Alison Michalk is CEO and Founder of Quiip, a global leader in online community management and moderation services; and co-founder of Swarm, the Australia’s first and only dedicated online community management conference.
An industry pioneer with more than 18 years’ experience working with online communities, Alison is a respected industry leader in the areas of social media, online community governance, management, moderation and engagement.
Alison founded Quiip in 2010 after identifying a need for social media and online community services that minimised risks (including liability and brand reputation) and maximised user engagement. She has built a world-class team of community managers who provide private, public and non-profit sector clients from consultancy to 24/7 implementation.
Operating as a distributed company since inception, Quiip has a team of over 24 based around the country and world. Alison is passionate about new business models and the future of work. This encompasses ‘radical flexibility’ and remote work as a means to solve health & wellbeing, economic, social and environmental issues. Alison believes that modern day employers have an unprecedented opportunity to rethink the work ‘place’.
In addition to founding Quiip (2010) and Swarm (2011), Alison established the Australian Community Managers’ Group in 2008. It now has more than 6500 members in Australia and NZ.
Alison’s experience building and managing online communities extends from start-ups through to large corporations and government departments. Prior to launching Quiip, Alison led a team of 30 moderators managing over 180 forums as community manager for Australia’s largest parenting website, Fairfax Digital’s Essential Baby.
At Quiip, Alison led the rigorous B Corp certification process with Quiip one of the first 300 in Australia to become certified, based on meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
When she is not working, Alison enjoys out-of-city dual-living in Avoca Beach & Byron Bay whilst raising her two teen sons. She also appreciates meditation and yoga, the ocean, and being involved in the B Corp community and volunteering at Fletcher St Cottage Byron Bay.