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TiPS Graduate

Renee Thompson

She/Her

About

Professional Title

Renee the Celebrant

Organisation

Renee the Celebrant

Locations

  • Melbourne CBD
  • Metro North
  • Metro South
  • Metro East

Areas Of Expertise

  • Advocacy and Inclusion
  • Community
  • Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces
  • Creative Expression and Activism
  • Diversity and Identity
  • Identity and Faith
  • Intersectionality and Diversity
  • LGBTIQA+ Awareness and Inclusion
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Skills and Empowerment

Presentation Topics

  • Advocacy
  • Awareness storytelling
  • Community Engagement
  • Conference presentations
  • Creativity and Communication
  • Empowerment
  • Event production
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Growing up LGBTIQA+ in Regional Areas
  • Healing and Compassion
  • Hope for the Future
  • Improving our Impact
  • Leadership
  • LGBTIQA+ Advocacy
  • LGBTIQA+ advocacy through storytelling
  • LGBTQI+ visibility
  • Mentoring
  • Motivation
  • Motivational speaking
  • Organisational inclusivity
  • Power and Privilege
  • Preventing Future Harm
  • Womens rights

Socials

Open to Negotiating Fees

Yes

Biography

Renee is a Marriage Celebrant, event producer, community advocate, DJ, MC, creative writer, story-teller and public speaker. Recently Renee was crowned winner of the 2025 Victorian Pride Awards Community Inspiration Award. Renee was also a finalist for LGBTIQA+ Person of the Year 2025.

Originally from the North of Ireland, Renee has been living in Melbourne for 16 years, and during that time has been deeply involved in her local and LGBTIQA+ communities. She approaches her work from an asset based community development perspective; using the art of gathering to form connections and create spaces that liberate women, trans and non binary people.

Under the brand Tomboy, Renee has created inclusive LGBTIQA+ social spaces, networks, workshops and celebrations of sexual liberation.
Renee also works part time in community Development - using her community connections to advocate for inclusive policies and awareness campaigns; bridging the gap between the LGBTIQA+ community and the broader community.

Renee’s vision is to make our community a safer space that’s welcoming, open minded, supportive, creative and accessible for the underrepresented; specifically women.

Experience

As an Irish woman, Renee is a natural storyteller. During her 6 years working as an authorised marriage celebrant, she has been able to hone her writing and storytelling craft to take people on a journey of love, joy & connection.

Renee has produced and hosted podcasts, formerly produced and co-hosted a radio show on Joy Media, and is revered within the community as a strong representative for lesbian, bisexual & queer women.

Renee’s lived experience growing up in a small, religion-shaped Irish village has given her a unique lens on what true community looks like. Now she channels those early lessons into nurturing a stronger, more cohesive LGBTIQA+ community.

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