BA BPPM Hon. MA (University of Melbourne) 
Dip. Speech & Drama Performance. 

Meredith has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor or Public Policy and Management with Honours  a Master of Arts (The University of Melbourne) and an Associate Diploma of Speech & Drama Performance. Meredith worked as a Speech and Drama coach at St Columba’s College, Loreto Mandeville Hall, Methodist Ladies’ College, and Genazzano FCJ. She has adjudicated Speech and Drama eisteddfods and festivals and performed with and worked as a voice coach for various community theatre groups. 

Kim has been involved in theatre since that age of 12 working extensively both on the stage and behind the scenes.  Originally from the United States, Kim earned her Theatre Performance Degree from the University of Oregon before going on to work as a professional actor in regional theatres across the northern tier of the U.S.A.  She has spent the past 20 years sharing her love of theatre with the next generation of young performers as a theatre educator in the Bayside area.  Over that time, she has had the privilege of watching students embrace performance, gaining confidence, building resilience and learning valuable team building and problem-solving skills along the way.  Many of her past students have gone on to take up positions across the globe as theatre technicians, designers, dancers, choreographers, directors, actors and educators.  Directing and producing shows with and for young adults has been extraordinarily rewarding.  The opportunity of working with such an astonishing array of talented individuals ranging from young students to industry professionals at the top of their game has been both inspiring and humbling.  An experienced VCE Theatre Studies and Drama teacher and assessor, Kim is delighted to have been asked to stand as an adjudicator for the Bayside Eisteddfod and looks forward to sharing her expertise and experience with those who have chosen to participate in the magic that is live performance.   

Tamara Kuldin has been teaching Performing Arts for almost 20 years as well as teaching Speech and Drama at Loreto Mandeville Hall, Genazzano, MLC and privately. Aside from her passion for fostering confidence and creativity within our future orators, Tamara also works as a professional jazz vocalist and freelance producer in the Arts industry. 

A.T.C.L. Dip ASCA – Board Member and Examiner Australian Speech Communications Assoc. (ASCA)

Anita has been teaching Speech, Drama and Communications on the Gold Coast for over 30 years and currently has four Gold Coast schools support the implementation of her programme within their curriculum.  

She runs her programme by employing dynamic young teachers and has an enrolment of over 400 students.  As well as conducting private lessons, Anita is also employed to teach Public Speaking and Choral Verse Speaking classes within the schools and initiate and teach a Prep and Year One Performing Arts programme.

She has been responsible for the production and direction of several large musicals and drama productions involving a cast of over 180 children at a time at the Gold Coast Arts Centre.

Anita has adjudicated many eisteddfods and festivals Australia wide and is a Board Member and Examiner for the Australian Speech Communication Association.   She is the past Convenor of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod Speech and Drama division, a position she held for over 15 years. 

Anita believes eisteddfods should offer students a positive and encouraging experience as they develop vital communication skills.

A.T.C.L. Dip ASCA – Board Member and Examiner Australian Speech Communications Assoc. (ASCA)

Anita has been teaching Speech, Drama and Communications on the Gold Coast for over 30 years and currently has four Gold Coast schools support the implementation of her programme within their curriculum.  

She runs her programme by employing dynamic young teachers and has an enrolment of over 400 students.  As well as conducting private lessons, Anita is also employed to teach Public Speaking and Choral Verse Speaking classes within the schools and initiate and teach a Prep and Year One Performing Arts programme.

She has been responsible for the production and direction of several large musicals and drama productions involving a cast of over 180 children at a time at the Gold Coast Arts Centre.

Anita has adjudicated many eisteddfods and festivals Australia wide and is a Board Member and Examiner for the Australian Speech Communication Association.   She is the past Convenor of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod Speech and Drama division, a position she held for over 15 years. 

Anita believes eisteddfods should offer students a positive and encouraging experience as they develop vital communication skills.

Dip ASCA LTCL

Jill has established a highly successful Speech, Drama and Communication school and has been teaching children and adults for over 20 years.  She also teaches at two private schools. 

Jill has prepared both junior and senior choirs for choral speech as well as adjudicated debates, public speaking for the NSW Department of Education and Rostrum. She has taught communication and self-confidence classes to adults with the local Community College.

Jill has adjudicated eisteddfods at Leeton, Taree, Orange, Maryborough and Galle in Sri Lanka. She is also an examiner for the Australian Speech & Communication Association.

Jill enjoys involvement with the local School of Arts performing in local productions such as Babe, View From a Bridge, Calendar Girls and Death of a Salesman.  She has also directed plays in the 10 min Play Festival.

BDA (Acting), GCertVoiceSt, ATCL (Communication Skills)

​Tanya Salinas-Byrne studied voice and acting at Melbourne University’s’ Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. She graduated with a degree in Dramatic Art and has also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Voice Studies as well as holding an ATCL in Communication Skills from Trinity College London. Tanya was the Voice and Speech Coach at Genazzano FCJ College and has been involved in theatre, film and television as a performer including touring with the Sydney Theatre Company.

Tanya is also the Founder and Director of her business Ministry of Voice where she works with children, students, actors and professionals seeking to enhance their public speaking and presentation skills.

