About us
Kiama Community Radio (KCR) is a non-profit community-based organisation run by volunteers. KCR is a podcasting service produced by local residents for the communities in the Kiama Local Government Area from Minnamurra in the north to Gerroa in the south and Jamberoo in the west.
Initially launched in July 2020, KCR has produced over 200 podcasts.
KCR provides broadcasting training to people of all ages, giving the local community a voice. KCR provides local artists a new platform to connect with their audiences; businesses an alternative way to reach their customers and community groups a chance to promote their activities.
KCR’s objective is to grow into a live to air, FM radio station, reach wider audiences and be recognised as a valuable community resource.
Governance Committee
President
David Toohey grew up in Bowral and established a business providing RF communications, audio-visual and broadcasting services nationally. He has worked with major companies such as the Retravision group, Movielink and the David Syme Group on the Darling Harbour Convention and Exhibition Centre’s AV & broadcast services.
David was a foundation member of radio 2WKT (Highland FM). He is currently the Managing Director of CommStream, and works as a project manager in broadcast, IT and Tertiary education. David lives in Foxground and is a staunch supporter of KCR’s dream of growing into an FM radio station.
Secretary and
Public Officer
Madeleine Scarfe is an architect with a Masters’ degree in Environmentally Sustainable Design. She has been running her own business for 20 years as project architect, interior designer, project manager, construction manager and design manager on mainly commercial, retail and residential projects and has an long term commitment to bringing design solutions to the community, volunteering her services to WIRES, a number of projects in Timor Leste, Green Connect (Wollongong) and the Lions Club Carers’ cottage in Kiama.
Treasurer
Laura Hill is a commercial media executive with qualifications in marketing and public relations. She brings over 15 years’ sales and partnership experience working at leading media organisations such as Nine Network, Fairfax Digital, Fairfax Media and most recently was the Director, Commercial Business at Gumtree.
Podcast Producer
Helen Lear is a communications consultant, writer and author with over 18 years’ experience. Throughout her career, she's been lucky enough to focus on the good stuff in life that really brings people together – music, arts and hospitality. She's promoted countless bars, concerts, festivals, hotels, music venues, pubs and restaurants; profiled artists, bartenders, chefs, musicians and winemakers; and launched numerous charity initiatives. Since setting up her own business in 2012, she's worked with a fantastic range of clients including the Australian Museum, Good Beer Company, Green Music Australia, Musicians Making A Difference, Time Out Australia and W. Short Hotel Group.
Human Resources Manager
Gabriela Cabral worked as a singer, musician and actor in the 80s before taking up arts management in the 90s with a special interest in community cultural development. She has worked for an array of theatre companies and arts organisations including the Sydney Opera House and UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute. She was introduced to broadcasting at SBS radio and for six years produced and presented a weekly world music program at Canberra’s ArtSound FM.
Founding Members
Graeme Gherashe has qualifications in pure mathematics, psychology and an MBA. His working career for twenty-five years was initially in the international finance and banking sector. For the last fifteen years he has worked through his consultancy business ‘Gherashe Consultants Pty Ltd’ principally in the NFP sector and the Arts sector providing training and strategic consulting, plus part time teaching at the University of Sydney, UNSW, Macquarie Graduate School of Management and UTS . Graeme has been a director on Boards in Australia and Internationally for large corporations and for NFP organisations.
Diana McLaren is a comedian, event host, author, actress and all-around performer. She counts public speaking, writing, painting, drawing, acting, stand-up comedy, music, photography and video amongst her passions. She holds Bachelors of Arts degree in Acting for Screen and Stage and Television Production. Diana lives in Kiama and is focused on her art in all its forms (but especially comedy, acting and writing) and pimps out her skills as a videographer, photographer, graphic designer, social media marketing expert, UX designer, writer and more.
Neil Reilly has qualifications in marketing, advertising, adult education, graphic design and digital media. He recently achieved a graduate certificate (Deakin University) in International Relations as well as qualifications from The Australian Institute of Directors. Having spent a working lifetime in advertising, the last 20 years in his production company Jungle Drums Media Productions Pty Ltd. Neil now serves our community of Kiama as an elected councillor and has done for the past 12 years as well as chair and participate as a director on a number of NFP boards.
Karen Lang has had a long career in the communications and information technology sectors. She served for nine years in the Royal Australian Navy as a radio operator during the 70s. After working for the Federal Government as a software developer for several years, Karen went on to work as an information technology consultant in the private sector providing IT architecture, strategic planning and program assurance services. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Information Technology and a Master of Science (earth and environmental science). Karen is currently an active member of the Kiama Municipality Council Planning Committee and chair of the Kiama Central Precinct community group.
Fran Geraghty moved to the Kiama region after living and working in Melbourne for the last 30 years. She has worked in the corporate, public and the NFP sectors specialising in the fields of culture change, leadership development, people engagement and diversity and now enjoys living in the local rural community.
Glenn Shepherd moved to the Illawarra in 1976 when he commenced a metallurgy traineeship at the steelworks. He met his wife-to-be Kerry while travelling in Europe in 1980 and they moved to Kiama shortly after. Glenn retired from the steel industry after 40 years service with BlueScope Steel. The final five years of his career saw him work across Australia and New Zealand in a Safety Management and Operation Improvement role. It was during that time Glenn was exposed to Community Radio in the different locations he visited and found local radio invaluable in understanding more about the the local region, its attractions and its residents. He also volunteers some of his time in the Age Care Sector and the Kiama Knights Rugby League club.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all our volunteers: Fran, Fred, Glenn, Candy, Michelle, Perrie, Roger, Linda, Trent, Suzanne, Rob, Josh, Claire, Robyn, Jeremy, Kim and Mark.
Tess Baldwin is a Kiama-based freelancer with expertise in marketing, branding and graphic design. Originally from Canada, Tess moved to Australia in 2015 in pursuit of a life full of sunshine and the sea. Along with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing Communications and Certificate in Graphic Design, she spent 3 years working at a full-service marketing agency, delivering marketing and brand management to clients across a wide range of industries.
Brian Warren has worked in media for many years, with Channel TEN Sydney, as Operations Manager at SBS-TV in the late 80's, in a small business serving the TV industry and finally 13 years with Foxtel. His involvement in community radio began in the 1990s when he became Chairman of Hawkesbury Radio (2VTR-FM), then Technical Officer at 2SSR-FM at Sutherland and finally joined Shoalhaven Community Radio in 2009 and was President for a term in 2015. He is now happily retired and living in Gerroa with his wife, Di.
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Fred recently retired after more than 40 years’ service in the NSW government during which he helped establish Human resources functions for new agencies such as the Environment Protection Authority, the Department of Community Services and the Public Service Commission. Fred started in personnel, moving on to senior management roles in staff development, equal opportunity, performance management and work health and safety. He wrote policies on all of these areas as well as recognition & reward, grievance handling, climate surveys, conduct, flexible work and change management.
Fred holds a Bachelor of Business and a Graduate Certificate in Management and enjoys yoga, snorkelling and volunteering with Blue Haven Community Care.
Originally a Sydney-based high school French teacher with a B.A. Honours degree and Diploma of Education from UNSW, Candy Andersen enjoyed careers as a public servant with the former Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, which sent her to both Rome and Italy, then in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) both as a teacher and Director of Studies/Program Manager. She spent seven years working as an international flight attendant with Qantas before moving into tourism and hospitality management, from which she has now retired. She has been living and working in the Kiama/Berry area since 1998 and, as a self-avowed 'child of the radio era', is very happy to have the opportunity to work with KCR and give something back to the Kiama community which has always made her feel very welcome.
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