CURVY: Creative Women's Conference

Lauren Winzer is a Sydney-based tattoo artist, blogger and painter. Her tattooing style is known to push boundaries by adding glitter, galaxies and mixing subjects that aren’t commonly put together. She is heavily influenced by pop culture and nature, the latter coming from spending her childhood on Australian beaches and exploring national parks.

Lauren is also a prolific blogger with an avid following of over 250,000 fans. Beyond her tattooing, she also paints realistic studies of nature, opposite in style to her tattooing, but still carrying that distinctive flair for mixing odd subjects together. Lauren says that aside from work you will usually find her drinking, hanging out with her puppies or in the ocean.

Lauren is part of CURVY Day Two - Boundary Breakers

Kate Edwards is the founder, CEO and executive producer of full service creative, content and strategy agency KONTENTED. She is also founder and managing director of FOSTERED — an art and music business focused on connecting artists with brands and is the brainchild behind the newly formed hand-painted mural Art-vertising company WALL.

Prior to establishing KONTENTED, Kate was the managing director of entertainment marketing, publishing and media agency Peer Group Media. Peer Group consisted of 45 staff across six entities, which included weekly street press title The Brag; trade bible The Music Network; talent agency Parker & Mr French; research arm Peer In; a PR arm and a full service agency. B&T Magazine named Edwards one of the thirty media professionals in Australia under 30 in their inaugural ‘Thirty Under 30′ campaign in 2010.

Prior to Peer Group, Kate was the head of strategy, client services & sales at XYZ Networks where she was responsible for driving both the commercial interests of the business and the consumer and creative strategies for the channels. Kate’s work at XYZ Networks was nominated for multiple Promax Awards and Astra Awards including Best Client Campaign.

Before joining XYZ, Kate served as Macquarie Radio Network’s head of integration and held previous positions as promotions and marketing director, responsible for all station, sales and online promotions as well as all marketing activities for 2GB, 2CH and MRN Digital. During her time at MRN, Kate was responsible for maintaining 2GB’s number one rating status within the Sydney radio market for fifteen surveys consecutively and elevating 2CH’s ratings from ninth overall in the Sydney market to fourth.

She was nominated for Best On-Air Promotion (05-06), Best Sales Campaign (06-07), Best Promotions Director (06-07) and took out the award for Best Promotions Director (07-08) at the Commercial Radio Awards. Kate began her media career in radio as a founding member of Sydney’s Nova 96.9. While at Nova her roles ranged from station’s client marketing manager and events manager prior to pursuing an opportunity in hospitality which saw her take on a group marketing manager’s position for a private hotel group.

Over Kate’s career to date, she has worked with some of Australia’s biggest brands including: Optus, Fosters, Lion Nathan, Telstra, Footlocker, Playstation, Sony, Samsung, Diageo, HSBC and Virgin and many more. She has also worked with and for the major media networks including; The Nine  Network, The Seven Network, Ten, Foxtel, MCN, Nova 969 and many more.

Kate was recently a finalist in two categories of Australia’s premiere womens’ business awards; B&T Women in Media Awards for Creative and Philanthropy. She currently sits on the board for the Royal Hospital for Women where she is in her sixth term. Kate studied a Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Design before discovering her passion for media and holds a Graduate Certificate in  Commerce and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Charles Sturt University.

As the co-founder of SWIMM – Senior Women in Media and Marketing – Kate is well connected and in turn connects and inspires other women in her industry by hosting quarterly events and mentor programs in the business of media and marketing. As a Koorie woman of Gadigal decent, Kate is also heavily involved in the Aboriginal Arts sector and is forging pathways for change, education and acceptance in everything she does both personally and professionally.

​Kate is the Moderator for CURVY Day One - The Future of Creative Content.

Alexandra is the head of marketing at Facebook, ANZ. She has recently returned to her role in Sydney after two years in Singapore as regional marketing lead, APAC. In her four years at Facebook, Alex has been focused on helping businesses of all sizes, discover the creative potential and power to drive growth of the Facebook and Instagram platforms.

