You can find out more about how they met, and how Big Kids’ Table came to be, over on the Our Story page.
Lauren Foster
Co-Founder & Co-Director
BA Teaching (Outreach & Community Education), Dip Mental Health, Dip Alcohol & Other Drugs
Fav Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21
Coffee Order: Soy Chai Latte (with leaves…none of that powdered stuff!)
Lauren is like the human version of the brand Gorman.
She is full of life and colour, can be heard before she’s seen and is a morning person that doesn’t even drink coffee… so we’re all a little bit scared of her… like, where does all that energy come from?!
She has a wonderful husband, Harry, a daughter, Mia, and a puppy called Humphrey.
Lauren is qualified in teaching, social work, mental health, and alcohol and other drugs, and was the Wellbeing Coordinator and a Secondary Teacher at a Christian College in Melbourne for 6 years until Mia arrived in 2023. She has extensive experience in creating and running sex education programs within Christian education environments.
Lauren is passionate about holding a space for tricky conversations and tough questions with young people, and she believes in the importance and power of intergenerational discipleship.
She has a huge heart for Jesus and others and it shows.
Georgia Nicholas
Co-Founder & Co-Director
Cert Theology (currently completing), Cert Mental Health, Cert Responding to Client Needs
Fav Scripture: Philippians 1:3-11
Coffee Order: Soy Cap
Georgia can rival Lauren for volume, but coffee is a lifeline. She is not, in any way, a morning person. Georgia has an obsession with corduroy and indoor plants; and she has her own pup called Lenny (Leonard when he’s in trouble) and amazing husband, Matt.
Georgia gets around people. She is officially a shame-free zone with frequent one-liners about body parts and their functions. TMI is not in her vocabulary. Georgia is passionate about journeying with people through the valleys and peaks of life and wants to see a generation liberated, equipped and confident with sexual desire, relationships, and themselves.
Georgia has a decade of experience in church and non-profit youth ministry. She has qualifications in mental health and wellbeing support, a degree in graphic design and is due to complete another in theology. Georgia has also been a school chaplain in several government and Christian schools across Victoria.
Jesus really is her best friend.
They dream up our big picture projects and ensure Jesus is a part of it all.
Teaha Cameron
Workshop Coordinator
BA Psychology & Arts: Sociology & Business Management
Fav Scripture: Philippians 1:27
Coffee Order: Oat Wet Chai
If you had to sum up Teaha in one word, ‘passionate’ would be it.
Whether it’s about her many hobbies, social justice, Jesus, her friends and family, tea, or conversation about people’s worth and their understanding of sexuality, passion is the word that describes the energy she brings. Get her talking and she won’t stop.
Teaha is drawn to conversations about healing people’s idea of sex to God’s beautiful design for it, reminding them of the worth and identity they have in being created by Him, and making known the freedom found in the gospel. She has degrees in Psychological Science and Sociology, and has been working for three years in fundraising and advocating against human trafficking in Nepal.
She has been doing workshops with BKT pretty much as soon as they started, and now brings all of her passion and empathy into starting conversation and advocating for the goodness found in God’s design for us and sexuality.
Miriam Tucker
Community Partnership Coordinator
MA Counselling (currently completing), Master of Theology, Bachelor of Theology
Fav Scripture: Isaiah 43:31
Coffee Order: Large Skinny Latte
If Miriam were a TV genre she would be a sitcom as she approaches every situation with a spark of humour while always down for a heart-to-heart.
Bright and bubbly, Miriam is passionate about everything she puts her mind towards. She is known for her big sister energy, often dishing out tough love to those around her.
She is a lover of pets, especially the cats she lives with and tends to over-indulge in the latest murder mystery show.
Miriam holds qualifications in ministry and theology, which she has put into practice through years of volunteering and working in churches and Christian education.
Currently studying counselling, Miriam is people-driven, wanting to understand individuals beyond surface level. Miriam has a great heart towards seeing young people encounter the presence of God, especially through worship and Scripture.
Miriam intends to hold onto her child-like awe of God for the rest of her life.
