“GJC support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to reach their full potential by facilitating effective, well-managed and culturally appropriate communications in all areas of individual and community life.”
GJC is an Aboriginal communications, public-relations and training agency with additional experience in publishing, events, film, radio and television production, through its sister organisations, Vibe Australia and Deadly TV.
GJC has worked at the forefront of Aboriginal communications in the public and private sectors for more than 18 years, specialising in the areas of health, employment, training, cultural awareness, the arts and sport. The management of large projects involving the coordination of Aboriginal communities with Government is a role that GJC is often called upon to facilitate and manage.
GJC has a long and extensive history of liaising with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities at local, state and national levels. GJC’s networks within Aboriginal Australia spread from Oyster Cove in Tasmania to Bamaga in Cape York, from Redfern in NSW to Derby and Broome in WA, and from Alice Springs to Darwin.
Our approach recognises that effective communications with Indigenous communities can often be achieved through existing service providers, key alliances, intermediaries and trusted ‘information gatekeepers’. We are committed to providing all our clients with individual approaches that suit their agency and the community.
Most importantly, our approach is built on the basis of respect for all Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.
GJC has been a member of the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC) since the Hon Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services announced the innovative business program in September 2009.
AIMSC aims to contribute to the creation of a sustainable, vibrant and prosperous Indigenous enterprise sector in Australia, by facilitating the integration of Indigenous business into the supply chain of Corporations and Government agencies.
Our Core Strengths
Our greatest strength is our capacity to engage in culturally sensitive and respectful ways with Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander leaders and communities across Australia. We recognise the traumatic legacy of past colonial policies and practices, and the impact of these discriminatory practices on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s social and emotional wellbeing.
GJC has unprecedented reach into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia, with an extensive and highly regarded network of connections and relationships.
As an Aboriginal owned and operated consultancy, we have a unique insight into the manifold issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and, with its sister company Vibe Australia, have developed a successful program over 18 years that includes the Deadly Awards, Deadly Vibe and InVibe magazines, Deadly Sounds Radio, Deadly TV and vibe.com.au
GJC listens. We listen to our clients and to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia and understand there is a depth of opportunity in Indigenous Australia to come on board this campaign. GJC will seek out, facilitate and fairly negotiate uptake of this campaign across all levels of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Meet the GJC Team
Gavin Jones – Managing Director
As the Managing Director of GJC, Gavin Jones is a seasoned communications specialist. A professional writer and A-grade journalist, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Canberra in 1989 after a cadetship with the Goulburn Evening Post.
Gavin’s specialty is the management of large-scale communication projects and strategies involving the co-ordination of Aboriginal communities at local, state and national levels with Government.
Gavin is the creative director on all campaigns, and matches communication, policy and program requirements of our Departments with the community to whom information is targeted.
From 1989–1993, Gavin worked as a journalist in various Government agencies, working on large-scale communication campaigns such as Priority One, the Drug Offensive, Aim for One Workforce, as well as the International Year of Literacy and International Year of the World’s Indigenous People.
He has managed large-scale, ongoing research projects, such as the Youth Longitudinal Survey, and coordinated evaluations on many communication initiatives.
Gavin has written everything from Abstudy brochures and employment guidelines to AFL half-time voice-overs and major Ministerial speeches.
Gavin is the founder and editor-in-chief of Deadly Vibe magazine, a national Aboriginal music, sport, entertainment and lifestyle publication, with a monthly distribution of 47,000. He also founded a weekly, syndicated radio program profiling Aboriginal music, health and lifestyle, Deadly Sounds. This program is played on some 200 stations right around Australia, and has been broadcasting every week for some 900 weeks.
Gavin also founded and continues to direct the annual Deadly Awards. Gavin is the Managing Director of Deadly TV and Executive Producer of Deadly TV’s health and lifestyle program, Living Strong and our youth program Move It Mob Style®.
From a more corporate perspective, Gavin has written human resource strategies for Government and non-Government organisations, including the NSW Attorney General’s Department, the then Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs, the Office of the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment and Franklins. Gavin has also developed training programs for QANTAS and the NSW Department of Corrective Services for long-term unemployed Aboriginal communication strategies.
Georgia Cordukes – CEO
Georgia graduated from the University of Sydney in 1989 with a BA/LLB (Hons) and practised at Blake Dawson Waldron for two years, specialising in entertainment law.
Georgia has extensive production and management experience, having worked as a production manager, promotions manager and events coordinator in the film and music industries.
