As a Deathwalker, Zenith is a respected pioneer & acknowledged expert in the fields of holistic death & dying.  With over 20 years experience, she provides comfort, information and guidance to assist us through the natural and the sacred, the inner and outer journeying as we come to the transition at the end of our life.

With a lightness of being, compassion and integrity she accompanies many people and those that love them, through their final and ultimate experience.  Her enthusiastic and empowering approach allow for a richer exploration, whilst assisting people to reclaim their legal rights and their own rites of passage.

Zenith has lived and swum in the deep ocean in Byron Bay since 1983 and feels it has been a rich and exciting life, Celebrating life and death, seeing her work as a privilege and an important part of her life’s journey, gives her a deep love and gratitude for the wonderful mystery of which we are all a part.

Amongst many other things, Zenith is a grandmother, a para-legal, and the founding member of the non-profit Natural Death Care Centre, and the co author of the Intimacy of Death and Dying.  (Allen & Unwin 2009)

Email:  zenithvirago@gmail.com                 Website: zenithvirago.com

James Dods

Married with three children,  James lives, works, surfs, parents and plays ukulele from home outside Byron Bay.

Chairman of both the Cape Byron Rudolph Steiner School Board, and Uplifting Australia, James is passionate about improving the emotional well being and resilience of children.

He has been involved  as a director and or facilitator of like organizations Pathways to Manhood, and the Australian Rites of Passage Institute for 10 years.

Amongst a ridiculous number of business interests, James founded and managed Lois Lane Shoes nationally and internationally for more than 30 years .

He is director and or a board member of a number of entities including :

Venu Pty Ltd, Evenjest Pty Ltd, Redvat Pty Ltd, Domac Property Group, Byron Gateway

Email: jamesdbyron@gmail.com                Website: upliftingaustralia.com.au

Warren Elwin

Warren is a highly experienced Chief Executive with extensive expertise in leading and managing social services in New Zealand.

This expertise is widely acknowledged and is evidenced through his speaking engagements and the requests for advice he regularly receives. For example, Warren has spoken at the Royal NZ College of GP’s conference and The Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists conferences. He is regularly approached by planners and funders to provide advice on service improvement.

Workwise is part of the Wise Group, the largest non-government provider of mental health services in New Zealand. The Wise Group is a family of charitable entities. Each entity is linked by a common dream – to create fresh possibilities and services for the wellbeing of people, organizations and communities

Warren is a social worker by training and has spent his working life in a variety of health and community settings.

He is a previous chair of the Association of Supported Employment in New Zealand (ASENZ) and is a director of the Wise Group’s centralised contracting holding company, Mental Health Solutions Ltd.

Warren joined Workwise in 1997 and was appointed chief executive in 2006.

Email: warren.elwin@workwise.org.nz

Websites: www.wisegroup.co.nz              www.workwise.org.nz

Jenny Briscoe-Hough 

Co ordinator of Port Kembla Community Centre, and Community Markets.

Previous manager of Ronald MacDonald House and Canteen, both services are for sick children.

Jenny has a community development perspective to all her projects  and has a strong commitment to assisting community to be able to support themselves.

Kylie Duncan

Kylie is a Palliative Care Social Worker with North Coast Area Health Service and Grief and Bereavement specialist in private practice.

She has worked in the area of grief and bereavement for 17 years with more intensive work in the past 7 years through work in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Newcastle and with Palliative Care in the Northern Rivers.

She lives with her partner and two daughters on a rural property on which they grow their own rich and healthy food.

Cheryl Williams

Cheryl Williams currently lives in Brunswick Heads with her partner,  using her time to enjoy her family, play with creative projects and travel regularly.  She brings a broad perspective, a caring community spirit and a wealth of wisdom from a richly experienced life.

Cheryl has a background in Community Services and represents a community viewpoint.

She has been involved with the NDCC since 2006, most of that time as Secretary.

Contact: chezabell@gmail.com

Robert Rosen/ Public Officer

Robert has been involved in a range of business, investment, property, consulting, natural therapy, community and environmental activities. He played a pioneering role in the development of the socially responsible investment industry in Australia and has been a Director of Australian Ethical Investment Management Ltd, the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia and the Association of Sustainable and Responsible Investment in Asia.

His consulting experience has included work for multinational and Australian financial institutions, aid groups, intentional communities, Indigenous and environmental organisations, churches, state, government departments and regional Councils.

He has been involved in a wide range of environmental initiatives over the last thirty-four years, including as a Board member of a number of environmental organisations including Rainforest Rescue, the Nature Conservation Trust of NSW, Australian Green Party, Bush Heritage Australia, The Earth Trust, Permaculture College Australia Inc and Permaculture International Ltd.

Robert has a Bachelor of Economics majoring in Accounting and Commercial Law and Certificates in Personal Investment: Planning and Management, and Real Estate Practice.