Valerie Khoo is the National Director of the Australian Writers' Centre which she established in 2005. The centre offers writing courses to the public in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.[1] She is also a writer, podcaster, visual artist and former journalist.[2][3]

In 2018, Khoo was appointed the City of Sydney's Curator of the Sydney Lunar Festival.[4] Khoo is the co-host of the long-running podcasts So You Want to be a Writer (with children's author Allison Tait)[5] and So You Want to be a Photographer (with photographer Gina Milicia).[6] She also hosts the podcast series New stories, Bold Legends: Stories from Sydney Lunar Festival.[7]

Graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics in 1991,[8] Khoo has since worked as an accountant, in public relations, as a features writer for magazines, and as a freelance journalist. She is the author of six books.[2][9] In 2000, she was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Communication from the University of Technology Sydney.[10]

Khoo was born in Singapore and migrated to Sydney with her parents when she was four years old.[4]

Writing

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As a journalist and editor, Khoo worked for various publishing houses including Pacific Magazines, Fairfax and ACP Magazines (now Bauer) in both Sydney and Singapore.[2][11] She was a regular contributor to Fairfax's Enterprise site, writing on small to medium-sized business and entrepreneurs.[12][13]

She is the author of several books, mostly focused on small business and career advice. Her most recent book was Power Stories: The 8 Stories You Must Tell to Build an Epic Business (Richmond, Vic. : John Wiley & Sons, 2013).[14]

More recently, Khoo has worked as a visual artist.[15]

Social Enterprise

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In 2002, with her friend Kylie Taylor, Khoo established Taylor & Khoo, a charity to assist Sunrise Angkor Children's Village, an orphanage in Cambodia.[16] The social enterprise sold products manufactured in Cambodia, with proceeds going towards the orphanage. The venture wound down in 2008.[17]

Awards

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Awards received by Khoo or her businesses/ventures/art:

  • 2004 Family Circle Women Who Dare Awards
  • 2005 Australian Humanitarian Award (Business category)
  • 2005 Australia Post Small Business Awards Special Judges Commendation
  • 2006 Anthill 10 Coolest Companies in Australia.
  • 2008 Finalist Small Business Champion Awards (NSW)
  • 2009 Australian Finalist in the Dell Small Business Excellence Awards[18]
  • 2010 Winner NSW Telstra Business Awards Micro-Business Category[19]
  • 2018 Finalist Kangaroo Valley Art Prize[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Australian Writers' Centre writing courses – Ignite your creativity". Australian Writers' Centre. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "PropellHer". www.propellher.com. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Interview with Valerie Khoo from Australian Writers' Centre". Brand Tales. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. ^ a b "5 minutes with Sydney Lunar Festival curator | City of Sydney - News". news.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  5. ^ "So you want to be a writer Archives". Australian Writers' Centre. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. ^ "Podcast Archives". Gina Milicia Photography: Melbourne/Sydney lifestyle, celebrity, advertising & courses. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  7. ^ "About this podcast – NEW STORIES, BOLD LEGENDS". Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Alumni and Friends| News | The University of Sydney". sydney.edu.au. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  9. ^ Price, Sarah (26 January 2019). "Sydney Lunar Festival's Valerie Khoo". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  10. ^ "University of Technology Sydney 2005 Annual Report" (PDF).
  11. ^ "Valerie Khoo". The Walkley Foundation. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  12. ^ "The Age Blogs: Enterprise". blogs.theage.com.au. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  13. ^ Burrowes, Tim (13 April 2009). "Fairfax is keeping its readers locked in the cellar". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  14. ^ Khoo, Valerie (2013). Power stories : the 8 stories you must tell to build an epic business. Richmond, Vic. : John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118387511.
  15. ^ Magazine, Anthill (25 January 2019). "Here are 5 great tips on how to successfully balance being a CEO and a full time artist -". Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  16. ^ "Valerie Khoo". Danebank. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  17. ^ "Taylor & Khoo: The story so far". Taylor & Khoo: The story so far. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  18. ^ "2009 Dell Small Business Excellence Award Finalists" (PDF).
  19. ^ "Telstra Business Awards Winners and Finalists 2010".
  20. ^ "Art Prize Finalists". Festival Program & Tickets. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
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