Part of GJC since 1997, Georgia helped to coordinate and produce the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander film program of the Festival of the Dreaming, The Pikchas, and organised Dreaming of a Better Future, a two-day forum held in conjunction with the Sydney Opera House Trust aimed at increasing employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians in the arts and entertainment. She was also involved in producing Blak Screen/Blak Sounds, a two-day film and music festival held in conjunction with the Sydney Opera House Trust.
Georgia has been involved in the areas of public relations, research, writing and communications for Vibe since 1999. Georgia also handles all legal and contractual issues at GJC.
Georgia has acted as producer of the Deadly Awards since 1999. She was also Supervising Producer for Deadly TV’s program, Living Strong, and Co-Executive Producer of our youth program Move it Mob Style®.
As CEO of GJC, Georgia oversees the management of all the consultancy’s projects and events, and has experience in the areas of public relations, research and project management.
Mayrah Sonter – Senior Consultant
Mayrah is a proud Wiradjuri woman. Mayrah holds a BA in Communications (Public Communications) from the University of Technology, and is currently the Head of Events at Vibe Australia.
Mayrah has worked in both the public and private sectors in the areas of public relations, marketing, project management, radio broadcast, TV presenting and events for the past eight years.
Since joining GJC, Mayrah has worked as a publicist and performers producer for the Deadly Awards, producer of the Deadly Sounds radio program, presenter on the Living Strong TV Program and producer for the National Vibe 3on3 Basketball and Hip Hop Challenge and the Vibe Alive festivals nationally.
Prior to working at GJC, Mayrah worked with Emma Collison Publicity and Michelle Guthrie Publicity on a range of community and stage events. In the education sphere, Mayrah has worked at the Aboriginal Education and Training Directorate, on the inaugural Nanga Mai Awards to recognise Aboriginal student achievement and as the Indigenous Student Liaison Officer at the Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Sydney.
Maryann Weston – Senior Consultant
Maryann Weston has an extensive background in media and Government, coupled with strong writing experience and expertise. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and a Diploma of Community Services.
She has a history in communications and teaching and, more recently, worked on major policy initiatives for the Australian Government.
Working in Government for seven years, Maryann specialised in communicating major policy initiatives and, later, developing, implementing, administering and reviewing policy. Prior to her Government work, Maryann was an award-winning editor and journalist with Fairfax Media.
Maryann’s experience includes communication strategy writing and production of communications tools for Government, developing policy initiatives, program monitoring and evaluations, and research and analysis. While in Government, Maryann used her teaching experience to train not-for-profit community groups in new Government initiatives.
In her work for GJC, she brings to the table her knowledge of Government policy and program management and her strong writing abilities. Over the years she has written Ministerial speeches, policy reports and recommendations to Government, and is skilled in writing creative collateral for Government campaigns.
She has a number of NSW Country Press awards for writing and community engagement. Working also as a journalist with Deadly Vibe and InVibe magazines, Maryann has developed a strong network across the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, since joining GJC in 2010.
Maryann works out of the GJC country office in Goulburn NSW and is located within close proximity to GJC’s Canberra clients.
Rhoda Roberts – Event Producer
For the last 25 years, Rhoda has worked extensively across the arts sector in a number of specific areas, including the roles of Artistic Director and as a consultant, producing major events, theatre, programming and directing music productions, as well as developing projects for the broadcast, media and communications industry. Many of her projects were diverse and varied in genre, focusing on a broad range of arts practice, including international, national regional and community projects. She has also worked in a variety of positions, including the performance and administration areas such as operations, logistics and production.
Rhoda held a number of roles for six years with the 2000 Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, including Creative Director, Opening Ceremony Awakening segment, and Artistic Director, Olympic Arts Festivals and The Festival of the Dreaming. She was also employed as the Indigenous cultural advisor, during which she coined the term “Welcome to Country”, developing specific community protocols and manuals for local and national representation with the Gamarada program.
One of Rhoda’s proudest moments is having established the 1997 Festival of the Dreaming, and then the Sydney Dreaming Festival from 2001 to 2004, which celebrated the first nation’s arts and culture on a global level and continued its success and relocation to the Woodford Folk Festival site in Queensland as the Dreaming Festival, Australia’s international Indigenous festival from 2005 to 2009. She is currently employed as a consultant and producer for Vibe Australia specifically developing new works and challenges.
