Kirsty Forbes is an autistic support specialist for neurodivergent people and their families and professionals; and the Founding Director of both inTune Pathways and The Neurodivergent Co.  Her work is informed by her extensive professional experience as an educator (Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary teaching), as an integration aide to children with social, emotional and behavioural challenges, and as a childhood behavioural and family specialist.

Her most valuable insights, however, come from lived experience.

Kristy is autistic herself, and diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

She is a Mother to four autistic children, ranging from 5 years to 21 years, all with varying autistic expression including non speaking and PDA, and Kristy is married to a wonderful autistic man.

You're going to love this chat, filled with laughter, understanding and acceptance. It's Nelly Thomas' Person Place and Thing, with Kristy Forbes. 

You can find out more here: https://www.kristyforbes.com.au/

https://www.kristyforbes.com.au/intunefamilies

https://www.thend.co/home

And order Nelly's books, here: https://www.somekidsbooks.com/some-brains 

Dr Ruth De Souza is a nurse, academic, researcher, agitator, speaker and consultant specialising in cross cultural engagement and cultural safety. Ruth and Nelly met via mutual friends and bonded over various things; including a mutual love of cooking and the sea and, a shared understanding of what health and healthy communities actually mean (hint: it’s not all about apples and going for a run). Ruth is a 2020 RMIT Vice Chancellor's Fellow and her current passion is helping health professionals find new ways to understand, co-design and implement sustainable cultural safety initiatives in a range of health contexts. 

Today’s episode is a first – Nelly Interviews a family member! Florence is Nelly’s 8 year old daughter and as you’d expect, she has a big heart and some firm views. In this special bonus episode Florence shares her favourite person (her mum), her favourite place (the toilet) and her favourite thing (a stuffed comfort toy called Monkey). They laugh, they share some Florence-wisdom and they give an insight into neurodiversity in all its glory. Nelly could describe Florence in many ways but reckons this will do - when Florence was 4 she was invited to a princess party and went as Flash. Six months later she was invited to a Mermaid party and went as Darth Vader. She runs her own race. 

This is how Florence describes herself:

"My name is Flowerence. I'm 8 years old and I love to draw. I think evry drawing tells a story even without words. Sometims at school I draw on the whit bord and macke a story and rub it out and make the next part of the story. Drawing maks me feel very happy and relaxd. And I am Autistic so that makes me special."

Eddie Perfect is one of Australia’s most diverse, respected and prolific writer/ composer/ performers.  His most recent work as Composer of Beetlejuice The Musical on Broadway won him a Tony Award for Best Original Score.  Hello! How marvellous! He has already made his mark in the fields of comedy, music theatre composition and book writing, playwrighting, screenwriting, classical music, jazz and acting for stage and screen. He has won multiple awards for his work both as a performer and writer, and has worked with top creatives from Baz Luhrmann and Global Creatures  Simon Phillips and Neil Armfield... th elist goes on and on. His biographical musical comedy Shane Warne: The Musical won the 2009 Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work, a Victorian Premier's Literary Award and a Green Room Award. Following his songwriting career on Broadway, where he composed Beetlejuice and King Kong, Eddie has returned to Australia where he will star as Franklin Hart Jr. in Dolly Parton's musical 9 to 5 later this year. Sit back, relax and enjoy Nelly and Eddie, getting their chat on. 

Shiralee Hood is Australia’s #1 female Aboriginal comedian. Winner of the 2009 Deadly Funny competition and nominee for a 2012 VIPA Award, Shiralee has been rocking audiences throughout Australia with hilarious stories and an outrageously funny take on life.

She’s survived the Canberra bush fires, lived next to the Tent Embassy’s sacred fire and had her front teeth knocked out swinging on a Hill’s Hoist (which is about as Aussie as it gets).

A striking combination of experience, activism and attitude you're going to love this chat with Nelly and Shiralee. Clever, cheeky, charming and challenging.  Enjoy!

Cal Wilson came across the Tasman in 2003 and has gone on to become one of our most popular comedians. In 2018, Cal was invited by Netflix to the Montreal Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal to record a Netflix Original Comedy Special which was released in early 2019. Cal was also in the writers’ rooms for the first two seasons of The Weekly with Charlie Pickering . In 2016, she landed one of her dream jobs as an ensemble cast member in Whose Line Is It Anyway? Australia alongside some of the country’s brightest improvisers. Cal (will) continue her national touring and is returning for her 5th year as the Melbourne live show host of the worldwide smash-hit storytelling podcast The Moth. 2019 also saw Cal become a very serious children’s author, penning two books called “George and the Great Bum Stampede,” and “George and the Great Brain Swappery.”

Lady Dynamite, Ms Maria Bamford is comedy royalty. Stephen Colbert called her his “favourite comedian on earth” and Judd Apatow said she is “the funniest woman in the world.” They're both right. She's something special. Brutally honest, she is best known for her prolific comedy involving hilarious portrayals of her family and litany of jokes and situations that demystify the stigma around mental health, depression and anxiety. Her work in this area has literally saved lives.  In this episode, Nelly and Maria talk a lot about about mental health, memories of their misspent youth in Edinburgh Scotland, the benefits or insanity of cold water swimming and Maria's husband, artist Scott Marvel Cassidy. Strap in. It's about to get marvellous. And, you're welcome. 

Celia Pacquola is a chameleon – a stand up comedian, writer and actor who springs between stage and screen and has become one of our best-loved and most in-demand performers.

She was the youngest woman to host the Melbourne Comedy Festival gala and has appeared on Live At the Apollo and the Just For Laughs Montreal Gala.

She’s a regular on Channel 10’s Have You Been Paying Attention? And you can see in the smash hit comedy Rosehaven on ABC who she co-created, co-wrote and stars in with Luke McGregor.

In addition to the launch of both her Amazon special All Talk and a new series of Rosehaven, Celia is the 2020 winner of Dancing With The Stars on Network Ten, taking home $50K for her chosen Charity Safe Steps Victoria.

Kath Duncan is a crip elder, producer, researcher, writer and performer who has been within Australia’s disability arts scene since the mid 1980s. 

Kath has worked for ABC, SBS, community tv and radio, and is co-founder of the queer crip spoken word cabaret troupe, Quippings. 

Kath’s most recent project was chairing The Last Avant Garde: Disability and the Performing Arts in Australia https://lastavantgarde.com.au/ 

@kdfreakpride1 @nellythomasppt

Fierce, loud, black and proud Gregg Andrews is a wonderful human with a massive life story crammed into his young 22 years.  Nelly met Gregg on the comedy circuit when she mentored him as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival's Class Clowns program. There's just so much to his story. He's a country boy. He's Torres Strait Islander. He is queer. He's been in and out of the foster care and child protection care system from the age of 10. His foster parents are none other than Andy and Deb, from The Block.  These days, Gregg is a Child Protection Worker which is about as far from the stage as you can get and, he's bloody marvellous.  This episode will delight and surprise you. Enjoy!