Presenter Information

Anne Dunn has a 30 year career in the arts, she currently operates a consulting practice in facilitation, mediation, community consultation and organisational development.

Amanda Duthie Head of ABC TV Arts, Entertainment & Comedy.

Annette Eassie is currently Funding Manager at Regional Arts NSW and has worked as a Psychologist, Community Development Officer, Festival Director and arts volunteer over the past 20 years.

Kirsten Elliott has a Master of Education Studies (UCQ) and works as a language and literacy teacher with particular interests in language learning, cross-cultural communication and anti-racism education.

Maria Fernanda Cardoso The artworks of Maria Fernanda Cardoso are primarily large-scale sculptural installations and she has exhibited widely both internationally and in Australia.

Chris Finnen is a legendary blues performer living in SA who draws musical inspiration from across the globe. He has played with the greats including Jeff Lang, Phil Manning and Matt Taylor.

Mary Flynn will present Arrernte oral histories and historical images. She has worked with Arrernte families to collect oral histories for the last twenty years. Flynn is a fluent Arrernte speaker.

Jo Foster has extensive experience in Indigenous arts and art education. She works as Cultural Field Officer, Tjanpi Desert Weavers.

Cecil Goodman Ngarwelin ‘Hard Rock’ Lardil Jirrkurumbenda, songman, Mayor of Mornington Shire, Cecil is a leading songman who began touring in the 1970's in 26 national tours and 3 international tours.

Patrick Lawrence Goodman Yarran ‘Brown Sea Hawk’ Lardil Jirrkurumbenda, dancer. Patrick has participated in twelve touring productions including Los Angeles, Samoa, Luuli II and Japan.

Amunda Gorey is a cross-cultural mentor and painter with great talent. She facilitates and supports Arrernte people at Akeyulerre healing and resource centre.

Jo Grant is the RADO in South West Victoria with a background in photography and visual arts in Queensland and Victoria.

Tony Gribble Exhibitions Officer at Araluen Arts Centre, conservator, artist, performer with broad experience in public speaking, lectures, presentations, floor talks to Indigenous people, artists, students, general public and professionals.

Verity Higgins is the Victorian RADO in Ballarat with an extensive performing arts background and a focus on Indigenous and multicultural communities.

Regina Hill has ten years experience consulting and researching in the commercial and nfp sectors, focusing on program design, implementation and evaluation, organisational development and change management.

Annika Hooper is a singer and instrumentalist involved in the Tutti Performing Arts Program with a strong track record in performance including solos in high profile concerts and music theatre works.

Liz Hughes Since 2002 Liz has curated and co-curated large scale national and international exhibitions and biennials including Experimenta Playground in 2007, which attracted 44,043 visitors during its Melbourne premiere.

Margaret Hunter is Manager of Family Relationship and youth at Upper Hume Community Health Service in Wodonga, Victoria.

IAD Press Based in Alice Springs, IAD Press is Australia’s oldest Indigenous publisher, renowned for its authentic publications of cultural value.

Bryce Ives is a media-arts practitioner, theatre director and ABC Radio online producer for Heywire based in Melbourne.

Trevor Jamieson is a Spinifex man and acclaimed performer from WA. He is the key performer and co-creator of Ngapartji Ngapartji.

Sean Joseph (Archie) Archie joined Beyond Empathy as a participant in 2006. He is a skilled music/dance artist and a member of Beyond Empathy’s leadership program.

Alex Kelly is Creative Producer of Ngapartji Ngapartji and Chairperson of RedHOT Arts. She is based in Alice Springs.

Lucy Kenneth Alice based Lucy is the Director of RedHOT Arts and a Board Member / Director of Regional Arts Australia.

Leesa King is the Superintendent of Community Investment and Programmes with Rio Tinto Iron Ore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.  

Jeff Khan is a curator, writer and arts administrator and is currently Artistic Director of Next Wave.

Kristen Khan Born in Port Augusta, Kristen is a proud Yankunjatjarra and Antikarinya woman. She is an Assistant Coordinator on Carclew’s APY Lands Project.

Annemarie Kohn is the Visual Arts & Digital Media Program Manager for Carclew Youth Arts, a unique arts organisation based in Adelaide.

Carl Kuddell is managing director of tallstoreez productionz. He is responsible for the national and international Hero Project media network and training outreach. He is also a successful TV producer. Credits include; Pinnaroo Surfer, ABC mini-series, 7-part SBS series, Is Your House Killing You? and the multi award-winning First Fleet Back.

