

MEET THE TEAM
The Creative Plus Business team are a fun-loving bunch, all creative professionals with business experience, and all keen to help you be creative, make money, and love your work.
Meet the team, your advisors and our magical helpers, and find out more about our experience, our creative lives, and how we can help you.


Monica Davidson
Doyenne / Director
Monica is the boss, and also very bossy. She is the lead business advisor for C+B, our key consultant and conducts most of our workshops. If left alone for too long she also comes up with most of our zaniest new ideas. Monica loves working with more experienced businesses and arts organisations. She is our keynote specialist and the loudest person in the office. She adores salty language, and has no idea where the tea towels live, even after all this time.
Likes: Karaoke. Pink Champagne. Funky earrings that tell their own story. Amateur interpretive dance. Stationery. Llamas.
Dislikes: Defensiveness. Lateness. Stories that don’t make sense. Being in nature. Small narrow minds. Red Wine.
Robyn Saurine
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Management (Honours)
Bachelor of Business (Information Systems)
Bio:
Robyn started her career as an engineer and IT manager. She also pursued her love of creating art, specialising in abstract expressionism, and became a yoga teacher. Robyn’s has exhibited with international galleries, and she has provided project and artistic support to creative industry business operators across the globe. Her current practice focuses on working with unusual materials and adding performance by translating music into art. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Art and Design.
Likes: Morning dew. Peaceful sunrises and my yoga practice. Cuddles with my old Staffie, Mr Boy and my partner, Justin. Brookies Slow Gin mixed with Kombucha on hot days.
Dislikes: Unbrewed tea that tastes only like milk – yuck. Any kind of violence. A wind so strong it blows you around. Working a standard “40 hour week” – also yuck. Travelling away too long from my lovely partner and dog.
KB Heylen
Strategy Consultant
Qualifications:
Master of Commerce
Bio:
KB has had a varied career spanning arts management, economic development and communications. They founded Platform Gallery, a successful commercial feminist art gallery in the Blue Mountains. Prior to that KB was Australia’s first Creative Industries Cluster Manager. In her own practice, KB is a producer, dancer and burlesque performer, as well as a writer and visual arts curator. They particularly loves helping clients to face their fears and tackle their financial issues.
Likes: Books. Dogs. Coffee. Dancing and stripping in front of strangers.
Dislikes: Loud eaters. Unmanicured nails. The vegetables in the fridge that go off despite all your healthy eating good intentions.
Lillie Brown
Sergeant-At-Arms | Marketing Manager
Bio:
Lillie Brown has worked in the arts for her entire career, first as the Arts Administration Officer at Southern Tablelands Arts and now as our Marketing Manager, and a freelance marketing consultant to creative organisations. Lillie is an Embroidery Artist and uses this timeless craft to unsettle people with sequins, feminist sexuality and swear words. She loves helping young regional creatives get their business act together, and she is our Fashion Icon. Cross her at your peril.
Likes: Hot chips. The smell of horses. Kimonos. Big earrings. Tequila. Ocean swims. Indulgent spaces.
Dislikes: The patriarchy. Tea with the bag left in the cup. Cold tootsies. High pitched sounds. Fluorescent lighting.
Nick Bolton
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Masters in Screen Arts and Business
Diploma in Human Centred Design and Innovation
Graduate Diploma in Marketing
Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Marketing and Law
Bio:
Nick is an award-winning all-media producer. He has provided strategic thinking, content production and distribution for clients in the government, corporate and enterprise sectors. He has also written, directed and produced a wide variety of screen content. Nick is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Ten Alphas, a production company based in Sydney and Wollongong. He also works as an actor and presenter in a wide range of screen content and theatrical productions.
Likes: The Smiths. Gigs. Buying vinyl. English pubs. Sundowners. Hammocks, Printed books and newspapers.
Dislikes: People who dislike The Smiths. Red wine (allergic!). RnB. Heavy Metal. Bad briefs.
Tess Gibson
Concierge | Education Manager
Bio:
Tess is the Education Manager and knows where everything is. After completing her final two years of high school at the Australian Institute of Music, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Performance. During her degree, she found she was far more interested in creative writing and interned at Troyeur Literary after graduation. We were delighted to snaffle her shortly after, and she is now our inimitable organiser, quiet achiever, and Queen of Tea.
Likes: Dogs. Vietnamese food. True crime podcasts. Espresso martinis.
