The Walkley Foundation Team

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 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

Penelope has worked in public affairs for over fifteen years, with skills covering corporate engagement, stakeholder and sponsorship management, communications and project management.
With a decade spent as an educator, Penelope is adept at negotiating and communicating clear pathways for partnership arrangements. She has driven the implementation of new and creative ways of working and has a strong governance skillset.
With past work in consultancies and industry associations, Penelope has insight into the drivers of private enterprise and creating partnerships that deliver value.

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.

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.

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 lead communications teams at the City of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. In journalism, he has worked for as producer for Seven's former Sunday Night programme, Nine and News Corp.

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.