Alumni

Our Guest Speakers

2023

Libby Trickett, Georgie Trickett & Rebecca Sparrow

Making a triumphant return in 2023, FOGs good friend and supporter Rebecca Sparrow returned with her Play On podcast co-hosts Libby & Georgie Trickett.

We’d like to thank Rebecca, Libby & Georgie for their insights, passion and stories at the 2023 event, helping the room better understand The Art of Connection and how to create strong bonds with our kids. FOGS can read a refresher and download a copy here. Cheers!

2022

Paul White

Former Brisbane Bronco’s CEO, brain cancer survivor and father of four girls, Paul White captivated the audience at the FOGs 7th Annual Lunch in 2022 with help from good mate and journalist Michael Crutcher.  

With over 20 years service in the Queensland Police, Paul had some sage advice for all the fathers in the room looking down the barrel of their daughters teenage years transitioning into adulthood.

We’d like to thank Paul & Michael for sharing their story at the 2022 event, the committee received excellent feedback from all in the room, the interview really resonated with the FOGs community. Cheers!

2021

Madonna King

Making a return to FOGs in 2021, Madonna King’s work as a journalist, author and speaker spans politics, business and social policy. She has chaired panels around Australia, written 12 books and advises corporations and governments on understanding teenage girls, the subject of her two most recent books, Being 14 and Fathers and Daughters and her latest book Ten-ager, released on 27 Jan 2021.  Madonna has written a weekly column, That Thinking Feeling, for Fairfax since 2014.

We’d like to thank Madonna for her valuable contribution to the 2021 event and encourage all FOGs to hit the link below and check out her books and Fairfax columns or to get in contact.

2020

Marina Passalaris

Founder: Beautiful Minds

Beautiful Minds tackles the tough topics, bringing them to light so our youth feel empowered, educated and supported throughout their often-challenging journey of being a teenager.

Today, Marina and her team of 85 expert educators, deliver workshops to thousands of Australian teens and adults each year. She has received both national and international press for the success of her business and the impact she has on the community. This year, Marina was interviewed by The Washington Post, selected as a world leader in the youth space.

This year, Beautiful Minds educated 1.5 million school students through their school diary content. The Beautiful Minds content has the approval of the Australian Education Department with content being gifted to 3.5 million parents through an online school diary.

As of 2019, Beautiful Minds will be available worldwide through our series of online programs and regular events hosted in Australia and the US.

The FOGs committee would like to thank Marina for her contribution to our event during the very difficult 2020!  Please watch her video below and visit the Beautiful Minds website via the link below.

2019

Rebecca Sparrow

Over the past 25 years Rebecca has been a travel writer, a magazine editor, a newspaper columnist, a TV scriptwriter and a novelist. She is perhaps best-known as the author of three best-selling non-fiction books for teenage girls designed to help them navigate those tricky high school years. Those books include Find Your Tribe  (and 9 other things I wish I’d known in high school); Find Your Feet (The 8 things I Wish I’d Known Before I Left High School) and the best-selling Ask Me Anything (heartfelt answers to 65 anonymous questions from teenage girls). 

Aside from writing books Rebecca writes for Mamamia, plays agony aunt to teenage girls on the Ask Me Anything podcast and runs an online course called The Lighthouse Plan to help parents build deeper bonds with their daughters. Rebecca is an ambassador for The Pyjama Foundation, ReachOut Parents and #TeamGirls a joint initiative by Suncorp and Netball Australia. She is a mother to three kids.

The FOGs Committee would like to thank Bec for her inspiring talk at the 2019 event, great tips and advice from years of expertise in the field! Awesome! To find out more about Bec or to get in contact please visit her website via the link below.

2018

Madonna King

Madonna King is an award-winning journalist, author and commentator. She has long been known as the voice of current affairs in Queensland, heading the top rating current affairs program on the ABC for six years, and winning several national ABC awards for her journalism. Madonna’s ninth book is called Fathers and Daughters and it follows her award winning book Being 14. She has also authored biographies of former federal treasurer Joe Hockey, and Australian of the Year and inventor of the cervical cancer vaccine, Ian Frazer.

Madonna writes a weekly column – That Thinking Feeling – for Fairfax, and appears also in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend magazine. Previously, she wrote a popular Saturday column for Brisbane’s The Courier-Mail. 

We’d like to thank Madonna for her valuable contribution to the 2018 event and encourage all FoG’s to hit the link below and check out her books or to get in contact.

2016

Mick Donaldson

Mick is one of the founders of The Adventure Group International (TAG International) and is the company’s Chief Adventure Officer (CAO).  He’s a highly experienced Security, Safety, Emergency and Crisis Management, and Business Continuity professional with an extensive blend of Military, Government, Commercial and Corporate experience.  Mick brought great knowledge to the table around how to deal with high stress and intense situations, relating those back to parenting and strategies we could all use as we move through life with our daughters.

The FOGs Committee would like to thank Mick for stepping up as our first ever speaker at our inaugural lunch!

Raising money for local organisations that support girls in a positive and encouraging manner.