Prior to joining Facebook in 2012, Alexandra spent 11 years working in creative agencies. She was at Y&R New York for five years working as global account lead for brands like LG and Dell, in which time her team bagged a bronze Cannes Lions amongst other accolades. She started her career in Sydney managing brand and retail campaign strategy for Toyota, Lexus and Telstra at George Patterson Y&R and Oddfellows.

Alexandra is passionate about her two young children, and the beautiful life they lead in Avalon Beach, Sydney.

Alexandra is part of CURVY Day One - The Future of Creative Content

Aislinn is a creative producer at MTV Australia, based in Sydney.  Through her work at MTV, Aislinn has created bespoke on-air and online content for a number of brands including Adidas, H&M, Nintendo and Smiths, and directs music videos and short films in her free time. Using her passion for film and image making she aims to refract the human condition through a lens of dreamt up worlds and realities to create beauty and social commentary through her work. 

She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Media Arts Production) from the University of Technology, Sydney, and completed her first short film Blessings in 2014. Since then she has worked as director, editor and cinematographer on a variety of projects, including documentary series, films and music videos — collaborating with musicians, influencers and other filmmakers to create original film and video concepts. As well as working on branded content, Aislinn is currently focused on writing her next short film, and collaborating  with musicians to create original and cinematic music videos.

Aislinn is part of CURVY Day One - The Future of Creative Content

An initial career in fashion photography soon evolved. Inspired by the models she photographed, Thompson began to capture her subjects as ephemeral illustrations that were published by major publications leading to a loyal following of fans. After moving to Australia in 2010, Thompson worked as an account manager representing artists, but as her work became in demand Thompson stepped back from the administration role and focused on her freelance career.

As her popularity grew Thompson became a regularly invited speaker at creative events, having now appeared at over 13 conferences, she is a confident and personable public speaker. Thompson's practice is ever evolving, finding her now in demand for not only her illustration, but her wide range of creative abilities, and her talent to appeal to a broad audience. Thompson regularly works as a creative consultant for brands, individuals and agencies, mentoring in client communication, assisting with conceptualisation and idea generation and working on a one-on-one basis as a guide for creatives. 

In 2016, Thompson launched Maker's Mgmt, an illustration agency in Melbourne. Maker's Mgmt enables Thompson to further focus her desire to help build strong creative and make use of her (previously in personal time) natural ability to enthusiastically promote people. Maker's Mgmt showcases an edited selection of world-class illustrators and makers to the Australasian market, and hosts an artist roster that is carefully and thoughtfully curated. Maker's Mgmt works with agencies, brands and individuals, helping them connect with consumers and solve marketing problems with the help of stunning visuals.

Kelly is Moderator of CURVY Day Two - Boundary Breakers

Lenita Vangellis is a writer for many, an energetic practitioner for some, but for most, Lenita is a poignant voice for truth and love leading many towards awareness and empowerment. Born into a traditional Greek Orthodox family in Sydney, Australia, Lenita broke all the rules on her courageous, multidimensional journey for truth.

Lenita has worn many skins. After a successful career in modelling and acting, Lenita was forced to deepen her search for truth and her understanding of consciousness after a spontaneous, full-blown, psychic awakening. Since consolidating her accumulated wealth of knowledge, research and experience, coupled with sincere meditation and awareness practice, Lenita has been dedicated in empowering others as an energetic practitioner and consciousness guide through private sessions and group workshops. Lenita is also the author of the hyper-dimensional novel Ashanti's Symphony, which fearlessly blurs the lines between fiction and non-fiction.

As all truths should be, Lenita's is simple in its profundity, but most importantly, it is practical. Demystifying many ancient esoteric teachings dear to her, Lenita's heart based consciousness reflections ascend to the Spiritual Sky of surrender and yet are grounded in the earthly challenges and complexities of the human experience.

Lenita is part of CURVY Day Three - BREATHE

Mel Greblo’s driving purpose is to support others to co-create change and redefine values and culture — for ourselves, business and the planet. Transforming conversations is how Mel believes we do that. Mel coaches and curates workshops for leaders, speaks and writes about legacy, purpose, values-based leadership, community building and engagement, and how we as humans become more alive in the world at work and play.

