About Nadine

Biography

Nadine is a writer, a speaker, a teacher. But before all this, she made her mark as an Olympic swimmer.

Nadine began swimming at the age of seven and by the time she was eight, she knew she wanted to represent Australia. When she was 15, Nadine overcame Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, only to have her dream of an Olympic berth in Barcelona shattered by a broken neck. She fought back to finally realise her dream, swimming at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games in the 200m Breaststroke where she came 6th in the final in a personal best time. She went on to captain the Australian Swimming Team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 1999 Pan Pacific Championships.

On retiring from competitive swimming, Nadine had to completely re-define her life. She struggled with depression for five years while studying for dual teaching qualifications (Primary and Secondary English) and working in PR & Marketing where she co-ordinated an approach to marketing University undergraduate degree programs that came to be considered an industry leader.

Nadine taught English for a number of years at a top comprehensive girls’ high school and after her move to Newcastle, NSW, she taught English to students studying for their trade certificate and HSC concurrently at the Australian Technical College – Hunter.

Her memoir, Wobbles – An Olympic Story, won the 2009 IP Picks Award for Best Creative Non-Fiction in 2009 and she also contributed to First Time Mum, a collection of short stories about becoming a mother for the first time. She also writes and publishes the Toddler Transitions Series – a series of individualised books to help prepare toddlers for the range of challenging events they may face in their lives.

In addition to speaking and writing, Nadine also runs Life In The Zone – a program for young people aged 14-18 about healthy behaviour, boundaries, communication and planning ahead designed to engage, empower and equip young people for a healthy future.

Since Nadine's story captured the attention of the media in 1996 she has enjoyed success as a motivational speaker on both the corporate and schools circuits. She says that one of her greatest joys is "connecting with an audience and feeling that my experiences, in some small way, might help inspire others."

Nadine lives in the Hunter Valley, NSW with her husband, two-year-old son and six-month-old daughter. She spends her days answering her toddler's questions, mopping up her baby girl's mess, trying to find time to work on her next writing project but generally settling for penning a blog post or two, and always looking out for ways to help others realise their potential. One day Nadine will master the art of the kitchen garden and the art of balancing work and play.

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