covered failures in the family violence system at ABC and SBS News, produced an original podcast series about extremism and showcased voices in the arts industry who are often 'Unnamed in Lights' (podcast title).
Ms Corsetti specialises in audio production and radio journalism. She runs Audio Lab for BMC- a practical and creative unit for students learning about podcasting. She has appeared at the JERAA 2022 conference presenting on disaster reporting through a gender lens and has won three media awards for her broadcast news stories while reporting for ABC Central Victoria and SBS Audio in Melbourne.
Moderator: True Crime In The Media: Does Ethics Matter? (Thursday 7 August at 10.30am - 11.30am, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Felicity Cull (She/Her)
Felicity Cull has tackled some of the most volatile online spaces in the country – from outraged Game of Thrones fans to COVID misinformation at the height of the pandemic. As Head of Social Media and Video Strategy for the Victorian Department of Health, she led the digital response during the first 18 months of the pandemic, helping shape how a major public department engaged with its community online.
Now Head of Digital Content at the award-winning agency Pesel & Carr, Felicity helps organisations harness audience insights, manage online communities with care, and craft communication strategies that actually resonate. Her work on complex issues and crisis campaigns has been recognised with an IABC Gold Quill Award for communication excellence.
With a background spanning hands-on practice and higher education, Felicity brings a sharp, strategic lens to digital engagement. She speaks regularly on moderation, misinformation and comms leadership, and is passionate about helping the next generation of communicators navigate an evolving media landscape.
Felicity is a strong advocate for the use of AI in communications strategy — not as a shortcut, but as a catalyst. She believes we’re at a critical inflection point for the profession, where the communicators who thrive will be those who pair emerging tools with deep human insight, ethical thinking and clear-eyed leadership.
LinkedIn: Felicity Cull
Guest Panellist: StratComms Workshop: Future-Proof Communicators in a Global Digital World (Thursday 7th August at 1:30pm - 2:30pm, H1.16 (Building H, Level 1, Room 16, Caulfield Campus))
Xanthe Dobbie
Xanthe Dobbie is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher based in Naarm, Melbourne. Working across on- and offline modes of making, they draw on queer and cyberfeminist ideologies to develop shrines to a post-truth era. They have exhibited extensively locally and internationally with recent works including live-streamed theatre, interactive media, AR, VR, collage, performance and installation. They co-founded performance series Queer PowerPoint for which they have performed at major festivals and institutions including MCA, AGNSW, Sydney Opera House, WA Museum, Sydney Biennale, RISING, and Now or Never. Xanthe recently completed a PhD focusing on digital and interactive art at RMIT University as part of the ARC Linkage Archiving Australian Media Art: Towards a Method and National Collection.
Host: Opening Night: CRTL + SHIFT with Dr Xanthe Dobbie (Wednesday 06 August at 6:00pm - 7:00pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Laurie Fletcher
Laurie 素茵 Suyin Fletcher is the founder and curator of the Asian Cinema Collective (ACC). With a background in strategic marketing and events, and a lifetime of ‘Growing Up Asian in Australia’, she founded ACC with the aim to increase access to Asian cinema and screen practice.
Before ACC, she worked as a public programmer at ACMI where she developed and launched programs including ‘Spotlight on Asia Pacific Horror’, ‘ACMI Selectors’ and ‘ACMI Crew Nights’.
Laurie holds a Bachelor of Arts/Business from Monash University and a Master of Asian and Pacific Studies from the Australian National University.
Instagram: @asiancinemacollective
Guest Panellist: CTRL + SHOOT: Film Collectives in a Shifting Landscape (Wednesday 06 August at 1.30pm - 2.30pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Dr Amy Gibbs
After graduating from Monash with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 2003, Amy Gibbs returned a few years later to complete her PhD in Communications in 2012. With doctorate in hand, Amy spent five years with the Institute of Public Accountants working in social media before joining the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF). She worked with ANZIIF for four years in several roles, including Digital Communications Manager, before moving to PwC Australia. Amy was the Editor in Chief of PwC’s digital publication, Digital Pulse, writing and publishing on digital transformation. In 2022 Amy moved into a management consulting role with PwC, advising clients on digital strategy. Currently Amy is a senior manager in transformation consulting with Scyne Advisory.