Jay Harris
Youth Voice Coordinator & Workshop Presenter
Dip Leadership (Chaplaincy Major), Cert IV Real Estate (Currently Completing)
Fav Scripture: Proverbs 27:19
Coffee Order: Strong Soy Cap
Jay is like a human Swiss army knife, he’s always got something new and fun to do and seems to literally enjoy doing everything. When he’s not presenting in workshops he could be snowboarding, surfing, DJing, cutting hair as a barber, playing guitar, having a hit of golf or running marathons!
Jay completed bible college with Youth Alive Academy (with the chaplaincy specialisation) in 2022, and got his Diploma of leadership through Alphacrucis University.
Jay is incredibly well connected, and having spent his whole life in the church as a pastors kid he has seen the ins and outs of ministry. He’s always volunteering in some sort of ministry, whether it’s his local youth group, Red Frogs, CYC camps or missions trips, he loves it all!
Jay is a very passionate person, but he’s most passionate about God, and sharing Gods love and joy with everyone around him. He loves all we do here at BKT and wants all young people to know their true value and identity, and be equipped to share that truth with their peers.
They are behind our brand, social media, and resources. We love them, a lot.
Lenny Barras
Content Creator
BA Nursing, BA Midwifery, Post-Grad Dip Maternal & Child Health
Fav Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:18
Coffee Order: Strong Latte
Lenny is an enthusiastic and generous person with a keen love of home baking, sourdough to cookies, you won’t leave her place without a container of goodies.
She’s married with two small humans. Lenny loves to chat all things women’s health, as a midwife and maternal and child health nurse she believes in the power of good health education and access to services.
Lenny is passionate about seeing parents, carers and educators given the tools and information needed to guide young people through their sexual development and interconnect this with their faith, not separated from it.
Lenny has worked in the public health setting for the last 10 years in various places from busy hospitals, assisting births to community settings, supporting parents who are adapting to parenthood for the first time.
She is currently in a leadership position working on innovation projects in the urban fringe.
Genesis Lindstrom
Content Creator
BA Psychology, MA Public Health
Fav Scripture: Romans 8:28 or Philippians 4:6
Coffee Order: Soy Cap
Genesis is curious by nature and loves spending time delving into books, podcasts, and any other way she can satisfy her thirst for learning.
She is passionate about youth mental health and health promotion, believing that we all deserve to have the knowledge and health literacy needed to look after our own well-being and support our loved ones. She holds an undergrad in psychology and a Master of Public Health, working as a mental health researcher outside of BKT.
Gen grew up in a Christian household but really truly came to know God as her Father, rock, and best friend about 5 years ago when she was navigating through mental ill-health and God healed her mind. She loves God and takes every moment she can to praise Him and serve at His feet. Her love for God and her career intersect perfectly with BKT.
She’s fiercely passionate about youth wellbeing, and coffee, books, pastry and watching the same tv shows and movies basically on a yearly rotation.
When she is not on research mode, Gen can be found at inner cities cafes or at the beach.
Daniel Berends
Content Creator
BA Psych Science (Hons), MA Clinical Psych, and PhD (Psychology) (currently completing)
Fav Scripture: Luke 10:25-37
Coffee Order: Latte
Daniel is the kind of person who can talk about things for a very long time, which is good because we do a lot of talking about things. He’s also the kind of person who had his last haircut cancelled due to Covid and just never went back. He’s got great hair!
Daniel has been married to Christine for 15 years, they have three wonderfully weird children, and they live in the Yarra Ranges.
Daniel has studied at La Trobe University, Melbourne for the last decade where he teaches occasionally and is completing his PhD. He practices as a Psychologist in the Yarra Valley when he’s not helping us come up with new ways to make people uncomfortable in the name of learning!
Daniel has a passion for showing people the breadth and depth of God in spaces they don’t expect to find him. He loves talking with young people (and anyone else) about how God accepts us, is in everything, and most importantly what we can do in life because we know this.
These guys facilitate and coordinate our ministry and school events and they do it well!
Teaha Cameron
Workshop Coordinator
BA Psychology & Arts: Sociology & Business Management
Fav Scripture: Philippians 1:27
Coffee Order: Oat Wet Chai
BA Psychology & Arts: Sociology & Business Management
Fav Scripture: Philippians 1:27
Coffee Order: Oat Wet Chai
If you had to sum up Teaha in one word, ‘passionate’ would be it.