Dislikes: Cold tea. OJ Simpson. Wet socks.
KATE GAUL
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Graduate Diploma Directing (NIDA)
Bio: Kate is a theatre and opera director, creative producer, festival director, writer, and designer based in Sydney, NSW. She is a graduate of NIDA (Directing 1996) and Artistic Director of Siren Theatre Co. Kate undertook a residency with SITI Company (NYC) and was Associate Director at Ensemble Theatre.
Kate has established herself as a distinctive and inventive director, with directing credits including plays, opera, physical theatre, devised works, and classics for theatre companies and schools in Australia. She is Artistic Director of Siren Theatre Co where her passion for text-based drama challenges artists and audiences to have bold imaginative experiences.
Kate has also directed festivals (World Interplay, Playlist, Invisible Circus, Cabaret, and Short Play Festivals), and Sydney Mardi Gras Parade. www.kategaul.com
Likes: English gardens. Good wine. Great words. Anything handmade.
Dislikes: Exclusivity of all kinds. People who hog the footpath. Negativity.
Emmie Hallett
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Certificate IV Small Business Management, Certificate IV Training and Assessment
Bio: Emmie originally trained as a singer and performer, then worked across the community sector in service provision, quality and project management and community education. Emmie eventually put one foot in each world and developed a model called Community Spiral Work about how to use creativity and the arts to create positive change in the community, opened a community creative school in the Hunter Valley and bought a tricycle. In between running Wild Learning and helping others launch their creative projects, she is a singer and painter and does ALL the crafts.
Likes: Riding a tricycle. Yoga. Home grown food. Long rambling walks in nature. Audiobooks. Toblerone.
Dislikes: Zippers. Tinned asparagus. Unkindness.
Kylie Burke
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Master of Science (Coaching Psychology)
Bachelor of Arts (Film and Television)
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Bio:
Kylie’s first career was in media, and she held leadership roles in both private and public organisations, focused on strategy, policy and governance. Kylie’s role as the Head of Governance and Policy at AFTRS heightened her interest in coaching and professional development opportunities in the creative industries, and in 2013 she established Red Bullet to provide executive coaching and workshops in leadership development and change management. She is passionate about bringing creativity and business practice together.
Likes: Ocean (and river) swimming.The Sydney Swans. Cooking dinner for friends. Oysters. Dancing like there’s no-one watching. Champagne and good Aussie bubbles
Dislikes: Intolerance. Raw onion. Name dropping. Real estate talk. Arrogance.
Andrew Gray
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Majors – Theatre Studies, Communications and History)
Graduate Diploma of Education
Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management
Bio:
Andrew has decades of experience in the creative and cultural industries, including as the Executive Director for regional arts development organisation South East Arts. Prior to that, Andrew worked in education and public programs for institutions such as the National Film and Sound Archive. Andrew has a broad understanding of a range of creative industry practices, and is an occasional musician, performing with The Jonathan Richman Experience and The Novellas.
Likes: Driving my tractor. Banging taiko drums. Sleeping. Nordic noir.
Dislikes: The phrase ‘not a problem’. Queues. Reality TV shows.
Carl Sciberras
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Master of Fine Arts (Cultural Leadership)
Bachelor of Arts (Dance)
Bachelor of Arts/Communications (Writing and Cultural Studies)
Bio:
Carl is a producer, choreographer, performer, teacher and arts advocate from Western Sydney. He has co-founded two successful creative enterprises: not-for-profit Dance Makers Collective and Flatline, a visual art and dance collaboration. Carl has worked in management and marketing for a range of performing arts organisations, and is an Australia Council peer assessor. Carl blends the ‘business’ side of company management, planning and development and the ‘creative’ side as a maker and performer.
Likes: Hot chips. Margaret River. Cats (mine most importantly). Tina Arena. Indoor plants.
Dislikes: Horror films. Sand in my shoes. OTT extroverted self-improvement motivational speaker gurus (sorry Tony Robbins). Cigarette smoke. Littering.
Rosie Lourde
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Certificate IV (Micro-Business Management)
Advanced Diploma Acting
Bio:
Rosie Lourde is an award-winning creative working across a range of screen content. She was an actor/producer on hit digital series ‘Starting From Now’ and her directorial work includes the feature film ‘Romance On The Menu’ on Netflix. In 2015 Rosie was selected for the prestigious SPA Ones to Watch program. She has recently joined the Screen Australia Gender Matters Taskforce and was formerly the Investment Manager of Online Production at Screen Australia.