In 2007, Rhoda was appointed in the part-time, three-year position of Creative Director, Sydney New Year’s Eve. This position cemented her belief that while she is very proud of the work that focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, she also has the expertise and experience to work on any event as a respected arts industry leader.
Recent theatre credits include: director of the commissioned opera, Miracle of Brisbane, an adaptation of Miracalo a Milano, for the Brisbane Festival, and Bible Boxing Love, a touring solo production (writer and performer).
Claude Williams – Event Coordinator
Claude joined the GJC team from Stadium Australia where he was Indigenous recruitment officer up to and including the Sydney Olympic Games.
Claude is a certified ‘Black Diamond’ of Aboriginal sport in this country, having played for South Sydney Rabbitohs and for the Sydney Supersonics in the NBL. He was inaugural head coach of the Sydney Kings and assistant coach of the Newcastle Falcons.
Claude is a valued member of the National Indigenous 3 on 3 Basketball and Hip-Hop Challenge team, run by Vibe Australia, which conducts basketball and breakdancing workshops in Aboriginal communities around Australia.
In addition to his duties as a contributor to Deadly Vibe, Claude is GJC’s sports consultant, providing much advice on elements of Aboriginal sport in Australia both from a contemporary and historical perspective.
Martin Kohn – Art Director
Martin holds a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communications from the South Australian School of Design.
On leaving university Martin went straight into a position as Art Director for the Adelaide Fringe Festival, responsible for the visual identity of the festival. He went on to become Senior Designer for the Adelaide Festival Centre.
While Martin has a passion for the arts and visual art in particular, he has applied his expertise in branding, concept development and marketing to a range of industry sectors, from health and tourism, to manufacturing, finance and small business.
He has worked in advertising, public relations and graphic design.
From 2000 to 2003, Martin was creative director of the design division at Porter Novelli, a national public-relations agency. From 2003 until joining GJC he ran his own successful design company, Pling Pty Ltd.
One of Martin’s key interests has always been focussing on the role of graphic design as a means of communicating information and ideas clearly, and engaging and involving audiences.
Kate Stewart – Senior Designer
Kate has a Bachelor in Graphic Design from Wesley Institute Christian College of the Arts and Ministry, finishing in 2006. She has a keen interest in photography and also studied Photo Imaging at TAFE in 2007.
Since joining GJC, Kate has been responsible for page layout and design in Deadly Vibe and InVibe. She has also worked on information campaigns and manages GJC’s in-house image library.
Chris Hann – Websites Manager
Chris Hann joined GJC in early 2011 as our Web Manager. He has over 12 years’ experience (with expedia and Time Inc) building and managing commercial websites, including news media sites and e-commerce travel sites.
He has extensive experience in managing small teams in agile environments to produce revenue-generating content. He has driven the design, development and maintenance of sites, written and edited content and graphics, analysed customer behaviour to accelerate product development and recommended strategies for audience development and SEO.
Jake Keane – Writer
Jake is Deadly Vibe magazine’s Editor. Sydney-born Jake went to school on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, before returning to Sydney to complete high school.
After completing his HSC at Tempe High Languages School in 1998, Jake spent four years at the University of Technology in Sydney, where he studied social inquiry followed by journalism and contemporary cultures.
In 2003, Jake travelled to Cairns in far north Queensland to work as a reporter, researcher and writer for the Angnarra Aboriginal Corporation. While in Queensland, Jake researched and wrote a book about the biennial Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival on behalf of Arts Queensland. The book, titled This is Laura – History of a Cultural Revival, was launched by Senator Matt Foley during the 2003 Laura Festival.
Jake is the Editor for Deadly Vibe and InVibe, while also writing stories on arts, sport and popular culture.
Vicki De Vries – Education and Talent Consultant
Vicki de Vries is GJC’s education and talent consultant. She has worked with the organisation since shortly after it was founded. She has worked across many of the company’s core functions, including radio, magazine and events.
Vicki produced Deadly Sounds, Australia’s national Indigenous music program for many years and built up a strong listenership and a solid music library for its continuation.
Vicki also developed and managed the Vibe School education pages and has contributed significantly to the health content of the organisation for many years.
Vicki graduated from the University of Wollongong in 1990 with a Bachelor of Education in Physical and Health Education, where she studied both the foundations of teaching health education, as well as leadership, management and progress of health education. Vicki has written and delivered many training courses, specifically targeted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, across various health issues.
Vicki was also a founding producer of the Deadly Awards; the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music, Sports, Entertainment and Community Awards, held annually at the Sydney Opera House. She continues to work closely with the production team.
