Joanna Hempel

Joanna Hempel was born in Britain and is of Polish origin. Her father, the aircraft designer Henry Millicer, brought the family to Australia in 1950. Inheriting a love of literature and theatre from her mother's side, she began writing sketches in her teens. She graduated from Sydney University and spent a year in London writing for the stage. She has taught drama at high school and university level. In 1990 she formed the Armidale School of Youth Drama (ASYD) and continues to teach drama in Sydney.