FOUNDER | CEO | FACILITATOR

After battling with a laundry list of symptoms linked to her childhood sexual abuse and trauma (you know, depression, worthlessness, suicidal ideation, addiction… those kinds of things), Donna embarked on a healing and alternative justice journey that led her to sobriety, inclusive faith, boxing and getting a PhD. Donna’s background is in the arts, filmmaking and education and after a not-so-successful amateur fighting career, she decided to combine her passion of boxing with creative writing to help other survivors like her regain a sense of agency over their body and trauma. Since getting her life together, Donna has run two half and two full marathons, hobbled through a 55km trail run, fought five times, won once, produced an independent feature film ‘Disclosure’ (check it out on Stan), co-edited a book and set up Left Write Hook. How’s that for getting some justice?

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Emma is a seasoned business leader with over 20 years experience most often in fast growing or rapid scaling organisations. Having come up through the ranks of traditional business management and marketing, she then immersed herself in the modern dynamic world of digital and technology. With stints in Local Government business transformation, economic and community development programs through to tech start-up's, she brings expansive knowledge and well-rounded skills alongside her entrepreneurial thinking and lived experience.

As a lifelong holistic learner dedicated to her own trauma healing and transformation journey, she is passionate about understanding and trying various modalities to improve the individual human experience and ultimately the social impact of a healthy fulfilling life. When she is not being a great Mum to her 6yo daughter, she can be found out-and-about immersing herself in culture or off on solo motorbike adventures.

HEAD OF PROGRAMS | TRAINING | LEAD FACILITATOR

“From abandonment at birth to child abuse, from children’s homes to homelessness - repeated abuse and trauma symptoms was all that I knew. This was my norm. Fight, survive, and repeat. Until I found a reason to live through boxing. I saw power and strength through my training to keep standing up and moving forward.”

Today Maryanne holds multiple degrees as well as an MBA. She closed the door on her successful corporate roles to follow her true passion - helping people be stronger inside and out through the art and sport of boxing.

Maryanne is the proud owner and operator of 9Round Bentleigh kickboxing gym. She also works within the community adopting a trauma and violence informed approach that encourages young people to be more physically active, develop new skill set and feel strong and connected to their body.

DIRECTOR

Margie joined Left Write Hook as a founding non executive Director in December 2022. She is currently the inaugural Chief Operating Officer of One Basin Cooperative Research Centre. Prior to this she was at the University of Melbourne where she met Donna Lyon in 2017. Margie is committed to the transformative power of Left Write Hook for survivors.

Margie brings to her new role experience across a number of industry sectors. These include leadership roles in higher education, finance, agriculture, health service delivery and professional services. Three career highlights to date are the five years in business development leadership at the University of Melbourne, seven years with Meat and Livestock Australia as OHS research project leader and four years with Rural Health Workforce Programs as Director of Workforce Programs.

Margie has Bachelor degree qualifications in Environmental Health and Health Promotion. She is a recipient of a Churchill Fellowship for her work in agricultural health and safety. She is inspired by her three young adult children who are all purpose focussed in their lives. Margie was raised in the country as the 6th of 7 children, her family still have farms in Central Queensland. Her upbringing and personal interests has made her very passionate about the value of education, access to fine arts and music training, indigenous culture and access to quality health care.

DIRECTOR

Sarah has always been fascinated by people, nature and well-being. Located in Bayside Melbourne, she is a trained psychotherapist and counsellor and has been in the mental health space for over 10 years.

As a therapist, Sarah has worked in not-for-profit, community health, and group practice settings. She is experienced in delivering individual, couple and group therapy. In therapy, she enjoys working around struggles with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and relationships.

With a previous background in business, Sarah exited a successful group practice that she co-founded to more recently establish The Calm Store, an ecommerce business focusing on mindful self-care.

To help keep me feeling strong and inspired, Sarah loves spending time in nature, doing body-based mindful practices, the arts, writing, learning, giving back, and most importantly spending time with the people that matter to her the most.

DIRECTOR

Taylor is a business advisor and former Chair of Playgroup Australia, an $8m charity in the early childhood sector. Taylor is also director of the $14m incubation space Western BACE and startup funding advisor. Taylor’s corporate, community and startups experience spans over three decades driven by his passion to support and bring about fundamental systematic change. He holds an executive MBA and is a member of AICD and CPA.

DIRECTOR

Alex is a lawyer with expertise in commercial and business law and disputes. Over the past 10 years in particular, Alex’s focus in her practice has been on working with women in business and in assisting predominantly female litigants in asserting their rights and protecting their interests. Prior to commencing her legal career, Alex worked in law reform, with a focus on strategies to prevent youth crime and generational disadvantage and trauma. Alex brings to her role on the board of Left Write Hook a passion for purpose-driven business and human-centred problem solving.