Likes: Being underwater. People who take what they do seriously but don’t take themselves too seriously. Dancing to disco tunes. Falling asleep on tropical beaches.
Dislikes: “Shoulds”. Lights that buzz. People who stand at the top of escalators.
Cat Dibley
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Graduate Diploma Media Arts and Production, Advanced Diploma Performing Arts (Acting), Certificate IV Small Business Management
Bio: Cat is a national and international creative producer with over 10 years’ experience producing dance, theatre, tours, and festivals, and has been published on ArtsHub on the subject. She has worked at major theatre companies across Australia, Europe, and the US and founded a theatre company in 2011, producing many shows under this banner for mainstage companies, festivals, and large-scale national tours. During the quieter theatre moments of the last two years, Cat has worked as a creative consultant, story producer, and screen development producer and looks forward to even more collaborative projects.
Likes: Roadtrips. Subversive cross-stitches. Statement earrings. Mountain views.
Dislikes: Burnout. Mouth noises. Noses sticking out the top of masks. Selfishness.
Sats Kramer
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Certificate IV Small Business Management, Certificate III Audio Engineering
Bio: Satoru (Sats) Kramer is a professional musician, photographer and videographer based on the Far South Coast of NSW. He also represents MusicNSW as the Regional Music Officer for the South East of the state. This role sees Sats working across the music industry, as both a professional development facilitator and a central information and connection hub for all stakeholders in the local music industry.
He is passionate about empowering artists with the tools and know-how to make a career out of doing the thing they love.
Likes: Finely crafted instruments. Really loud guitar amps. Puppies. Excessively large bowls of pasta.
Dislikes: Racism. Small servings at restaurants. People who don’t pick up their dog’s poop.
Jillian D'Ercole
Business Manager
Qualifications: Bachelor of Art Theory and a Diploma of Business
Bio: Jillian embarked on a career within the creative industries over twenty five years ago, and has worked in administration and sales across a range of roles and sectors. She is passionate about customer service and loves to nurture long-term relationships with clients. Jillian has a
Bachelor of Art Theory and a Diploma of Business, because as we know, those two
things go together! In her spare time, she
can be found swimming laps at the local
pool or trying to tame her jungle of a
garden…although it has well and truly
taken the upper hand.
Likes: Achieving joyful synergy within a team. A zephyr of a breeze. Eating pasta. Swimming laps with a buddy. Good books.
Dislikes: Inauthenticity. Lack of grace. When life gets unbalanced.
Pauline Clague
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts/Law (deferred)
Diploma of Television (AFTRS)
Bio:
Pauline is a Yaegl woman from North Coast NSW. She is a screen producer and writer and is internationally recognised for her work with Indigenous companies. In 2015 Pauline was awarded the prestigious Stanley Hayes Award for contribution to Australian Documentaries. She founded Winda Film Festival in 2016 to celebrate emerging and established Indigenous filmmakers from around the world. Pauline is currently an Associate Professor of Cultural Resilience Research as part of the Jumbunna Institute at UTS.
Likes: Movie theatres. Surf. Dinner with friends and family. Sleeping on planes.
Dislikes: Red wine. My insomnia. White supremacy (although I enjoy listening to Trump’s idiotic speeches). Mediocrity.
Wendi Lanham
Chef d’Affairs | General Manager
Bio:
Wendi Lanham is the wonder woman behind the C+B wheel and runs the whole show. She started her career as a model and actor, then combined her craft with a Diploma of Business Management and a Bachelor of Performance. She continues to work as an actor, model, and presenter and is passionate about inclusivity and diversity in the creative industries. She cannot, however, keep her desk plants alive despite her very best efforts and love of nature.
Likes: Theatre. Film festivals. Performing. Animals. Gin. Being in nature. Wide-legged pants. Dad jokes.
Dislikes: Mess and disorganisation. Ignorance. Cutlery scraping on crockery. People that walk slowly in the middle of the footpath.
Felicity Blake
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Film)
Bio:
Felicity Blake is a documentarian, creative producer and social impact campaign strategist. She established The Dove Media in 2007 and has travelled internationally with her work. She has contributed to a diverse range of TV programs and documentaries, as well as sustaining a parallel career in event production, serving on the executive team of the Supanova Pop Culture Expo for 13 years. Felicity is also an Ambassador for Bhutan’s Centre for Gross National Happiness.
