Victorian Regional Branches

Ballarat Regional Branch

We are delighted to announce that two local stalwarts, Loretta Kaval and Ruth Oppenheim will replace Debbie Marshall in the role of Ballarat Regional Director.

Both have a long history with this Regional Branch and, to quote Debbie, ‘I know they have the skills, passion and desire to truly engage the Ballarat community with the best in Australian children’s literature.’

Bendigo Regional Branch

Sarah Mayor Cox has offered her services again as Bendigo’s Regional Director. Sarah has worked as a Primary Teacher, Teacher Librarian, University Lecturer, literacy coach, conference and festival convenor, and book reviewer.

She currently works in schools and with community organisations as the Founder and Lead Literacy & Literature Consultant of EoL=MC2 (Ecology of Learning = Mayor Cox2). Picture book illustration and design have been the major interest in Sarah’s professional and academic work and she is one of the CBCA Book of the Year Award judges for the Picture Book and New Illustrator categories (2022, 2023).

Geelong Regional Branch

Anne-Louise O’Donoghue is Regional Director in Geelong.

Anne-Louise has had a lifelong passion for, and connection with children’s literature and as part of her Master’s Degree in Education she explored how young children’s metacognitive thinking could be evaluated and extended through carefully planned and scaffolded explorations of children’s picture books. She has worked in a variety of educational settings including Pre-schools, Early Intervention Services and Tertiary Education. In her current role at The Geelong College, she is a classroom teacher at the Junior School and is an advocate for the development of Reggio Emilia inspired teaching and learning inspired pedagogy.

Gippsland Regional Branch

Susan O’Malley is Gippsland’s Regional Director.

I am a recently retired Teacher-Librarian with more years of experience than I care to count. I’ve always read compulsively and with complete absorption. My total adoration of children’s literature grew out of many hours reading aloud to our four children (all well and truly grown up now but still prepared to listen to me rave about my latest favourite book) and then honed most recently in a regional independent school where I supported the reading of children aged from 3 to 16. My response to those who have thought that upon retirement I wouldn’t have to read children’s books any more has been a loud and unmistakeable denial. I am super excited that being a part of CBCA Victoria will allow me to continue my obsession with writing for children of all ages.

I find it impossible to choose a personal ‘notable’ book either from now or the past so instead I will mention my current read. ‘Saving Romeo’ by Kathryn Barker is the most incredible mash-up of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Wuthering Heights’, time travel and science fiction. It sounds crazy but it totally works and I’m loving it!
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