She now manages her own independent talent agency, Agency Vibe continuing to work with Indigenous talent, and often sources talent for the suite of Vibe products as well as for other events, conferences, workshops, festivals, private functions as well as major industry and community calendar events.
This year Vicki was recognised in the Who’s Who of Australian Women not only for her ongoing work in Indigenous health and education, but for her contributions to Indigenous music, sport, culture, community and the arts.
Miriam O’Hagan – Account Co-ordination
Miriam has skills over general and office administration and coordination. As a small business owner for 20 years, she has a skill set across client liaison, business administration and management and sound coordination skills.
Miriam is heavily involved in the local community and has held positions of Secretary and Treasurer of a number of community based committees.
She joined GJC in July 2010 as administration officer and is currently studying Business Administration Certificate IV at Illawarra Institute of Technology. Miriam is located in the GJC country office in Goulburn NSW within close proximity to GJC’s Canberra clients.
Mark Thew – Financial Controller
Mark Thew is responsible for the financial control and accounting of GJC. His specific duties include financial reporting; audit reporting, debt collection, payroll and administration.
Mark has many years of experience in financial management and control and has held senior accounting positions with various companies in the apparel and IT industries.
Mark initially undertook actuarial studies at Macquarie University before converting to the Bachelor of Business/Accounting degree at the Institute of Technology, Sydney.
Larry Meng – Administration of Funding
Larry Meng is responsible for the administration work involved with Government funding contracts, as well as coordination of property and vehicle insurance, and utility accounts. He will be responsible for ensuring performance reports match contract requirements.
Larry has had 20 years experience at senior executive level within the NSW electricity industry, initiating and managing equipment supply, construction and maintenance projects. He is also responsible for financial control for several voluntary organisations in Goulburn, and a national engineering professional association.
Larry has degrees in Science and Electrical Engineering from the University of Sydney.
James Marshall – A/V Producer
James graduated from UTS in 1988 with a BA in Communications majoring in film theory and film practice. In 1988 he travelled to the United States to work in the film industry for five years as a production manager and producer of music videos and commercials.
James arrived back in Australia in 1993 where he started his own production company JFM, producing films for the Art Gallery of NSW, Museum of Contemporary Art, The National Gallery of Australia and the Biennale of Sydney. More recently he has specialised in artists and, more specifically, Australian Indigenous art and culture. Today he is Australia’s most experienced filmmaker in documenting Australian Indigenous art and culture.
James completed a documentary for the ABC on the building of the Musee du quay Branly in Paris, Australia’s greatest Indigenous art commission in 2007.
In 2008 and 2009 he worked on projects for the Message Stick program on the ABC and a nine part series on Indigenous art for NITV called Culture Warriors. James was Producer for our Health program Living Strong and Move it Mob Style® and also produced the Remote Service Delivery project for FaHSCIA.
Shona Devlin – A/V Producer
Shona Devlin is Move it Mob Style®‘s Series Producer, and brings with her a demonstrated passion for Aboriginal and youth culture, as well as 10 years production experience in Australian TV. Most recently, Shona worked with the Deadly Vibe Group as a field director for Living Strong, (Foxtel/NITV) an indigenous health & lifestyle program, filming on location around Australia.
Previous to this she spent several years working at the ABC, including producing for video game review show Good Game (ABC’s #1 downloaded program) and triple j tv (producing & filming major Australian and international music concerts, short segments and band interviews etc). She also produced segments for Hack Half Hour, Sunday Arts and many ABC TV specials including Raw Comedy, My Favourite Album. Prior to the ABC, Shona worked on the Australian/Canadian co-production Saddle Club (Ch9), and The Price is Right (Ch9).
Shona’s passion for TV was ignited as a teenager when she competed in (and won!) ABC TV’s weekly doco series Race Around the Corner. Later she produced stories for Recovery (ABC TV) and Cheez TV’s Rock Eisteddfod Challenge (Ch10). She cut her teeth at Channel 31 in Melbourne, including cult-hit Dawn’s Crack: a youth arts breakfast show that won the Community Broadcasting Association Australia’s ‘Best TV Program of the Year’. The following year she produced PLUCK a live-to-air afternoon youth show, and Shona was awarded TV Producer of the Year.
Anneke Barnes – Event Producer
Anneke holds a BA in Dramatic Art (Technical Production) from the National Institute of Dramatic Art and is currently a freelance Events Producer at Vibe Australia.
