Our Team
Meet our Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival Team with more detailed information below.
Mary McLaughlin
Role: Co-Chair, Consultant at Mātāwai and Little Red Pen
Mary has a Master’s degree in English from the University of Otago and has worked with words for nearly 30 years. She runs a writing and editing business, Little Red Pen, and is the editor for Manu Scripts, a local not-for-profit publisher specialising in community-centred Māori and Pasifika work. She is also an associate at Mātāwai, a consultancy that works alongside many of Ōtepoti's grassroots community and arts organisations. In 2025, she is undertaking a Master of Creative Writing through the University of Otago – the first year this course has been offered.
Mary has strong ties and networks across Ōtepoti and is actively involved in community events and organisations. Along with her work for the Festival, she has governance roles with Ōtepoti Community Builders, the Māori and Pasifika Education Trust, and Corso Ōtepoti. She has been a judge for the New Zealand Plain Language Awards for many years.
Jeanette Wikaira (Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāpuhi)
Role: Co-Chair, Manahautū - General Manager, Dunedin City Council.
Jeanette Wikaira (Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāpuhi) has had a 30-year career in universities, libraries, galleries, and cultural heritage. Jeanette brings board experience; executive level strategic leadership experience, strong iwi relationships and a strong network of connections across the literary and arts sectors in Ōtepoti and Aotearoa. She is the Chair of the Hone Tuwhare Trust.
Nadia Wesley-Smith
Role: Trustee - Chair Te Rūnanga o Ōtakou, Corporate Policy Manager Dunedin City Council
Nadia grew up at the Kaik at Ōtākou, surrounded by whānau at Ōtākou Marae.
She has two decades of experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry which took her across Australia and the UK before returning home to Ōtepoti in 2021 to work for her hapū at Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou.
Currently the Chair of Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and the Corporate Policy Manager for Dunedin City Council, Nadia brings a wealth of mana whenua knowledge, community engagement and Māori governance expertise to the board. She is looking forward to utilising that background to honour Aotearoa’s literary voices and indigenous story tellers while fostering connection between writers and readers.
Aaron Hawkins
Role: Trustee
Aaron’s involvement in Dunedin’s creative community stretches back more than 20 years - from treading the boards to sitting on them - whether that’s been on air at Radio One 91FM, or behind the scenes of the Blue Oyster and Dunedin Fringe Arts Trusts.
During his time with the Fringe he co-founded the New Zealand Young Writers Festival in 2015, held annually in Ōtepoti as a platform by and for young writers across the city and across the motu.
He has also worked intermittently as a freelance music journalist; arts critic; and writer of speeches.
From 2013-22 he served on the Dunedin City Council, the last three years as Mayor. He is currently the director of Inspiring Communities; and the co-founder of a small ecotourism business on the Kāpiti Coast.
Meg Hamilton
Role: (DWRF Trustee) Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, Otago University Press
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Favourite genres are literary fiction and NZ literature.
Some of my favourite books are:
Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
The Ice Shelf by Anne Kennedy
Bliss Montage by Ling Ma
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Learning more about and connecting with NZ’s storytellers and being surrounded by fellow booklovers!
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Anna Hoek-Sims
Role: Trustee
Anna is currently working towards her MA in Creative Writing at the IIML and is also on the NZSA local branch committee, while on study-leave from her Ōtepoti job. She is writing a poetry collection that experiments with language and form across themes of identity and travel. Between her studies and job at Unity Books, she's able to keep her finger flicking book pages and indulge in all things literature.
Kitty Brown (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu)
Role: Festival Co-Director & Kaupapa Māori 2025
Kitty Brown (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu) is a creative shapeshifter and cultural storyteller working at the intersection of literature, urban design, art, and mātauraka māori. She works to elevate the arts and culture in particular māori voices and values, helping communities connect with place and story.
Jen Stokes
Role: Co-Director 2025
Jen is a maker - whether she's at the ceramics wheel or sewing machine, weaving baskets, in the garden, or curating experiences that celebrate the written word, she brings a storytelling approach to her work
Her many strings include a deep commitment to community mahi and a belief that every story has the power to inspire connection. She joined the festival team to showcase the incredible breadth of literary talent while creating spaces where stories, ideas, conversations and storytellers can flourish.
Vanessa Beck
Role: Festival Producer
Having lived in the USA and UK for the last 14 years, Vanessa Beck is a production manager with wide-ranging expertise in event management and community partnership building. Vanessa uses her unique skill set to operationalise initiatives, focusing on key priorities and identifying new opportunities.
Vanessa’s background is rich in community, and social value engagement initiatives, ranging from planning logistics for COVID testing in the USA, through to supporting community action for those affected by climate-change.
In her free time, she enjoys connecting with people to discuss composting, gardening, sustainable communities and reducing our impact on the natural environment. She is also a beekeeper, sci-fi fan, and keen explorer.
Philippa Murrell
Role: Festival Grants Manager
I currently live in Manapouri, where my husband and I run a historic family accommodation business that we've owned for nearly 20 years. Intermittently over that time, I’ve worked in tourism marketing in Queenstown, and Te Anau, and served as Branch Manager for the Institute of Directors in Dunedin.
I’m passionate about books, travel and food. I also enjoy gardening and tramping and exploring all the beautiful corners of New Zealand. I and am the proud parent of two adult children.
For the past two years, I’ve been involved with the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival as the Festival Grant Manager. I love helping the amazing DWRF team bring stories, authors, and audiences together, and doing my bit to support the vibrant literary community that thrives through events like the festival.
Rayna Dickson
Role: Board Administrator & Bookkeeper
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Mainly fiction, nowadays!
Just finished Becky Manawatu’s electrifying Kataraina and now itching to go back and read Auē, for a second time. As a contrast, I have also been enjoying Kathleen Jamie’s poignant essays (Surfacing, Cairn).
Other favorite authors include Abraham Verghese (Cutting for Stone); Annie Proulx (Shipping News); Barbara Kingsolver (Demon Copperhead); Maggie O’Farrell (The Marriage Portrait) and Sarah Winman (Still Life).
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Two days of listening, absorbing, reflecting and exchanging ideas.
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Op-shopper? Dunedin is blessed with many options - Shop on Carroll, The Hospice Shop and Restore are all close to town. Further out, the Gardens Corner has three goodies, all in close range. Check out Beam Me Up Bagels for lunch while out there.
OUR STORY – History of Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival
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1989
Dunedin Writers’ Festival Wordstruck! established – ran every two years, including a comprehensive schools’ programme
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2009
Wordstruck! incorporated into Dunedin Arts Festival. Held for one year under that aegis
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2014
Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival established – first Festival presented in May 2014
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2015
Second Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival – following this Trustees agreed it should be two-yearly
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May 2017
Third Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival
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May 2019
Fourth Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival
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May 2021
Fifth Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival
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13 - 15 October 2023
Sixth Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival moved to October