About us

We are a team of professional writers, designers and accessibility experts.

A woman smiling, sitting at a wooden table with an open HP laptop, a red notebook, and a pen, in a cafe or restaurant. She is wearing a sleeveless white blouse with black polka dots and earrings. There is an abstract painting on the wall behind her.

Vera Sprothen - lead writer and editor

Our mission is to help organisations create simple and engaging content for people with reading difficulty.

Plain Content was born out of the desire to do better. We believe effective communication takes more than a one-size-fits-all approach.

We blend fresh ideas with tried and tested accessibility formats. Whether you need web copy in plain English or Easy Read flyers for refugees, we can tailor content that speaks to your audience and brand.

With decades of experience in writing and content creation, we serve a wide range of clients, from banks to disability services.

We are affordable and reliable - and we love what we do.

Our team

A woman with short brown hair wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and jeans standing against a gray brick wall.

Vera Sprothen - Founder and lead writer

Vera started Plain Content after a long career in journalism and years in the disability sector as an accessible information writer. Working in global newsrooms taught her to keep messages simple, words short and deadlines tight. With her background in economics, you can throw any topic at Vera.

She will find a way to turn even financial fine print into something her mum will read. Or people with disability. Or children. Or non-native English speakers. Vera understands their needs: she was born overseas herself.

A woman with dark curly hair smiling and sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a red patterned dress and blue gloves, outdoors with a colorful gradient sky background.

Rosemary Musachio – Accessibility consultant

Rosemary was born with cerebral palsy and an unbreakable spirit. Despite using a wheelchair and communication aids, Rosemary has gone hang-gliding, ridden cowboy horses and skied down mountains. She’s also a writer, poet and accessibility expert. Her motto is: “If you don’t conquer challenges, you aren’t living.”

Rosemary is our team consultant for accessible communication and the rights of people with disability. She’s the tech wizard who makes PDF documents work on screen readers. Her service REM Creative Consulting also runs WCAG 2.2 audits – the global guidelines for accessible web content.

A young woman with long brown hair, wearing glasses, a red top, and layered necklaces, smiling in front of a colorful abstract mural with polygon shapes in pink, blue, green, and purple.

Chiara Arena – Designer and illustrator

Chiara is our lead designer and Easy Read style guide, who brings a keen eye for colour, clarity and character to every project. Originally from Italy and with over a decade of experience in comic book publishing, Chiara loves storytelling. “For me,” she says, “illustration isn’t just about creating visuals – it’s about serving a purpose.” Chiara holds diplomas in Comic Art and Illustration, Fashion Design and Graphic Design.

A young woman with long dark hair standing in front of a colorful mural of flowers and greenery painted on a brick wall.

Chelsy Wong – Designer and illustrator

Chelsy is a visual storyteller, graphic designer and artist, who uses the universal language of images to connect with people beyond words. Her love for Disney movies led her to practice character drawings from a young age. Later, she went on to explore painting, calligraphy, typography and digital media. With a degree in Communication Design from Sydney’s Billy Blue College, Chelsy can bring any story to life.