Flying Arts Alliance

Art for Life

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You can click the roles and names below to learn more about each of the Board members.

CHAIRVICE CHAIRSECRETARYTREASURERBOARD MEMBERS

CHAIR

PROFESSOR JOHN O’TOOLE

John O’Toole was Foundation Chair of Arts Education at the University of Melbourne from 2005- 2010. Before that he spent twelve years teaching in schools and working in community theatre in education, then twenty five years as a lecturer, finishing as Professor of Drama and Applied Theatre at Griffith University. He has taught drama to all ages from early childhood to adult seniors, and on all continents. He has designed many curricula, including being Lead Writer for the Arts in the new Australian Curriculum. John developed the world’s first BA Degree course in Applied Theatre, now a common university study internationally. He has written or co-written numerous books on teaching and research, from Theatre in Education (1977) – the first book on the subject – to his current co-editorship o the forthcoming Routledge International Handbook of Arts and Education. He received the Griffith University Award for Excellence in Teaching 2005, the Drama Australia President’s Award in 2003, and the American Alliance for Theatre and Education Lifetime Achievement award in 2001. He is also still a practising playwright for young audiences. In 2014 he was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia for services to drama education.

VICE CHAIR

DR SUSAN OSTLING

Dr Susan Ostling is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Queensland College of Art, Griffith University. She continues to supervise, mentor and examine higher degree students. Her research agenda is to explore ways for art in exhibition to provide a means to frame and question the conditions of contemporary society.

Susan has received several Australia Council development grants and been a recipient of several Griffith University joint research grants. Her curatorial projects have consisted of Place.Product which investigated the social history of clay, tiles and ceramic manufacture in the Ipswich area, Brisbane and involved three contemporary artists working with temporal ideas of clay and its products; Future Factor, which toured nationally, examined the impact of new technologies on craft and design practices; Lingua Franca considered the shared language between art, design and craft; The course of objects—the fine lines of inquiry unravelling the triggers that inspire art practice and lead to rigorous lines of inquiry; Radical Romanticism brought artists together whose work considered anew the experience of the everyday.

Susan has served on state and national arts advisory bodies. Her PhD investigated the shaping and defining of the contemporary art curator.

SECRETARY

GABRIELLA RITCHIE

Gabriella Ritchie is a Senior Associate at McCullough Robertson Lawyers in Brisbane.  Gabriella’s specialty is in commercial litigation and dispute resolution, acting for a variety of clients.  Gabriella is heavily involved in McCullough Robertson’s community partnerships program, and is also a member of the management committee of Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House (QPILCH), a not-for-profit, community-based legal organisation providing pro bono legal services for individuals and community groups.  Gabriella has a special interest in the arts, including ensuring that every person has the opportunity to access and enjoy the arts, no matter their situation or location.

TREASURER

ANDREW STEPHANOS

 Andy Stephanos began his career in finance in the 1960s in CBCS bank. He returned to Brisbane and joined Mercantile Mutual Insurance in 1971 as an assistant accountant, undertaking management roles of State Accountant and State Administration Manager until 1991.

His formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) QUT (1983) and an MBA at UQ (1990), as well as holding CPA status for several years from 1984.

Andy qualified to work as a Financial Planner in 1993 and coupled this with bookkeeping services within a Chartered Accountancy firm.  He was an Accountant with publicly listed Dark Blue Sea Ltd intermittently for 10 years from the year 2000.

Through his passionate support of Surf Lifesaving, Andy was appointed Executive Manager (Admin) in the Queensland Surf Lifesaving Foundation and assisted with fundraising in the 100th anniversary the Year of the Surf Lifesaver (2007).

Andy has provided bookkeeping services to a variety of commercial and private clients, including Flying Arts since 2006.

BOARD MEMBERS

 
Sarah Barron
Sarah Barron has a high level of experience in the visual arts industry, working across a number of roles within the sector for the last ten years. She is currently the Public Programs Officer at QUT Art Museum and William Robinson Gallery. In this role, Sarah organises and implements a diverse range of public programs to support and extend visitor experience across both galleries. She also undertakes freelance work in the arts and is a Curator with the Art Series Hotel Group. Sarah has been a member of the Flying Arts Alliance Inc. board for four years and has worked in arts exhibition, event, and education based roles for a number of organisations including Logan Art Gallery, FireWorks Gallery, Boxcopy Contemporary Art Space and Flying Arts. She has also undertaken a number of internships including a 12 month internship at QUT Art Museum and a curatorial work placement in the International Contemporary Art department at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art.  In 2013, Sarah graduated with first class honours from a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Honours), Interdisciplinary degree, at QUT.
Wendy Brooks
Wendy is passionate about social justice, equity and human rights. Her career has spanned law, music (professional violist), marketing, business development and fundraising for the tertiary education, environment and conservation, arts, health and medical research and social welfare sectors.

