Yarning Issues Submission Form Submission Guidelines Subscribe
Patron
Lieutenant General Natasha Fox
Natasha became the inaugural Patron for Yarning in October 2023, supporting the publication through her role as the Chief of Personnel. She speaks Indonesian and has been a subscriber of the magazine since its launch in 2022.
Editor-in-Chief
Flying Officer Paul Thomson
Paul is the creator of Yarning and continues to manage it in his position as Editor-in-Chief. He has served in both the Army and Air Force, and in late 2023 became the Navy Language Manager. He is passionate about First Nations languages and champions the development and implementation of this capability within Defence domestic operations.
Editorial and Media Team
Managing Editor
Ms Stephanie Evans
Stephanie is a Psychologist with a passion for language diversity and understanding the ways in which people communicate. Stephanie speaks conversational French, and tourist Italian and Spanish.
Junior Editor
Mrs Wendy Bilboe
Wendy is passionate about language learning, with a particular interest in how cultural and universal concepts are expressed across different languages. She has several masters’ degrees and has studied French and Indonesian.
Assistant Editor
Leading Aircraftwoman Jasmine Turner
Jasmine has a keen interest in writing, language, and culture. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Education, specialising in English.
Assistant Editor
Flying Officer Natalie Omond
Natalie has a Diploma of Languages in Chinese and a Masters of Chinese Law, the latter of which included an exchange program at Beijing’s Peking University. She has also co-authored a book on paradiplomacy.
Proofreader
Corporal Stephanie Schuurmans
Stephanie is a qualified Japanese linguist in the Army Reserve and actively deploys on Defence linguistic support tasks.
Proofreader
Sergeant Michelle Willemse
Michelle is a full-time aviator. Originally from South Africa, she speaks fluent Afrikaans, German, and English. She excels in grammar and the ‘rules’ of languages, making her perfect for her magazine role.
Promotions Manager
Miss Hannah Guy
Hannah has worked in the Media and Communications industry since 2006, gaining experience in print, radio, TV, and digital platforms. She now specialises in marketing and promotions.
Assistant Designer
Corporal Susan Touch
Susan has a keen interest in graphic design and is an international award winner for her video editing skills. She is a Khmer speaker, and is also currently learning Spanish via Duolingo.
Logistics Team
Digital Editor
Mr Stephen Suminguit
Stephen is a communications specialist who currently works for Navy. In addition to English, he speaks Cebuano and Tagalog, and is studying Korean.
Data Analyst
Mr Taylan Akay
Taylan has a PhD in econometrics and specialises in data analytics and AI. He is fluent in Turkish and has a keen interest in the Turkic languages of Central Asia.