Maureen Kelly, OAM is the current secretary of the Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW Inc (FAW). She co-founded her branch – North Arm Cove situated on the northern foreshore of Port Stephens – in 1997 together with a former member, Bronwyn Cozens.
The branch consists of twenty vibrant members, many of whom have enjoyed success publishing novels and books of poetry.
For eleven years she was employed by the Port Stephens Examiner newspaper, where she obtained expertise in production and publishing. This expertise has stood her in good stead, enabling her to publish a 12-page monthly magazine (www.covenews.net/covenews.pdf) for her community for over 20 years.
Maureen, previously a practice manager of an eight-man Victorian medical clinic, moved to NSW 24 years ago where a lot of her time has been devoted to community service, earning her the Centennial Medal in 2001 and the Order of Australia medal in 2010 for her fundraising and community service efforts.
Maureen is a Life Member of the North Arm Cove Branch and, in November 2015, she was awarded the Fellowship of Australian Writers Distinguished Service Award.