CHAIR –Mark Macleod

Mark has taught Children’s Literature, Australian Literature and Creative Writing at universities in Australia and around the world, most recently in India. He has been Publishing Director at Random House, Publisher at Hachette Australia, and President and Publishing Director at Dirt Lane Press.

A former national President of the Children’s Book Council of Australia and NSW President, Mark has won awards for distinguished service to Children’s Literature and for many titles published under his own name imprint, Mark Macleod Books.

He is adjunct Senior Lecturer at Charles Sturt University and as a student at ANU is halfway through a Bachelor of Languages degree, majoring in Hindi and Spanish. He is the author of poems for adults and children, and picture books for children. His latest collection of poems for children, The Secret Boat, will be published in 2022

DEPUTY CHAIR – Sue Kennedy

Sue has extensive experience as an Information Technology professional specialising in Project Management, Risk Management, Business Continuity, Cyber Security and Warfare, both as an industry practitioner and as an academic. Since retiring she works part-time as a technical writer and as an editor/proof-reader.

After becoming Chair of the Board of Management in 2018, Sue was also Acting Director for 18 months and the Director of the successful Hobart Writers Festival in 2019.

In 2022 Sue moved to the Deputy Chair position but will continue to provide continuity and to support the new Chair.

When time allows, she plans to continue writing her first book of fiction and researching for a non-fiction book about a secret military operation of WW2.

TREASURER – Erika Thomson

Erika Thomson is a qualified accountant (CPA) and has worked in public practice for over 20 years.

Erika has a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Musical Arts with a major in Music History, both from the University of Tasmania.

She held the position of secretary for seven years with the Moonah & Glenorchy Business Association, been a playing member of the Derwent Valley Concert Band and former director and treasurer of both the Glenorchy Community Fund Ltd and GASP!

Tony Bonney

Tony commenced his career in the music industry at the Mushroom Group in 1984.

He established his own globally operating experiential agency, Podium, in 1994 that still operates today.

In 2018 he also established Grow On Purpose; a practice that utilises purpose and values to enable organisations to differentiate and succeed.

Tony has been a director on arts, NFP and charity boards since 1999.

Everything Tony does comes from his personal philosophy of using purpose to enable people and organisations to be the best version of themselves. It results in people with meaningful personal lives creating connected teams that love their work, delivering amazing customer experiences and trust. It also results in people living their best lives.

Tony is focused on bringing TasWriters’ purpose to life through his role as the Chair of the Development Sub Committee; growing a vibrant network of support and partnerships that will enable us to thrive.

Leigh Swinbourne

Leigh has written for the theatre as well as fiction and non-fiction work. Since moving to Hobart in 2001 he has had plays produced and/or read by Old Nick, Hobart Repertory, The Australian Script Centre, The Tasmanian Theatre Company, Mudlark and Blue Cow.

His play ‘The Mark of Cain’ was shortlisted for the 2005 Patrick White Playwrights’ Award. Six scripts are presently listed (digitally published) with Australian Plays Transform.

Leigh has published two short story collections, The Shark (2011), and Away (2014), through Ginninderra Press, both selected for ‘Pick of the Week’ in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

In 2013 he was shortlisted for the University of Tasmania Prize for an unpublished manuscript, subsequently published as the novel Shadow in the Forest by Ginninderra Press in 2019. He is the recipient of writing grants and residencies from Arts Tasmania and Varuna and has served for many years on the Board of Musica Viva Tasmania.

Nicola Ingram

Nicola Ingram (she/her) is a proud palawa and Wiradjuri woman based in nipaluna (Hobart). She is a recent graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), graduating in 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (acting).

In 2021 Nicola received the Emerging Tasmanian Aboriginal Writers Award and has continued to develop original works as part of Theatre Works First Stories program, ILBIJERRI’s 10 in 10 emerging artists festival and Melbourne Theatre Company’s emerging writers’ program First Stage. She is currently developing her writing practice with The Australian Theatre for Young People writing two new works for the Fresh Ink National Mentoring Program for 2023 alongside other emerging Tasmanian writers.

This year Nicola presented Whiteout at two major Festivals, Yirramboi and Dark Mofo. Whiteout showcases a collaboration with Gunnai/Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta essayist and screenwriter Nayuka Gorrie, playing with irreverence, notions of authenticity and experimentation, exploring what it means to exist despite the insistence you don’t.

Kate Wright

Her strengths are in integrated marketing communications strategy, brand development and management, and fundraising. Kate has built her professional marketing communications practice with significant experience in the charitable sector, so is adept at working within the structures and resourcing of not-for-profit organisations.