Ghina Makari - Head of Marketing
Ghina is an award-winning marketing strategist and advisor known for shaping powerful brand narratives, activating purpose-led growth, and delivering results across sectors. With a career spanning government, private enterprise, and not-for-profits, she brings a rare blend of strategic insight, creative execution, and leadership experience to every role.
Her career began at Westfield, where she helped small and medium businesses grow revenue through innovative marketing, localised campaigns, and high-impact activations. Having grown up in a small business family, Ghina has a deep, instinctive understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by community-driven and grassroots organisations.
Throughout her career, she has led and advised across all facets of marketing — from digital strategy, social media, and paid advertising to brand positioning, campaign development, partnerships, events, media relations, and stakeholder engagement. She holds an Honours degree in Communication (Advertising/Marketing), a Diploma of Leadership from Griffith University, and formal qualifications in Public Relations and Facilitation through the Public Relations Institute of Australia.
In addition to her professional work, Ghina is a Griffith University Mentor and a Government Mentor, where she supports emerging leaders, professionals, and business owners to develop confidence, strategy, and purpose-driven growth.
Ghina is excited to work with the GCWA committee to create a strategic business and marketing plan, elevate the GCWA brand, diversify events, and build strong partnerships that support growth.
.png)
Stephen Hipkiss - Speaker Coordinator
Stephen is a writer and publisher. With 5 books written 4 in fantasy genre, the other an adventure romance. He created Hipkiss Publishing in 2023 to create exceptionally high-quality books for the Australian and New Zealand market.
Stephen works in Logistics as a full-time job, as well as volunteering at Marine Rescue Southport as Duty Skipper. He is also a Tai Chi instructor and has been a judge for the Aurealis Awards in 2022 and 2023.
Originally from Wales, Stephen moved to the Gold Coast in 2009 and has never looked back.
Stephen’s aim is to get traditionally published and get more people reading. As Speaker Coordinator Stephen looks forward to getting awesome guest speakers for the Gold Coast Writers.
Karen Keelan - Social Media
Hi, I’m Kaz Lee, the current Social Media Coordinator for the Gold Coast Writers Association.
I’m a children’s author and budding crime writer who believes stories have the power to connect generations, spark imagination, and create understanding in ways nothing else can.
Writing has always been my quiet companion — that voice in my head that says, “What if?” Over the years, that voice has grown into a creative drive that’s shaped not only my books but also my life. I’ve written a growing range of children’s titles, including My Oh My, I Had an Adventurous Day, Huxley and Charlie, Rain, Rain—Let’s Play Anyway!, and My Oh My, I Wonder Why, each inspired by the joy, curiosity, and unfiltered wonder of childhood. These stories celebrate imagination, kindness, and resilience — values that reflect how I try to live every day, both as a writer and as a grandmother. Some of these titles are waiting publishing.
On the other end of the spectrum, I’m currently developing my first major crime novel, Echoes of Injustice, set in 1960s Redfern. It explores the themes of systemic corruption, class divides, and moral courage. It’s a very different kind of storytelling from my children’s books — deeper, darker, and more confronting — but it allows me to explore humanity in its rawest form. I often say I write for both sides of life: the innocent and the experienced, the dreamers and the truth-seekers.
Throughout my life, I’ve been actively involved in a wide range of community and hobby-based clubs. I enjoy contributing to causes and groups that bring people together, share knowledge, and build a sense of belonging. Whether it’s volunteering, helping behind the scenes, or leading projects, I’ve always found joy in collaboration and in seeing others succeed. Being part of the Gold Coast Writers Association combines two of my greatest passions — community and creativity — and I’m proud to help our members connect, share their work, and grow their audiences through social media.
Outside of writing and community work, my greatest joy is spending time with my family. I love exploring the outdoors with my grandchildren — discovering new parks, beaches, and adventures together. They remind me daily that curiosity never grows old and that the best stories often begin with a question.
For me, writing isn’t just about the books we create; it’s about the lives we touch, the people we meet, and the memories we share along the way. Whether it’s through a heartfelt story, an online post, or a moment of inspiration between writers, I hope to contribute to a creative community where everyone feels encouraged to find their voice and tell their story.
KAZ
socialmedia@goldcoastwriters.org
Rochelle Agius - General Committee Member
Rochelle has spent most of her career as a dynamic corporate trainer. She fuels her creativity through photography, dressmaking, and writing. Her love of adventure even took her around the world as a training officer on cruise ships! A lifelong bookworm, Rochelle turned her passion for stories into writing her own book.
Since joining the Gold Coast Writers’ Association four years ago, she’s poured the tea, booked the speakers, played with the IT and AV, and - most importantly, found the confidence to begin her own different but interesting genre, a romantic-thriller novel. Her dream? To see it published, and maybe even adapt it into a script for the big screen imagine Anne Hathaway and Liam Hemsworth bringing her characters to life!
Julie Macken - General Committee Member
Julie published her first book, Footloose and Financially Free, in 2010, drawn from her own experience building a residential property portfolio. Now she's writing fiction: a cozy fantasy with a comedic twist, and has also completed a murder mystery kit for 14 characters.