LinkedIn: Amy Gibbs
Moderator: After the PhD and Beyond Academia (Thursday 7 August at 3.00pm - 4.30pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Suzanne Grasso
Dr Suzanne Grasso has been a Teaching Associate at Monash University since 2020 and has worked on interdisciplinary research projects in cultural studies, migration, translation and interpreting, sociology, education, and applied linguistics.
Suzanne is currently project managing an Australian Research Council Discovery Project: ‘Mapping Australian Homemade, Amateur & Do-it-Yourself Cultural Economies’ investigating the economies and ecologies of visual artists, musicians, poets and festival organisers in Australia.
Host: DIY Editorial Workshop (Thursday 07 August at 12.00pm - 4.00pm, B5.46 (Building B, Level 5, Caulfield Campus))
Sarah Grynberg
Sarah Grynberg is a keynote speaker, author, and mindset coach who empowers professional athletes, executives, and business owners to overcome unhelpful thinking and achieve greatness. With deep expertise in mindset, mental resilience, and happiness, Sarah’s unique approach has helped countless individuals and organisations thrive.
She is the creator and host of the acclaimed podcast A Life of Greatness, where she has interviewed global icons including Matthew McConaughey, Andrew Huberman, Daniel Ricciardo, Geena Davis, Mel Robbins and Esther Perel. Sarah also leads regular live tours across Australia, drawing packed audiences to hear her in powerful on-stage conversations with world-renowned thought leaders, as well as being interviewed herself about the tools and practices that drive human potential and lasting change.
In addition to her podcast A Life Of Greatness, Sarah has a podcast series called Sarah’s Thoughts, a companion program where she speaks openly and insightfully about timely, real-world topics, from burnout and boundary-setting to success, self-worth, and the power of perspective. With each episode, she offers her signature blend of wisdom, warmth, and practical mindset tools to help her audience live more consciously and courageously. Sarah’s bestselling book, Living A Life Of Greatness: Steps to a Fulfilling Existence, was published by Allen & Unwin on March 4th, 2025.
Instagram: @sarahgrynbergLinkedin: @SarahGrynberg
Guest Panellist: True Crime In The Media: Does Ethics Matter? (Thursday 7 August at 10.30am - 11.30pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Associate Professor Xin Gu
Associate Professor Xin Gu is an academic leader and internationally recognised expert in cultural and creative industries (CCI) policy. Her work critically engages with the implications of digitalisation for cultural production, cultural participation, and diversity of expression.
She is Head of Media in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, and has served as Director of the Master of Cultural and Creative Industries since 2017. She has also been an appointed Expert to the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions since 2019.
X: @guxin2010 LinkedIn: Xin Gu
Guest Panellist: Connection as Power: Asian Women’s Leadership Across Australian Communities (Thursday 7 August at 12.00pm - 1.00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Jiaze Gui
Jiaze Gui is the Initiator and Managing Director of Asian Women Development Plan International (AWDPI) Australia, dedicated to eliminating violence and discrimination against Asian women and advancing their participation in the workforce and leadership, with the aim of enhancing the social impact of Asian women in Australia. She holds a Master’s degree from Harvard University and is also an alumna of Monash University. Her interests encompass women’s empowerment, educational policy, technological innovation, and international development. Jiaze is a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum and previously served as an ambassador for the Harvard Center for International Development. She has conducted research programs on gender equality and human capital development in Indonesia and other regions.
