Stay Connected
SPEAKERS for 2016
WENDY TAYLOR
Wendy was educated in England before immigrating to Australia in 1968. She trained as a Registered Nurse at Liverpool Hospital in NSW and was employed until 1989 in a number of roles including Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) of the Accident and Emergency Department and later as CNS Operating Theatres.
Wendy was in the Army Reserve from 1981 to 1989 and then full time service in the Army from 1989 to August 2005.
Wendy was deployed to the Gulf War in 1991 aboard USNS Comfort as a Peri-operative Nurse and in 2000 was sent to East Timor as the Senior Nursing Officer of the UN Military Hospital in Dili.
DIANE AMES
Diane is a civil engineer with more than 10 years experience in the property sector. She worked as a consulting engineer in her father's engineeering business before buying the business in 2000 when her father retired. She later sold the company to civil construction company, BMD, and worked at BMD until 2007 when she decided to leave paid employment to care for her children.
Diane is a stay-at-home mother of four children and is actively involved in their schooling and sporting life.
Diane is the full-time carer of her husband, Matthew, a toxic shock survivor.
KATHLEEN NOONAN
Kathleen is a journalist and columnist. She writes The Last Word column in the Courier Mail each Saturday with feature stories, arts and music interviews and reviews.
Kathleen is an active supporter of Circles of Life and due to her incredible popularity and ability to tell stories and engage the audience, it has seen her secure her own segment in our forum. We really love having her!
KELLY HIGGINS-DEVINE
Kelly loves seeking out the extraordinay in the ordinary.
The 2007 ABC Local Radio Broadcaster of the Year has worked all over Australia and came back to Brisbane when she found her way into the soft, warm arms of 612 ABC Brisbane.
"I relish what I do because I am able to explore the issues of the day with the major players, and then to open up discussion with an audience which is opinionated, insightful and intelligent".
Kelly is a wonderful supporter of Circles of Life Qld with her consultative advice and is our resident host entertainingly leading our forums.
BEVERLEY MUCKAN
Beverley has worked for Murri Sisters Association for approximately 8 years supporting and assisting Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women, their children, young people and families who are experiencing and or escaping domestic and family violence. Beverley comes from a large family and she is one (1) of the 11 children in her family, she has 7 brothers and 3 sisters. Prior to coming to Murri Sisters to work Beverley has worked in both Federal, State & Local Government Departments. Beverley has also worked in the past with remote areas in the Northern Territory with traditional people. Beverley is a proud Kabbi Kabbi & Birra Gubba woman.
AUDRA MCHUGH
Audra is a Canadian-born singer-songwriter, musician and speaker who unites audiences through story and song. Audra has been involved with the Brisbane music scene for the past several years, from playing in a rock band to writing and performing as half of the indie-folk duo Amon and Audra.
In July 2015 Audra released a solo EP entitled "Chapter One" which received community radio airplay across Australia.
2016 had found Audra back in the studio, recording with award-winning producer Tristan Hoogland. A new single from Audra is expected to drop in May, releasing a bigger sound best described as soul-infused pop.