Nook Core Crew

Mel is a seasoned storyteller, information designer, maker of useful products, connector of people and systems, and mentor.

She is a local and global advocate for transparency, open data, open process and many other initiatives to improve environmental impacts, social justice, government and private sector integrity and accountability, and public access to information and participation in decision making.

Mel is Chair of the Publish What You Pay Australia Steering Committee, having been a member since 2018. PWYP is a global coalition of over 1000 organisations campaigning for extractive industries and energy transition transparency, making sure countries and communities benefit from their resources, and have what they need to mitigate and adapt to climate change - now and in the future.

Mel started out in entertainment marketing and the music industry back in the 80’s, before immersing herself in the world of musical theatre with Cameron Mackintosh Sydney, working on; Cats, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Five Guys Named Mo, and Miss Saigon. 

In London she freelanced in the advertising, TV series and feature film production for the BBC and Film Four, and as an agent representing film technicians at ICM. 

On return to Sydney she worked across story development and production on the films; Oscar & Lucinda, Two Hands, Strange Fits Of Passion, Ned Kelly, Gettin’ Square, The Square, The Three Stooges, New Zealand film NO.2. During the eight years she worked at at Fox Icon and Working Title Films with producer Tim White, she managed a slate of over 20 films and the assessment of over 7000 projects.  

In 2005, Mel decided she’d spent enough time with imaginary people in fictional circumstances. So, she shifted her focus to real world stories, documentaries - enhancing her skills to design software, engage and connect audiences using digital technology. 

Along this journey she managed a small boutique arts hotel (Regents Court) where she created an artist/writers residency supporting 23 projects, designed their community focused web site, and established sponsorships with Sydney Opera House, Company B, Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival, and many others. She also assisted arts and eco travel enterprises such as the Freycinet Experience Walk with marketing strategies, made independent theatre, and was Executive Producer of a mobile TV show Street TV for Vodafone (before smart phones arrived and changed the world!).

Mel has also built teams and designed productivity tools for VFX, animation, and interactive digital media companies Rising Sun Pictures and Spinifex, and with Dr D Studios on films Happy Feet 2, Mad Max Fury Road. She worked on 3D projection mapping projects, and experience design for the Australian Maritime Museum, and was Executive Producer of documentary, The Last Impresario, which premiered at the London Film Festival.

Mel is passionate about the environmental sustainability and circular economy sector. She has shared resources and saved lots of almost-wasted-resources from creative industries going to landfill. She supported a community of resource recovery social enterprises, Zero Waste Network, pro bono for over 8 years.

These experiences helped Mel get well and truly in touch with her inner geek. She is now living her dream of making useful software and designing multi-media social impact content.

Mel introduced participatory design and an agile, collaborative making approach to the NSW Government back in 2012 when making Common Ground, a revolutionary mobile web app which has inspired people and governments around the world.

Since then, Mel has been dedicated to championing open government and designing engagement platforms and innovative data storytelling tools to help governments and companies better engage and connect with community audiences. She is a not-so-secret procurement nerd, has a passion for maps, and visualising laws and processes, and using her skills for social good.

Mel regularly speaks at international events. She loves leading our crew of like-minded makers and helping others make a difference and have a positive impact on our planet.

Steven is one of Australia’s most experienced government content strategists and designers.

He started his content journey as a globe trotting advertising creative and content strategist. Highlights include being part of the Global Creative Centre of Excellence in the EuroRSCG Worldwide London and delivering the content strategy for Australia.com at DT/Ogilvy.

His experience of working to the Government Digital Service Standard and the Service Design and Delivery Process dates back to 2016, as one of the first wave of content designers in the Digital Transformation Office. In this role he led content and growth for the Digital Marketplace Beta and contributed to the creation of the DTA Content Guide. 

Since then Steven has led and contributed to a number of successful digital transformation, agile content and engagement projects: Future Transport 2056 (Transport for NSW), buy.nsw website redevelopment (Treasury NSW), Medicare Beta (Department of Health), Find Export Markets (Austrade), Premier’s Priorities Life Journey Change of Name after Marriage (NSW Department of Customer Service).

When not designing content, whipping up a process pathway or quoting the agile manifesto, Steven can be found working on his children’s books, or singing opera in the 'Bel Canto' style. 

Sophie is an accomplished communications specialist with a passion for evidence-based storytelling for collective action and positive social change.

She has over a decade of experience as a digital journalist and international campaigner for open societies and good governance.

Sophie’s work on politics, corruption, government reform, public procurement, open data, and civic engagement has been published by leading media outlets and agenda-setting organisations, including CNN International, Transparency International and the Open Contracting Partnership.

She is a representative of the Seek Initiative, a non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening community-led research on issues in the public interest. Sophie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and International Studies from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a Master of Journalism from the University of Hong Kong.

Sophie returned to Australia in 2023 after 10 years living in Berlin. She has joined us at the Nook to work on all things open.

May is an independent advocate, researcher, strategist, and advisor.