LinkedIn: Jiaze Gui
Guest Panellist: Connection as Power: Asian Women’s Leadership Across Australian Communities (Thursday 7 August at 12.00pm - 1.00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Sonja Hammer
Bio Sonja Hammer is a diaspora First Nations Pasifika (Ngati Kahungunu, Kuki Airani/Cook Islands) woman originally from Aotearoa/NZ, identifying as Takatapui (‘Queer’ meaning in Te Reo Maori/Maori language), and is Takiwatanga (Autism spectrum). Sonja’s focus has been on marginalised experiences of Indigenous and Queer Indigenous in Oceania and in particular Diaspora within so-called Australia through producing radio programs and curating representations of First Nations in cinema through film festivals some based in Narrm/Melbourne, others in the U.S territories and Europe.
They have worked in the capacity as Creative Arts Ambassador on the Board of queer Pasifika not-for-profit organization PacifiqueX, which was recently awarded Creative Australia’s ‘Connect Award’ 2025 for an organization ‘for delivering an intersectional program to a diverse audience’ including the PX Whanau radio show based at 3CR community radio in Naarm.
LinkedIn: Sonja Hammer
Guest Panellist: Unfiltered: Media, Identity and Community Power (Wednesday 6 August at 4.15pm - 5.15pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Bridget Harris
Associate Professor Bridget Harris is Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre and Convenor of Criminology at Monash University. Her work examines gendered violence, with a focus on domestic, family, and sexual violence; how technology can be weaponised to enact violence and harnessed by victim-survivors, advocates and practitioners to respond to violence and exercise rights.
LinkedIn: Bridget Harris
Guest Panellist: True Crime In The Media: Does Ethics Matter? (Thursday 7th August at 10.30am - 11:30am, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Billy Head (He/him)
Billy Head is a practice academic teaching the theory and practice of documentary, screenwriting and extended reality filmmaking, at Monash University, Melbourne. His films have been the recipient of numerous film and video awards including the Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Awards, the MarCom Awards in the USA, and the Cannes International Corporate Media and Television Awards in France. Billy is currently completing a practice-based PhD that investigates the making of the seminal 1939 urban planning documentary film The City.
Host: Aspiring Filmmakers & Creatives Meetup (Thursday 7 August at 3.30pm - 4.30pm, Room H1.16 (Building H, Level 1, Caulfield Campus))
CLOSING NIGHT: Student Films Premiere: The Screen Project Showcase (Thursday 7 August at 5.00pm - 6.30pm, Room G1.04 (MADA Theatre, Building G, Level 1, Caulfield Campus))
Sonya Joshi
With over 20 years of dance experience and a decade of teaching under her belt, Sonya is a dynamic content creator who blends movement, culture, and strategy across digital platforms. After earning a double degree in Commerce and IT from Monash University and working at a consulting firm for three years, she followed her passion for dance and transitioned into teaching, pursuing a Master’s in Teaching, as she continues to inspire and educate both online and in person. Over the past five years, she has built a vibrant presence on TikTok and Instagram known for her high-energy dance reels and culturally thoughtful content. She will be sharing behind-the-scenes insights into planning and producing content, and explores the evolving differences between South Asian and Western dance trends.
Instagram: @staying_raw TikTok: @dancewithsaum
Facilitator: Creator Corner: South Asian Dance Content Decoded (Wednesday 06 August at 10:30am - 11:30am, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Saara Lamberg
Finnish Australian Saara Lamberg is a director, actor, writer and producer.
Achievements: They have received several awards including Best Rebel Feature Film at the Winchester Film Festival (United Kingdom 2024), a category that their The Lies We Tell Ourselves pioneered, Best Metamentary at the Sydney Underground Film Festival (Australia 2025), Best Film and Best Director at Influx Awards (California 2022), Best Film and Best Director at Veracruz World Film Awards (Mexico 2022), Best Film at the IFF (Milan 2018), the Best Film at the FAFF (Los Angeles 2017), Cinema Australia Audience Award (Melbourne 2017), Bronze prize at the Beverly Hills screenplay contest (Hollywood 2013), Best Actor at Comfy Shorts (Melbourne 2014), Best Drama at the Connect Film Festival (Melbourne 2014) and Best Actor (Lithuania 2004).