Kurruru Youth Performing Arts - Kurruru is Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth performing arts company: Emma Webb – Company Manager, Gina Rings – Acting Artistic Director, Damien Ralphs – Associate Artistic Director, Taree Sansbury – SAIYWAT Project Officer, Aunty Josie Agius – Kaurna Elder and Kurruru’s Community Networker – joined by 5 Kurruru members - Dancers with Kurruru Dance Ensemble.

Vincent Lamberti An Italian-Australian city boy who is now based in Alice Springs, Vincent is a filmmaker and composer.

Dr Helen Lancaster Senior Researcher for PFA, Helen has previously established regional arts companies, cultural infrastructure and policy in Queensland.

Catherine Lanley Jinamarr ‘Nail Fish’ Waanyi, lead dancer. Catherine has taken part in twelve national tours and worked with NAISDA in Sydney. She is noted for her comedy roles in dance.

Lyn Leader-Elliott is a Flinders University Senior Lecturer and has worked on Regional Arts Australia’s arts skills development program ‘Creative Volunteering’ since 2001.

Derek Lynch is a proud Yankunytjatjara and central Arrente man who grew up in Old Timers camp, Alice Springs. He is currently employed at Carclew in the Indigenous Arts & Culture program.

Jennifer Lyons-Reid (BSc, Dip.Ed, QiG) is the creative director and quirky ideas generator of tallstoreez; a multi-award winning TV, new media art and education company. Jen loves fun, social impact filmmaking, innovative education, public art and creative collaborations.

Sonja Maclean De Silva For the past five years Sonja has worked for Arts NT and is the Manager of the Regional Office in Alice Springs.

Tristam Malbunka is a Western Arrernte man born at Ntaria (Hermannsburg) now living at Larapinta Valley town camp, Tristam is both a filmmaker and a visual artist.

Sophia Marinos is Creative Producer of Tassie based ‘This is Living’ project.

Tamara Marwood is an artist and project manager who focuses on sustaining emerging art practice and form within Australia’s regional landscape of geographical distance and divide.

Marion Matthews is the RADO in the Wimmera and has an extensive background in community and arts development in the region.

Kim McConville is the co-founder and Executive Director of Beyond Empathy and has worked in indigenous communities in rural Australia for 20years.

Nadine McDonald-Dowd is the former Artistic Director of Indigenous performing arts company Kooemba Jdarra, and is now Program Coordinator of kuril dhagun, Indigenous Library Knowledge Centre, State Library Queensland.

Pantjiti McKenzie is a senior Pitjantjatjara woman from Pukatja/Ernabella. She was instrumental in the establishment of EVTV (Ernabella Video Television). She is a senior inma (song) and culture woman and a widely renowned Ngangkari (traditional healer).

Pantjiti Tjiyangu McKenzie is a respected leader and teacher of multiple aspects of Anangu culture, and she has a long association with Tjanpi.

Regina McKenzie lives at Yappala station, via Hawker in the Flinders Ranges. She has been a painter since she was a child, learning to tell stories by drawing in the sand with her Aunty at Oodnadatta.  

David McMicken is Co-Artistic Director of Tracks Dance Company. With Tim Newth he has created Milpirri, a performance project growing out of their 20 year working relationship.

Nicole Mickle trained at Curtin University in Design and has a ten year history in the creation of Public Art, including significant public sculpture projects with her partner Alex Mickle.

Deb Milligan is a practicing artist, whose work as a RADO is informed by her background in CCD and health promotion. 

Makinti Minutjukur is a senior Pitjantjatjara woman from Pukatja (Ernabella), a community leader with considerable experience.

Digby Albert Moran renowned Aboriginal artist (Bundjalung).

Mary Mia Mulladad is a painter and ngangkere, traditional healer. She interacts with the world using the knowledge vested in her by her spiritual ancestors.

Leonie Murrungun Numbulwar Community Education Centre, S-E Arnhem Land. Songwriter, senior literacy worker in Indigenous language.

Robyn Nardoo is an Arrernte film maker, currently responsible for productions at CAAMA and NITV. Robyn has a unique approach to filmmaking.

Tim Newth is Co-Artistic Director of Tracks Dance Company. With David McMicken he has created Milpirri, a performance project growing out of their 20 year working relationship.

John Oster is the Executive Officer of Desart. He has worked in arts administration for some 15 years with extensive experience in Aboriginal arts.

Steven Jampijinpa Patrick is a member of the Lajamanu community and has been a key advisor to Tracks on Indigenous issues as they relate to the Warlpiri people.  

Elaine Peckham is a senior central Arrernte woman and Apmere atyeye (custodian) for the country of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Elaine works long and hard and with great integrity to protect the Sacred Sites and the living culture of her family’s country.

