August 4th
Ageing Fearlessly
“Ageing is inevitable, growing old is a choice and the secret to Ageing Fearlessly comes from within.” – Karen Sander
Ageing Fearlessly
by Karen Sander
At long last, here is a book for women who want to smash the perception of age and live long vital, healthy lives doing what they have always wanted to do - and not what society considers is "age appropriate".
Karen has spent many years exploring different sports and dance to slow the ageing process. She stresses it is important to remember why you are there, which is not to win prizes, but to enjoy becoming fit, and improve your self-esteem, self-confidence and wellbeing.
Purchase you copy and bring it on the night for Karen to sign.
Meet Our Storytellers
Crosbie Lorimer
By his own admission Crosbie lives life anything but fearlessly. Indeed, in his less charitable moments he describes himself as something of a sook! He’s never jumped out of a plane or committed to a bungee jump and he would avoid a rollercoaster ride at a funfair like a trip to the dentist. As a result Crosbie’s seven decades on this planet have been remarkably free of fearful episodes, with the possible exception of unwittingly finding himself in the heart of a fatal storm during the 1998 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Unsurprisingly then, Crosbie’s daily life has been hallmarked by a decidedly risk-free career in Landscape Architecture and a suite of activities and pastimes that would be most unlikely to land him in a hospital A and E.
But, through recovery from a challenging phase in his early adult life Crosbie learnt to overcome the fears and anxieties around everyday life that beset him during his 30s and 40s. It is a road that has led him through his role as a Speaker for Beyond Blue to support others who live lives of fear in their own minds.
Crosbie and his wife Dale also run a sailing media company through which they cover the stories of sailors who fearlessly tackle dangerous ocean races in various parts of the world – but always told strictly from the safety of land!
Jo Tarnawsky
Jo Tarnawsky is a leadership strategist, speaker, writer, coach, and board member. She has worked at the highest levels of Australian public life, including as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister, a senior executive supporting the Governor-General, and as a diplomat across the Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Her work now focuses on how power really operates and what it takes to lead with integrity when it matters most. She writes and speaks on leadership, culture and accountability, drawing on both professional insight and lived experience.
But beyond the titles, Jo’s perspective on life shifted after a serious cancer diagnosis which forced a reckoning with something most of us prefer to keep at a distance: the fragility of time.
Since then, she has approached life differently and with a sharper awareness that growing older is not something to resist, but something to celebrate and honour. At Story Room Global, Jo brings that perspective to the stage, reflecting on what it means to age fearlessly when you’ve come close to not ageing at all.
John Knowles
John Knowles has been telling personal stories on stages at comedy festivals, conferences and corporate events for decades. He and sister Wendy run Knowles By Heart Consultants, a Keynote Speaker and Storytelling Coaching company. John combines the skills and experience gained as a professional actor, writer, corporate facilitator and comedian tutoring privately, at colleges and events.
John turned his love of meeting new people into his the successful communication program, ‘Mastering Conversation Skills’. He represented Australia in the World Theatresports Championships in USA and is regularly heard on ABC Radio with his storytelling segment called ‘I Can Top That!” John was awarded the prestigious Moosehead Comedy Award for his solo show, ‘John Knowles is Saddle Sore’ at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He is a 2020 winner of The Moth international storytelling competition in Sydney.
John loves teaching the art and science behind brilliant oral story crafting and delivery. He is a single dad of four amazing teens, a slightly obsessive fan of the Montreal Canadians hockey team and the singer/harmonica player in the band The Urge Curve. That’s John playing harmonica on the Bluey Album.
Vicki Haines
Vicki Haines is the embodiment of Ageing Fearlessly—bold, resilient, and fiercely committed to proving that reinvention has no age limit. Born and raised in Macquarie Fields in Western Sydney, Vicki grew up riding trail bikes and developing the grit that would one day carry her across the world.
For decades, she lived a life centred on family, work, responsibility, and showing up for everyone else. Then came 2024, the year everything changed. Within three weeks, she lost both her parents. Her daughter married. The familiar roles that had shaped her identity fell away.
At 62, Vicki found herself standing in a life that appeared fine on the outside—but inside, she no longer recognised herself. Instead of shrinking, she expanded. Instead of staying still, she chose the road. She bought a motorbike, packed lightly, and rode into the unknown—alone. What followed was extraordinary. Vicki rode 36,000 km around Australia in 200 days, and then kept riding across continents. In total, she covered 105,000 kilometres across the world, navigating deserts, mountains, snowstorms, backroads, chaotic cities, high-altitude passes, and days of physical and emotional exhaustion. She faced moments that nearly broke her—but each time, she stood up, kicked the bike back into gear, and continued.
She rides for her granddaughter Bella—who calls her “Noppie”—and for every woman who has ever quietly wondered, Is it too late for me? Now writing her book Throttle the Thirst, Vicki shares her journey through grief, courage, self-discovery, and the radical decision to choose herself at 62. This is Vicki Haines: ageing fearlessly, living boldly, and proving that sometimes the road home begins the moment everything falls apart.
Clare Edwards
Clare grew up as the youngest of five in Liverpool, UK. While her mum busied herself with the four older siblings, Clare managed to spend precious time with her dad; and that’s where her love of storytelling began. Kevin Edwards was a gifted storyteller who could keep Clare enthralled (and quiet, which was a feat in itself!) with tales of great explorers, fairytales filled with lessons for life, or stories he simply invented as he went along. Like most people,
Clare’s life has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows; stories she now shares generously in her speaking. One of the lasting highs was meeting “Jason from Maroochydore” at a music festival in London — which is how she ended up Down Under more than 20 years ago.
When it comes to ageing fearlessly, Clare is in complete and blissful denial about the number of laps around the sun versus how young she feels inside – thoughts and opinions on which she’s happy to share at Story Room Global.
Clare firmly believes that life becomes richer, braver and far more entertaining as the years go by. When not getting frustrated about how long it takes to scroll to find her date of birth, you’ll find Clare running BrainSmart People Development, working with leaders across Australia and internationally, helping them to uncover and share the stories that inspire, connect and bring meaning to their message.
Christine Greenough
Besides being an Actor/Director working in theatre, TV and film, Christine is also a professional Stand Up Storyteller with over 40 years expeience. She has told her stories all over Australia, Asia and the US. She co-founded the storytelling company “The Talespinners” with her storytelling partner Sue Alvarez. They devised tandem stories for both children and adults. The company ran from 1997 to 2016. Now telling solo, she is in demand to tell around the storytelling circuit such as Stories that Stir, Generation Women This is Totally F…cked, as well at International Conferences and Festivals.
Christine has also devised and performed her One Woman Stand Up Show at the Sydney Fringe. And is working to hone her show to take it interstate and/or overseas. She is thrilled to be back again telling at the Story Room Global.