Women’s Night Forum Circles of Life Celebrating and sharing stories of the resourcefulness of women in the modern world. Our MC for the evening will be Kelly Higgins-Devine with a panel of speakers including Kathleen Noonan, Professor Cindy Shannon and Diane Fingleton. Joan Hendriks will offer the Welcome to Country. Kelly Higgins-Devine loves seeking out the extraordinary in the ordinary. The 2007 ABC Local Radio Broadcaster of the Year, Kelly's career in radio began at 4VL in Charleville. She has worked all over Australia and came back to Brisbane where she found her way into the soft, warm arms of 612 ABC Brisbane. Starting her ABC career with a stint in News Radio in 1999, Kelly was picked up by the radio newsroom where she spent five years wonderful years as a journalist, senior sub-editor and newsreader. She was offered the statewide Afternoons program in 2004, moved to 612 ABC Brisbane Drive in 2006 and is now back on her home turf of Afternoons. Kelly can be heard on 612 ABC Brisbane and ABC Coast FM from 1-3pm weekdays. " I relish what I do because I'm able to explore the issues of the day with the major players, and then to open up discussion with an audience that is opinionated, insightful and intelligent". Kathleen Noonan is a journalist and columnist. She writes the Last Word column in The Courier-Mail each Saturday, feature stories, and arts & music interviews and reviews. Born in north Queensland, Kathleen did her early reporting in the Mackay district, before moving to Brisbane. After working in South Africa through the dying years of apartheid, and a stint travelling and writing in the UK, Kathleen returned home, working as a freelance journalist for publications including The Australian Newspaper. She returned to The Courier-Mail as a senior features writer eight years ago. Her weekly column explores everything from love, death, books, running, music, poetry, refugees and chooks. Anything really. Kathleen is one of five sisters (and a brother), and has 2 teenage daughters. Professor Cindy Shannon is a descendant of the Ngugi People of Moreton Island. Cindy is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Education) at The University of Queensland. As the former Director of the Centre for Indigenous Health at UQ, Cindy guided the development and implementation of Australia’s first degree level program that specifically targeted Aboriginal health workers. Cindy also has an ongoing affiliation with the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health in South East Queensland. Cindy is a member of the National Health and Medical Research Council and chairs its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Advisory Committee. She has also chaired the national Indigenous Australians’ Sexual Health Committee for 8years and now is chair of the Queensland Ministerial Advisory Committee on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis. She also participated in the 2020 Summit as a member of the group advising a long term national health strategy. Di Fingleton was born in Spring Hill in Brisbane and her family's story is told in the movie "Swimming Upstream", released in 2003. Di went to school at All Hallows School, travelled overseas at 21 and worked as a Secretary in London and New York. On her return to Australia she studied an Arts/Law Degree at the University of Queensland. Admitted as a Solicitor in 1984, she worked in Community Legal Centres and for Legal Aid, before being made a Magistrate in 1995. She served as Chief Magistrate of Queensland from 2000 until 2003, until events saw her lose her career and, in fact, to spend 6 months in jail. That story and the story of her life after she was exonerated by the High Court of Australia, is told in her book "Nothing To Do With Justice". VENUE: St James’ Parish Church, 165 OId Cleveland Rd, Coorparoo DATE & TIME: Wednesday, 1st May, 2013 - 7.00pm – 9.30pm INVESTMENT: Donation RSVP: Wednesday, 24th April to Carol by email: [email protected] or phone: 3396 3290 This event is part of the Sacred Women’s Circles Program hosted by the Presentation Spirituality Centre .