Education: They lived in England 2006-2010 and studied in the critically acclaimed Dartington College of Arts, graduating with a BA (HONS) degree in Theatre and Choreographic Practices in 2007. They moved to Melbourne in January 2010 and received a Distinguished Talent Permanent Residency in 2012 and citizenship in 2014.
Features as a director: Innuendo was their first feature film, opening theatrically in Melbourne 2017 and broadcast nationally in Australian free to air television in 2019. Their second feature film Westermarck Effect was completed and released 2022 at the Cannes Cinephiles selection. Their third feature The Lies We Tell Ourselves was shot in various film festivals around the world and was fully improvised. It was set to World Premiere at Cannes Cinephiles 2020, but because of the covid19 pandemic, it premiered in 2022. The next feature, also improvised, COMA, was released at cinemas in Australia in 2024 as a double bill with the minifeature Conversations With Spithead. They are currently in development of their next feature film (accurate July 2025).
Film festival organising: In 2025 Saara Lamberg organised WInter Warmers Film Festival that screened all of their features in Melbourne, Australia. Starting with four sessions at the Henkel Street Cinema, the festival was so popular and all screenings booked out, that the festival extended to 18 sessions across five weeks.
Personal: In their personal life, Lamberg has struggled with tragedies such as losing their mother to early onset dementia and themselves facing breast cancer in their thirties. They are a board member and a host of Filmonik Melbourne (of the internationals Kino Movement) and Montsalvat Collective. They are an avid runner with 42 marathons ran in 2024 and they volunteer in suicide prevention.
Trademarks: Lamberg is known for their personal strength and courage, as well as extreme work ethic and friendly attitude on and off set. Their work is quoted to be "auteur arthouse" films with comparisons drawn by critics and audiences to David Lynch, Agnes Varda, Roman Polanski, Robert Altman and Yorgos Lanthimos.
Instagram: @saaralambergofficial
Guest Panellist: CTRL + SHOOT: Film Collectives in a Shifting Landscape (Wednesday 06 August at 1.30pm - 2.30pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Dr Rob Letizi
Dr Rob Letizi is a Lecturer in the school of Media, Film and Journalism (MFJ) specialising in the audiovisual essay, digital reception cultures, and film theory.
Instagram: @robert.letizi
Host: Aspiring Filmmakers & Creatives Meetup (Thursday 7th August at 3:30pm - 4:30pm, H1.16 (Building H, Level 1, Room 16, Caulfield Campus))
Wenona Lok
Wenona Lok is a Promoter at Live Nation Australia and New Zealand, leading on Asian pop content and talent. In her role, Wenona is tasked with breaking and touring Asia-Pop acts across the region and working with local teams to bring more diverse Asian talent down under. Wenona displays a wealth of knowledge of the Asian touring market and has a proven track record of managing successful relationships with Asian talent, evidenced by her work promoting a diverse range of Asian-Pop tours, including sell-out K-Pop acts Taeyang, TWICE and ITZY, Mandarin Pop/Rock acts Mayday and Joker Xue and K-Indie Yerin Baek, Chinese hip-hop artist MaSiWei, and Thai-Kiwi Phum Viphurit. Wenona is also a contributing editor of Live Nation’s Future Sound (Asia Pop) report and wrote the foreword for the report.
Wenona has a background in public relations, having worked in corporate communications at McKinsey & Company, while also co-founding and managing Imagikai. Imagikai works with companies and talent that are interested in engaging local and international Asian audiences in Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific market.
Guest Panellist: Asia and the Music City (Wednesday 06 August at 3:00pm - 4:00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Peter Lyssiotis
Peter Lyssiotis was born in 1949. In 1953, he and his mother came to Australia to meet up with his father who settled in Horsham, County Victoria. Peter was a state secondary school teacher for 24 years. He is a writer, film maker & visual artist who has been exhibiting work since the early 80s. He works around photography - focusing on found photographs, photomontage and photobooks. His art work is now distilled in artist's books.