It’s about culture, and it’s about impact: personal, collective/social and global. She is the director of Talking Sticks, curators and hosts of an annual program of immersive experiences with international thought leaders transforming conversations. Talking Sticks brings together audiences as intimate as 100 people to a packed buzzing room of 1,000 to connect, evoke, provoke and inspire as a community.

Prior to founding Talking Sticks in 2011, Mel has led two national social enterprises as chief executive and in her senior executive roles, has helped build the brands of many of Australia’s great educational and art institutions. She has three children spanning in age from two to sixteen, has a thirst for learning, a love of books, poetry, literature, art, and ancient wisdom. She makes her home on the peninsula of Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Mel is part of CURVY Day Three - BREATHE.

Irene Falcone is the founder and CEO of Nourished Life. A store that provides sustainable, eco-friendly, and natural personal care, beauty & lifestyle products — all backed by substantiated information. Winner of the 2016 Telstra Business Women’s NSW Entrepreneur Award, Irene leads the toxin-free beauty and eco-friendly space. 

After spending 18 years in advertising, with 10 of those years in senior marketing roles for the world’s largest brands, Irene took a leap of faith and swapped the glamour of the movie industry for a warehouse, a forklift and team of local mums. Irene created Nourished Life with just $100 in October 2012 and grew it to a $20m+ business in just 4 years. As a 100% owner, she is responsible for all management decisions from creative direction to financial planning. 

Nourished Life springs from Irene’s passion to help women shop with confidence for healthier beauty and lifestyle products. Nourished life closes the gap between ‘health’ and ‘beauty’ by sifting through the mixed messages on labels and confusion in the marketplace. Nourished Life brings together an extensive range of comprehensively researched, affordable, eco-friendly products that are good for us and good for our planet. 

Irene’s sound reputation as a trusted natural beauty trail-blazer is supported by advisory positions with several industry bodies and her role as the exclusive Australian distributor for 100% Pure, one of the most sustainable and innovative personal care brands in the world.

Irene is part of CURVY Day Three - BREATHE

Clare Cahill is senior marketing manager for Creative Cloud for Asia Pacific at Adobe. She has worked in the Graphic Arts industry for over 20 years in both the UK and Australia, making the permanent move here in 2000. Clare joined Adobe systems in 2006 just prior to the Macromedia acquisition, so has been in the world of all things Adobe since CS2. In her current role, Clare states she has the best job in the world as she gets to work with amazing creative people everyday — Adobe’s customers.

Clare is part of CURVY Day One - The Future of Creative Content

Yasmin Mund is a multi-award winning Australian photographer and image maker (National Geographic, Head On Photo Festival, Grand prize winner of the International Photographer Of The Year 2015, Blow Up's 2015 'Travel' category winner among others). Based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia, Yasmin has a background in design and visual communications where she completed her honours degree majoring in photomedia.

This greatly influences her photographic work, as she uses design principals to compose, construct and process her photography. There is a focus on line, contrast, balance and colour in every frame. This results in an overall 'style' that can be seen in her work in the clean, balanced and complete imagery.

Yasmin’s travel and fine art photography has been published multiple times in Europe, UK, U.S.A and Australia as well as exhibited and sold in Australia, U.S.A and India. Throughout the end of her degree, Yasmin gained part time employment at a photographic studio in Sydney and after three years she was working as a photographer and post production manager.

Yasmin travelled for most of 2015 to India, France, Greece, Egypt, Turkey and Morocco on a solo photographic trip. Yasmin is an ambassador at Slow Travel Magazine and believes in the philosophy of slow travel. Slow Travel is about connecting with your surroundings — people, food, nature, or (historic) culture and opening your heart and mind to experience the unexpected.  

For the past three years Yasmin has facilitated and taught the photography subject at a summer camp in Hyderabad, India for government schools. This involved training the five other photography teachers and writing part of the curriculum that was taught over five camps of 300 children.

Yasmin also volunteers her photographic services at charity and volunteer organisations such as FemFound and Sharewaste based in Sydney, Australia.

