As the founder of Deliberate Wonder® I am fascinated by hope, creativity, and learning. How can I help people hope and create?
A
CURIOUS
STORY
A journey across disciplines.
What may appear to be a fragmented career has, in reality, been an integrated curiosity.
For more than 25 years, my work has moved through specialised design services, education and research. At first, these appeared to be separate paths though over time, I realised they were different expressions of the same curiosity:
What helps people hold hope?
How can people be more creative?
How do we play, learn and grow?
Designing:
Making ideas visible.
My design practice has explored how ideas can become meaningful through:
• creative strategy
• human-centred design
• branding
• visual communication
• illustration
Design taught me that creativity begins with hope and understanding.
JAN – 2000
Graphic Designer | Warner Brothers Theme Parks
Design and co-creation of shared assets on world class brands including WB, Harry Potter, Looney Toons.
OCT – 2018
Human Centred Design Consultant | DECY
Focused on solving complex problems with research, human centred-design, design thinking, UX, Interaction design, facilitation, data capture, analysis, synthesis, reporting and delivery.
1999 – NOW
Creative Director | Designosaur
Wildly Happy, Doing Good strategy, brand, illustration and storytelling that is positive for people and planet. Proudly continues after 25+ years of continuous creativity and specialised design projects.
Educating:
Understanding how people learn.
Working alongside children, educators and learning communities revealed the importance of environments that support confidence, independence and creativity.
Education taught me that growth requires the right conditions for safety, confidence and wonder.
Jul – 1994
Children’s Library Assistant & Storyteller
I started out my career as a library assistant and became a children’s Storyteller. This is where it all began…
JUL – 1998
VET Trainer
Designed and delivered customised training programs in Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office and creative software applications for individuals and groups of 20–30 participants. Facilitated more than 3,500 face-to-face training sessions, translating complex digital tools into practical, engaging learning experiences across corporate, education and community environments.
NOV – 2011
Children’s Yoga Course Developer & Instructor | Ripple & Shine Yoga
Founded Ripple & Shine Yoga, designing and delivering yoga, meditation, relaxation and mindfulness experiences that combined movement, singing, creativity and calm for children and families. Delivered private sessions, primary school programs and Early Learning Centre workshops across Victoria and Queensland, creating playful, evidence-informed wellbeing experiences that supported emotional regulation, resilience and connection.
Mar – 2015
Program Developer & Facilitator | Intelligent Movement
A structured children’s program bringing together movement, posture, breathing and mindfulness. The program was developed from my experience in children’s movement and education, alongside specialist input from an osteopath and movement professional.
FEB – 2016
Founder & Director | Feathersome
Founded Feathersome, a social enterprise that explored hope, courage and human connection through creative engagement, publishing and public programs. Conceived and led initiatives including One Hope Two Give, You, Me & A Cup of Tea at the State Library of Queensland, the Feathersome Journal (which is included in SLQ digital archive and the National Archive in Canberra, and Journalling Courage workshops, creating meaningful experiences that connected thousands of people through storytelling, reflection and community participation.
Learning:
Questions through inquiry.
Research has provided a way to explore patterns observed through practice.
This includes ongoing exploration into:
• hope
• creativity
• learning
• human development
Research taught me to turn my observations into deeper understanding.
FEB – 2017
Founder & Researcher | The One Hope Two Give Project
Founded One Hope Two Give, a community initiative that collected and distributed handwritten messages of hope to women accessing frontline domestic violence services. Research into hope and designed the creative engagement model, partnerships and impact strategy, connecting more than 7,000 community participants through a tangible exchange of hope that benefited both the writer and the recipient.
AUG – 2018
Hope Research Student Mentorship | Griffith University
Mentored university students through a social engagement research partnership, guiding the development of three independent research projects exploring hope in neurodesign and related contexts. Supervised the research process from project briefs and methodology through to written reports and presentations, fostering evidence-based inquiry and critical analysis.
AUG – 2020
Research | RMIT coursework Future Design Contexts
How does hope influence Human Centred Design?
JAN – 2021
Candidate | QUT Doctorate Creative Industries
Exploring hope in creative practice. This course was cut short due to COVID complications though continues through Deliberate Wonder.
The pathway forward
Offering the best of 25 years of strategic design and communications design alongside my academic research into hope and creativity through training, educational products and systems.
The Deliberate Wonder® Framework
Creative professionals, early learning educators, teachers, coaches and team leaders, I wonder how creative you can be? My profession and research alongside the support and contribution from colleagues, clients, volunteers and mentees have all formed a framework that builds confidence, agency and growth.
Junior Wonder®
Early learning educators, carers, professionals and parents, I am so delighted to share what I know about children’s independence, creativity, and calm. I’ve spent 20 years researching, developing and testing child-led and educator focused support products for Junior Wonder®.