Ewan McEoin
Creative Director, Propeller

Propeller is a multi-disciplinary company led by design thinking that designs, develops and delivers platforms for communication, collaboration and behavior change. Through the development and delivery of large-scale events, industry development programs, workshops, exhibitions and publications, Propeller assists industry and government to engage target audiences in a meaningful and impactful way – promoting creative/social enterprise, the appropriate use of design and the related values of inclusivity and sustainability. Propeller has a strong focus on the Australian design and social enterprise sectors working between governments, NGOs and SMEs. Ewan is also Creative Director of Unlimited: Designing for the Asia Pacific, which is the Queensland Government's international design triennial launched in 2010. He was Creative Director of the State of Design for 2008 and 2009.

Emily Wright
Founder, nancybird

Nancybird is a label of accessories – bags, purses, scarves. It's also a play of texture, print and colour. These things have kept Emily busy over the best part of 9 years. And it's mostly been enjoyable. Though Emily does the vast majority of design, it couldn't be done without an incredibly dedicated staff of three, some great (and good looking) local printers, Italian tannery workers, Sri Lankan weavers, skilled Chinese leatherworkers, lovely retailers and cute website designers. The label is stocked in around 150 stores throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK, including through their webstore.

Philip Stokes
Philip Stokes Studio Glass

Philip completed a Bachelor of Applied Art with Honours in 2000 and received the Pilchuck Partnership Scholarship and the D.W.Rogers Award in recognition of his outstanding student work. In 2002 he established his first professional studio in Fitzroy where he developed his skills with hot glass and his unique aesthetic, and built up a viable creative business in glass making. Philip's architectural sculptures, lighting and art works adorn the Crown Casino (now the Altira), the Four Seasons Hotel (Hong Kong), The Marina Bay Sands Casino (Singapore) and the Sheraton Hotel (Xiamen, China) amongst many others and he continues to grow his export market in the Asia Pacific region. Philip has recently relocated his studio and gallery from the Abbotsford Convent to Cremorne where he continues to enjoy the challenges of business and glass blowing.

Kate Rohde
Artist

Kate Rohde completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2001. Since then she has held several solo exhibitions and been involved in numerous group shows, including; Curious Colony Newcastle Region Art Gallery (2010), Renaissance Dinosaur (with Romance was Born), Karen Woodbury Gallery (2010); Code share, Contemporary Art Centre, Vilnius (2009); Handle with care, the Art Gallery of South Australia (2008) and Flourish, TarraWarra Museum of Art (2008). She is represented by Karen Woodbury Gallery, Melbourne. Her work is held in a number of public collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, Bendigo Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Justine Ellis

Michi Girl

Justine Ellis has over 10 years experience in the retail sector. She has been Manager of Monk House Design  since doors opened in 2005, was integral in launching Monk House Design's online store, and now oveersees the shop, website and web store. More recently, Justine joined Michi Girl, a daily fashion and weather forecast email newsletter and website as their online shop manager – collaborating and working with artists and designers to sell their goodies in Michi's shop. She also co-founded artist-run, independent art book publisher And Collective and alongside Dan Rule and Marc Martin, launched the ERM books imprint in 2010. In late April 2011, she and her husband Dan opened Perimeter Books, a small bookstore and art space in Thornbury, stocking a curated selection of local and international small press, art, architecture and design publications.

Janenne Willis
Founder, Undercurrent

Janenne is focused on changing the world through her work with Undercurrent, Minds at Work, Next Wave and a soon to be launched social enterprise. Janenne is an avid learner with qualifications in Agribusiness, an MBA and awards in International Marketing and Business Planning (all fairly mundane next to winning Waves Magazine 'Slash of the Month'). She is a fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program, Chair of Next Wave and a recipient of a Chairman's Commendation for Community Leadership from Leadership Victoria. She lives off the beaten track, a philosophy that stems from her worldwide travels to her love for little heard music. One thing that doesn't change is where you're likely to find her, always in close proximity to the ocean (and her office with sea glimpses is no exception).

Jeremy Smart
Programmer/Designer, The Richmond Social

Jeremy Smart has been running his web design business The Richmond Social since 2002, building websites for small businesses, community groups and the arts. During 2007, Jeremy started up Artsphere with his partner, Melanie Flynn. Artsphere provides affordable, specialised websites for artists and galleries and currently supports around 90 artists and galleries across Australia. Jeremy is also a photographic artist, giving him a more intimate understanding of the web requirements and expectations of those involved in the creative industries. Drawing on his experience as a web designer and artist, he has been presenting workshops on how to build websites for artists on behalf of the Australian Business Arts Foundation over the past few years.

Dawn Tan
Artist

Melbourne artist and crafter Dawn Tan is a self-confessed foodie with a penchant for all things yummy and beautifully packaged. Having recently graduated from the Victorian College of The Arts, Dawn now works from a cosy little studio in East Brunswick. Her recent work embraces her renewed inspiration with home-cooking and some of these have been translated into a series of illustrations and accessories such as tea towels, aprons, and tote bags. In her spare time, Dawn also authors www.hand-made-love.blogspot.com and runs adult and children art workshops in a number of schools and private art studios around Melbourne. Dawn and her work have been featured in publications including Frankie, Uppercase Magazine, Vogue Living.