Yasmin is part of CURVY Day Two - Boundary Breakers

Danielle Kirk is editor of WellBeing magazine, the authoritative resource on natural health and living for clever, compassionate, curious people who are seeking an authentic and soulful way of life. She landed her dream job five years ago while hiking and working on organic farms in Sweden and Norway, and moved to Sydney to write, commission and edit the title’s distinctive blend of educational, inspiring articles on ethical living, wholefood cooking, environmental affairs, alternative therapies, natural health and yoga.

She launched and edits the yoga annual WellBeing Yoga Experience, writes for wholefood magazine EatWell and is the managing editor of WellBeing Astrology. It feeds her soul to produce magazines that are grounded in integrity and help people flourish.

Prior to WellBeing, Danielle worked in newspapers, magazines and digital publishing in London, Queenstown and Melbourne. She travels widely in search of beautiful scenery, mountains and fresh snow and has a love affair with New Zealand — along with good food, produced well. She’s currently studying a Bachelor of Health Science (Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine).

Danielle is part of CURVY Day 3 - BREATHE

Sharon Edmondston is a creative director at M&C Saatchi Sydney. Graduating QCA with a BVA Graphic Design 21 years ago, she began her career as a retoucher and graphic designer working with photographers before moving into an agency studio role then becoming an art director.

Sharon’s creative background puts her in a unique position to deliver great ideas which contribute to society, building brands that can, and should be loved. She's worked in specialist agencies during her career, giving her a wealth of experience across CRM, digital, social, experiential and innovation across brands such as Optus, Samsung, Diageo and McDonald’s. Sharon is currently creative director on Lexus.

Sharon’s work has been recognised at many prestigious award shows including Adfest, Cannes, One Show and D&AD.

Sharon is part of CURVY Day One - The Future of Creative Content

Ingrid is the leading women’s money and sales coach for visionary entrepreneurs and businesses. She is a spiritual strategist with a gift for creating branding, programs and businesses that make bank and change the world. Combining deep soul healing with savvy marketing systems, Ingrid has transformed the lives of her clients with savvy strategy and spiritual guidance.

Her mission is to educate and empower a movement of wealthy female visionaries, lightworkers and coaches through conscious business, strategy and femme power sisterhood. Ingrid has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, Instyle, Cleo, Glamour, Vogue and the Huffington Post.

Ingrid is part of CURVY Day 3 - BREATHE

Since arriving in Australia from Czech as a refugee at the age of six, Sasha has been on an awe-inspiring journey which has strengthened her core beliefs in living a pure/organic lifestyle. The world is seeing an incredible shift at the moment and as awareness is increasing, exciting things are happening.

Bit by bit people are connecting with the truth. Balanced nutrition through a holistic wholefood diet, superfoods and tonics. Getting active and outdoors as often as we can, barefoot, and that eternal search for inner peace through yoga/meditation and faith, giving freely, and honouring the earth, wind, water, sky and sun, getting back to our roots as healers with shamanic practices — these are just some of the magical ingredients for a life well lived on a higher level.

Specialising in holistic wellness coaching, holistic nutrition, energy healing, spiritual guidance and transpersonal art therapy, Sasha is the founder of Koru Way and BREATHE Wellness Events.

Sasha is the curator of BREATHE - CURVY Day 3 at VIVID Ideas 2017.

Denby Sheather is a natural born healer, a respected and inspired yoga therapist, workshop facilitator, shamanic intuitive, integrative energy healer, birth guardian/spirit doula, ceremonial leader, writer and mother. Denby is renowned for her insightful and natural affinity with teaching and a pioneering approach to yoga, health and healing. She is passionate about awakening individuals to their innate power and place within the nature-spirit-self matrix and dedicates each day to supporting others on their paths to living lives that are authentic, sustainable and full.

Denby dedicates herself to continual wellness education, community service and soul evolution through her work and own life journey. She has mentored many yoga teachers and students over the years, helping them to anchor their individual gifts with strength and integrity. Her passion for conscious collaboration led Denby to initiate the Japanese Yoga Teachers Association in Sydney in 2007 and co-found the ocean conservation charity Living Ocean Yoga in 2013.