Likes: Boarding passes. Talking to strangers. Improving things. Bazaars. Happy Hour.
Dislikes: Corruption. Xenophobia. Cheaters. Human rights abusers. People who don’t stand back from the baggage carousel.
Jess Milne
Education Manager.
Qualifications:
Master of Screen Arts and Business – AFTRS
Bachelor of Design (hons) – QCA
Bachelor of Digital Design – QCA
Bachelor of Arts (Theatre, Contemporary Art) – Griffith
Industry Certificate Human Centred Design and Innovation – AFTRS
Bio:
Jess is a filmmaker and visual communicator with experience as a documentary filmmaker, corporate/commercial director and cinematographer. She loves creating content from end to end, focussing on every detail. Jess has worked for leading corporate companies and is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of Ten Alphas, a content production company. Jess is an also experienced mentor and lecturer. She is passionate about sharing her creative and business knowledge with others.
Likes: Winning scissors, paper, rock. The satisfaction of using a rubber stamp. Road trips.
Dislikes: The sound of a mower on a Sunday morning. Strong perfume on a train. Slow internet connections.
Charley Sanders
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Master of Fine Arts (Directing, NIDA), Advanced Diploma of Arts (Acting, Adelaide College of Arts)
Bio: Charley is Co-Artistic-Director of contemporary performance company House of Sand, and a Theatre Artists and Realisateur (poncey french word that sort of just means “director” but more specifically means “person that makes it happen”). Her artistic work has taken her across directing, dramaturgy, performance, teaching, and producing for institutions including The Sydney Fringe (Programs Producer 2019-21), STC, STCSA, Opera Australia, ActNow Theatre, Adelaide College of Arts, NIDA (Masters and Open Programs) and a slew of independent projects and companies.
Qualified in business from The School Of Getting It Wrong And Correcting It Fast, Charley is an expert in grant writing and management, philanthropy, team building, and making it work with too few dollars.
Likes: Long days on the beach. Quick blasts in the surf. Art that defies boundaries but also super trad art done really really well. Sing alongs (but not karaoke). Broad minds. Wine-time philosophy. Purple nail polish.
Dislikes: Cold weather (unless skis are involved). Queerphobia. That weird ‘Sunday evening before school starts again’ feeling (which can strike any time and is always awful).
Rhiannon Hopley
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Mental Health First Aid, Certificate III in Micro Business Operations, Videography Intensive (AFTRS), Advanced Diploma Graphic Design & Communication
Bio:
Rhiannon Hopley is an award-winning photographer, designer, multidisciplinary artist, and curator. She is an Artistic Associate, and Digital Initiatives Lead for the global arts initiative, Micro Galleries and founder and director of RH Photography & Design. Rhiannon is also the current Chair of the Inner West Council Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and a founding member and Deputy Chair for Inner West Creative Network.
Her creative work has been published and exhibited nationally and internationally. Over a 17 year career, Rhiannon has worked with a diverse range of creative practitioners,
NFP’s and businesses spanning various industries, from the underground Sydney arts and music scene to contemporary galleries and high-end stage productions. Her approach combines knowledge and empathetic understanding to the unique challenges within our industry.
Likes: The smell of rain. Walking at night. Cats. Exploring back alleys and new places. Seeing beauty in the simple things. Making cool shit with other creatives. A good cup of strong tea or coffee before eating the rich.
Dislikes: Tea stains on mugs. Misogyny. Inequality. Humidity.
Kyra Riesener
Executive Assistant
Qualifications: Bachelor in Business Administration and EU-Fundraising and Project Management Certification
Bio: Kyra was born and raised in Germany. After spending a year in the US, she studied International Business Management in the Netherlands. An internship in the office of the non-for-profit organisation and vegan restaurant Lentil As Anything led Kyra to spend time in Australia. In the first week of her internship, she fell head over heels in love (swoon!) and decided to stay here long term and put down roots. During peak times of the pandemic, Kyra accomplished certification as a project manager and an EU-Fundraising manager, as well as embarking on her journey as an abstract painter. Identifying as a Highly-Sensitive Person, she is a warm and nurturing point of contact for any questions or concerns that you might have and is our resident bringer of joy.
