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Dr Suzanne Macalister gained her BA Hons in both Modern and Ancient Greek, followed by her doctorate in Ancient Greek and Byzantine language and literature (University of Sydney); she became senior lecturer teaching Ancient Greek language, literature and mythology at the University of Sydney from 1989 until her retirement in 2007. Suzanne was awarded a Harvard University fellowship, enabling research at Dumbarton Oaks Centre for Byzantine Studies, Washington DC; she has published books, articles and book chapters, has given many talks and interviews in the media on the values of humanities studies and was adviser for Sydney Dance Company's production of 'Mythologia' for the Sydney Olympic Games. Suzanne is an enthusiastic teacher who encourages questioning and student interaction, receiving a University Teaching Excellence Award in 2003; she is a strong supporter of adult education, having gained her own qualifications as a mature-age entrant to university.

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Hugh Mackay AO is a social psychologist and bestselling author with a 60-year career in social research. His non-fiction covers social analysis, psychology, communication and ethics. He is also the author of nine novels and was a weekly newspaper columnist for twenty-five years. He is a fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of New South Wales and has been awarded honorary doctorates by five Australian universities. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2016.

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Fawzan Malas is a Sydney-based coach who works mainly with people over 40 who have gone through a separation and are now dealing with real disconnection from important family members, including children, siblings, or parents. He helps them stabilise emotionally, rebuild their footing, and approach reconnection in a calmer, more grounded way. His approach focuses on helping people gain clarity, overcome internal blocks such as fear, limiting beliefs, and uncertainty, and move forward with greater direction and purpose. Fawzan brings over 30 years of international leadership experience, along with lived experience, offering practical and structured guidance focused on real-life outcomes.

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Flavia Marcello PhD is an Affiliate Professor of Italian Studies at the University of Sydney and a world expert on the art, architecture and design of the Italian Fascist and post-war periods. She lived in Rome for eight years where she taught art history in US study abroad programs and led boutique art and architectural history tours across Italy for both university students and the public. She has written two books and over 30 articles and book chapters. Known for her enthusiasm and collaborative teaching approach, she places focus on participation and discussion based on primary sources. Her current research focusses on the creative outputs of Italian prisoners of war during WW2 and was curatorial consultant for the Molto Bello: Icons of Italian Design exhibition at Heide Museum of Modern Art. She is currently working on her first novel.

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Adam is a scientist in the field of evolutionary genetics. He has a BSc and a PhD in Population Genetics from the Australian National University. Adam has offered a number of courses at the WEA in fields related to his interests. He is presently employed as a Manager of a Molecular Systematics laboratory.

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Silvia Martínez Jimeno, PGCE, BA (Int&Trans), has taught Spanish and French at the WEA for the last seven years. Most recently, Silvia has been accredited by Instituto Cervantes as a Spanish DELE examiner, and by Alliance Française as a qualified teacher of French as a Foreign Language (DAEFLE). She is passionate about teaching, educational studies and languages in general and is highly motivated, energetic and enthusiastic, while patient enough when students require it. Her goal is to help students to reach their dream of speaking another language, enjoying the learning and having fun.

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Tania Mason holds a Diploma and a Degree in Fine Arts from the National Art School in Sydney and has exhibited for over two decades across Paris, Saint‑Tropez, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Sydney. She won the Calleen Art Award for Painting in 2016 and recently completed an eighteen‑metre public art commission in Bondi Junction. Her major commissions include work for The Arts Centre of Victoria and The Australian Ballet’s Fire Bird and Other Legends, later acquired for the Arts Centre of Victoria Collection and toured nationally. Mason has exhibited with Australian Galleries, Art House Gallery, the South Australian Museum, McClelland Gallery, and internationally, and was awarded an OZCO New Work Grant in 2007. She has also received the Cowra Art Award for Painting, been runner‑up at Broken Hill and Albury regional galleries, and finalist in numerous national prizes. Her residencies include Bundanon, Hill End, Art Space, and NG Art Creative in France, alongside commissions for Willow, David Jones, and various portrait projects.

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Master English Australia - IELTS Preparation. Tutor of WEA Sydney

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John McBride AM, has taught at WEA in the field of Japanese history and art for over ten years.  John majored in Japanese classical literature at a major national university in Tokyo before graduate study at the ANU and Melbourne Business School.  He has a passionate interest in walking in Japan along ancient highways and pilgrimage routes.  His ability to impart an eye for history while travelling in Japan is well appreciated by his students.  His first lecture at WEA over 10 years ago about following in the footsteps of the Haiku Poet Matsuo Basho was voted by CNN as the top Four Walk in the World.  John has been walking the old historical paths of Japan for over 45 years and this love for his subject is felt keenly by his students.  Prior to teaching at WEA John had a corporate career in Japan and has supported young artists all his life, both for which he was awarded an Order of Australia in 2010.

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John McIntyre is a philosopher and writer with a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Sydney, where his research examined Science as a Social Institution. He also holds a Master of Architecture (History and Theory) from UNSW and a Master of Environmental Planning from Macquarie University.

John has extensive teaching experience, having tutored at the University of Sydney, lectured at the Melbourne School of Continental Philosophy, and delivered a number of popular lectures at WEA and the Woollahra Philosophy Club. His published works include The Limits to Scientific Reason: Habermas, Foucault and Science as a Social Institution (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), as well as academic and public essays on Foucault, philosophy, and society.

With a strong academic background and a clear, engaging teaching style, John brings complex ideas to life, helping adult learners explore philosophy in a way that is both rigorous and accessible.