Before turning to the page, Julie spent a couple of decades on stage. She performed stand-up and sketch comedy across Sydney, played in bands, and sang in jazz clubs. That background in performance—timing, character, the rhythm of a good punchline—shapes how she approaches storytelling now.
Since moving to the Gold Coast in 2023, Julie has found a creative home with GCWA. She loves the honest and helpful feedback of the critique groups and the camaraderie of writers who understand both the joy and the ongoing pursuit of the work. As a committee member, she's committed to fostering that same supportive community for others.
Andy McDermott - Patron
Andy’s first novel, The Tiger Chase, was launched in San Diego in 2004 which was followed by a US book tour, including appearances in LA and Las Vegas. As well as being the author of four titles in the Gold Coast Detective Scotty Stephens murder mystery series, he has also published the first book in the Joe Dean American Detective in Australia series: Flirting with The Moon, as well as a new edition of The Tiger Chase.
At this time of writing, he is finishing off book 5 in the Scotty Stephens series and is preparing the first book in his new speculation fiction series, The New Templars, as well as a children's storycalled The Last Tiger. Andy was born in Nottingham, England. A naturalised Aussie, he has lived on the Queensland Gold Coast since immigrating to Australia in 1989 with his wife, Jane, and two young children. He is a patron and ex-president of the Gold Coast Writers Association and the CEO of Publicious Book Publishing.
Kasia Radzka - Secretary
Kasia is an independently published author of several books, including crime thrillers, urban fantasy (under a pen name), and recently small-town romance set in the stunning Granite Belt. During daylight hours, she works in financial services.
When she’s not weaving tales of love, crime, or suspense, she’s likely enjoying a glass of wine with friends, training for a marathon, fine-tuning her dancing skills to 80s and 90s hits with her besties, or keeping the kids out of trouble.
She believes in finding inspiration in everyday moments and loves exploring new places and meeting new people. You never know when the next idea will emerge.
She’s looking forward to continuing being a part of GCWA to connect with local writers, inspire and be inspired, and help grow the Gold Coast creative community.
Sandra Mayer - Website
Sandra Mayer is a long-term Gold Coast resident with a background in retail the disability sector.
Her writing journey started with poetry in her teens and has evolved into different avenues and genres.
Sandra has now 21 children's picture books, two children's chapter books for 7 to 12-year-olds, and one erotica novel, as well as screenplays for feature films and shorts.
Her projects for this year are building her audience for her picture books by launching a YouTube channel animating her stories as well as writing a psychological thriller screenplay.
Jackie Washington - Editor
Jackie is an editor with more than 20 years’ experience in both fiction and nonfiction. She enjoys working closely with writers to shape their words into clear, meaningful stories, and has a particular interest in helping emerging authors gain confidence in their voice.
Although no longer editing full time, Jackie continues to take on selected freelance projects and values the creative collaboration each one brings.
She joined the Gold Coast Writers’ Association to stay connected to the local writing scene and contribute to a creative community she is proud to be part of.
Rochelle Miller - President
Rochelle served as President for the Gold Coast Writers’ Association in the 2024-2025 term. She has also led several teams in the past, while working at a Registered Training Organisation and in other job roles. This has included coordinating courses where students completed their training locally, along with an international field assignment. Rochelle also physically led several student teams on their required field trips, which included ongoing mentoring and coaching.
Her current aim is to facilitate learning spaces where people will feel empowered to move forward with their goals. She believes that anything can grow in the right cultivated environment.
Rochelle has a passion for using story, journaling and coaching as a pathway for personal development. Her current work in progress incorporates both fiction and a guided journal to assist people in working on their mindset goals.
When her pen is not furiously scribbling notes of story sparks or coaching ideas, Rochelle loves to spend time in her garden, going on adventures with her husband, or challenging herself to actually win that next game of Scrabble!
president@goldcoastwriters.org
Louisa Wright - Vice President
Louisa is an aspiring author, writing across various genres including children’s, YA and adult fiction. In 2017 she published three adventure stories to the anthology Mystery, Mayhem and Magic.
Louisa is originally from the UK and emigrated to Australia by herself 15 years ago. She has worked in Vocational Education since 1997 and is also a qualified trainer with a life-long mantra of ‘Learn & Grow’ as she is always learning. Louisa has recently changed careers to follow her passion for animals.
Louisa’s other passion is supporting others on their creative journey. She joined the committee four years ago and has held the positions of Secretary, Publicity Officer and General Committee Member. Louisa is now the Vice-President.
Louisa is currently focused on editing Rollercoaster, a women’s fiction novel to be self-published once complete and writing a children’s series called Escape to Utopia – Mystery of the Lost Corner. Louisa is also collaborating with a writer in the UK for an erotica novella written from the POV of a male and a female called Penpals.
She lives on the Gold Coast with her two beloved fur babies and finds inspiration for writing by the ocean.
vicepresident@goldcoastwriters.org
