Our People

We know what matters to young people because we are young people, so why not let us share your stories?

 

WhyNot is run by a volunteer editorial committee - or EC - who are passionate, a little quirky and a lot enthusiastic about getting your work published for the world to see!

Our team want to stand with you as you share your thoughts, feelings, comments and opinions - amplifying your voice.

Our team are committed to making sure that you are supported from submission to publication and beyond.

Meet your WhyNot Team

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Aileen Ng

(she/her)

Creative Core

Aileen first joined WhyNot as a contributing artist. Today she leads the creative space for the digital platform. After completing her bachelor's degrees in engineering and design, Aileen initially worked as an engineer. Her struggle with the daily grind led to the birth of Cartoons for Sanity - a comic series that pokes fun at the bizarity of our day-to-day existence.

Thanks to an existential crisis forcing her to carve out her own creative path, Aileen now runs her own creative studio as an artist and designer, exhibiting regularly in Australia and internationally. You can check out more of her work at aileenng.com.

Lauren Pollock

(she/her)

Dream Alchemist 

After stumbling through a business degree and reluctantly starting a law degree, Lauren finally found her feet in the world of creatives and chatterboxes, enthusiastically finishing a degree in Comms. Starting out in children’s television (Totally Wild, right!?) and then working alongside the amazing TEDx Brisbane team, Lauren discovered an appetite for sharing stories and ideas that excite and inspire.

Currently she spends her days splitting her time between the world of innovation and strategy to help change perspectives to create value beyond expectations AND working with the incredible WhyNot EC to help deliver content that is both relevant and thought provoking, building an online community of like-minded, inspired and passionate individuals.

Maeson | WhyNot | Our People

Maeson Harvey

(they/them)

Editor Extraordinaire

Maeson started at Y WA in 2019 as a Business Trainee, completing a Cert III in Business, before moving into their current role as the Youth Advocate. With volunteer experience in community organisations, they are always keen to use their skills for a social purpose.

You can usually find Maeson planning their next camping trip and spending too much money fitting out other people’s cars with DIY camping set-ups. Their passion for coffee mugs has led to a takeover of every available shelf space in the house, and they’re not ashamed to look high and low in search of their missing work mugs.

Maeson believes everyone deserves the opportunity to be their authentic selves and is dedicated to creating safe communities for them to do so.

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Sam Duffy-Yates

(she/her)

Ambassador of Buzz 

With a degree in graphic and communication design, Sam joined the Y Canberra at the end of 2020 after several years in the Melbourne design scene.

A creative at heart, Sam has backgrounds in interior design, a love for illustration and photography, and a passion for using design to help, connect and inspire people and just generally make the world a better place. She is excited to get to the heart of what is important to young people in WhyNot.

When she’s not creating a new design or planning out social media schedules, you’ll find Sam on her yoga mat, watering her indoor jungle of houseplants, planning a new adventure, or demanding love from her little cat, Truffle.

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Tara McCarthy

(she/her)

Chaos Coordinator

Passionate about wellbeing and with a mind exploding with fun, creative ideas, Tara is fuelled by solving problems and is motivated to bring about social change. Whilst studying Business Marketing and Industrial Design, Tara has worked in the world of Sports Tech, Business Design, Program Facilitation, and hospitality. She also finished high school through the thick of COVID-19, helping find innovative ways to engage and connect the school community. Before 7 am, you will find Tara running, cycling, or pilates-ing, which is the best possible start to her day (ideally followed by a bougie brunch!). The way to Tara’s heart is an Aperol Spritz and cheeseboard with good quality people beside a scenic view. She struggles to sit still, so she’s often peaking getaway deals and fantasising about her future life in Europe. Tara is excited to support amplifying young voices and read the powerful stories shared.

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  Matilda Knights

(she/her)

Punctuation Prodigy

Meet Matilda - a bubbly communications professional with a passion for people. Currently a Communications Specialist at Y Victoria, her professional journey has included working in the world of sport and entertainment, including as a Marketing Executive at Marvel Stadium and a Multimedia Content Producer at St Kilda Football Club. With a Degree in Communications (Public Relations) from Swinburne University, she's committed to creating meaningful connections and bringing people together to drive positive change. Matilda loves to be surrounded by friends and family, going for walks and attending Pilates classes, as well as heading to music festivals and concerts - but you'll also often find her curled up with a good book cuddling her cat. She strives to maintain a compassionate outlook on life, loves to make new friends and believes wholeheartedly in empowering young people.

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Carlie Galloway-Hill

(she/her)

Conversation Architect

Outside of work, Carlie's life is filled with watching or playing sport – from Soccer to Darts she loves it all! As a sports enthusiast, Carlie went to Uni and graduated with a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science. Whilst studying, she also worked in hospitality where she was given the opportunity to move to the NT, which ignited a second passion for travelling.

Fast forward 2 years and you would find her in the UK living and working - popping over to Europe every chance she got.

Upon her return to Aus, Carlie fell back to her first passion and started a career in sport, and during COVID, she decided to go and study again, resulting in an Undergraduate Certificate in Sports Coaching.

Although her love for sport will always be there, after 4 years she was ready for a new focus – which led her to the Y!

Today, Carlie is working as part of the Y Safeguarding team, as an advocate for children and young people to feel safe and be safe. She's passionate about raising awareness and educating everyone on the role we all play in safeguarding children and young people.

Carlie is excited to join the WhyNot team and looks forward to helping to amplify the voices of young people and creating real change through BRAVE SPACES! If you need to change, please let her know (not her forte!).

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Lauren Cotterill

(she/her)

Oxford Comma Destroyer

A country girl from the snowy mountains, Lauren grew up skiing and adventuring in the great outdoors.

After finishing school she moved into the Early Years Education sector for a gap year that accidentally became a long term career.

Almost 13 years later, she is now a Centre Director as well as a passionate advocate for the ECEC sector, climate action and for children from trauma backgrounds.

In her off time she can be found creating things or enjoying a nice warm cup of tea.

Lauren is currently studying a Bachelor in Sociology and Journalism and hopes to use this to amplify the voices of others and to make a positive impact on our society for the next generation.

Calitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark

(she/her)

Innovation and Projects

Caitlin is opportunistic in the best of ways, having tried her hand at and completed many qualifications in various different areas, she found that her sense of humour and down-to-earth approach naturally led her to working with young people. Caitlin spent several years working in the area of youth homelessness where she developed an appetite for youth advocacy and highlighting issues affecting young people.

You'll often find Caitlin fantasizing about her next international trip, keeping busy teaching Pilates classes or talking about (or to) her two spoilt dogs.

She is passionate about uplifting the voices and opinions of young people and providing them with the skills and platform to have their story or opinion heard!

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