Likes: YOU. Trees and birds chirping. Kindness. Creative energy. Shadow play. Authenticity. Shifts in awareness. Coffee. Coffee dates. Long walks involving multiple coffees.
Dislikes: Harm in all its forms. Spiders. Cockroaches. Selfishness. Disharmony.
- Robyn Saurine
- Kylie Burke
- Pauline Clague
- Kelly Heylen
- Andrew Gray
- Wendi Lanham
- Lillie Brown
- Carl Sciberras
- Felicity Blake
- Nick Bolton
- Rosie Lourde
- Jess Milne
- Tess Gibson
- Cat Dibley
- Charley Sanders
- Kate Gaul
- Sats Kramer
- Rhiannon Hopley
- Emmie Hallett
- Jillian D'Ercole
- Kyra Riesener
Robyn Saurine
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Management (Honours)
Bachelor of Business (Information Systems)
Bio:
Robyn started her career as an engineer and IT manager. She also pursued her love of creating art, specialising in abstract expressionism, and became a yoga teacher. Robyn’s has exhibited with international galleries, and she has provided project and artistic support to creative industry business operators across the globe. Her current practice focuses on working with unusual materials and adding performance by translating music into art. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Art and Design.
Likes: Morning dew. Peaceful sunrises and my yoga practice. Cuddles with my old Staffie, Mr Boy and my partner, Justin. Brookies Slow Gin mixed with Kombucha on hot days.
Dislikes: Unbrewed tea that tastes only like milk – yuck. Any kind of violence. A wind so strong it blows you around. Working a standard “40 hour week” – also yuck. Travelling away too long from my lovely partner and dog.
Kylie Burke
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Master of Science (Coaching Psychology)
Bachelor of Arts (Film and Television)
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Bio:
Kylie’s first career was in media, and she held leadership roles in both private and public organisations, focused on strategy, policy and governance. Kylie’s role as the Head of Governance and Policy at AFTRS heightened her interest in coaching and professional development opportunities in the creative industries, and in 2013 she established Red Bullet to provide executive coaching and workshops in leadership development and change management. She is passionate about bringing creativity and business practice together.
Likes: Ocean (and river) swimming.The Sydney Swans. Cooking dinner for friends. Oysters. Dancing like there’s no-one watching. Champagne and good Aussie bubbles
Dislikes: Intolerance. Raw onion. Name dropping. Real estate talk. Arrogance.
Pauline Clague
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts/Law (deferred)
Diploma of Television (AFTRS)
Bio:
Pauline is a Yaegl woman from North Coast NSW. She is a screen producer and writer and is internationally recognised for her work with Indigenous companies. In 2015 Pauline was awarded the prestigious Stanley Hayes Award for contribution to Australian Documentaries. She founded Winda Film Festival in 2016 to celebrate emerging and established Indigenous filmmakers from around the world. Pauline is currently an Associate Professor of Cultural Resilience Research as part of the Jumbunna Institute at UTS.
Likes: Movie theatres. Surf. Dinner with friends and family. Sleeping on planes.
Dislikes: Red wine. My insomnia. White supremacy (although I enjoy listening to Trump’s idiotic speeches). Mediocrity.
Kelly Heylen
Strategy Consultant
Qualifications:
Master of Commerce
Bio:
Kelly has had a varied career spanning arts management, economic development and communications. She founded Platform Gallery, a successful commercial feminist art gallery in the Blue Mountains. Prior to that Kelly was Australia’s first Creative Industries Cluster Manager. In her own practice, Kelly is a producer, dancer and burlesque performer, as well as a writer and visual arts curator. She particularly loves helping clients to face their fears and tackle their financial issues.
Likes: Books. Dogs. Coffee. Dancing and stripping in front of strangers.
Dislikes: Loud eaters. Unmanicured nails. The vegetables in the fridge that go off despite all your healthy eating good intentions.
Andrew Gray
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Majors – Theatre Studies, Communications and History)
Graduate Diploma of Education
Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management
Bio:
Andrew has decades of experience in the creative and cultural industries, including as the Executive Director for regional arts development organisation South East Arts. Prior to that, Andrew worked in education and public programs for institutions such as the National Film and Sound Archive. Andrew has a broad understanding of a range of creative industry practices, and is an occasional musician, performing with The Jonathan Richman Experience and The Novellas.
Likes: Driving my tractor. Banging taiko drums. Sleeping. Nordic noir.
