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Words have always spilled freely from me.

I was 17 and in my school uniform when I accepted a cadet journalist role at a tri-weekly newspaper in south-west Victoria. Over the next decade I added sports journalist and editor, general news journalist, sub-editor and casual photographer to my repertoire. In there somewhere, I studied Media and Communications at The University of Melbourne, lived in the United States and Queensland, but the country life always called me home. I've also dabbled in the hair and beauty, retail and travel industries and have always been drawn to interior design and decorating.

I'm a self-confessed Type A, boy mum, Jill of all trades and master of quite a few, and I play netball. If I had spare time I'd be getting an audio book or poddy in my ears, or adding items to my online shopping cart and then abandoning them like the reckless spirit I am.

I'm passionate about the art of storytelling and the intimate connection it can create between people.

I grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Broadwater, Victoria.

From a young age I thought I would go on to "bigger and better things". At 12 I wanted to be a journalist; I'm not sure what about the industry piqued my interest, but my determination never wavered. I went straight from school in Warrnambool to a Bachelor of Journalism at La Trobe University in Melbourne, completing a six-month exchange program in the UK and a six-month internship with the Leukaemia Foundation.

My university experience taught me much, but only reinforced the power of community and my love for the south-west, and when my Uni days were over, my stars aligned. I finished classes on the Thursday and on the Monday I was a journalist, sitting at my desk in Hamilton eager to start my career. My love for the industry grew incredibly in this role. After 12 months I was promoted to Chief of Staff, and after another, the Editor of the Hamilton Spectator. A year later again, I added the Western District Farmer to my workload. It was busy and challenging, but I took it all in my stride and I loved what my work gave to my community.

After five years with the paper, the pull for something new came and so The Social Connection was born.