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The Walkley Foundation Team

Shona Martyn

CEO

Shona Martyn is a highly experienced journalist, editor and former book publishing executive. A former New Zealand Journalist of the Year, she started her career as a cadet journalist at the Auckland Star and then covered education, medicine and politics at The New Zealand Herald. In Australia, she has been the editor of The Sydney Morning Herald's Good Weekend and Spectrum sections, was the founding editor of the award-winning HQ magazine and a feature writer and arts editor of Vogue Australia. She served as publishing director at both Transworld/Random House Australia and HarperCollins Australia before returning to journalism in 2017. Shona was a longtime member of the board of the Sydney Writers' Festival and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Barbara Blackman

Barbara Blackman

Executive Officer

Barbara began her long career with MEAA back in 1987 as the personal assistant to the federal secretary of Actors Equity. Prior to this she worked in the music industry and spent several years at the Australian Film Institute working on the AFI Awards. Before joining the Walkleys team to provide essential administrative support, Barbara worked in various administrative roles within MEAA and the NSW Journalists Benevolent Fund.

P: (02) 9158 3821
M: +61 425 297 081

Tara Cheesman

National Partnership and Sponsorship Manager

Tara Cheesman is a seasoned partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising executive. Her diverse career spans non-profit, government, and industry associations. Her expertise lies in major event delivery, securing gifts of significance, and strategic client journey management. Tara is committed to delivering quality, engaging supporter experiences that enhance professional and social outcomes. She is motivated to equip and inspire the next generation to drive excellence in journalism well into the future.
Clare Fletcher

Clare Fletcher

Communications & Editorial

Clare works on communications and editorial for the Walkleys. She also works on programming events including conferences and public talks. Originally from St George in regional Queensland, Clare started as an intern at the Walkley Foundation after graduating from Queensland University of Technology in 2006. She has been hard to get rid of ever since, even after a couple of years living in New York as a freelance writer. Clare's first novel FIVE BUSH WEDDINGS was published in August 2022.

Estelle Fu

Events and Marketing Producer

Estelle Fu has joined the Walkley Foundation team as Events and Marketing Producer. Estelle has worked as a photographer, videographer and video editor for the past six years, and is qualified with a Diploma of Public Relations, Bachelor of Communications and a Master of Media Practice and Industry at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Sian Gard

Program Manager, Meta News Fund

Sian Gard has had an extensive career in the media which began in 2000. Originally cutting her teeth as a commercial radio presenter and then moving into the ABC Sian’s skill set expanded over the years. From presenter to camera operator, working in documentary to digital journalism Sian has worked across all platforms and since 2013 has been leading dedicated teams of journalists and content makers for the ABC as a Chief of staff, and Content Director. Sian is passing on her knowledge as a Senior Lecturer in Radio and Podcasting at AFTRS, and is now thrilled to support journalism in communities across the country as Program Manager of the Meta Fund at The Walkley Foundation.

Janet Gibson

Senior Manager, MEAA State Media Awards

Janet Gibson has worked extensively as a television reporter and producer in Australia, and in communications and development roles for university research centres both in Australia and the United States.
Most recently, she was a Senior Producer for Under Investigation with Liz Hayes on Nine. She has also reported for Nine News and A Current Affair, Today Tonight and Witness on Seven, and for ABC News.
While living in the United States, Janet worked on strategic communications and events for the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, and as a major gift officer for the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford.
Janet has also worked as a media representative for the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

James Gorman

Communications Manager

James Gorman has worked as a reporter, producer and senior media adviser. Most recently Head of Communications at financial and biotech company iQ Group Global, James has also worked in communications at the City of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. In journalism, he has worked for Seven, Nine, News Corp, and as a freelance journalist.

Julie Johnson

Development Manager

Andrew Nightingale

Chief Financial Officer

Since 1995, Andrew has been appointed CFO, COO and Finance Director positions in Australia and the UK, including Compliance Officer and Risk Officer within small, medium and large corporate environments.
Andrew, a Fellow Chartered Accountant who also holds a Bachelor of Science Hons in Civil Engineering, has worked across a wide variety of sectors, including, public relations and marketing, finance, retail, aged care including retirement living, and property.
Andrew has also sat on several Boards as both Director and Company Secretary.

Corinne Podger

Senior Manager, Programs and Education

Corinne Podger has worked in the media sector for more than 30 years as an journalist, educator, lecturer, and author and provided training consultancy to support learning outcomes and professional development for thousands of reporters in more than 60 countries. Her consultancy clients have included BBC Media Action, Thomson Reuters Foundation, WAN-IFRA, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, CNN, Forbes, the World Federation of Science Journalists, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Women in News, multiple divisions of the United Nations, and the World Health Organisation.
Corinne is an accredited trainer with the Solutions Journalism Network, and for the BBC and Reuters. Her specialisms include digital-first newsgathering, online verification, mobile journalism, social multimedia production, podcasting and audio storytelling, and strategic audience engagement that drives brand awareness and media revenue. She has also worked extensively with science and public health organisations to tackle misinformation and disinformation, and to improve solutions-focused coverage and public awareness of climate change, biodiversity, and just transitions.
She has also lectured in digital journalism at the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne, and guest-lectured at multiple universities in Europe, North America, Africa, and South-East Asia. She serves as a judge for the WAN-IFRA World Digital Media Awards, and the Publisher Podcast Awards. Corinne holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Cambridge (UK).

Margie Smithurst

Senior Manager, Walkley Awards and Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism

Margie is a highly experienced journalist, editor, podcaster and manager who started her career in Queensland as an ABC cadet.

She has worked across television, radio, podcasts and documentaries, including ABC's The Drum, Saturday Extra, Late Night Live, Tonightly with Tom Ballard and Kitchen Cabinet, commercial media (The Project and The Bolt Report), the podcasts Journo and The Ring In, and the documentary series Silent No More.

Photos: Anna Kucera and supplied

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