Meri Fatin
Award-winning journalist and former ABC producer with a unique approach to interviewing and panel facilitation
Profile
Award-winning journalist Meri Fatin is a versatile and sought-after interviewer and panel facilitator, specialising in matters relating to climate action.
A strategic, skilled and values-based proponent for action on climate change, she is an experienced advocate, speaker and broadcaster, with a clear focus on elevating and depoliticising the issue by facilitating impactful climate conversations, often with high profile individuals.
Having immersed herself in the topic of climate change, Meri has developed a clear understanding of the need to employ a moderate tone, clear argument and inclusive positioning whilst being unequivocal on the science. She is accomplished at working in demanding environments, with the ability to guide, inspire and empower, to ultimately draw out the best in people. Empathic and intuitive, Meri is highly skilled in well researched, balanced conversations, producing her own podcast Rare Air, and taking on a broad range of facilitating, interviewing and MC work.
In 2021 she is the curator of the Tipping Point series of public talks for WA Museum Boola Bardip as well as convening her own events in WA.
Previous experience:
Facilitator: For well over a decade, Meri has been chairing challenging conversations for clients including the Perth Writers Festival, the Fremantle Arts Centre, Department of Health, Department of Culture and the Arts and the Disrupted Festival of Ideas with topics ranging from climate science to gender politics, public policy and the cultural interface between China and Australia. Among her high profile guests are Margaret Atwood, 5:2 Diet guru Dr Michael Mosley, an eminent researcher on regenerative medicine Professor Nadia Rosenthal, chef Matthew Evans and journalists Waleed Aly, Stan Grant and Leigh Sales.
Interviewer: Meri is a versatile interviewer with a reputation for impeccable research and detail. In 2020 she hosted Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC in Perth, and curated the speakers and audience for TEDxPerth Countdown: WA Climate Leadership Summit. Previously she led the interviewing team for Perth Festival and the Empathy Museum’s “A Mile in My Shoes” project, giving audiences a chance to gain extraordinary insight into the lives of ordinary West Australians, including a sex worker, a militant activist, a shark attack victim and the mother of a transgender man. These stories have travelled the world with the Empathy Museum and are now available as a podcast.
Radio: Meri is a graduate of the esteemed WAAPA Broadcasting course. A former ABC producer, she is also a long-time music program presenter at community radio station RTRFM.
In 2006 Meri won Best Radio in the United Nations Media Peace Awards. She has subsequently co-won Best Radio News Story in the WA Media Awards 2012, the Daily News Centenary Prize for the WA Journalist of the Year 2013. From 2015-17 Meri presented WritingWA’s monthly Cover to Cover series for Westlink TV.
Media
Feedback
I can honestly say that Meri Fatin is among the best hosts/interviewers I have come across during my speaking career.
Meri interviewed me last year for an event in Perth. She was very organised, had clearly mastered her brief and knew a lot about the subject. She was also relaxed and amusing, ensuring the whole event went very smoothly.
If you are looking for an interviewer or someone to bring an event together then I would wholeheartedly recommend her.
Meri Fatin has been one of my preferred facilitators for sessions and events at Perth Writers Festival for a number of years. Meri’s enthusiasm and extensive research ensure panellists feel comfortable speaking about a wide range of issues while audiences engage with her lovely stage manner and conversational tone.
Meri has chaired a broad range of events for me, from fiction to performance to topical social issues and she approaches each with intelligence and empathy. It is a pleasure working with Meri and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a professional, considered and effective chair who can easily build rapport with audiences and panellists alike.
Meri is the consummate professional. I have engaged her services as an MC and narrator and she impressed diverse audiences. She mastered the protocol requirements within minutes for an event that involved the Governor, an African Queen Mother and guests from 50 plus backgrounds. Brava!
Meri Fatin has been the Master of Ceremonies for our Graduate Fashion Show since 2011 and has become an integral part this annual occasion. Each year Meri works closely with us to develop a script for the evening which is relevant and unique to the theme and location of the event. This involves research and discussion and I really value the collaborative nature of this relationship because I feel that Meri approaches the task in a serious, thoughtful and intelligent manner. It means that she actually gets what we do and she is able to communicate this to our audience. Meri’s involvement in our event goes way beyond just reading off a generic script, she always takes the time to make sure she pronounces all the names correctly and adds in relevant comments where necessary. The feedback we have received from our industry as well as parents is that Meri brings a sense of occasion to our event. Meri is definitely elegant, glamorous and has great stage presence, but more importantly she is professional, articulate, calm and confident.
We brought Meri on board for the 2016 Disrupted Festival of Ideas as facilitator for key session in the program at the State Theatre Centre of WA. Most notably as interviewer with media personality, Waleed Aly, and as facilitator for a panel ‘Dismantling Gender Politics’. Meri took on both roles with care and enthusiasm. She went above and beyond, ensuring strong communication with the panelists and a keen understanding of their work and their topics of interest. As Executive Producer, I was confident with the program that Meri would deliver and knew it would be handled professionally and effectively. I would not hesitate to have Meri as part of any programs that GM Consulting might deliver in the future.
Meri was the supreme host for Fashion Talks and was an intelligent, lively and charming interviewer with the skills to draw out the best stories and most interesting ideas. Meri brought a deep multi-faceted appreciation of art, design and contemporary culture and a honed understanding of what makes for an entertaining, successful event that ensured Fashion Talks were a hit”
Meri was also integral to the planning in discussing possible guests, themes and ideas to create well-conceived series.
Meri also has a gift for radio interviews; the Audio Tour she created to accompany artist Lev Vykopal’s major Gallipoli centenary exhibition was outstanding and enlivened and enriched the experience for all our visitors.
Meri Fatin is one of the most thoughtful, accomplished, original and skilled hosts I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.
I met her for the first time on the night of launching my book, Your Own Kind of Girl, in Perth. She had come recommended via my publisher and several other sources, so I thought “Let’s give this a go”.
I am so glad I did, Her preparation, intelligence, and warmth - the fullness and grace she brought to a rather complex and delicate conversation - was absolutely remarkable. Her style of questioning was original, tender, gently provocative, and made for a deeply interesting conversation.
The audience loved her, and to be honest, so did I. I was sad when the evening ended! I even briefly considered moving state just so I could hang out with her more often, but thought it best check with the family first? I mean honestly, the woman’s a professional. Couldn’t recommend her more highly.