Guest Panellist: Remixing, Rebooting, And Rewiring Creativity: Lessons From Homemade, Amateur And DIY Practice Panel (Thursday 7th August at 1:30PM - 2:30pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Sarinah is a television screenwriter. She co-wrote the finale of the CW series Good Cop Bad Cop and wrote on and script edited the outback comedy Population 11 for Stan. She wrote an episode of Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of My Brilliant Career and is currently adapting Nicola Moriarty’s The Fifth Letter into a 6 part series for Jungle Entertainment. Her key themes are friendship and family dynamics.
After completing a practical film course for her undergraduate degree she undertook a PhD in the school of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash, where her research focused on world cinemas and film-philosophy. Her research has influenced the way she approaches screen storytelling – she thinks a lot about how works are received by their audience and how visual storytelling can be used to evoke emotive and absorbing responses.
Instagram: @sarinahmasukor
Guest Panellist: After the PhD and Beyond Academia (Thursday 7th August at 3:00pm - 4:30pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Liz McDowell
Currently Director, Firestation Print Studio, Armadale, formerly co-director at Sutton Gallery, Melbourne 2008 -2018, Administrative Director at Harlan and Weaver Print Studio, New York 2005-2007,
Studio Technician/Assistant Acacia Print Studio Minnesota 2003-2005, Gallery Manager PG Printmaker Gallery, Melbourne, 2000 - 2003.
BA Melbourne University, Art History Major; BFA RMIT Printmaking Major; Certificate Arts Administration, NYU.
Instagram: @firestationprintstudio Facebook: firestationprintstudio
Speaker: Remixing, Rebooting, And Rewiring Creativity: Lessons From Homemade, Amateur And DIY Practice Panel (Thursday 7th August at 1:30PM - 2:30pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Dr Benjamin A Morgan
Dr. Morgan is an interdisciplinary early-career researcher and lecturer. He has sixteen years of work and ten years of research experience in the music industries. He conducts research with cultural and creative practitioners in different international cultural contexts, and orients his work towards a more inclusive future where a greater number of both producers and professional workers are able to flourish.
LinkedIn: Ben Morgan
Moderator: Asia and the Music City (Wednesday 06 August at 3:00pm - 4:00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Vikki Petraitis
Vikki Petraitis is the author of 18 books, including her best-selling book The Frankston Murders about serial killer Paul Denyer. In 2023, she released a podcast of the same name which topped charts around the world and played a part in changing the law to keep Denyer in prison. She has just completed a podcast series with Emily Webb called The Unthinkable, and has been the writer-researcher on three seasons of Crime Interrupted with the Australian Federal Police. Vikki’s Casefile Presents podcasts have been downloaded 8 million times. Vikki has written on topics from Lawyer X to police dogs. Her first fiction, The Unbelieved, won the inaugural Allen & Unwin Crime Fiction Prize and the Readers’ Choice Davitt Award. The sequel is out this September. She is almost finished her PhD in Creative Writing.
X: @VikkiPetraitis Instagram: @vikkipetraitisFacebook: vikki.petraitis.author
Guest Panellist: True Crime In The Media: Does Ethics Matter? (Thursday 7th August at 10.30am - 11:30am, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Priya Serrao (she/her)
Priya Serrao is a senior adviser to the Victorian Premier and a former Miss Universe Australia.
She’s passionate about diversity, gender equality, and the power of social media to drive real-world change.With a background in government and law, she brings a grounded, practical lens to big-picture conversations. She believes social media is most powerful when it’s authentic, inclusive, and tied to real action.
