Chair
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Emma is a queer writer, performer and arts advocate from Kamberri (Canberra). Her debut novel, Now that I see you was the winner of the Australian/Vogel Literary Award in 2021. Emma’s second novel, Doing Good Work, was developed with project funding from artsACT. She is currently a resident artist at The Street where she is creating an interdisciplinary live performance work. Emma writes regularly on the arts, gender and sexuality, mental illness and identity with work published in Portrait Magazine, Vogue, HerCanberra and RiotACT. In addition to being the Chair of MARION, she is a board member of Stellar Company and a member of the Minister’s Creative Council. Emma holds a Bachelor of Medical Science (Hons) from the Australian National University and has a professional background in corporate governance, community organising and communications.

Deputy Chair
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After studying English literature, phonetics and linguistics at the Belgrade University of Philology, Katarina moved to Australia in the early 90’s with a well-established interest and passion for Literature. Having come from a bookselling background with her grandfather establishing bookshops in Belgrade in the 1930’s, she has been an active member of the Canberra literary community since her arrival to the Capital in the early 90’s.

Katarina helped develop and subsequently owned Electric Shadows Bookshop over a period of 25 years and has been a strong advocate in supporting the Arts in Canberra with a focus on local authors and independent publishers.

Since March 2019, Katarina has been appointed Literary Events Coordinator for the new Harry Hartog Bookshop at the ANU.

Secretary
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Chris Huet is a communications coach, working through his company Understood to help people become better communicators. He served twenty years in the Air Force as a fighter instructor, leader and project manager. After leaving the Air Force, Chris worked as a consultant and business development manager for Defence, other government agencies and private companies.

Chris is also a spoken word poet, performing as CJ Bowerbird on stages across Australia and around the world. He is the 2012 Australian Poetry Slam Champion and a two-time TEDx speaker.

Chris has extensive experience working with not-for-profit boards and committees, particularly in partnership and sponsorship management.

Treasurer
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Born and bred in Canberra, Charles has worked across all areas of the nation's capital. Accounting is where he came back to, following in his father's footsteps.

Charles has worked in all areas in Accounting from Disclosure and Compliance for the Australian Electoral Commission, Trades and Construction and continues to work directly with the Young Music Society as the business manager. He manages his own bookkeeping business.

While sport is his main hobby and passion, working with the Young Music Society over the past 6 years has given him an understanding and appreciation of the arts and the joys it can bring to everyone.

Board member
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Samantha Faulkner is a Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal woman, from Badu and Moa Islands in the Torres Strait and the Yadhaigana and Wuthathi peoples of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Her poetry and short stories have been published nationally and internationally, and she is the proud author of Life B’long Ali Drummond: A Life in the Torres Strait (Aboriginal Studies Press, July 2007) and editor of Pamle: Torres Strait Islanders in Canberra (2018). She is a member of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Network and the treasurer of First Nations Australia Writers Network and Us Mob Writing Group. In 2023, she was the Torres Strait Islander curator for the Brisbane Writers Festival.

Samantha is editor of new release Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia: A Groundbreaking Collection of Torres Strait Islander Voices, Past and Present (Black Inc.)

Board member
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As an isolated rural child doing correspondence, reading was Deb’s entree into the world. A part time job with the former Mary Martins chain seduced her into the book trade. Working in various bookshops including owning one, lead to work as an independent sales agent representing Allen & Unwin and other publishers in the ACT and SE NSW.

Over the eighteen years she worked with publishers, booksellers, authors and readers she developed a deep passion for Australian writing and publishing. Her primary focus is being a supporter of local writers and encouraging connections between them, booksellers and readers.