As an eco advocate she serves to enlighten the yoga community about the importance of preserving and protecting Mother Ocean, minimizing collective plastic pollution and building business sustainability. Her latest initiative is Yoga Spirit Journeys, an eco-luxe retreat series that seeks to connect people with country through the practices of yoga, meditation, charity and ceremony. Denby has diplomas in Japanese (Ki) Yoga and Hatha Yoga, Swedish Massage, Kinergetics, Bowen Therapy and Energetic Healing. She has trained in mind-body counselling, theta healing, animal husbandry and healing, shamanic earth-centered practices, soul retrieval healing, crystal alchemy, ceremonial work and meditation.

Denby is part of CURVY Day Three - BREATHE

Emma Jones is the editor of niche music blog and prominent electronic music tastemakers, Purple Sneakers. She's also previously founded a business, led publicity campaigns for national tours and festivals for a boutique independent record label, and created a regular club night to promote women in her local music scene. She's passionate about local and underground music scenes, uncovering new and emerging artists, and loves to throw a party or two. 

Growing up in Townsville and now based in Brisbane, Emma has been writing about music for the past five years for publications such as Pilerats, Scenewave and Howl & Echoes before beginning her role at Purple Sneakers last year. She's a vocal advocate for women in music, particularly in the local and emerging scenes of Brisbane and beyond. Recently, she has appeared on a panel discussing Women in Music for the One Woman Project, presented the award for the Electronic category at the 2017 Queensland Music Awards, and was a judge for the Urban category of the 2017 Queensland Music Awards. 

Emma is part of CURVY Day One - The Future of Creative Content

Mason Taylor is a health educator, speaker, and podcast host with a special interest in sharing how to navigate this evolving world and the many health paradigms to create a unique and potent health philosophy and approach that helps people to feel safe, balanced and vital in their body. He is the founder of SuperFeast, which aims to supply the best quality tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms to assist its tribe in finding the best health possible.

Mason will impart deep wellness wisdom for women as keynote speaker for BREATHE - CURVY Day 3

Born in Sydney Australia, Nanami Cowdroy has close bonds to her mixed Japanese-European heritage. Growing up with such contrasting cultures and surroundings has greatly influenced her style of art and the way she expresses her creativity.

By intertwining complex characters and highly detailed objects, her pieces reflect a juxtaposition between foreign and familiar entities and environments. Her imagination is illustrated through works which are both elaborate and exotic. She is drawn to subjects, which may on the surface seem delicate or fragile, but are given strength and depth through her pen and ink techniques, intricate hand illustrative style and mixed media compositions.

Her signature detailed style reflects a refined monochrome palette with her name ‘Nanami’ (meaning ‘Seven Seas’ in Japanese) stamped in red. Fluid line-work and watery creatures are some of her favourite subjects and distinctive forms which feature in her artworks.

Nanami is part of CURVY Day Two - Boundary Breakers

Danielle always knew that she would one day follow in her Dad's footsteps and was waiting for the light bulb moment. After a trip to the US in 2010, Danielle and her long time friend launched Two Birds Brewing in 2011 and are Australia’s first female owned brewery. Jayne and Danielle take pride in nurturing balanced, flavoursome and approachable brews. In 2014, they found a home in Spotswood Melbourne’s inner west, turning an engineering and tool making factory into a brewery and tasting room, known as “The Nest”.

Two Birds make the kind of beers that they enjoy drinking, so they make beers that have flavour and interest, while being clean, sessionable and approachable. Their beers are now nationally available and they employ a team of 20 team members, who all work as passionately as they do. Prior to Two Birds, Danielle completed a commerce degree, majoring in marketing and public relations at Curtin University of Technology. Upon completion in 2000, Danielle worked in marketing roles for global kitchenware brands such as Pyrex and Le Crueset, before relocating to Sydney in 2001 and taking on a marketing assistant role in the liquor industry. 

Danielle spent four years with Metcash Trading working with brands such as cellarbrations and IGA Liquor, and when the time came for change Danielle wanted a role that would encompass her passion for both food and beverages. Danielle moved into the product development space for the Woolworths private label brand Select, where for five years she focused on development across most grocery categories — giving her the opportunity to develop products with small and large manufacturers from all corners of the globe and equipping her with a thorough appreciation for the food and beverage industry from both a manufacturing and retail perspective.

Danielle is part of CURVY Day Two - Boundary Breakers