Instagram: @priyaserrao
Speaker: Unfiltered: Media, Identity and Community Power (Wednesday 06 August at 4:15pm - 5:15pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Dr Mugdha Rai is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. She is also the Director, Strategic Communications Management Graduate Programs in the Faculty of Arts. She has degrees in media and communications, international law, and journalism from the University of Melbourne, Australian National University and Delhi University. Her teaching and research focuses closely on issues of strategic communications, advocacy, communication for change, political communication and democracy. She has considerable experience in postgraduate curriculum design and development and her achievements and contribution have been recognised by multiple awards and commendations at School, Faculty and University levels including the Faculty Award for Leadership in Postgraduate Education and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Educational Leadership.
LinkedIn: Mugdha Rai
Guest Panellist: StratComms Workshop: Future-Proof Communicators in a Global Digital World (Thursday 7th August at 1:30pm - 2:30pm, H1.16 (Building H, Level 1, Room 16, Caulfield Campus))
Bailey Sharp (She/Her)
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Bailey is a cartoonist and educator. She is a co-administrator of Glom Press, the risograph printer and comics publisher, the Other Worlds Zine Fair in Sydney and is a member of the Workers Art Collective.
Guest Panellist: Remixing, Rebooting, And Rewiring Creativity: Lessons From Homemade, Amateur And DIY Practice Panel (Thursday 7th August at 1:30PM - 2:30pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Cara Spencer
Cara Spencer is a highly experienced leader in strategic communication, change and community engagement.
Her career spans all sectors, having held executive and non-executive leadership roles across government, corporate, industrial and community organisations.
Cara’s professional purpose is to enable organisations to thrive and realise their vision, through innovative marketing and communication, community engagement, government and stakeholder relations, underscored by a strong management and active mentoring of upcoming talent.
Throughout her career she has led marketing and communication teams and driven campaigns for community organisation like the Red Cross, Starlight Foundation, Dental Health Services Australia and On the Line - including Suicide Call Back Service, MensLine Australia, beyondBlue, and Living Is for Everyone (LiFE) – the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
With a passion for sustainability and environment, Cara’s work with construction materials leader - Alex Fraser - markedly advanced the Australian industry’s use of recycled construction materials to build greener roads and rail, nationwide.
Cara is currently the Head of Communication and Community Engagement for Brimbank City Council and a Non-Executive Director for Yarra Energy Foundation.
LinkedIn: Cara Merritt Spencer
Guest Panellist: StratComms Workshop: Future-Proof Communicators in a Global Digital World (Thursday 7th August at 1:30pm - 2:30pm, H1.16 (Building H, Level 1, Room 16, Caulfield Campus))
Dr Emily van der Nagel is a Lecturer in Social Media in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University. She researches social media identities and intimacies, with a focus on Not Safe For Work or adult content cultures. Emily's first book, co-authored with Katrin Tiidenberg, is Sex and Social Media (2020), and she is currently writing a book on (mostly adult) content subscription platform OnlyFans.
Guest Panellist: Hinge or Cringe (Wednesday 6 August at 12.00pm - 1.00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Nat Vazer
Nat Vazer is best known for her haunting stories and cinematic sounds that weave between indie rock, indie folk and dream pop. An Australian-born Asian artist - the daughter of Vietnamese and Malaysian immigrants - Vazer has been twice nominated for The Australian Music Prize. Her latest record 'Strange Adrenaline' was nominated for Best Independent Pop Album at the 2024 AIR Awards, after debuting at #15 on the ARIA vinyl charts. She has supported Parquet Courts' A. Savage, Vacations, #1 Dads, Last Dinosaurs and performed all over the world including South Korea, SXSW Austin, New York's New Colossus Festival and Folk Alliance in Montreal.
Instagram: @Nat_Vazer TikTok: @Natvazer Youtube: @Natvazer_
Guest Panellist: Asia and the Music City (Wednesday 06 August at 3:00pm - 4:00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Julian Wu
Julian has had a long and varied career across many areas of the music industry. Beginning in the mid 80's working in road crews as a guitar tech, lighting operator and FOH engineer and as a radio announcer at 3PBS co-presenting the show That's Cool That's Trash with David Laing of Dogmeat Records, in the 1990s as a recording engineer and producer whose resume includes work for the Primitive Calculators, Acuff's Rose, David McComb, Dirty Three and The Go-Betweens.
