Our board members are a fantastic group of word enthusiasts who work hard at making our centre the best it could possibly be. They are dedicated to ensure the longevity of centres such as ours and are always thinking up new ideas to help the writing communities that we serve.
Chair:  Sophie Masson, AM
Born in Indonesia of French parents, and brought up in France and Australia, Dr Sophie Masson AM is the award-winning author of over 70 books, for children, young adults and adults. A former Chair of the Australian Society of Authors, she is the current Chair of the New England Writers’ Centre, President of the Small Press Network, and President of the New England and North West sub-branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia(NSW Branch). In 2019 she received an AM award in the Order of Australia honours list for her significant service to literature.  Her website is at www.sophiemasson.org and she blogs at www.firebirdfeathers.com.​
Deputy Chair & UNE Liason:  Dr Ariella Van Luyn
Ariella Van Luyn is the author of a novel, Treading Air, and several short stories published in Australia and overseas. She works as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of New England.

Ariella's work has been shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards. Her PhD investigated oral histories and historical fiction. Her current research interests include online writing pedagogy, practice-led research, biofiction and archaeological thrillers.
Jen Scanlan
​Jen is a professional editor and member of the Institute of Professional Editors. Since moving to Armidale in 2020, she has connected with the wonderful world of children’s book editing, from picture books to Young Adult fiction. Previously, Jen primarily edited academic and educational texts. Her freelance business, Heights Proofreading, provides a full range of editing services, as well as other related services such as copywriting and preparing educational materials. In one of Jen’s former occupations as a teacher of English and Visual Art, she developed her ethos of ‘creativity, communication, cats and chocolate’.
Helena Pastor
Helena is a regional writer, songwriter and lyricist from Armidale. Her writing has attracted two Australian Society of Mentorships, residencies at Varuna, Bundanon, Booranga and KSP Writers' Centres, and a 2020 Gunyah Artist Residency. She has completed two postgradulate degrees on the transformative possibilities of Creative Nonfiction writing.  Her first book, "Wild Boys: A parent's Story of Tough Love (UQP, 2015) is an intimate insight into reconnecting troubled teenagers with their families and communities.
Catherine Wright
Catherine Wright grew up on a cattle station outside Armidale. After working as an actress, Catherine turned to writing. Her poems, creative non-fiction and essays have won or been shortlisted for a number of awards, a Varuna residential fellowship, and been published in literary journals and anthologies in Australia and overseas.

She is finishing her first collection The Consolation of Birds. She writes especially about the natural world and its power over us.
Lorina Barker
Consultant to the Board: John Walker
John is Executive Chairman of Infrastructure, Utilities and Renewables Asia for Macquarie Capital and also Chairman of Macquarie Group of Companies, Korea.  He became a Member of the Order of Australia in 1999 for services to economic reform and the design of the transportation plan for the Sydney Olympics 2000.  John has written two best-selling children’s books and has donated all proceeds to environmental organizations. 
Minutes secretary and Public Officer: Paul Prenter
Paul is a resident of Armidale and has managed the NEWC office since 2011 - so he's something of a quiet hero.  He has a background in social services administration and has also grown organic vegetables commercially.  When not trying to avoid writing (as, for example, this bio for the website), he has been known to pen poetry.
Program Manager: Lyn Aspey
Lyn has a background in marketing, website design, content creation and designing support systems for SaaS platforms.  Now a resident of Armidale, in a previous life she was a long-distance sailor and spent over a decade living onboard her yacht in the Caribbean.  A graduate of Clarion West (class of 2002), Lyn has had stories published in Aurealis, Asimov's and two Best of Anthologies. 
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