Speakers

Rachel Ang

Rachel Ang is an artist and writer who makes comics. Their drawings and prose have been published in international periodicals such as The New Yorker and The Washington Post, and Australian journals like Overland, Meanjin, Island, Cordite and Kill Your Darlings. Their new book, a collection of short stories in comics form titled I Ate The Whole World to Find You, is out now through Drawn and Quarterly and Scribe, and was shortlisted for an Ignatz Award.

Guest:  Hands On Creative Maker Workshop (Wednesday 19 August at 2:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

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Jacob Bigg

Jacob Bigg is a Bachelor of Media Communication student specialising in Screen Studies at Monash University. Jacob is an experienced filmmaker and producer, having directed and produced two short films through his studies, Lasting Connections (2024) and The Cost of Trying (2024), with Lasting Connections being selected to be screened at Monash University's Creative Directions festival in 2024. Jacob was also awarded the Monash University Academic Excellence Award for best 2nd year student in Film and Screen Studies. He is currently working on his final documentary that focuses on recent proposals for artificial intelligence centres being built in Tottenham, revealing what’s at stake for Tottenham residents as they rally together to fight for their community. Through Monash University, Jacob also recently interned at Castlemaine Documentary Festival (CDOC), working in liaison with the marketing and event management team, and is now doing further work curating and archiving dozens of short films by Castlemaine/ central Victorian locals, as part of CDOC's LOCALS segment that has run since 2022.

Instagram: @jacob.bigg  | Youtube: @jacobbigg3956 | LinkedIn: Jacob Bigg

Host: New Creators and Makers Networking Meetup (Saturday 22 August at 11:00pm, Monash College (City Campus))

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Emerson Brophy

Emerson Brophy is an Australian musician and performer based in Naarm/Melbourne. Known for his satirical online videos, he also shares his hot takes and unique perspectives through singles, including 'Alone on Christmas', 'Day Job' and 'Didn't Mean To Say Love'. His debut solo musical comedy show, ‘Saccharine’ toured Australian in 2024/25.

YouTube: Emerson Brophy Instagram: @EmersonBrophy TikTok: @EmersonBrophy

Guest speaker/performer: Opening Night: A Creative Journey of Music and Comedy (Wednesday 19 August at 6:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

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Saosopheakneath (Lia) Bun

Saosopheakneath (Lia) Bun is a Master of Strategic Communications Management student at Monash University, with a particular interest in social behaviour change and health communications. She brings over seven years of experience as a communication and program management professional, having worked across international NGOs, the private sector and social enterprises on community initiatives, partnership development and stakeholder engagement, including founding Dosslarb, a youth-led project promoting sexual and reproductive health and gender equality in Cambodia.

LinkedIn: Saosopheakneath (Lia) Bun

Host: New Creators and Makers Networking Meetup (Saturday 22 August at 11:00pm, Monash College (City Campus))

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Teesta Chattoraj

Teesta Chattoraj is a PhD candidate in the School of Media, Film and Journalism and also a cultural researcher and creative practitioner based in Melbourne. Her interdisciplinary practice sits at the intersection of migration, cultural studies and creative industries. She holds a Master of Communications and Media Studies from Monash University and a Bachelor of Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, India. Teesta has professional experience across advertising, digital storytelling and creative content in India and Australia, working with agencies on digital campaigns, brand narratives and cross-platform content for organisations such as Mercedes-Benz, BP, Hewlett-Packard and Shell.

Her professional practice informs her research interest in storytelling, cultural representation and the relationship between creative practice and community. Before her PhD, she independently led a research project funded by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, examining storytelling, oral traditions, mythology and handicraft practices among the geographically isolated Indigenous Sohrai and Payatkar communities of Eastern India. Her current research extends these interests to diasporic cultural practices, exploring how communities use creative practices to sustain cultural knowledge, identity, heritage and belonging.

Panellist: Alumni Unplugged: Career Conversations (Wednesday 19 August at 10:30am, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

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Sarah Renae Clark

Sarah Renae Clark is a Melbourne-based artist and creator with over 450k subscribers on Youtube. She has become one of the most trusted voices in the art and colouring space. Through her content, products, and community, she encourages people to experiment more, embrace mistakes, and let go of perfectionism. She is the creator of the award-winning Colour Cube®, a favourite colour tool for over 150k artists, crafters, and creative hobbyists around the world.