He has also worked as a music photographer and his work can be found on the What's My Scene website.
Currently he is the Director of Operations Australasia for Far Out Distant Sounds which is a company that works to promote Asian Independent Music and foster relationships between Australian and Asian bands.
Facebook: Far Out Distant Sounds Instagram: @FarOutSounds
Guest Panellist: Asia and the Music City (Wednesday 06 August at 3:00pm - 4:00pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Paulina Zamorano
Paulina Zamorano is a Chilean-Australian wearable artist, graphic designer, and founder of ZAMSTUDIO, a Melbourne-based creative practice exploring cultural storytelling through fashion, design, and visual art. Her work reimagines post-consumer materials into expressive garments and digital artworks that honour her heritage and community. With a background in Visual Arts and Fashion Design, Paulina has exhibited across Melbourne, collaborated with brands like Converse ANZ, and worked with arts organisations such as Multicultural Arts Victoria and Connection Arts Space.
Now working as a secondary school Art educator at Monterey Secondary College. Paulina draws on her professional creative experience to enrich the classroom, building on her current studies in a Master of Secondary Teaching to support the next generation of artists and critical thinkers.
Instagram: @zamstudio
Guest Panellist: Remixing, Rebooting, And Rewiring Creativity: Lessons From Homemade, Amateur and DIY Practice Panel (Thursday 7th August at 1:30PM - 2:30pm, ‘The Pavilion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Annisa is a current Councillor and former Deputy Mayor of the City of Glen Eira. She is also a writer, business consultant, community leader, and passionate advocate for multicultural inclusion. Annisa holds an MBA from the University of Melbourne and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, English, and Japanese.
Since being elected to Council in 2020, Annisa has championed high-quality municipal services, community safety, the expansion of green and public spaces, improved sports facilities, and the growth of local businesses. Her leadership extends across several Council advisory committees, where she has chaired portfolios in arts and culture, community grants, and multicultural affairs.
Driven by her lived experience as a first-generation migrant woman, Annisa founded the Asian Leadership Foundation — a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing the involvement and representation of Asian Australians in politics, government, and the public sector.
As a writer, Annisa explores themes of social justice, daily life, and cultural identity. Her Chinese-language book In the Town Hall was published in Australia in 2024, with the English edition set for release in 2025.
Annisa is also the founder of the Melbourne Loong Football Club, Victoria’s first Chinese Australian rules football club. Through this initiative, she has used sport as a vehicle to build community participation and cross-cultural connection.
Annisa remains deeply involved in volunteer work—mentoring international students, supporting seniors, and engaging with schools and the arts sector.
Originally from Jiangsu, China, Annisa migrated to Australia in 2010 and now lives in Victoria with her son Edgar, who is studying music at the University of Melbourne. She enjoys playing football, hiking, reading, and cooking.
In recognition of her outstanding service to multicultural communities, Annisa was honoured in 2024 with the Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence and was inducted into the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll.
LinkedIn: Annisa Li Zhang
Guest Panellist: Connection as Power: Asian Women’s Leadership Across Australian Communities (Thursday 7th August at 12:00pm - 1:00pm, ‘The Pavillion’ (Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus))
Cora Zon
Cora Zon is the producer and co-host of ZINE on Yarra Valley FM 99.1, Australia's only community radio program dedicated to zines. Cora has facilitated zine making workshops in libraries, schools and festivals, curated art zine exhibitions and is Festival Director of the Healesville Zine and Comic Festival. Among her works are the zines 1000 postcards, 44 Sounds Wild and Cipher.
Healesville Zine & Comic Festival
Facilitator: DIY Club Workshop: Making the CTRL + SHIFT Zine (Tuesday 5th 7th August at 12:00pm - 2:00pm, Room S901, Building S, Level 9, Caulfield Campus)