Karen has a Master’s Degree, a Diploma of Teaching and a Diploma of Counselling Psychology. As the managing editor at St Luke’s Innovative Resources, she has been involved in creating over fifty strengths-based books and card sets for counsellors,  teachers and social workers. Karen is the author of a book called The Uses of Sadness (Allen and Unwin) and a card set called  The Nature of Strengths. She recently created and facilitated a series of therapeutic creative writing programs resulting in a book called The Treasure Trove. Karen has many years experience as a speaker, adult educator, trainer and group facilitator.

Karen has been instrumental in the development of our most popular latest resources, namely Rainbow Talk, Body Signals, Self-Care Cards, Anxiety Solutions and Anxiety Solutions for Kids. Her research and partnering with specialists has further enhanced Karen’s capacity to bring a strong therapeutic approach to her workshops.

Georgena has worked across the not-for-profit sector for over 25 years, in roles stretching from Community Development Worker to Chief Financial Officer, and is the former General Manager of St Luke’s Innovative Resources. Georgena is a CPA, with a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), and has completed a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. Georgena contributes both theories and frameworks to workshops, bringing practical experience in people management, team building and the process of change to both organisations and communities. She has witnessed and contributed to change and growth in a variety of contexts, and has used conversation-building tools in many settings to achieve better outcomes for teams, individuals, community groups and organisations.

Sue has moved across from community development work within Anglicare Victoria’s St Luke’s, to develop a new e-learning platform for Innovative Resources. She holds a PhD in Creative Arts along with degrees and diplomas in the humanities, teaching and management, and is an accredited life coach. Her community services work and teaching is informed by strengths-based and solution-focused approaches, and she has a long-standing interest in transpersonal psychology. Sue is also a published poet and nonfiction writer. For three years, she was the co-editor of the literary ezine, The Animist, which was archived under the National Library’s Pandora Project. She has just finished a stint as chief editor for the Melbourne Poets Union.

John has an extensive background in the community services sector having worked in a range of roles including casework practitioner, youth and community development, service coordination, program management and social policy development. John’s previous roles have included Director for Strategy and Innovation, General Manager for Children, Youth and Family Services, and Program Manager for Youth Services. John has previously worked in youth justice and child protection at the Department of Human Services and also in youth development roles at Melbourne City Mission and the Young Christian Workers Movement. John is an experienced facilitator of conversations with organisations around practice development, social inclusion, cultural competency and community development.

Over the past 15 years Oli has combined his work in the human services sector, particularly in the areas of family services and child protection, with a successful career as an author and mindfulness teacher. During this time Oli has published five books on mindfulness practice including the bestselling Mindfulness Plain and Simple, as well as facilitating training on mindfulness and strengths-based practice in Australia and overseas.

Oli sees reflective practice as the cornerstone of high quality family work and is passionate about improving supervision within the human services sector. Oli combines a strong understanding of the theoretical basis of strengths-based approaches with practical experience working with children and families. Oli is a strong advocate for the role of high quality visual resources in deepening conversations.