FACE FESB FRSA

Paul has had wide experience as a teacher, adjudicator and examiner of speech & drama. He has been active in syllabus design in speech & drama and also in adjudicating and examining in a variety of city and country centres in the eastern states of Australia and New Zealand. He is an examiner and secretary for the Australian Speech Communication Association.

He began his teaching career in primary education before moving into the tertiary field, lecturing in language arts, child drama and communication courses. He has been an Adjunct Professor in language arts in the USA. He is currently an Education Consultant, an Associate of the International Research Centre for Youth Futures, UTS and Past President of the Hills/Parramatta Region for the Australian College of Educators. Paul’s post-doctoral research interests and publications include the semiotics of writing for children. His latest co-authored publication, Literacy: Reading, Writing and Children’s Literature, OUP, 5th ed., has been a best seller.

He has been very active in organising professional development seminars and conferences in the teaching of English and speech communication and has presented research papers at many national and overseas conferences.

Paul is active in eisteddfod adjudication with some of his most recent adjudications being at Bathurst, Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga, Ryde, St George-Sutherland and Castle Hill.

Barbara John is an international voice and speech educator. She has worked in the area of voice improvement, communication skills and public speaking for the past 20 years. She has presented corporate training programs within Australia and overseas and her work has taken her to China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Singapore and India. She adjudicates at centres around Australia and has been on the panel of adjudicators at the Hong Kong Schools Speech Festival for the past three years.

Barbara holds a post graduate degree in English from the University of Melbourne and a Fellowship in the teaching of Speech and Drama from Trinity College, London. She holds a Licentiate diploma in the teaching of English as a Second Language from Trinity College.

Barbara is on the panel of Drama and Speech examiners for Trinity College and is a member of the National Speakers Association of Victoria.

ATCL LTCL Dip ASCA Hon

My experience has spanned four decades of teaching, examining and adjudicating speech, drama and oral communication, and has involved various aspects such as choral speech, public speaking, debating, play production, drama workshops, examination and eisteddfod preparation.

Presently I am teaching Speech and Drama at Arndell Anglican College, Oakville.

Adjudicating competitions and festivals and examining for the Australian Speech Communication Assn. (ASCA) has taken me to all of the eastern states of Australia and New Zealand.

My understanding of eisteddfod procedure is extensive as I have served on the executive of several committees including Hawkesbury City Eisteddfod and the Australian Speech Communication Association.

I believe that the value of eisteddfod participation is not in winning the competition but in the confidence and experience that students gain from the preparation and performance and from listening and learning from others.

BA, TTHD, ATCL , LTCL

Lynette is an experienced teacher of
Speech and Drama, English and Communication Skills. She has over 35 years
of teaching experience both overseas and in Australia and is interested in
all aspects of speaking and performing. She currently runs her own private
Speech and Drama practice-for children and adults- as well as coaching high
school pupils in the Art of Public Speaking. She is an accredited Trinity/Guildhall Speech and Drama teacher and successfully prepares students for their exams.

She has written and co-produced plays for children’s theatre with casts of
over 60, is an active member of the Victorian Speech and Drama Teachers
Association and has adjudicated at many eisteddfods and festivals.

Margaret Gallagher holds a Licentiate Diploma in Speech and Drama from Trinity Guildhall, London – winning a “Top of the State” award for results in this subject. She also holds an Associate Teaching Diploma from The Australian College of Music in Speech and Drama. She has studied Linguistics and related subjects at the University of Queensland.

She was previously a co-ordinator and teacher of Speech, Drama and Communication in Townsville. Margaret currently holds a position as a private Speech and Drama Tutor at Stuartholme Catholic Girls School in Brisbane. Margaret also teaches and directs an Acting School called C.A.S.T. (Cleveland Acting and Speaking Theatre) in Cleveland, Brisbane for young performers to develop their skills in speaking and acting. Margaret is an Examiner in Speech and Drama subjects with The Australian College of Music.

Margaret has adjudicated at a large number of centres in Australia and Hong Kong. Margaret looks forward to adjudicating Melbourne this year.

A.T.C.L. Board Member and Examiner
Australian Speech Communications Assoc.

Anita has been teaching Speech, Drama and Communications on the Gold Coast for 20 years.

She runs her programme by employing two dynamic young teachers at three Catholic schools on the coast and has an enrolment of over 300 students. As well as conducting private lessons, Anita is also employed to teach public speaking and choral verse speaking classes within the schools and initiate and teach a Prep and Year One Performing Arts programme.

She has also been responsible for the production and direction of several large musicals and drama productions involving a cast of over 80 children at a time. She has been involved with the combined schools Musicfest and Drama presentation at the Gold Coast Arts Centre with a combined cast of 200 in a single production!

Anita has adjudicated many eisteddfods and festivals. She is the past Convenor of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, a position she held for over 15 years. Anita believes eisteddfods should offer students a positive and encouraging experience as they develop vital communication skills.

Les is a well known Melbourne-based Voice teacher. He lectures in Spoken Voice in the Music Theatre programs at the VCA, teaches at 16th St Acting Studio and in the Advanced Diploma of Acting course at the National Theatre Drama School. Recent productions that he has worked on include Glyn Nicholls’ Triangle [MKA], Tennessee Williams’ Vieux Carre [ITCH productions] and Neil La Bute’s The Shape Of Things [RoundSquare productions]. He is Voice Consultant to Fremantle Media Australia, the producers of Neighbours and other television drama.