Meet our Team

Jane Caro AM is a Walkley Award–winning Australian columnist, author, novelist, broadcaster, documentary maker, feminist and social commentator. She spent 35 years as an award-winning copywriter and seven years teaching Advertising Creative in the School of Communication Arts at Western Sydney University. She now works full-time as a writer, speaker, broadcaster and commentator.

She has published fourteen books across fiction and non-fiction. Her works include the Elizabeth Tudor trilogy: Just a Girl, Just a Queen and Just Flesh & Blood; as well as Plain Speaking Jane, Accidental Feminists, The Mother, and her more recent novel Lyrebird, released in April 2025.

Jane is a prominent Australian media voice whose commentary and writing have appeared across major print and broadcast platforms. She has also created and presented a documentary series for ABC Compass.

In 2022, she stood as a Senate candidate for the Reason Party, advocating for stronger action on climate change, gender equity and integrity in politics.

Caroline Baum is an author, journalist, broadcaster, producer, moderator and podcaster. Born in the United Kingdom, she was educated at the Lycée Charles de Gaulle in London and the University of York, and worked for the BBC, Time Life and Condé Nast before moving to Australia in 1984. In Australia, she has worked across print, radio and television, building a distinguished career in journalism, broadcasting and literary culture.

She is the author of Only: A Singular Memoir, a powerful work exploring family, trauma and inheritance, and her life writing has also appeared in collections including Rebellious Daughters and My Mother, My Father: On Losing a Parent. In 2015, she was awarded the Hazel Rowley Fellowship for memoir and biography.

Caroline is also the creator and presenter of Life Sentences, a podcast dedicated to contemporary biography, launched in 2021. Through the series, she has interviewed leading biographers and writers about the art, ethics and challenges of telling other people’s lives.

Her writing has engaged deeply with issues of ageing, ageism and aged care, including for The Guardian and Griffith Review. She has also hosted and moderated major public conversations on elder abuse, ageing and mental health for organisations including COMPASS, Seniors Rights Service and COTA.

When Caroline was OWN NSW’s inaugural Ambassador, she made a significant contribution to raising the profile of the organisation and advancing public discussion on the issues affecting older women, including poverty, homelessness, domestic violence and ageing well.

At the WHC, Sally successfully led the campaign to establish Australia’s first Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre. Sally has worked for Médecins sans Frontiers in conflict zones as Head of Mission most recently in Gaza in October 2024, and as public health finance expert for the World Health Organisation and the World Bank.

Sally was on the team that established the first Aboriginal owned and led credit union, Traditional Credit Union, and she conceived of and established the indigo foundation, a grassroots international community development organisation, now in its 25th year.

Sally is a recent Wollongong Citizen of the Year and became a member of the Order of Australia in 2014 for her international humanitarian and community work.

Kathy is currently an Honorary Professor at the University of New South Wales and an Adjunct Professor at the Queensland University of Technology Australia. She is on the Board of NSW Meals on Wheels.

She was an adviser to the Aged Care Royal Commission, is a strong advocate for transparent and equitable funding for community aged care, and is co-convenor of the CHSP Alliance established in March 2026.

She has worked in nursing and midwifery for over 50 years, in clinical practice, education and management, with much of her time spent specialising in women’s health.

Holly has vast experience in governance roles, an extensive knowledge of the Australian healthcare system, and a lifelong commitment to women’s rights and social justice. Her ability to organise, network, and advocate for marginalised groups makes her a valuable asset to the team.

Having met several members of the OWN Theatre group in 2018, Fiona was keen to join the group when she finished working.

Fiona became active in OWN NSW in 2019 and is now putting her varied work experience to use in the OWN NSW office (as a volunteer) and the Theatre group.

Before joining OWN as a Volunteer, Mary-Anne worked for the NSW Railways for 17 years in various roles, from Personal Assistant to Senior Human Resources Officer. In the UK, from 2001, she worked as Recruitment Manager for the City of London Police for 16 years, and Organisational Development Practitioner from 2017 to 2019, when she left the Force and returned to Australia.

As a volunteer, Mary-Anne enjoys the company of colleagues and members alike. In her spare time, she enjoys long walks, swimming, yoga and attending the gym. She always makes time to catch up with friends and family as well as going to the cinema or simply sitting down with a good book!

Hoping to utilise those skills and knowledge with a focus on supporting older women and employment, she is excited to volunteer with OWN, to contribute to enabling and advocating for older women in the employment market, as well as educating companies on the benefits of having older women in their businesses.