Dislikes: The phrase ‘not a problem’. Queues. Reality TV shows.
Wendi Lanham
Chef d’Affairs | General Manager
Bio:
Wendi Lanham is the wonder woman behind the C+B wheel and runs the whole show. She started her career as a model and actor, then combined her craft with a Diploma of Business Management and a Bachelor of Performance. She continues to work as an actor, model and presenter, and is passionate about inclusivity and diversity in the creative industries. She cannot, however, keep her desk plants alive despite her very best efforts and love of nature.
Likes: Theatre. Film festivals. Performing. Animals. Gin. Being in nature, Wide-legged pants. Dad jokes.
Dislikes: Mess and disorganisation. Ignorance. Cutlery scraping on crockery. People that walk slowly in the middle of the footpath.
Lillie Brown
Sergeant-At-Arms | Marketing Manager
Bio:
Lillie Brown has worked in the arts for her entire career, first as the Arts Administration Officer at Southern Tablelands Arts and now as our Marketing Manager, and a freelance marketing consultant to creative organisations. Lillie is an Embroidery Artist and uses this timeless craft to unsettle people with sequins, feminist sexuality and swear words. She loves helping young regional creatives get their business act together, and she is our Fashion Icon. Cross her at your peril.
Likes: Hot chips. The smell of horses. Kimonos. Big earrings. Tequila. Ocean swims. Indulgent spaces.
Dislikes: The patriarchy. Tea with the bag left in the cup. Cold tootsies. High pitched sounds. Fluorescent lighting.
Carl Sciberras
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Master of Fine Arts (Cultural Leadership)
Bachelor of Arts (Dance)
Bachelor of Arts/Communications (Writing and Cultural Studies)
Bio:
Carl is a producer, choreographer, performer, teacher and arts advocate from Western Sydney. He has co-founded two successful creative enterprises: not-for-profit Dance Makers Collective and Flatline, a visual art and dance collaboration. Carl has worked in management and marketing for a range of performing arts organisations, and is an Australia Council peer assessor. Carl blends the ‘business’ side of company management, planning and development and the ‘creative’ side as a maker and performer.
Likes: Hot chips. Margaret River. Cats (mine most importantly). Tina Arena. Indoor plants.
Dislikes: Horror films. Sand in my shoes. OTT extroverted self-improvement motivational speaker gurus (sorry Tony Robbins). Cigarette smoke. Littering.
Felicity Blake
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Film)
Bio:
Felicity Blake is a documentarian, creative producer and social impact campaign strategist. She established The Dove Media in 2007 and has travelled internationally with her work. She has contributed to a diverse range of TV programs and documentaries, as well as sustaining a parallel career in event production, serving on the executive team of the Supanova Pop Culture Expo for 13 years. Felicity is also an Ambassador for Bhutan’s Centre for Gross National Happiness.
Likes: Boarding passes. Talking to strangers. Improving things. Bazaars. Happy Hour.
Dislikes: Corruption. Xenophobia. Cheaters. Human rights abusers. People who don’t stand back from the baggage carousel.
Nick Bolton
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Masters in Screen Arts and Business
Diploma in Human Centred Design and Innovation
Graduate Diploma in Marketing
Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Marketing and Law
Bio:
Nick is an award-winning all-media producer. He has provided strategic thinking, content production and distribution for clients in the government, corporate and enterprise sectors. He has also written, directed and produced a wide variety of screen content. Nick is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Ten Alphas, a production company based in Sydney and Wollongong. He also works as an actor and presenter in a wide range of screen content and theatrical productions.
Likes: The Smiths. Gigs. Buying vinyl. English pubs. Sundowners. Hammocks, Printed books and newspapers.
Dislikes: People who dislike The Smiths. Red wine (allergic!). RnB. Heavy Metal. Bad briefs.
Rosie Lourde
Business Advisor
Qualifications:
Certificate IV (Micro-Business Management)
Advanced Diploma Acting
Bio:
Rosie Lourde is an award-winning creative working across a range of screen content. She was an actor/producer on hit digital series ‘Starting From Now’ and her directorial work includes the feature film “Romance On The Menu’ on Netflix. In 2015 Rosie was selected for the prestigious SPA Ones to Watch program. She has recently joined the Screen Australia Gender Matters Taskforce and was formerly the Investment Manager of Online Production at Screen Australia.
