Introducing the small but mighty
Team BWF
Jackie Ryan
Artistic Director
Jackie Ryan has an abiding interest in culture that connects her work across forms and genres, from writing and research to performance, arts administration, film work and visual design. Her mantlepiece holds a Queensland Premier’s Award for a Work of State Significance, the USQ History Award, an Aurealis Award, a Bronze Ledger Award and a Queensland Writing Fellowship; she’s also been shortlisted for The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award, the Russell Prize for Humour Writing and the Queensland New Filmmakers Awards. Her non-fiction book ‘We’ll Show the World: Expo 88’ (UQP) was published in 2018, and the websites for her ongoing writing projects – ‘Burger Force’ and Fanciful Fiction Auxiliary – have been preserved by the National Archives of Australia as sites of cultural significance. Jackie’s programming experience traverses State Library of Queensland, Queensland Writers Centre and Avid Reader. She holds a PhD in history and political science from The University of Queensland.
Email: program@bwf.org.au
Katie Woods
Acting General Manager
Katie Woods has worked in arts and cultural management roles across the not-for-profit, government and education sectors. She's worked as an Executive Producer at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, a Senior Investment Manager for Arts Queensland and Manager of Reading, Writing and Ideas at the State Library of Queensland. She has a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Graduate Diploma (Orchestral Performance) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London.
Email: info@bwf.org.au
Myles McGuire
Programs and Development Manager
Myles McGuire is a writer with extensive experience as a literary interviewer. After starting at BWF as a clown in 2022, he joined the team as Program Coordinator in 2023, becoming the Programs and Development Manager in 2024.
In 2024 Myles was awarded the Richell Prize for an Emerging Writer, the Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Award, and was named one of Griffith Review’s Emerging Voices. He has also been nominated for the Glendower Award for an Emerging Writer, the Peter Carey Short Story Award and the Newcastle Short Story Award. As a result of these successes, he really has tickets on himself and has become unbearable to work with. The day he stops bringing cake to the office BWF will commence a recruitment process to find someone whose (bald) head is able to fit through the office door.
Email: program@bwf.org.au
Emily Bowman
Youth Programs Manager
Emily joined the Brisbane Writers Festival team first as an intern in 2021 and now manages the schools, young adult, and families programs. She holds a Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing and her work received a high commendation in the SLQ 2024 Young Writers Award.
Emily devoured books growing up, as well as dabbling in dance, short film making, and school theatre productions, giving her a strong passion for the arts and creating. She can often be found procrastinating writing her fantasy novel by tackling her ever-growing TBR pile or writing short stories about ghosts.
Email: program@bwf.org.au
Sally Wilson
Marketing & Publicity Manager
Sally Wilson has worked in books and magazine publishing for more than 20 years as a writer, editor, publicist and marketer. She has worked for publishers and literary organisations such as UQP, Magabala Books, Black Inc, Monash University Publishing, Griffith Review and the Australian Book Industry Awards. She has a BA/LLB (Hons) from The University of Queensland, where she also completed her Master of Writing, Editing & Publishing.
Email: marketing@bwf.org.au