Website: https://sarahrenaeclark.com/ | Instagram: @sarahrenaeclark | YouTube: @SarahRenaeClark

Guest: From 0 to Full Time Creative - The Business of Creativity (Saturday 22 August at 11am, Monash College (City Campus))

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Zac Doar

Zac Doar, better known online as Crochet me Zaddy, is a Melbourne-based crochet designer, content creator, and author. Since starting his online journey in 2020, Zac has built a community of hundreds of thousands by sharing a mix of creativity, humour, and genuine connection that has helped make crochet feel fun, welcoming, and inclusive. His work has grown beyond social media to include a published crochet book ‘Itty Bitty Amigururmi’, and the launch of his own yarn brand, Zaddycrafts. Through his journey, Zac has learned that success doesn't come from trying to appeal to everyone, it comes from finding your niche, embracing it wholeheartedly, and carving out your own space within it.

Website: zaddycrafts.com | Instagram: @crochet.me.zaddy | Youtube: @crochetmezaddy | Tiktok: @crochet.me.zaddy

Guest: Creative Directions: Uncharted Creativity Day (Saturday 22 August at 12.00pm, Monash College (City Campus), Level 8, 750 Collins St, Docklands)

Dan Golding

Dan Golding is Professor of Media at Monash University. He's also a composer for videogames, such as the BAFTA and ARIA nominated Untitled Goose Game, the Frog Detective series, and for podcasts like ABC News Daily and The Sunday Shot. Dan is also the host of Screen Sounds on ABC Classic, a weekly radio show about film and television soundtracks, and he's the co-host of the podcast and concert series Art of the Score. In this capacity he's hosted concerts for every Australian state symphony orchestra at venues like the Sydney Opera House, Hamer Hall, and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

Website: dangolding.com

Host: Composing the News: Creating an Election Theme Live (Wednesday 19 August at 2:30pm, MADA Theatre (Building G, Level 1, Room G1.04, Caulfield Campus)

Stacy Gougoulis

Stacy is an illustrator, radio presenter and Eisner Award–nominated cartoonist whose work has appeared in publications like The Washington Post, Fantagraphics NOW and VICE. He is currently working on their debut graphic novel, Bivouac, which will be published by Fantagraphics.

Instagram: @stacygougoulis |  Website: stacygougoulis.com Substack:  stacygougoulis.substack.com/

Guest: Hands On Creative Maker Workshop (Wednesday 19 August at 2:00pm, The Pavilion Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Lucinda Hartley

Lucinda builds the tools and ideas reshaping how we live in cities. She helped create the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for cities and shaped urban development projects for Google. Lucinda is currently the co-founder of Zeroo, a growth-equity mortgage solution tackling Australia’s housing affordability crisis. She also recently released her first book - Finding Home - a practical guide to making conscious property choices and living intentionally.

Before Zeroo, she co-founded Neighbourlytics, a global urban analytics company now used across 10 countries, and placemaking consultancy CoDesign Studio.

A sought-after keynote speaker, Lucinda helps leaders and organisations build the entrepreneurial mindsets needed to thrive in the future of work and cities.

Website: lucindahartley.com |  Instagram: @housingwithlucinda

Guest: Creative Directions: Uncharted Creativity Day (Saturday 22 August at 2.15pm, Monash College (City Campus), Level 8, 750 Collins St, Docklands)

Billy Head

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.

Toby Hendy

Toby Hendy is the creator of Tibees, a YouTube channel making videos about science and maths for an audience of over 1.3 million subscribers. She has recently expanded into direct-to-audience publishing with A Guide to Making Friends in the Fourth Dimension, a recreational mathematics book, and Alpha Creek, a science-fiction novel.

YouTube: @tibees | Instagram: @tibees_

Guest: Creative Directions: Uncharted Creativity Day (Saturday 22 August at 12.00pm, Monash College (City Campus), Level 8, 750 Collins St, Docklands)

Riya Jacob

Rob Letizi

Host: Aspiring Filmmakers & Creatives Meetup (Wednesday 19 August at 4:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Paul Long

Moderator: Hands On Creative Maker Workshop (Wednesday 19 August at 2:00pm, The Pavilion Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Amy McDonald

Amy McDonald is a Master’s student in Strategic Communications Management at Monash University and President of the Strategic Communications Society. Originally from the UK, Amy has a background in international development and communications, with experience across economic policy, political communications and public affairs. She is passionate about creative communications that connect people and support communities. Amy is excited to bring her academic and industry experience to hosting the ‘Campaign Chaos' workshop.

Moderator: StratComms Workshop: Campaign Chaos (Wednesday 19 August at 12:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Mary McGillivray

Mary McGillivray is an Australian art historian, content creator, and ABC writer/presenter making visual culture analysis accessible for the next generation. She holds a Masters degree in History of Art and Architecture from the University of Cambridge, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne.