Likes: Being underwater. People who take what they do seriously but don’t take themselves too seriously. Dancing to disco tunes. Falling asleep on tropical beaches.
Dislikes: “Shoulds”. Lights that buzz. People who stand at the top of escalators.
Jess Milne
Education Manager
Qualifications:
Master of Screen Arts and Business – AFTRS
Bachelor of Design (hons) – QCA
Bachelor of Digital Design – QCA
Bachelor of Arts (Theatre, Contemporary Art) – Griffith
Industry Certificate Human Centred Design and Innovation – AFTRS
Bio:
Jess is a filmmaker and visual communicator with experience as a documentary filmmaker, corporate/commercial director and cinematographer. She loves creating content from end to end, focussing on every detail. Jess has worked for leading corporate companies and is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of Ten Alphas, a content production company. Jess is an also experienced mentor and lecturer. She is passionate about sharing her creative and business knowledge with others.
Likes: Winning scissors, paper, rock. The satisfaction of using a rubber stamp. Road trips.
Dislikes: The sound of a mower on a Sunday morning. Strong perfume on a train. Slow internet connections.
Tess Gibson
Concierge | Education Manager
Bio:
Tess is the Executive Assistant and knows where everything is. After completing her final two years of high school at the Australian Institute of Music, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Performance. During her degree she found she was far more interested in creative writing, and interned at Troyeur Literary after graduation. We were delighted to snaffle her shortly after, and she is now our inimitable organiser, quiet achiever and Queen of Tea.
Likes: Dogs. Vietnamese food. True crime podcasts. Espresso martinis.
Dislikes: Cold tea. OJ Simpson. Wet socks.
Cat Dibley
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Graduate Diploma Media Arts and Production, Advanced Diploma Performing Arts (Acting), Certificate IV Small Business Management
Bio: Cat is a national and international creative producer with over 10 years’ experience producing dance, theatre, tours, and festivals, and has been published on ArtsHub on the subject. She has worked at major theatre companies across Australia, Europe, and the US and founded a theatre company in 2011, producing many shows under this banner for mainstage companies, festivals, and large-scale national tours. During the quieter theatre moments of the last two years, Cat has worked as a creative consultant, story producer, and screen development producer and looks forward to even more collaborative projects.
Likes: Roadtrips. Subversive cross-stitches. Statement earrings. Mountain views.
Dislikes: Burnout. Mouth noises. Noses sticking out the top of masks. Selfishness.
Charley Saders
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Master of Fine Arts (Directing, NIDA), Advanced Diploma of Arts (Acting, Adelaide College of Arts)
Bio: Charley is Co-Artistic-Director of contemporary performance company House of Sand, and a Theatre Artists and Realisateur (poncey french word that sort of just means “director” but more specifically means “person that makes it happen”). Her artistic work has taken her across directing, dramaturgy, performance, teaching, and producing for institutions including The Sydney Fringe (Programs Producer 2019-21), STC, STCSA, Opera Australia, ActNow Theatre, Adelaide College of Arts, NIDA (Masters and Open Programs) and a slew of independent projects and companies.
Qualified in business from The School Of Getting It Wrong And Correcting It Fast, Charley is an expert in grant writing and management, philanthropy, team building, and making it work with too few dollars.
Likes: Long days on the beach. Quick blasts in the surf. Art that defies boundaries but also super trad art done really really well. Sing alongs (but not karaoke). Broad minds. Wine-time philosophy. Purple nail polish.
Dislikes: Cold weather (unless skis are involved). Queerphobia. That weird ‘Sunday evening before school starts again’ feeling (which can strike any time and is always awful).
Kate Gaul
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Graduate Diploma Directing (NIDA)
Bio: Kate is a theatre and opera director, creative producer, festival director, writer, and designer based in Sydney, NSW. She is a graduate of NIDA (Directing 1996) and Artistic Director of Siren Theatre Co. Kate undertook a residency with SITI Company (NYC) and was Associate Director at Ensemble Theatre.
Kate has established herself as a distinctive and inventive director, with directing credits including plays, opera, physical theatre, devised works, and classics for theatre companies and schools in Australia. She is Artistic Director of Siren Theatre Co where her passion for text-based drama challenges artists and audiences to have bold imaginative experiences.
Kate has also directed festivals (World Interplay, Playlist, Invisible Circus, Cabaret, and Short Play Festivals), and Sydney Mardi Gras Parade.
