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.
Kelly Heylen
Business Advisor
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.
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 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.
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.
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 | Business 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
Business Advisor
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.
- 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
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
Business Advisor
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 | Business 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
Business Advisor
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.
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