Website: https://www.marymcgillivray.com.au/ | TikTok: @_theiconoclass I Instagram: @_theiconoclass |YouTube: @MaryMcGillivray

Guest: From 0 to Full Time Creative - The Business of Creativity (Saturday 22 August at 11.00am, Monash College (City Campus))

James McPherson

James is the founder and managing director of Never Too Small, the globally recognised YouTube channel and (more recently) magazine exploring design, architecture, and compact urban living. With millions of viewers worldwide, James has built Never Too Small into a multi-platform media brand spanning video, print, and digital publishing, collaborating with leading architects, designers, and global brands. His Spotify listening age is 80-something.

Website: www.nevertoosmall.com | YouTube: @nevertoosmall

Guest: From 0 to Full Time Creative - The Business of Creativity (Saturday 22 August at 11am, Monash College (City Campus))

Julian O’Shea

Dr Julian O'Shea is a designer, engineer and academic at Monash University within the School of Media, Film and Journalism. He's a video creator who has worked with ABC and as an independent creator, and host of the popular series Unknown Melbourne. His videos explore design, cities and interesting places. He has been named the Australian YouTube Breakout Creator of the Year and recently had a sell out season at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

YouTube: Julian O’Shea Instagram: @julianoshea  TikTok:  @julianoshea

Moderator: Opening Night: A Creative Journey of Music and Comedy (Wednesday 19 August at 6:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Jude Perl

Jude Perl is a multi-award winning singer, songwriter and comedian based in Melbourne. Texas born, but Melbourne bred; Jude has created a name for herself by writing and performing hilarious, yet brutally honest, stream-of-consciousness style lyrics, set to undeniably catchy and well-crafted songs. Jude has written and performed numerous solo comedy shows, winning Green Room Awards for Best Original Songs.

YouTube: Jude Perl Instagram: @JudePerl

Guest speaker/performer: Opening Night: A Creative Journey of Music and Comedy (Wednesday 19 August at 6:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Himangi Singh

Himangi Singh is a community news reporter at the Herald Sun for northern and western Melbourne, covering crime, courts, council, local and breaking news. Himangi is a mentor and a multilingual journalist who has a unique ability to communicate and represent Victoria's growing multicultural population and the issues that matter most to these cultural groups. Before starting her career as an intern at the Herald Sun, Himangi also interned for The Age and The New Daily while she studied a Master of Journalism and a Master of Communication and Media Studies at Monash University. Himangi believes in speaking truth to power and that democracy thrives with watchdog journalism.

Panelist: Alumni Unplugged: Career Conversations (Wednesday 19 August at 10:30am, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

StratComms Society

The StratComms Society is a student-led community for students undertaking the Master of Strategic Communications Management at Monash University. We create opportunities that enrich the student experience beyond the classroom through networking events, industry workshops, alumni panels and social gatherings. Our goal is to foster a welcoming and collaborative community where students can learn, connect, exchange ideas, and support one another throughout their academic and professional journeys.

Moderator:  StratComms Workshop: Campaign Chaos (Wednesday 19 August at 12:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Jordan Wise

Jordan's work spans purpose-driven storytelling, supporting advocacy campaigns, corporate affairs and public-facing executive teams with thought leadership.  She has spent the last four years at national non-profit SSI, working across advocacy in refugee resettlement, disability, employment and domestic and family violence. Jordan is passionate about driving social change through communication strategies that positively influence public narratives around newly arrived communities. Her work elevates the voices of individuals and helps them reclaim and reshape their personal stories. She holds a Bachelor of Global Studies and a Master of Strategic Communications Management from Monash University.

Panellist: Alumni Unplugged: Career Conversations (Wednesday 19 August at 10:30am, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)

Zijun Zhu

Zijun Zhu is a Communications and Media graduate from Monash University with experience in marketing, PR, content creation, social media, and event coordination. Her professional experience has included campaign planning, social media management, brand communication, and content creation, as well as working in hospitality and event environments. She is particularly interested in marketing and events, and enjoys finding ways to bring creative ideas into event planning and create memorable experiences for audiences.

Outside of work and study, Zijun enjoys photography, fashion, and taking part in different events and activities to enrich her everyday life. She loves discovering new places, meeting new people, and trying new things, which often inspire her creatively and bring new ideas into her everyday life.

Host: Visualise Your Future (Saturday 22 August at 2:15pm, Monash College (City Campus))

Ariel Zohar

Ariel Zohar is a communications professional with a decade of experience across Australian federal politics and national communal settings, based across Sydney and Melbourne. His work has spanned media and government relations, stakeholder management, advocacy, community organising, digital campaigning, and coordination of various election campaigns. He is the former President of the RMIT University Student Union and former National Public Affairs Director at the Australasian Union of Jewish Students. Ariel is currently completing a Master of Strategic Communications Management at Monash University, having originally trained as a copywriter, before being swept up by the world of communications and politics.

Guest: StratComms Workshop: Campaign Chaos (Wednesday 19 August at 12:00pm, The Pavilion, Building H, Level 8, Caulfield Campus)