Kade Robinson — RØDE
GLOBAL HEAD OF CONTENT, RØDE. FORMER EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, ARN.
AWARD WINNING CREATIVE LEADER IN BRANDED CONTENT, AUDIO AND ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA.
SIAN GARD — ABC / AFTRS
Twenty six years working in the audio industry: Radio (commercial and public) as a presenter, producer, Content Director, Chief of Staff, News reader, Reporter, Camera Operator, Podcast Producer, Podcaster.
SIMON KENNEDY — AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION OF VOICE ACTORS (AAVA)
AFTRS Alumni. Over 30 years in broadcasting, voiceover, and performance. Founder and President of AAVA.
MASAKO FUKUI — INDEPENDENT
Independent multi-award winning producer, mentor, and bilingual writer. Specialises in multilingual and intercultural storytelling.
Elle Beattie — Best Mates Media
founder of Best Mates Media and Podcast Thought Leader of the Year, has built many chart-topping shows for Mamamia and Nova Entertainment.
BRITTA Jorgensen
— University of New South Wales
Journalism academic at UNSW, with expertise in practice-based audio. Co Editor of international journal RadioDoc Review.
Graham Hunter — Maceo Music
Audio Producer for Southern Cross Austereo from 2010 – 2024. Currently working for Maceo Music producing Audio Books & Podcasts.
Natalie POZDEEV — AFTRS
a media education specialist, with expertise in practice-based audio, journalism and digital content training. She is currently Convenor at the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), where she leads the radio and podcasting team.
OLIVIA SLOAN — RØDE
Leads RØDE’s marketing across Asia Pacific, spanning podcasting, music, studio and filmmaking.
Pearl TAN — AFTRS
Multidisciplinary creator and educator whose craft spans directing, writing, producing, editing and performance in the screen and audio industry.
ANGUS O’loughlin
— SESSION in PROGRESS
After 15 years on-air Angus founded SESSION IN PROGRESS, producing 30+ podcasts while serving over 200 clients across Australia today.
FARZ EDRAKI — INDEPENDENT
Farz Edraki is an Iranian-Australian writer, editor and host of the SBS podcast Queer Renegades. Her writing has featured on the ABC and in Debris Magazine, The Belladonna Comedy, The Age, Sydney Review of Books and the book Growing Up In Country Australia.
lem Zakharia — Bedou
Lem Zakharia is the founder of Bedou, a talent management and creator marketing consultancy. With a background in podcast production, talent management, and audience growth, she spent five years producing Abbie Chatfield’s award-winning podcast It’s A Lot and created the Ambies-nominated documentary podcast Twice Displaced.
JANE CURTIS — UTS Impact Studios
An award-winning producer of podcasts and audio documentaries. She’s taught podcasting at Sydney University and community radio.
LAURA Brierley Newton
— AUDIOCRAFT
producer and sound designer working across narrative audio series, podcasts, soundscapes and immersive audio.
MADELINE Joannou
— Mylk Media
Founder and Audio Director of Mylk Media, with 20+ years’ experience in podcast production, audio post and sound design, including work with Mamamia, AFTRS, ABC and ARN.
Rhiannon MOONEY
— INDEPENDENT
Senior Podcast Producer with 8 years’ experience creating compelling audio and video stories across editorial, narrative and branded formats.
CHANTELLE Schmidt
— INDEPENDENT
a freelance writer, podcaster, creator and content strategist, with her work seen in Refinery29, Elle, Sydney Morning Herald, Mamamia, PEDESTRIAN.TV and more.
ALI AITKEN
— Independent
an accomplished podcast producer and storyteller with a track record of creating engaging, award-winning content across diverse genres.
ELISE COOPER — LiSTNR
Executive Producer: Comedy & Entertainment – LiSTNR
JOSH BUTT — The Gingerbread Man
Josh Butt has 25+ years of experience in podcasts, tv, film and radio.
JACK Laurence — Mashed Pumpkin Productions
host and creator of One Minute Remaining, founded Mashed Pumpkin Productions, an independent Australian podcast network with 17.5 million downloads.
ADAM JOHNSON — NOVA ENTERTAINMENT
Experienced Marketing and Content executive with experience in leading audio brands in Australia and Europe.
MILES Martignoni — INDEPENDeNT
Award-winning producer Miles Martignoni has over a decade’s experience in creating original podcasts and leading podcast teams at organisations including The Guardian, the ABC and the Cancer Council.
KAITLYN Sawrey — F+K Media
Award-winning broadcaster and journalist with 20+ years experience, working across high profile podcasts based in Australia and USA.
AARON Matthews — Original Audio
Creative Director of Original Audio, an agency crafting sonic identity, audio creative and personalised audio for global brands.
Hannah BOWMAN — Pointed Media
Hannah Bowman is the founder of Pointed Media, a podcast production company working with some of Australia’s biggest creators.
DANIEL Bacchieri — MONASH UNIVERSITY
Journalist, lecturer and researcher specialising in podcasting, documentary storytelling, and oral history.
Harry Hughes — News Corp
Harry is a multimedia producer who’s worked as a podcast producer, sound designer and video producer for Australia’s leading brands
DIANNE WELLER — INDEPENDENT
Award-winning Australian actor, singer, and voice artist with 30+ years across film, TV, theatre, and games internationally.
STUART Buckland — INDEPENDENT
Former lead Network 10’s podcasts, now freelance producer and consultant on various podcast and media projects.
Camilla Hannan — INDEPENDENT
Award-winning creative audio producer with a wide ranging career in the media and arts including for Guardian Australia, ABC and SBS
CLINT Drieberg — INDEPENDENT
a highly decorated media executive and content specialist with over 25 years of global broadcasting industry success.
Andrea HO — INDEPENDENT
Media professional. Broadcaster and content maker for regional, metro audiences in factual talk/journalism, indie music. Experienced audio industry leader. Educator.
JAY Gasser — SoSo Media
Award winning podcast producer, based in Canberra. Previously a Senior Producer at iHeart, and now is the creative director of SoSo media.
RACHAEL HART — Nova Entertainment
Award winning Managing Podcast Producer with over 10 years experience in podcast and radio production, having worked at SCA, Mamamia and Nova.
SARAH YOUNG — Southern Cross Austereo
A producer and sound designer working across narrative audio series, podcasts, soundscapes and immersive audio.
Rhys GUNTER — News Corp Australia
Multi award winning audio producer with experience across investigative podcasts, national radio, digital journalism and documentary storytelling.
Celine Teo-Blockey
— Independent
Passionate about audio‑first storytelling, LA Press Club–winning journalist Celine Teo‑Blockey’s work has aired on NPR stations, KEXP, KCRW and ABC’s Earshot.
DORJE SWALLOW
— Independent
Two time earphones award winner and prolific popular Australian audiobook narrator.
BRIANNA Ansaldo
— Independent
Brianna is the founder of Bamby Media. Her team has launched and produced podcasts for hundreds of founders globally, including Kikki-K, Finder.com and Baillie Lodges.
Francisco LOPEZ
— F+K MEDIA
As the co-director and Senior Producer at F+K Media, Frank Lopez creates chart-topping, impactful podcasts that span the globe.
MORE to be announced
Our panel of judges is being updated everyday. more judging members will be announced shortly.