She returned to Australia from the United States in 2018, where she was the Director, Governance and Transparency at The B Team, a not-for-profit initiative formed by a global group of business and civic leaders to catalyse a better way of doing business, for the wellbeing of people and the planet. She worked internationally with business and civic leaders on beneficial ownership transparency, open contracting, responsible taxation and civic rights.

Previously May was head of research for Oxfam Australia and led Oxfam International’s 12 country study on the human impacts of the global economic crisis, producing results used by governments and international institutions in their responses. She has advised CEOs, governments and non-profits on public policy and strategy. She serves on the global board of Gender at Work. She has a BA (First Class Honours – Politics and International Relations) and LLB from UNSW and an LLM from New York University. 

May served on the Australian Open Government Forum as a civil society member. She is a regular at the Nook, collaborating with us on open government advocacy and open data projects such as open contracting and open process. She worked with us on the Data Sharing and Participation project with NSW’s Chief Data Scientist and Data Analytics Centre, and lends a hand when we need on our story platform Making Open and collaboration tool, Make Paths.

May is part of Yuwaya Ngarra-li, a partnership between the Dharriwaa Elders Group of Walgett and the University of NSW. We have collaborated on two policy papers; Creating Better Futures with Contracts and Making Government Finances Make Sense for Communities.

Now living in New Zealand, May can be found supporting community-led development and social change leaders.

Adeel thrives on a healthy dash of chaos and aims to develop designs that can make the world a better place.

He likes to dabble in many things, from interpretive signage to bio-design and everything in between. He hopes to use his design skills in meaningful ways that challenge the current limits of what design means. He has a particular interest in service design, design for social change and cross-cultural design. He is fluent in Hindi-Urdu, proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Japanese, and has a receptive understanding of Punjabi and Arabic. He is a highly collaborative designer and enjoys sharing ideas and learning from people to take concepts to the next level.

Adeel is a Visual Communications graduate and currently completing his Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (Japan) at University of Technology Sydney (UTS).  Adeel joined the Nook crew after a Shop Front collaboration on the Making Open project, which he is now lead designer on.

Back in the UK, Mark started out in graphic design, branding and communications. 

He spent many moons working direct with clients and on the agency curcuit. He worked with big pharmaceutical companies before moving to Sydney where he spent a wee while at digital agency, Protein-One, working on branding, campaigns, and apps for companies such as Vic's Meats, Victor Churchill, and Westpac.     

When not designing, Mark is now Mr Web and product dev. He loves making digital things.  He has a great eye and ear for story and  figuring hard stuff out. 

Mike is a designer, artist, photographer, and illustrator from Sydney.

He's into typography, lettering, infographics, data visualisation, maps (illustrated and technical), and coffee. He's usually figuring out a way how to combine some or all these things.

Mike is a bit of a nomad. He’s been to all sorts of wild and wonderful places for work and play. His passion for travel has led to some dream jobs, such as art director of Australian Geographic and International Traveller stories.  His most epic journey was during his time  at Australian Geographic where he was sent on a month-long journey to Antarctica to write and photograph a story. Cue penguins, whales, and icebergs galore; and a deep appreciation of the world's wild places....

Minnie has 25 years experience in crafting visual stories, design and communications

Minnie’s creative journey began at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in China, where she honed her artistic skills. She kicked off her career at the Sheraton Hotel Chengdu, working as an Artist in the marketing department, designing a range of promotional materials and event concepts.

Twenty years ago, Minnie made the big move to Australia, where she completed her diploma at the Enmore Design Centre. She then joined Designate Group, a brand and communications agency, for seven fulfilling years as a Graphic & Digital Designer. A subsequent move to Hobart nudged her towards freelancing, a path she has thoroughly enjoyed. Recently, she settled in the beautiful beach town of Port Macquarie, NSW.

Arabella is a Minyungbul woman, company director, strategist, environment and planning lawyer, and Associate Dean at Sydney University. 

She is chief strategist for Currie Country, a First Nations cousin consortium based on her traditional lands of the Tweed Coast, bounded by the Logan River (QLD) to the North, the Brunswick River (NSW) in the South, and West to the Albert River (QLD).

Currie Country is a Social Change Aboriginal Corporation offering native foods, First Nations education and experiences to help share Aboriginal knowledge to connect people to the country, place and purpose.

Arabella’s traditional name is Gnibi, meaning Black Swan, a name and totem given to her by her family elders reflecting her role and spirit. 

She specialises in helping private and public sector organisations and leaders to connect strategy, social impact and value. She is passionate about reconciliation and applying an Aboriginal worldview to the future to benefit all people and our planet. 

Arabella became Nook’s First Nations Advisor in 2024. We are working on innovative ways to apply information, design, and storytelling to develop an understanding of Indigenous communities' connection to place and nature.

Our shared goals are to ensure greater community participation in planning and development decisions, foster deeper connections and knowledge sharing with our Asia Pacific neighbours, and encourage investors to fund community led development to protect the environment and local climate mitigation solutions.