About

I’m a writer and editor who specialises in translating complex concepts into plain language.

I like to write and edit pretty much any type of document. But it’s social issues communication and long-form writing that I enjoy the most. Ask me to write an article about innovative health programs, edit a text book, or craft an organisational history, and I’ll be your very happy writer.

I live and work in Brisbane’s northside, on Yuggera and Turrbal Country.

I’m an information designer and plain English writer: it’s my job to assemble ideas in ways that make sense to people. I’m most comfortable with words, but I’m also interested in design, promotion, and broader communication.

I have 30 years’ experience as a consultant writer and editor. I’ve worked on a range of projects in the community, university, and government sectors, including national information campaigns, awareness weeks, qualitative research projects, education materials, reports, fundraising campaigns, lobbying efforts, community consultation, and training.

If you’re interested in learning more about my approach to writing, see parts of my 2020 presentation to the Fellowship of Australian Writers Queensland (How to get writing, keep writing, & write well when it all seems too hard) on YouTube.

I hold a PhD and Research Masters in information design:

• My PhD research examined why young people choose to read information about health issues. My thesis, Informing young people: What motivates young people to read community education resources, describes the decision-making processes young people go through as they decide whether information is worth the effort of reading. My research was conducted at the University of Reading in the UK.
• My Masters research explored the collaborative work practices of public relations practitioners, writers, and graphic designers. I looked at information design within public relations practice, and charted the experiences of practitioners in developing printed materials for public relations campaigns. My research was conducted at Queensland University of Technology.

I returned to consultancy work in 2005, when I established Information Design Centre. These days, I operate under my own name. I also work part-time with the First Nations Cancer and Wellbeing Research program in the Faculty of Medicine at The University of Queensland.

From 1995 until 2005, I was a lecturer in communication at Queensland University of Technology and operated a small writing and design consultancy, The Write Response. In 1989, I joined the social issues consultancy Social Change Media and its associated publishing company Pluto Press Australia. In 1992, I opened Social Change Media’s first branch office, in Brisbane. From 2016 until 2018, I operated Northside Meetings with The Letter Lounge Café & Gifts, a café and meeting room venue in Brisbane.

I maintain links with both The University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). I currently tutor in professional writing at UQ’s Business School and conduct occasional lectures in communication at QUT. From 2011 to 2014, I was the qualitative research methods advisor at QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation.

I’m a Member of the Institute of Professional Editors (Qld Chapter), the Australian Society of Authors, and Queensland Writers’ Centre.