Staff Profile

The Northern Rivers Writers' Centre holds a wealth of information on the craft of writing and the publishing industry. We welcome inquiries about any of our services so please contact us during office hours.

Jeni Caffin: Director
Jeni Caffin has been digesting words, books and writing since chewing on her first Beatrix Potter cloth book at the age of two and a half months. Having bought for, managed and devised events for Australia’s biggest bookstore for too many years, Jeni ran away to Byron Bay in 2003 where she disovered the Northern Rivers Writers’ Centre and for seven years, rarely left the premises. In 2010, itchy feet carried Jeni to the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali, where she was international program director for two whirlwind years. Back in the fold, Jeni is continuing the writers’ conversations and dreaming the big and small ideas that contine to engage and obsess her.

Sarah Ma:  Operations Manager
Sarah Ma enjoyed a diverse career that took her to exotic and sophisticated locations before the siren call of surf, sand and sunsets lured her to Byron Bay. First encountering the Byron Bay Writers’ Festival through her work as a travel and ticketing agent to the Festival, Sarah was eventually wooed and won to the role of Operations Manager for the Northern Rivers Writers’ Centre. The deep and abiding respect she has for writers and for the emerging practitioners of the Northern Rivers region is testament to her total immersion in the world of books.

Lisa Walker: Writer Development Manager
Lisa organises the Writers’ Centre program of events including the workshops and seminars, the annual residential mentorship and author visits, as well as responding to member queries on all matters pertaining to the writing process. She is also the author of two novels, a radio play and numerous short stories. Lisa has lived in the Northern Rivers since 1999 and has worked in a multitude of jobs, including as a wilderness guide, tertiary lecturer and illustrator of crab larvae.