Meet our Team!

Like all not for profit groups we have a dedicated staff team and volunteer committee who work behind the scenes to keep BrisStyle running and put all the members thoughts and ideas into action. "Approachable" is our middle name so please take the time to get to know us here and we look forward to meeting you in person at all of our markets and events real soon!

Staff
	Operations Coordinator - Belinda Harris (enticing icing + liddle apples) Coming from a background of Retail, Membership Services and then moving on to a Sales Administrator role, Belinda Harris excels at keeping the ‘virtual' BrisStyle office humming along. When not sending out emails, organising advertising or following up on invoices, Bel loves to create new creations with her brother and business partner Brett, for their label liddle apples using crafts and skills taught to them by their late Nan Beryl. Bel also spends her time looking after her two boys, in her veggie garden and baking and making sweet art creations for her other etsy store enticing icing.
	Events Co-ordinator - Helen Berthold (Ruby Red Studios + Ruby 2 go go) Kitsch eco crafter by night for her labels Ruby Red Studios and Ruby 2 go go, creative consultive by day and everything BrisStyle in between, Helen is passionate about people and dedicated to making BrisStyle a warm, friendly, creative environment for all. One of BrisStyle's original founding members, she has brought her professional expertise in coaching, development and management training to her various roles within the BrisStyle committee, in particular her project management and marketeering experience both locally and internationally has been an asset to her role as Markets and Events Co-ordinator since the groups inception.
	Memberships Coordinator – Samantha Gilkes (Jetta's Nest) Coming from a clerical background, Sam now works behind the scenes in the virtual BrisStyle office processing our membership applications, attending to membership inquiries and putting together our monthly subscribers e-newsletter. Sam is also a member of our BrisStyle Inc. Committee and has been for a number of years. She’s a loving mum of three and creator of Jetta’s Nest, home of sweet illustrations, wearable and hangable art pieces and lots of other things inbetween. When not painting and drawing she is crocheting the night away or taking Suzy Scroll-Saw for a spin creating unique art pieces from salvaged and recycled timber. Sam also helps out with the Brisbane based chapter of Brown Owls craft group with Rebecca Cason.

Committee

	President - Kath Chown Kath started her brand bunnyhornet when she returned from an 18 month working-holiday to Ireland. Struggling to find a job in the harsh Irish economic climate, she turned to her roots and began to sew, knit and make jewellery as she had when she was a child. Coming from a very creative background with a Bachelor of Arts Drama and Music, she loves just about anything creative which brings people together as a community. She was the President of Underground Productions, the resident theatre company at The University of Queensland in 2005 where she introduced the 'Process Musical' where everybody who auditioned was given a role and the actors wrote the script and music through workshop. She used her experience in retail, administration, banking, theatre and management to open the doors of her boutique, Handmade High Street at the end of 2011 as a joint venture with friends. Their mission statement has always been to support artisans in Brisbane and nurture creativity. Kath would love to help foster the BrisStyle community by retaining it's amazing reputation for inclusiveness. She joined in 2011 and has never been happier to be part of such a loving and friendly group of people.
	Treasurer - Alycia Woods - AKW Accounting Alycia started AKW Accountants in February 2012 after 9 years in a medium sized firm in the CBD. She is passionate about establishing long-term business relationships and providing excellent professional and personalised service to her customers.
	Secretary - Belinda Harris - enticing icing + liddle apples
	Samantha Gilkes - Jetta's Nest
	Gill Pyke - Catamation Gill makes origami jewellery for her label Catamation and is a printmaker, amongst other things holding qualifications and experience in graphic and web design, multimedia, animation, fine art, silver smithing and fashion design. For the last two years she has been an active committee member of Impress Printmakers - a non-profit printmaking community studio. While her two year position with Impress is coming to an end, she feels that she can add value to the BrisStyle community through the skills she has learnt from being a member of other community organisations, as well as her experience in marketing and branding from over 15 years of working in advertising agencies.
	Amanda Whitelaw - Hungry Designs After studying a BAHons in Illustration & Printmaking at Duncan of Jordanstone, College of Art & Design in Scotland, Amanda moved back to Australia, bringing her husband (and market muscle), Colin, with her. Amanda owns and runs Hungry Designs, a small business that specialises in wearable art, accessories and homewares. The Hungry Designs collection is entirely hand drawn and digitally coloured by Amanda. Inspired by modern American comics that she has collected since she was 16, Amanda is a avid comic book collector and loves to watch foreign films. Passionate about handmade and the handmade movement, Amanda can be found showcasing her wares at BrisStyle events, the Finders Keepers Markets and the Supanova Popular Culture Events. She lives in the Greater Brisbane area with Colin and their two guinea pigs, Bud Lucky and Champ Kind.
	Bronwen Jones - Whizz Bangle Bronwen is a mild-mannered public servant by day, kitchen table crafter by evening/weekend/whenever she gets a chance. Dabbling in craft has been an offset to the science and policy she works on during the week. Her love of colour shows through in the resin bangles and vintage-inspired vases she makes for her label whizzbangle. Since joining BrisStyle she has been inspired by the supportive and professional group of crafters, and brings her experience in problem-solving, project management and information analysis to the Committee.
	Jess Van Den - Epheriell & Bespoke Zine After combining her degrees in science, arts, and education to work in a number of professional educational roles during her 20’s, Jess was dissatisfied with her career… and on a mission to discover her passion. In 2008 she started making jewellery as a hobby, and totally fell in love with it after taking a weekend silversmithing course. Soon after, she stumbled upon Etsy while browsing online, and found the way to earn back some of the money she’d spent on her hobby! She joined BrisStyle soon after, and has been a member ever since. Fast-forward 4 years, and what started as a little hobby shop to sell off some of the excess jewellery she was creating has become a central part of her full-time business as a creative entrepreneur. As well as making her eco-conscious, modern sterling silver jewellery under the brand Epheriell, she blogs daily about beautiful things and how to have a bountiful business on EpheriellDesigns.com. She also publishes bespoke, a print magazine about all things creative and crafty, which is available online and Australia-wide.
	Sandrine Marsh - SMBoutique Sandrine has been a BrisStyle member since 2008 and has been volunteering in various roles (Blogging, photography, meet ups for members, giving a hand when needed) for the past year. She enjoys being involved in the creative and Etsy world, helping people creating connections and that sense of community and purpose that surrounds handmade. She is a mum, a maker, a photographer, a lover of simplicity and a seeker of beauty and harmony. She started her own Label Sandrine Marsh (SMboutique.etsy.com) in 2008 to channel her creative tendency and a love for beautiful accessories. Sandrine has been in Australia for 12 years, is originally from France, has travelled the world with her a scientific background; she worked in Cancer research in France, managed laboratory in Africa and also has been a QA and OHS officer for a large Environment Laboratory in Australia. Sandrine is Hoping to help make BrisStyle a happy and supportive place for all members.
	Kirsten Devitt - Each to Own and Short Cuts Laser
	We would also like to make mention to our retired life members who were part of our founding comittee and without them BrisStyle would definitley have not turned into what it is today xx Amanda Francey of Amalou Studios Robyn Dixon of Hot Fudge Ali Chisholm of Jellygnite & Little Jellygnite Bec Hollis of Where's Becky Bean and our heartfelt thanks goes to our outgoing Committee members of 2012 Rebecca Cason of edward and lilly Melinda Hume of Moose and Bird Teneale Muir of Wicked Child Designs Special thanks must also go to Esther Neijman of Green Envy Designs for that very first coffee meet up where it all began...