Anneke has nine years experience in production and community engagement and development working within both the public and private sectors. Roles have included; Access to Festivals Coordinator at Accessible Arts NSW, Events Coordinator for Darwin and Sydney Festivals, Production Manager for various theatre companies in Sydney and working in the staging department for the 2006 Doha Asian Games and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
As Production Manager and Events Producer with Vibe Australia, Anneke has worked on a number projects since 2008 including the inaugural Vibe Alive Festivals in 2008, The Deadly Awards, National Vibe 3on3 Basketball and Hip Hop Challenge and the National Link Up Forum 2011.
Soozie Gillies – Operations Manager
Soozie Gillies graduated from the Adelaide University with a Bachelor of Arts Educational Theatre in 1993 majoring in Communication. Since that time she has worked across a variety of fields including Theatre, Education, Public Sector and Health. Soozie’s experience includes working in the Australian Public Service for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission for three years as an Administrative Officer and a Policy Officer.
Soozie has also worked extensively with Aboriginal Community through her work with Ngunnawal Aboriginal Corporation (NAC) where she worked as a care coordinator with Ngunnawal Community Care; managing two Aged Care programs and a Community Options Program. She also served as a Board member on NAC and also on Burranya Aboriginal Corporation, and held the office of secretary for several years.
After working with Greater Southern Area Health as an Aboriginal Health Education Liaison Officer in both Yass and Queanbeyan, Soozie returned to NAC as the General Manager and successfully navigated the organisation through the change from Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) to Structured Training and Employment Program and Employment Related Services (STEP – ERS), as well as securing a further 20 Community Aged Care Packages in a highly competitive industry. Soozie returned to Greater Sothern Area Health service in 2008 as the Team Leader for Aboriginal Health and managed a team of 12 Aboriginal Liaison, and Health Education workers from Eden and Bega on the far South Coast, Moruya, Bateman’s Bay, Goulburn, Queanbeyan and Yass.
Soozie is a proud Tasmanian Aboriginal woman and has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout her career. Soozie joined GJC in April 2011 as the Operations Manager and is an integral part of the Events Team, travelling to 15 communities a year across Australia. Soozie also has responsibility for Community and School Liaison.
Maree Neale – Head of Sales, Advertising and Sponsorship
Maree Neale has an extensive background in advertising sales and sponsorship. She has experience in the media industry, primarily in print and online.
She has a history in newspapers and magazines, having worked for Fairfax Media as Advertising Sales Manager for The Canberra Times for the past seven years.
Working with government and private enterprise, Maree specialised in creative solutions for her clients as well as product development and growth strategies. Prior to this, Maree managed Town & Country Magazine, a Rural Press publication syndicated across South East NSW.
Maree’s experience includes media buying and creative concepts, project management, research and analysis. While in the print media, Maree leveraged commercial relationships to access new opportunities for both her products as well as that of her clients.
Her magazines and team members won a variety of industry PANPA (Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association) and Fairfax/Rural Press awards over her seven + years with Fairfax and Rural Press.
Maree works out of the GJC country office in Goulburn NSW and is located within close proximity to GJC’s Sydney and Canberra clients.
David Cole – Writer
David Cole joined GJC in March 2011 and has become an established member the GJC editorial team – regularly writing stories for magazines as well as media releases for GJC’s public relations activities.
David grew up in Goulburn. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in English and History from ANU as well as a Graduate Diploma in Professional Communication from UCAN.
He worked for ten years in Canberra in various roles including stints as an employment consultant with the CES and also as an Administrative Officer in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
He then worked for a decade as a Journalist for Fairfax Media, covering all the rounds of a country newspaper as a reporter. He is still a regular columnist for the regional newspaper, the Goulburn Post.
In his spare time he writes plays, two of which have been produced: The Ballad of Mary Ann Brownlow (2004) and Windfall (2009). He is currently writing his third play.
Manuela Poser – Design/Administration
Manuela Poser joined GJC in 2011, coming from a background in graphic design and administration.
Manuela most recently worked for Fairfax Media as a graphic designer across a range of regional publications. She brings 14 years of design experience to GJC and strong administration skills, having worked for The Red Book company as an editor and researcher in Sydney. She has also occupied a range of senior administration roles in a number of small businesses, including a commercial printer.
Sylvia Kelly – Production Manager
Alfred Livermore – Front of House
Medika Thorpe – Community Engagement
Sarah Bedak – School Liaison