KEYNOTE SPEAKER
SUSANNE GERVAY
Writer, Mentor, Speaker & Advocate
Order of Australia Recipient - Lifetime Literature Award Winner
Lady Cutler Award Winner for Distinguished Services to Children’s Literature
Ambassador Premier’s Reading Challenge
Former Chair Writing NSW - Former President Society of Women’s Writers
@sgervay
www.sgervay.com
"My books are driven by the rights of children and families, partnering them in good times and bad and writing for inclusion and respect for each other".
For over 20 years local and internationally recognised Australian writer, speaker and mentor Susanne Gervay has also dedicated her career to being an advocate for literacy and a voice for young people and their communities addressing audiences around the world on her work to emotionally engage in diverse areas including disability, inclusion, multiculturalism, bullying, inclusion, peace.
Susanne has been awarded The Order of Australia for children's literature, nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the Lifetime Literature Award for my body of works on social justice for children, by the International Literacy Association. Other acknowledgements include the University of Technology Alumni Excellence Award, Lady Cutler Award for Distinguished Services to Children's Literature, Winner of The Society of Women Children's and Young Adult Biennial Book Awards, Notable Awards from Children's Book Council Australia, winner of Family Therapy Children's Book Award and others.
Susanne Gervay is also Regional Advisor (head) of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators in Australia East & New Zealand and has held and continues to hold active roles as an Ambassador for the Premier's Reading Challenge NSW, committee member and role model for Books in Homes which has distributed more than 2 million books to indigenous and disadvantaged Australian children, Writer Ambassador Room to Read which has reached more than 12 million children in Asia and Africa, patron of Monkey Baa Theatre, former Chair of the board of Writing NSW and former president of the Society of Women Writers NSW, Australia Day Ambassador promoting inclusion, committee member of Children's Book Council Australia and a literacy ambassador for many campaigns.
Her best selling children's books include the "I am Jack" Series, "Elephants Have Wings", "Butterflies - Will Change you Forever" and the upcoming "Boy in the Big Blue Glasses".
"My passion is empowering kids and adults with story. Story that brings hope especially to young people, as they navigate this complex world. As the child of refugees, growing up with the emotional complexities of parents who had been through war, migration and loss, books were my source of escape, comfort and courage".