Likes: English gardens. Good wine. Great words. Anything handmade.
Dislikes: Exclusivity of all kinds. People who hog the footpath. Negativity.
Sats Kramer
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Certificate IV Small Business Management, Certificate III Audio Engineering
Bio: Satoru (Sats) Kramer is a professional musician, photographer and videographer based on the Far South Coast of NSW. He also represents MusicNSW as the Regional Music Officer for the South East of the state. This role sees Sats working across the music industry, as both a professional development facilitator and a central information and connection hub for all stakeholders in the local music industry.
He is passionate about empowering artists with the tools and know-how to make a career out of doing the thing they love.
Likes: Finely crafted instruments. Really loud guitar amps. Puppies. Excessively large bowls of pasta.
Dislikes: Racism. Small servings at restaurants. People who don’t pick up their dog’s poop.
Rhiannon Hopley
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Mental Health First Aid, Certificate III in Micro Business Operations, Videography Intensive (AFTRS), Advanced Diploma Graphic Design & Communication
Bio: Rhiannon Hopley is an award-winning photographer, designer, multidisciplinary artist, and curator. She is an Artistic Associate, and Digital Initiatives Lead for the global arts initiative, Micro Galleries and founder and director of RH Photography & Design. Over a 17 year career, Rhiannon has worked with a diverse range of creative practitioners,
NFP’s and businesses spanning various industries, from the underground Sydney arts and music scene to contemporary galleries and high-end stage productions. Her approach
combines knowledge and empathetic understanding to the unique challenges within our industry.
Likes: The smell of rain. Walking at night. Cats. Exploring back alleys and new places. Seeing beauty in the simple things. Making cool shit with other creatives. A good cup of strong tea or coffee before eating the rich.
Dislikes: Tea stains on mugs. Misogyny. Inequality. Humidity.
Emmie Hallett
Business Advisor
Qualifications: Certificate IV Small Business Management, Certificate IV Training and Assessment
Bio: Emmie originally trained as a singer and performer, then worked across the community sector in service provision, quality and project management and community education. Emmie eventually put one foot in each world and developed a model called Community Spiral Work about how to use creativity and the arts to create positive change in the community, opened a community creative school in the Hunter Valley and bought a tricycle. In between running Wild Learning and helping others launch their creative projects, she is a singer and painter and does ALL the crafts.
Likes: Riding a tricycle. Yoga. Home grown food. Long rambling walks in nature. Audiobooks. Toblerone.
Dislikes: Zippers. Tinned asparagus. Unkindness.
Jillian D’Ercole
Business Manager
Qualifications: Bachelor of Art Theory and a Diploma of Business
Bio: Jillian embarked on a career within the creative industries over twenty five years ago, and has worked in administration and sales across a range of roles and sectors. She is passionate about customer service and loves to nurture long term relationships with clients. Jillian has a Bachelor of Art Theory and a Diploma of Business, because as we know, those two
things go together! In her spare time, she can be found swimming laps at the local pool or trying to tame her jungle of a garden…although it has well and truly taken the upper hand.
Likes: Achieving joyful synergy within a team. A zephyr of a breeze. Eating pasta. Swimming laps with a buddy. Good books.
Dislikes: Inauthenticity. Lack of grace. When life gets unbalanced.
Kyra Riesener
Executive Assistant
Qualifications: Bachelor in Business Administration and EU-Fundraising and Project Management Certification
Bio: Kyra was born and raised in Germany. After spending a year in the US, she studied International Business Management in the Netherlands. An internship in the office of the non-for-profit organization and vegan restaurant Lentil As Anything led Kyra to spend time in Australia. In the first week of her internship, she fell head over heels in love (swoon!) and decided to stay here long term and put down roots. During peak times of the pandemic, Kyra accomplished certification as a project manager and an EU-Fundraising manager, as well as embarking on her journey as an abstract painter. Identifying as a Highly-Sensitive Person, she is a warm and nurturing point of contact for any questions or concerns that you might have and is our resident bringer of joy.
Likes: YOU. Trees and birds chirping. Kindness. Creative energy. Shadow play. Authenticity. Shifts in awareness. Coffee. Coffee dates. Long walks involving multiple coffees.
Dislikes: Harm in all its forms. Spiders. Cockroaches. Selfishness. Disharmony.


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