More about our founder Shanna
Shanna Whan was an Australian of the Year recipient in 2022, and also the winner of the 2022 Marie Claire Woman of the Year. The video compilation below runs through the award for AOTY.
Shanna Whan is the founder and creator of SITC. After almost losing her life to alcohol addiction in 2015 and making it out alive against the odds, she decided to dedicate her life to 'being the change' she wished to see in rural Australia.
She's since put the conversation around booze in the bush on the national agenda through her years of voluntary advocacy.
Some of the FAQ's we get is ''how did Shanna get sober?'' or - ''how did she do what she is doing?,'' and ''can I ask how did she get there?''
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If you're interested in the back story of SITC, then this is the page for you. Shan's been telling her story for years and years - not because it's unique - but because she knows it's not at all. By ''going first'' again and again, it was always her hope and prayer that others might find their courage, too. And they are.
Our media over the years for you to catch up on:
Producer Ben Cheshire first filmed Shanna Whan in 2019 when SITC was just a budding concept. This episode is the revamp and shows some of Shan and Tim's backstory along with the Australian of the Year win, and a beautiful little scene of the Bush Tribe, gathering.
Watch the 2022 Australian of the Year awards back, including Shanna Whan's landmark speech as a winner on why rural people matter when it comes to addictions support.
ABC's ''Conversations'' (with Sarah Kanowski)
Shanna does a deep dive with ABC's Conversations, with Sarah Kanowski. Trigger warning - this one gets emotional, and discussed sexual assault and trauma.
Australian of the Year finals package.
This is the package and preview for the Australian of the Year awards in 2022 - which is a nutshell 3 minute look into the ''why'' also.
SBS wth Shaun Micaleff ''On the Sauce''
We worked with Shaun Micallef for a 3-part series called ''On the Sauce''. There are three one hour episodes - where Shaun explores Australia's obsession with alcohol. Shanna and SITC feature.
''Wine O'Clock'' on SBS Insight
This is an old panel discussion from 2017 (always relevant) where Shanna joins a group discussing wine o'clock.
''Forty'' with Those Two Girls
Welcome to FORTY - it's the podcast equivalent of a little black book for the middle years. Join hosts, Lise and Sarah (who both turned forty in 2020) as they celebrate the life lessons and stories of popular Australian women in their fifth decade
Sober Curious panel live at the Opera House
Shanna represents SITC at the Opera House on International Women's Day in 2020 alongside Clementine Ford, Yumi Stynes and Jill Stark to discuss 'sober curiosity
Rethink Addiction live panel - Melbourne city.
Shanna represents the rural sector in a deep dive from our partners at Rethink Addiction at a sellout live pane event held in Melbourne in 2021 with an amazing lineup of AOD contributors.
