Greg Hall, Chair

During a twenty year career as a journalist Greg worked for News Corp and ABC Radio. He now runs his own film and TV production company and has just completed a privately-funded documentary about the Rothbury Riots called 'Lockout' scheduled for broadcast on the History Channel mid 2007.

Jill McKeowen, Vice-Chair

Jill has qualifications in small business management and a PhD in creative writing. In addition to teaching at the University of Newcastle in the English Language & Foundation Studies Centre, Jill also runs a 'Writing Women' course for the Hunter Women's Centre. She has published poetry and prose and is currently working on two commissioned projects. In her spare time Jill can be found editing the bi-monthly HWC newsletter.

Lisa Vandyke, Secretary

Lisa joined the Board in 2006 and has over 20 years experience in administration and human resources management, including 10 years spent with Fairfax Newspapers.

Catherine Baker

Cathy joined the Board in 2006, after discovering the HWC in 2005 via Litlink's free consultations program. She is the author of a number of text books, and following a 20-year TAFE career, is now writing a biography of a colourful Queensland businessman. More recently she has bee researching content for the development of a Newcastle Writers Walk.

Marilyn Eade

Marilyn is a local Labor councillor and sits on a number of boards and committees in the region. A former school teacher, she has also taught at the University of Newcastle in the past and brings invaluable networking skills to the HWC.

Lesley MacCulloch

Lesley MacCulloch is an editor who runs her own writing solutions business – aptly named Birch Writing Solutions. She grew up in Tillicoultry, in Central Scotland, moving to Australia in 1994, and has lived in the Newcastle area of NSW since.

Julie Bevan

Julie has over 25 years experience in the IT industry as a business owner, business development manager, trainer, team leader and manager. She is a mentor for young business women through the Business Womens Assoc and has developed systems and technologies for Customer Relationship Management strategies with her company, Bevan + Associates.

Matthew Ward

Matthew has been running his web / print design business Mockfrog Design for just over 10 years. He created the HWC's first website and this one, too. He has also been writing – mostly short stories – for many years, and has been published both here and overseas, and runs Skive magazine, a short story magazine.

Brian Joyce, Director

Since 1975 Brian has worked as an actor, theatre director, writer, production manager, arts admistrator and tutor. He has extensive experience in initiating community cultural development projects and developing new writers and writing. He continues to combine his role at the HWC with freelance theatre work and in 2008 will begin a PhD at the University of Newcastle.

Katharine Aitken, Administrator

Katharine has a strong work history in creative writing and community publishing. She has a BA(Communications) and PhD (Creative Writing) from the University of Newcastle. While studying Katharine assisted in the publication of a number of books and the organisation of writing festivals, including Critical Animals and the forthcoming memoir festival to be held at the University of Newcastle in 2008. In addition to her academic record has been an active member of the Archipelago poetry group and Catchfire Press. Katharine is responsible for the day to day administration of the Centre.

Micky Pinkerton, Newcastle Poetry Prize Coordinator

Micky has worked for small and large publishers for the last ten years in Australia and the UK, including Oxford University Press, Manchester University Press, John Wiley & Sons and subculture publisher Headpress. She has sales, marketing and editing experience and for most of the year can be found buried underneath a pile of Newcastle Poetry Prize entries. She has a BA/LLB from ANU, and and MA in Post-colonial Literature from UNSW. She works one day a week at the HWC and the rest of her week in a marketing role for Suters Architects.