Presenting with: Craig Hamilton, Mental Health Advocate
Craig Hamilton is a former radio journalist and presenter turned author, keynote speaker and mental health advocate.
Tell us about your career to date
I started my career as a broadcaster part time with ABC Radio Newcastle in 1994.
Over 20 years I’ve covered the NRL (rugby league), rugby union and test cricket matches as either a play by play caller or as a “sideline eye”. The highlight was working with the ABC Radio Grandstand Rugby League commentary team alongside Peter Wilkins, Warren Ryan and David Morrow. As a team we worked on many NRL games, State of Origin series and a number of test matches involving the Kangaroos.
I was born and raised in the Hunter Valley town of Singleton. After leaving school I spent 16 years working as an underground coalminer in the Newcastle area before embarking on a radio career full time in 1999.
As a cricketer I represented the Newcastle and NSW Country cricket teams. I played for NSW Country against the touring Sri Lankan team in 1990.
In 2004 Random House released my memoir “Broken Open”. Apart from being a biography, the book gives a very personal account of my experience account of living with Bipolar Disorder. In July 2012, Allen and Unwin released my second book “A Better Life”.
Over the past 20 years I’ve been a mental health advocate and professional public speaker .
I left the ABC in August last year and have continued to speak publicly fulltime as the demand for speakers and presenters in the mental health area is increasing. Speaking about mental health is my passion and I want to make a difference.
In September 2023 Green Frog Productions released a documentary on my story titled “The Promise”. We’ve had 16 public screenings and are currently talking to a streaming service to give more people the opportunity to see the documentary.
I hope my story offers hope and inspires others.
Your favourite or most memorable speaking experience?
My most memorable experience was speaking at the “Happiness and It’s Causes Conference” in 2007. The Dalai Lama was the Keynote Speaker and there were more than 3,000 people in the audience. So, the expectation and pressure to deliver was very high.
The speaker who was on straight after The Dalai Lama had his PowerPoint presentation fail and there was a frantic rush to get me microphoned up to go on one hour earlier than originally planned.
I was on stage with legendary Australian actor Garry McDonald (Norman Gunston , Mother and Son). It was memorable for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, I loved speaking in front of that number of people. (It is still the biggest audience to whom I’ve presented.) Surprisingly, I didn’t feel too nervous. I had no time to get nervous because they basically said the guy on at the moment can’t fix his PowerPoint presentation and we have to keep moving on with the program. The organisers said “you’re on“ and pushed me on to the stage.
Secondly, how many people in the world can say that The Dalai Lama was their main support act at a gig in Sydney?
What makes a good presentation?
Know your topic and practice delivering it well before you actually present it. Be authentic, be real and don’t try to be something you’re not. Audiences prefer to engage with a presenter who might not be as slick or as polished as some others but is “real and passionate”.
Know you’re audience and ask yourself “why do people need to hear this?“. A presentation needs to be shaped around what your audience can take home, so plan to deliver some insights on what you know.
Be confident. If you’ve been asked to speak, then someone thinks it’s a good idea.
Enjoy the experience. Remember 95% of the audience want you to be great. They are on your side.
What is your top tip for presenting at a peak level?
Make eye contact with as many people in the room as possible. It makes it far more intimate and is a way to develop a connection with the crowd and to not appear distant and detached.
How do you relax outside of work?
I do boxing and walking to stay fit. I play golf (not that well), I love the big live concerts, listening to music and reading.
Craig speaks at corporate, workplace and community events and at conferences - large and small.
He is listed with Australia’s top speaker bureaus including ICMI, Celebrity Speakers, Platinum Speakers, Saxton Speakers and Great Expectations.
You can also connect with or book him via his website.
For coaching and workshops on delivering effective presentations, please contact our team today.