Whether it’s about her many hobbies, social justice, Jesus, her friends and family, tea, or conversation about people’s worth and their understanding of sexuality, passion is the word that describes the energy she brings. Get her talking and she won’t stop.
Teaha is drawn to conversations about healing people’s idea of sex to God’s beautiful design for it, reminding them of the worth and identity they have in being created by Him, and making known the freedom found in the gospel. She has degrees in Psychological Science and Sociology, and has been working for three years in fundraising and advocating against human trafficking in Nepal.
She has been doing workshops with BKT pretty much as soon as they started, and now brings all of her passion and empathy into starting conversation and advocating for the goodness found in God’s design for us and sexuality.
Jay Harris
Youth Voice Coordinator & Workshop Presenter
Dip Leadership (Chaplaincy Major), Cert IV Real Estate (Currently Completing)
Fav Scripture: Proverbs 27:19
Coffee Order: Strong Soy Cap
Jay is like a human Swiss army knife, he’s always got something new and fun to do and seems to literally enjoy doing everything. When he’s not presenting in workshops he could be snowboarding, surfing, DJing, cutting hair as a barber, playing guitar, having a hit of golf or running marathons!
Jay completed bible college with Youth Alive Academy (with the chaplaincy specialisation) in 2022, and got his Diploma of leadership through Alphacrucis University.
Jay is incredibly well connected, and having spent his whole life in the church as a pastors kid he has seen the ins and outs of ministry. He’s always volunteering in some sort of ministry, whether it’s his local youth group, Red Frogs, CYC camps or missions trips, he loves it all!
Jay is a very passionate person, but he’s most passionate about God, and sharing Gods love and joy with everyone around him. He loves all we do here at BKT and wants all young people to know their true value and identity, and be equipped to share that truth with their peers.
Sam Farren
Workshop Presenter
Youth Pastor at Crossway Baptist Church, BA Theology
Fav Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Coffee Order: I love an Oat Magic. Full coffee snob.
Sam’s hairstyle/facial hair combo changes every time you see him, because he likes to keep things interesting.
Sam’s married to Steph, and they got married in late 2021, just narrowly avoiding a COVID wedding. They currently live in Kilsyth, right at the base of Mt Dandenong, and they have an energetic Cavoodle called Marlee running around the house.
Sam’s studied a Bachelor of Theology at Melbourne School of Theology, and he’s currently been a Youth Pastor/Church Planter at Crossway Baptist Church for the past 5 years.
Sam’s heart and passion is to see young people grow and step into flourishing relationships with Jesus. Sam’s got a heart for spiritual formation of young people, particularly the growth and maturity of young men following Jesus.
Silas Hummel
Workshop Presenter
2020 Graduation Torchbearer Bible School, Evangelism Bootcamp Christ for all Nations
Fav Scripture: John 1: 1-5
Coffee Order: Oat Cap
From Germany, Silas is used going as fast as possible on the autobahn, but he has found that the laid back Aussie way is something he can stick around for (as long as his wife, Chloe, is there to explain Aussie slang when needed!). However, he misses a good pretzel or schnitzel and still says ‘G‘day mate‘ like a German.
Silas is an all or nothing type of guy. If he is not talking to someone about Jesus, he is reading, spending time with his wife or drinking coffee.
He studied Engineering for a while but God showed him a different place to be. He was trained at Christ for all Nations where he got to go to Africa to preach the Good News of Jesus to thousands and seeing miracles as you hear in the bible.
Having served in youth ministry, Silas is passionate seeing young people finding their identity in God.
James Catterson
Workshop Presenter
BA International Development, Cert Theology (currently completing)
Fav Scripture: 1 John 4:15-16
Coffee Order: Decaf Oat Latte.
James is a 20 something going on a 40 something, ready for naps and a BritBox subscription.
He is keen on art, the Australian music scene, walking tracks, and how God inspired all of them.
With a background of international and community development, he is moved by authentic relationships and stories, and how these work together to form people and communities into what they are.
He is passionate about the next generation knowing that God is so good, and that there is always space for honest and raw conversations and questions.
Get in touch below!
