Layne Beachley

Michael Gordon joined The Age as a 17-year-old cadet and has worked for the paper for more than two decades in roles ranging from surf writer and sports editor to national editor and deputy editor of The Sunday Age. He was New York correspondent for the Melbourne Herald and political editor of The Australian. A multiple Walkley award winner, his books include A True Believer, Paul Keating; Reconciliation, A Journey; and Freeing Ali, the Human Face of the Pacific Solution. In March 2006, Michael Gordon won the 2005 Graham Perkin Award for Journalist Of The Year for journalistic excellence for his report in April 2005 of the ‘forgotten’ 54 refugees detained on Nauru. On February 3 2018 Michael Gordon died during an ocean swim.

Layne Beachley AO is a seven-times world surfing champion and mental wellness advocate. An iconic figure in the world of surfing, Layne brings her unique insights to Awake Academy. Having battled self-doubt, chronic fatigue and debilitating injuries during her surfing career, she knows the importance of mental resilience, determination and overcoming challenges. Layne’s journey from adversity to greatness inspires her to guide others on their path to authenticity and empowerment.