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Kimberley Stuart. Tutor of WEA Sydney

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Yiya Sun is the Founder and Director of Optimise AI, a Sydney-based consulting firm specialising in AI strategy, use case development, and tool selection. With an MBA and certification in AI Business Strategy from UC Berkeley, she combines strategic insight with hands-on expertise to help professionals and organisations work smarter and adapt to change. Recognised as a Finalist in the 2025 Australian AI Awards, Yiya empowers individuals to use AI confidently and effectively, bridging the gap between emerging technology and real-world business needs.

LinkedIn: @yiya-sun-optimise-ai-consulting

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Ann Sutherland holds a doctorate in Australian modernist art and exhibition history. She currently teaches video production at the University of Sydney alongside presenting art history classes in community education centres. She is a long-term volunteer guide at the Art Gallery of NSW, conducting tours of the standing collection and specialist exhibitions. Her current research interest is in tracking down the many artists who have entered the Archibald Prize over the past century, and their sitters, to assist a research project into art and aging.

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Linda Swinfield. Tutor of WEA Sydney

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Established in 1913, we are a voluntary, independent, not-for-profit adult education provider offering opportunities to join a community of keen learners. We offer a range of courses across the Humanities, Languages, Arts and Leisure and Wellness activities. We are based in the Sydney CBD with easy access to a variety of public transport options.

Our mission is to provide adults with stimulating and varied educational activities which develop their knowledge, understanding and skills. Within our program we place special emphasis on providing opportunities for the serious and objective study of the arts, humanities and sciences. We are committed to:

• Maintaining excellence in all aspects of our work
• Encouraging students to participate in their own education and in WEA's democratic management structure
• Facilitating access for all who seek to take part in our activities

We believe that WEA activities are of value both to individuals both in their personal life and in their role as citizens in a democratic society.

For more information, visit our What is WEA Sydney? page.

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Sydney Bridge Centre is the home of Sydney Bridge Club, one of Sydney’s largest and oldest Bridge clubs. We are centrally located, friendly and welcome all visitors. Our main venue and office are on Level 1, 162 Goulburn Street, Sydney 2010. We also run regular sessions in Polish Club Ashfield and Henley. We offer a variety of bridge activities to suit players of different levels and aspirations, including recreational daily games, beginners courses, workshops, special events and competitive congresses.

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Sydney City Good Church. Tutor of WEA Sydney

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Erica grew up in Uddevalla, Sweden, but has lived in Sydney since 2017. She is passionate about language education and has several years of experience teaching Swedish to both adults and teenagers. Erica holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in linguistics, from The University of Sydney, and has completed additional courses in Swedish and SSL (Swedish as a second language). Erica is also a qualified ELICOS teacher and works part-time at an English language school.

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Magdalena Tausch is a passionate educator, storyteller, and creative professional who brings history to life in engaging and unexpected ways. With a background spanning archaeology, art history, design, photography, and museum education, her teaching sits at the intersection of academic insight and creative exploration. Having lived, studied, and worked in Germany, she is fluent in German and enjoys weaving cultural and linguistic insights into her courses, offering students a richer and more immersive perspective.

Her courses invite students to step into the worlds of prehistoric communities, early Christians, and ancient societies - exploring how people lived, believed, and expressed themselves across time. Whether discussing cave art, ritual practices, or daily life in antiquity, she focuses on the human stories behind the evidence. Alongside teaching, Magdalena works as a graphic designer, photographer, and business consultant, and enjoys helping others develop both creative confidence and practical skills. She is passionate about creating inclusive, discussion-based learning environments that spark curiosity, conversation, and new ways of seeing the world.

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Michael Taylor (LLM, DPhil) is new to the WEA but has extensive teaching experience over a long career. He began over thirty years ago as a College Lecturer in Moral and Political Philosophy at Lincoln College, Oxford, and has since been actively engaged in teaching and lecturing at many leading universities around the world. Although his professional career mainly involved work in economics and economic policy, Michael has always retained his passion for philosophy, and has published several well received books on the nineteenth century thinker Herbert Spencer. He believes that philosophy helps us think more clearly about the problems of everyday life and the great questions that now confront us as a species.  Michael’s classes aim to be interactive, with all the members of the class engaged in a a voyage of discovery.