VANESSA RITSON - COMMUNICATION, CULTURE & COMMUNITY
VANESSA@WEARTHY.CO

"One of my favourite memories was playing for hours and days on end in the vineyards while visiting family in Italy one summer – it was secluded play at its best! Also racing billy carts with my neighbours down the steep path in the bushlands near our houses."

Since 2013 Vanessa’s leadership has been an integral part of the company journey including the transformation of the business identity from Own Grown Organics to Wearthy in 2018. Growing up in an immigrant home with a small business, it was always on her heart to one day have a small business of her own – and who better to do it with than Lukas. Vanessa and Lukas met in Dubai in 2010 and started Own Grown Organics in 2013. As well as being a mum of two to Laila and Julian, Vanessa is passionate about refugees and children’s abuse.

Vanessa is an active director who enjoys developing her employees to thrive in their environment. With a background in managing boutique creative agencies around the globe and an interest in personal development, Vanessa’s experience has allowed her to successfully build teams and coach employees to access their natural gifts. Her creative business mind and harmonious, empathic management style contributes tremendously to Wearthy’s culture and growth.

Lukas Bio

LUKAS RITSON - FOUNDER, EDUCATOR & PLAY EXPERT
LUKAS@WEARTHY.CO

"Being one of 6 boys I was always engaging with my brothers – whether it was down the river exploring, or building something in the backyard. It was all about challenge, risk and freedom."

Keeping children curious, creative and confident through offering the adventurous childhood they deserve - this is the principle that elevates Lukas Ritson's play environments. Lukas believes that play should be a holistic experience for children - one that fosters connection, encourages resilience, and cultivates compassion. His innovative playground designs emphasise sustainable, quality materials, as they create a healthy stage for limitless learning opportunities.

His work has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of children Australia-wide and beyond. He has collaborated with a variety of childcare centres, schools, community gardens and nature play-based conferences. Lukas presented a TEDxUQ talk on the importance of play in February 2021 and has been an invited keynote speaker in Finland, the United States and across Australia.

NIKKI FINDLAY - LANDSCAPE DESIGNER AND STUDIO MANAGER
nikki@wearthy.co

"Growing up on a farm surrounded by national park meant play for me was forts in the creek, building elaborate tree houses and playing in the mud and puddles after the rain. We would walk through the mountains in search of crystals, hidden springs and caves, and ride our horses as far as the scrub would let us, admiring the birds and creatures along the way.”

DEAN JOHN - PROJECT MANAGER
dean@wearthy.co

"I was born on the kitchen table of an old stone house in the coal mountains of Wales. I spent my childhood totally free-range. My first memory of play was riding a metal rocking duck as a toboggan down a snowy mountain and breaking my arm. Childhood was risky, free and exciting."

FLORA FITZGERALD - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
flora@wearthy.co

"We lived in this old historic house on the Mississippi river in Iowa, it backed onto a national park. My friends and I would wake up and pack a picnic lunch, leave the house and would not come back until dinner at like 9pm! We hiked, rode bikes, sled, ice-skated and went to the local pool with every other kid in town. We were completely free and our parents were never worried (so neither were we). It was seriously bliss!”