Jaime Phillips is the co-creator of the Katanning Wearable Art Program. She currently works as the External Relations Manager of Curtin University.

Lynley Pickett is the co-creator of the Katanning Wearable Art Program. She currently works as the Senior Officer, Aboriginal Services at the Department for Child Protection in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia.

Rhonda Plummer is an artist and artworker at Julalikari Arts at Tennant Creek. She is Deputy Chair at Desart.

Kate Podger is Curator of Araluen Galleries with experience managing Aboriginal art centres and galleries. Kate has broad experience in public speaking, lectures, presentations, floor talks to Indigenous people, artists, students, general public and professionals.

Dani Powell is a performance maker and artist based in Alice Springs. She is Community Producer and Assistant Director of Ngapartji Ngapartji as well as Artistic Director of her own company red shoes.

Bronwyn Purvis is a filmmaker and director who is currently working on ‘Drive in Holiday’.

Hania Radvan was diverted from acting into arts management and marketing and has been with Arts NT for eight years.

Scott Rankin is National Creative Director and co-founder of national social change arts company Big hART.

Virginia Rigney is Curator Public Programs, GCCAG, and Chair of the Art+Place Panel - the Queensland Government fund for Public Art.

Pat Rix South Australian playwright and composer is internationally recognised for her work in bringing community and professional artists together for large-scale high quality performance.

Margaret Robinson is a skilled Tjanpi weaver and tutor. She acquired many of her artistic skills at the Ernabella Art Centre.

Telen Rodwell is a Tassie based filmmaker currently producing the ‘DRIVE’ project.

Sue Roff is the National Manager Cultural Development of the Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF), and an experienced sponsorship and philanthropic professional.

Dagan Graham Rogers Thenbe ‘Shovel Nose Shark’ Lardil Dancer. Born 1989 Dagan is a natural leader who sang in some recent touring productions.

Tess Napaljarri Ross is a senior custodian at Yuendumu and an artist at Warlukurlangu Artists. She speaks as the Chairperson of Desart.

Steven Russell Raised at La Perouse mission Botany Bay, Steven now lives in Gerringong. He has an Advanced Diploma in Visual Arts, studying Cert IV Training and Assessing and has worked on high profile public art commissions.

Kelli Ryan is the visionary, founder, director and arts coordinator of Boolarng Nangamai. She is a practising artist and TAFE teacher with unique experience within the local Aboriginal community.

Nicole Sarfati is the Research and Communications Officer at RedHOT Arts, her role includes managing the Central Australian Cultural Audit.

Chris Saunders has worked with Big hART for over 10 years as a producer and artist. He is currently Creative Producer of ‘GOLD’.

Moya Sayer-Jones is best known for her comedic fiction. She takes this workshop wearing her other hat, as Director of the story-gathering company Only Human. www.onlyhuman.com.au

Dr Huib Schippers Director QCRC, D/Director QCGU. Schippers’ numerous publications on cultural diversity have influenced government and industry in Europe and beyond. 

Roxanne Jane Thomas Buljibulji ‘Mangrove Rat’ Lardil Larumbenda, lead dancer, announcer. Roxanne is the on-stage presenter in productions and is a key organiser of community events.

Michele Thredgold is a South Australian multi-talented blind writer and musician who performs a wide range of music form jazz standards to classical and pop. 

Margaret Kemarre Turner is an esteemed elder, translator, negotiator, artist and leader. Her cultural world reflects her commitment to the preservation and maintenance of aboriginal identity.

Alana Valentine Author of the Helpmann and NSW Literary Award nominated ‘Parramatta Girls’ and QSLD Literary Award winning ‘Run Rabbit Run’, both published by Currency Press.

Jim Vilé is Manager of Queensland Arts Council’s Ontour inschools program and develops and oversees regional initiatives in Mt Isa, Pompuraaw and Kowanyma.

Kathleen Kemarre Wallace is an esteemed elder, and an artist of international renown. Locally, she is also famous for her storytelling and teaching.

Craig Walsh Craig’s inspiring and popular site-specific projects span a broad range of artforms and have been selected for major survey exhibitions, commissions and residencies both nationally and internationally.

Tricia Walton Director, Carclew Youth Arts. CEO South Australian Youth Arts Board.

Frank John Watt Ngarrimbi ‘Dingo’ Lardil Lilumbenda, lead dancer, announcer. Frank has toured throughout Australia and most recently Alice Springs and Ngaanyatjarra lands in 2007.

Gordon Watt Banbaji ‘Top Knot Pigeon’ Lardil Lilumbenda, songman. Gordon has performed as a singer since 1992 and most recently toured to Alice Springs and Ngaanyatjarra lands in 2007.