Top of Their Game

Meet the Hon. Michael Kirby: former High Court justice, human rights champion, and one of Australia’s most compelling legal voices. From shaping landmark decisions on the High Court of Australia to championing plain English long before it was fashionable, Michael shares why clarity in communication isn’t just good practice, it’s a matter of justice, fairness, and humanity. A sharp, deeply thoughtful conversation with a true giant of Australian law. Learn more about Michael’s work Michael’s official website  Michael’s 10 Commandments of clarity [See page 8] Michael’s talk ‘Write for the people: Plain English and the law with Michael Kirby’  Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Dr. Helen Keleher: a leading voice in public health who’s spent her career tackling some of society’s most complex, and urgent, health challenges. An Adjunct Professor at Monash University and Life Member of the Public Health Association of Australia, Helen brings deep expertise in health equity, prevention, and population health. From shaping strategy to influencing generations through her writing and teaching, her work has consistently focused on creating fairer, more effective systems.  In this episode, she shares why clear communication and health literacy are critical to creating fairer systems, and what it really takes to drive meaningful change. Learn more about Helen’s work Helen’s textbook Understanding Health Helen’s Google Scholar Citations  Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Jamila Savoy: an emerging leader in the world of plain language advocacy. As co-founder of Plain Language Matters, Jamila helps organizations communicate clearly; from simplifying complex policy to shaping public health messages and coaching teams to write with confidence and purpose. In this episode, she shares how her passion for plain language began, how she convinced the Victorian Government to invest in clarity, and the key lessons she’s learned as a leading voice for accessible, human-centered communication. Learn more about Jamila’s work Jamila’s business is Plain Language Matters, where she and Jess Mathew help organizations transform their documents and train their teams She was a finalist for the Plain Language Awards 2025 Further reading The Victorian Government’s Accessible Communications Policy The Plain Language Community of Practice on the Innovation Network; open to all Victorian public servants Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Laureate Professor Peter Doherty: Nobel Prize winner, scientific heavyweight, and master communicator. From a discovery that transformed modern medicine to decades as a trusted public voice on pandemics, climate change, and science itself, Peter shares what it takes to communicate complex ideas with clarity, credibility, and impact. A big-brain conversation with one of the world’s best. Learn more about Peter’s work List of books by Peter Peter’s biography on The Nobel Prize website Peter’s profile on The University of Melbourne website Doherty Institute  Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Dr Annetta Cheek: a true trailblazer of the plain language movement. After 25 years as a federal employee, Annetta saw firsthand how badly government communication was failing the people it was meant to serve. From chairing PLAIN, the federal interagency plain language group, to serving as chief plain language expert on Vice President Al Gore’s National Partnership for Reinventing Government, she became one of the most influential voices pushing for clarity, accountability and human-centered communication. In this episode, Annetta shares how she discovered plain language, what it took to convince government that clarity was worth legislating for, and the long road to passing the US Plain Writing Act of 2010. It’s a powerful conversation about persistence, persuasion, and the real-world impact of writing that people can actually understand.Learn more about Annetta's work:  Introducing Annette Cheek on the International Plain Language Federation. Annetta’s profile on Clarity International. These word cops stand guard to keep language clear and simple, in the Los Angeles Times. Top of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn. 

Meet Prof. Joe Kimble — a true legend of plain-language legal writing.After 35 years teaching legal writing at Cooley Law School, helping draft the US Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure, and authoring three landmark books, Joe has spent a career proving that the law can be clear, human and accessible.In our very first episode, Joe shares how he found plain language, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and why clarity matters for all writers — legal or not. We couldn’t imagine a better guest to kick things off.Learn more about Joe’s work:Law booksKids’ booksSelected articlesPlain Language ColumnTop of Their Game has been brought to you by In-Game Learning: the most fun you'll ever learn.