Valerie Khoo is an award-winning feature writer and the long-standing CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre, which she has led for 20 years. Under her leadership, the Centre has become one of the country’s most influential hubs for aspiring fiction – offering more than 80 courses and supporting over 100,000 students across Australia and beyond.
Valerie has played a pivotal role in shaping the modern writing landscape in Australia. She has created an environment where authors are not only nurtured but also connected to real opportunities, including pathways to publication. She has mentored many of the course developers and educators behind the Centre’s flagship programs—ensuring a consistently high standard of excellence. Her belief that mindset is just as important as craft has influenced countless writers to back themselves and pursue their creative dreams.
She is also a dedicated mentor to emerging writers and artists, helping them navigate their creative paths and build meaningful, sustainable careers.
She is the co-author of So you want to be a writer, host of the popular podcast of the same name, and author of seven books, including the bestselling Power Stories: The 8 Stories You MUST Tell to Build an Epic Business. Her podcast has inspired thousands of emerging authors and remains a cornerstone resource for writers navigating their creative journey.
Her creative leadership also extended to cultural events, including her appointment as Curator of the City of Sydney’s Lunar Festival, which draws over 1.5 million visitors each year. Valerie was previously a regular contributor to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age for over 15 years, and her career includes leadership roles across publishing giants ACP Magazines (now Are Media), Pacific Magazines and EMAP.
Twitter: @valeriekhoo
Facebook: facebook.com/valeriekhoo/33
