Mum of Audrey | Co‑Founding Director, Stand With Audrey

Kathleen is the driving force behind Stand With Audrey. As Audrey’s mum, she has turned the deepest loss into a powerful movement for safer communities. With courage and unwavering love, she leads the fight to transform grief into action, ensuring no other parent faces the same preventable tragedy. Kathleen’s voice carries the strength of every mother, every family, demanding a future where every person comes home safe.

“This is Audrey’s legacy. It’s every mother’s fight, every family’s right — to live in a community where safety is guaranteed.” – Kathleen

Business Strategist & Director, Your Business Realm | Co-Founding Director, Stand With Audrey

Lana Ratapu is a business strategist, coach, and community advocate with over 20 years’ experience helping organisations grow through practical strategy, marketing, and leadership development.

As Founding Director of Stand With Audrey, Lana combines her expertise in business with a deep commitment to community safety, justice reform, and advocacy.

She has led high-impact initiatives, facilitated strategic planning for diverse organisations, and built partnerships that drive measurable results. Lana is passionate about empowering communities, fostering collaboration, and creating systemic change to ensure safer futures.

Sponsorship Team, Stand With Audrey

Joanne moved to Australia from Manchester in 2001 and quickly built her life on the Central Coast. Her daughter Arabella, Audrey, and Sammy knew each other from a young age and grew up side by side — sharing classrooms, sports teams, and a bond that carried well beyond their school years.

Having experienced the weight of loss from a young age herself, Joanne carries deep compassion for others walking through grief. Audrey’s passing touched her family profoundly and strengthened her resolve to stand beside Kathleen and this movement for change.

As part of the Sponsorship Team at Stand With Audrey and Light Up, Joanne cares for the sponsors and partners who stand with us. For her, every act of support is more than sponsorship — it is a powerful way of honouring Audrey and helping to build a safer, kinder community where every young person has the chance to come home safe.

Managing Director, Grow Yourself Up | Chairperson, CCMA

Greg Carey is a long-standing music industry professional, event producer and Central Coast resident, where he has lived with his wife and two young daughters since 2018.

As a founding partner of Grow Yourself Up / Ripple Effect, he has guided the careers of notable Australian artists including The Rubens, Mia Wray, Urthboy and Cloud Control, and has spent over 18 years building live music projects that bring people together.

Greg served as Chair of the Association of Artist Managers for over a decade and is also a co-founder and current Chair of Central Coast Music & Arts Inc, helping build a stronger cultural future for the region.

Senior Marketing Manager, TEG Touring | Founder, Lunar Creative marketing & PR agency

Jessie Miller is based on the Central Coast and a proud mum to three young boys. She has built her career around music, culture, and community and currently with TEG Touring as Senior Marketing Manager.

She is also the founder of Lunar Creative, a marketing and PR agency working with leading festival and music clients including Rolling Sets and Changing Tides Festival and sits on the board of Central Coast Music and Arts.

Fixx Events / Director, Avoca Markets

Brad Cardis is a Central Coast-based event producer and community-builder best known as the founder of the independent boutique company Fixx Events and the Avoca Beachside Markets.

With more than 2 decades of experience in music, markets and cultural activation, Brad has played a key role in shaping the Coast’s creative landscape — bringing together local makers, artists, performers and small businesses to create accessible, vibrant public events with real social impact.

Under his leadership, Avoca Beachside Markets has become one of the region’s most loved monthly events and was twice named Best Community Event on the Central Coast. Through Fixx Events, Brad continues to champion inclusive, creative experiences that connect people to place and to each other.

Founding Board Member, Stand With Audrey | MBA, BA (Sport Management)

Nici Andronicus is an accomplished leader with over 30 years’ experience across sport, media, hospitality, finance, and philanthropy. A former elite professional triathlete and MBA graduate, she brings a strategic mindset, strong governance skills, and a passion for driving meaningful social impact.

Most recently, General Manager of the GIANTS Foundation, Nici led transformative community programs and launched a $30 million fundraising strategy to establish a children’s hospice in Western Sydney. She has held senior roles in leading charities and organisations, consistently building partnerships, delivering growth, and creating initiatives
that improve lives.

International Saxophonist, Business Development & Entertainment Professional | Stand With Audrey

Paul Chenard is an international saxophonist and seasoned entertainment professional with over 30 years’ global experience. Blending creative artistry with strategic business development, he has built a career that connects communities through music and world-class events.

Paul first knew Audrey from the age of 14, bonding through their shared love of the ocean, and has known Kathleen for many years. Audrey’s passing deepened his resolve to stand beside her family and community in pursuing change.

As the founder of Movida Collective and Chenard Entertainment, Paul has produced live performances and recordings that celebrate cultural diversity and innovation. His career highlights include directing the $8 million Mount Coot-Tha Botanic Gardens Light and Sound Show, contributing to Vivid Sydney’s Pylon projections, and curating live music across premier venues including Shangri-La Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel, Merivale Group, and more.

At Stand With Audrey and Light Up, Paul brings both his international musical talent and his expertise in event development, stakeholder engagement, and production. With professional skill and personal dedication, he is committed to honouring Audrey’s legacy by helping create a safer, more connected community through the power of music and collaboration.

Sponsorship Team / Media Coordinator, Stand With Audrey

Kari Harris is a proud Central Coast local with a passion for building community and creating meaningful connections. With more than 20 years’ experience in the film and television industry as a casting director, she has worked with people from all walks of life to help them share their stories authentically.

She is also the founder of The Mind Body Skin Collective and a Regional Vice President with Arbonne International, where she supports individuals in achieving greater wellbeing and confidence

Kathleen was the first friend Kari made on the Coast, and they bonded instantly as fierce Mama Bears — both single mums raising their only daughters. Their friendship was made on the Coast and in the water, where so many memories were shared. Watching beautiful Audrey grow into an extraordinary young woman has been one of Kari’s greatest privileges. Kathleen and Audrey had a rare gift for bringing people together in love and laughter, and Kari is honoured to help carry that legacy forward.

Through Stand with Audrey and the Light Up event, Kari is proud to contribute her skills in sponsorship and media to unite the community in Audrey’s name — and to help shine a light on the urgent need for change and reform so that all people, especially young women, can be safe in our society.

Liesl Tesch is the Labor Member for Gosford in the New South Wales Parliament. In 2023, Liesl was honoured to be appointed as Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Communities and Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion.

A is a proud member of the Central Coast community, Liesl calls Woy Woy home. She worked as a teacher at our local public schools for over 20 years, including at Brisbane Water Secondary College until being elected in 2017. 

Liesl has represented Australia at seven Paralympic games across the sports of basketball and sailing, bringing home two gold medals. 

As a local, Liesl understands what is truly important to the people of Gosford and is a passionate advocate for our entire community: fighting for justice, fairness, equity and inclusion. 

 Liesl is passionate about bringing the community together to make Gosford a safer community for all.

Jayden is a youth advocate and CEO of UrVoice Australia, a youth-led charity working to ensure every young person has a safe and supportive place to raise mental health concerns before reaching crisis.

He brings both lived and professional experience, centring the voices of young people in conversations that shape their futures. Jayden has served on the headspace National Youth Reference Group, the NSW Youth Advisory Council, and in multiple roles across the non-for-profit and government sectors. 

Also a university student at the University of Newcastle, Jayden brings the perspective of a new generation determined to create change and help make a safer community for all.