Heather Rose

Heather Rose is the bestselling author of seven novels. The Museum of Modern Love won the 2017 winner of the Stella Prize for the best book (fiction or non-fiction) written by an Australian woman. It has been published internationally and translated into a number of languages. Heather’s also writes for children under the pen-name Angelica Banks.

Heather has had a significant career in business. She won the Telstra Tasmanian Business Woman of the Year in 2004, was chairman of the Festival of Voices from 2007 – 2012 and an inaugural board member of the Macquarie Point Development Corporation from 2013 – 2016. She was creator and Managing Director of Tasmania’s most highly awarded advertising agency from 1999 – 2012. And creator of the award-winning Library House luxury accommodation business 2012 - 2014.

Heather was born and educated in Tasmania. She has travelled widely but lives in Tasmania by the sea. Heather’s next novel will be published in October, 2019.

Tim Shadbolt

Knight of the NZ Order of Merit (KNZO), Mayor, JP, author, actor, Marriage Celebrant, Professional Dancer, Scooter Extraordinaire and all-round Kiwi Bloke

Having won, in total, 12 Local Government elections in two cities, Sir Tim Shadbolt is New Zealand’s longest serving Mayor.  A concrete contractor, by trade.  Tim was a leading figure in the key protests of the 60s and 70s. He has served two prison sentences for political activism. In 2012 he broke the record for the World’s Longest Television Interview talking non-stop for 26 hours and 4 seconds.

Tim tours the country with humourist and social commentator Gary McCormick and is a passionate supporter of the NZ film industry.  He has acted in many New Zealand films: Sir Anthony Hopkins; Two Little Boys with Oscar winner Brett McKenzie and celebrity radio host Hamish Blake. Tim was also a key propagator of the Zero Fees Scheme which established free education at S.I.T in Invercargill.

Penny Terry

Penny Terry loves a good yarn because she knows good stories create lasting change. She spent 10 years as an ABC radio presenter, broadcasting more than 20,000 stories from diverse perspectives. She is the Creative Director of ‘for purpose’ company Healthy Tasmania Pty Ltd which she founded with her sister, leading a wide range of projects that support all people to live the best life they can. As a speaker, mentor, trainer and MC Penny champions storytelling, demonstrating its necessity along the path to influence. She takes the fear out of contributing to public conversations as she unpacks authenticity, the science of opinion and the power of emotion and vulnerability. She’s a Telstra business woman of the year national finalist and is never far from a microphone, whether it’s in the studio, on the stage or with a guitar in hand!

Matt Pinnegar

Matt was born and bred in the northern suburbs of Adelaide, and has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Australia.

He’s worked as a pizza shop owner, an employment coordinator, and as a political adviser and chief of staff to two State Government Ministers. Before joining the LGA of SA Matt was the External Affairs Manager in South Australia for BP’s Great Australian Bight exploration program.

Matt has been the CEO of South Australia’s Local Government Associaiton since September 2015 and a Board Member of Statewide Super since 2017. He lives in North Adelaide with his wife Ali and his cats Berl and Lulu. He is a passionate Power supporter and thinks Nickelback are massively underrated.

Mayor David O'Loughlin

David O’Loughlin was elected as a Adelaide Councillor in 2003 before being elected as Mayor of the City of Prospect in 2006, and again in 2010 and 2014. In 2013, David was elected President of the Local Government Association of South Australia for a term of 2 years, which he completed in early 2015.   With over 8 years' service on the Executive Board of the LGA SA, including two years as President, David has contributed to the championing of economic development, regional service-sharing, boundary adjustment reform, planning reform and service improvements. David was elected as President of the Australian Local Government Association in November 2016 and re-elected in 2018, representing local communities and councils at the highest levels of government, including Ministerial Councils and the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).