Gavin Heaton – President

Gavin is the author of Servant of Chaos, one of Australia’s leading marketing blogs and is the co-publisher (with Drew McLellan) of the ground-breaking collaborative marketing book series, Age of Conversation. Gavin has worked in agencies (leading the global digital strategy for McDonald’s), but is currently holed up on the client side where he is the Director of Social Media for the SAP Premier Customer Network, North America. In what little spare time is left to him, he works with young people as president of local non-profit organisation, Vibewire.

Markus Hafner- Treasurer

Markus is a commercially astute executive with proven success in the digital world. He has been involved with the Australian digital industry for over 15 years. Markus is fluent in current technical and industry trends, including the real-time social web. He has successfully predicted and implemented disruptive technologies ahead of the curve achieving strong commercial returns. Markus is one of those rare people that operates at the overlap of marketing, technology and commerce. His appreciation for each results in well considered digital strategies and executions.

Katie Chatfield

Katie is a digital tinkerer and creative strategic thinker specializing in integrated marketing communications.

For the last ten years she’s worked both on the creative and the client side on immersive integrated and award winning communications for McDonald’s, Kelloggs, Yum!, PepsiCo, Unilever, GSK, Network Ten, and Westfield. In a previous life, she has five years experience in the media as a publicist, broadcaster, script writer, and producer.

Dr James Arvanitakis

James is a lecturer in the Humanities at the University of Western Sydney and is a member of the University’s Centre for Cultural Research. His research areas include hope, trust, political theatre, comic books and citizenship. James has worked as a human rights activist throughout the Pacific, Indonesia and Europe. He is currently working with the Whitlam Institute looking at issues confronting Australia’s democracy. James’ latest book, Contemporary Society: A sociological analysis of everyday life, was launched with Oxford University Press in February 2009 which gave rise to ‘socio-logic’ – a weekly radio show on FBI Radio (94.5fm). A regular media commentator he also a regular column in The Punch.

Catriona Menzies-Pike

Catriona Menzies-Pike is a Sydney-based writer, editor and researcher. She completed a PhD in modernist literature at the University of Sydney in 2005 and taught English and American literature to undergraduates across Sydney for several years before shifting to work in independent media. Catriona is managing editor at NewMatilda.com and has extensive experience as an online editor. Passionate about exploring new ways for writers and journalists to use digital technologies, Catriona is currently completing a Masters in Interactive Multimedia at UTS.