Mandy Nolan

Mandy has been the entertainment editor of The Byron Shire Echo since 2002, where she authors a column titled "Mandy Nolan's Soapbox"[6], is a contributor to the online publications Mamamia[7] and ABC[8] .

Nolan has published several books including The Full Mandy (2020)[9], Boyfriends We've All Had (and Shouldn’t Have) (2014)[10], Home Truths (2015)[11] and What I Would Do If I Were You: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Family Life (2011)[12], and also collaborated with Ellen Briggs to publish Women Like Us: Feeling Overwhelmed, Overworked, Overweight And Over It? (2018)[13].

Nolan has also collaborated to create and tour shows with with fellow comedians Ellen Briggs, Women Like Us[14], Akmal[15] and Austen Tayshus, 2020 Vision[16], and with musician Áine Tyrrell, Country Witches Association[17][18] .

Mandy has also been the Festival Director for The Big Joke comedy festival in Bangalow NSW[19].

After the 2022 election, Mandy also created and performed the stand up comedy show 'The Candidate' [20].

Since 1997, Nolan has taught a stand up comedy class at Byron Community College, having more thant 1,500 graduating students including Hannah Gadsby.[21][22] Nolan has also facilitated stand up comedgy workshops such as 'Laugh Lines with Mandy Nolan'[23] at Byron Writers Festival, What if Jesus was married with Akmal[24] Mandy also coaches individuals in opinion writing workshops through their Write to the bone workshops[25] and their Authentic You Masterclasses with George Catsi[26].

Nolan has been the host of various podcasts including Women Like Us - Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs[27], Authentic You's The Daily Dose[28] Mamamia's The Split[29], and a guest on many more [30]

In 2007, Mandy was hired to work with carers of dementia patients, but ended up developing a program of improvised performance, role playing and theatre sports for people with dementia called Stand Up for Dementia[31].

Nolan facilitated the Stand Up for Dementia program across Australia and taught 20 new facilitators how to work with those with dementia, with the support of a federal government grant[31][32]. The program resulted in an academic article, created by John Stevens, and international conference presentations on the results[33] [34]. The program was unable to continue without further government funding being provided[35].

Nolan advocated for humour therapy for people with dementia on TEDxByronBay with Stand up for Dementia[36] in 2010 and SBS's Insight on the Dancing Dementia Episode[37] in 2015.

Nolan is also a supporter of the Dementia Inclusive Ballina, being the MC for the 2022 Dementia Update Luncheon[38] and 2023 Symposium.

The North Coast region has some of the highest rates of Hepatitis C, a blood borne virus (BBV) primarily transmitted via the sharing of injecting equipment..[39] Since 2021, Mandy has worked with Dr George Catsi, in collaboration with Northern NSW Local Health District, to create a podcast series that strived to reduce stigma in health care settings towards people who inject drugs (PWID), as a way of improving their wellbeing and treatment outcomes[39]

In 2008, Nolan started running Shoot it From the Hip Replacement workshops[19] for seniors week. This workshop combined stand up comedy and empowering older people to share their stories.