Wendy’s voluntary leadership positions include: Co-Chair, Human Rights Watch (HRW) Australia; Board Chair of InLife Independent Living Ltd; Chair and Trustee of the National Trust of Australia Victoria Foundation; Trustee of National Trust of Australia Victoria; Member of the Council of MiVote; Director of Summer Housing Ltd and Board Director of Kokoda Track Foundation.  Wendy serves on the HRW International Disability Rights Advisory Council and is a founding member of the Australian Charity Law Association and the Melbourne Women’s Fund.

Through Wendy Brooks & Partners, Wendy provides strategic fundraising services and a range of administrative services to the community sector.

Kasia Kondas
Kasia is currently a Director with KPMG providing People & Change advisory services to clients in Brisbane. She is an experienced human capital and organisational development leader supporting businesses and major projects with change management, strategic ER/HR, team alignment and culture, leadership development and coaching, facilitation and strategic consulting. Kasia has over 20 years experience in people and change consulting as well as line HR/OD management with Deloitte in Australia and Europe. She has held lead roles in Daimler Chrysler global transformation, alignment and capability development programs. More recently, she led alignment and change programs as the Major Project Team Development Manager at SKM and Organisational / Capability Development Manager with Thiess Australian Mining for 11 mining projects across regional Australia including the Bowen Basin in QLD. Previously, Kasia established and ran a successful international business focused on culture transformation, leadership, capability development, and internal communications. She has delivered large organisational design, change, alignment and development programs to a broad portfolio of clients in Australia, Europe and South Africa. These comprise of ‘blue chip’ multinational corporations such as Rio Tinto, Universities, public sector, and many organisations in the energy, mining and resources, engineering R&D, financial services, automotive, entertainment and retail industries. Kasia holds a Masters degree in Commerce (Management) and is a Registered Psychologist focusing on people, culture, alignment and transformation projects in organisations seeking to improve effectiveness and develop individual, team and business capability. 
Margaret McLennan
Margaret McLennan is a Barrister at Law, presently working within the Fullagar Chambers group in Brisbane. Margaret’s practice is varied; predominantly working in the area of Family Law – Property and Children; and she represents the interests of indigenous people in Central Queensland for the protection of their cultural heritage. Margaret has worked in the profession since graduating in 2003. In addition to her legal qualifications, Margaret has earned a Bachelor of Communication from Griffith University, majoring in Journalism and Documentary Filmmaking; studied in Performing Arts (theatre) at the Queensland University of Technology; and held a Certificate of Nursing (Registered Nurse) from the Royal Brisbane Hospital. Margaret has a keen interest in the arts, and has professional experience as an actor and film maker. She is active in the community – she currently serves in a volunteer capacity for the Women’s Legal Service, Amnesty International, and holds the position of secretary/board member for the Actors Benevolent Fund. 
Mary-Louise North
Mary-Louise has lived and worked for much of her life in rural and regional Queensland. She has had a life-long interest in the arts. Mary-Louise has been awarded a Bachelor of Science – Psychology, a Master of Business Administration (University of Queensland) and a Graduate Diploma with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). From 1997 to 2004, Mary-Louise established and managed the Bush Connection, a rural families resettlement program, auspiced by St Vincent’s Community Services (SVCS). Over the next 10 years, Mary-Louise held a number of positions with Ozcare (formerly SVCS), culminating in her appointment as State Manager for Communications. Through her work, Mary-Louise managed and supported services which brought the arts as therapy to those suffering hardship, and to clients with mental illness, disabilities, dementia, and the aged, infirm, and disadvantaged. Mary-Louise has also served as a Board Member of the Toowoomba Preparatory School for six years. Currently, Mary-Louise is the Practice Manager to a Barrister.
Kathy Schaefer PSM
Katherine (Kathy) Schaefer PSM is Deputy Director-General of Regional Economic Development, Department of State Development. Her career traverses state and local government positions, having traversed Education leadership roles for TAFE and Education Queensland, as well as principal and classroom teacher experience. Kathy brings clarity of purpose, visionary thinking, personal integrity and a commitment to being a highly valued and respected team member within a high performing executive. She has a successful track record in strategy, corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, performance management and talent capability and can leverage her relational style to drive complex change.
Michelle Tuahine
Michelle Tuahine is a Gangulu/Ngāti Kahungunu woman with a background in journalism. She is a descendant of the Gangulu people of Central Queensland, and a member of the Brisbane Murri community.

Born in Brisbane, Michelle became interested in a career in the industry after seeing the portrayal of her community in the media in the lead up to the 1982 Commonwealth Games. The then Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen had banned street protests by declaring Queensland a ‘State of Emergency’. It became the catalyst for a career in news and current affairs reporting, becoming a cadet journalist with ABC TV News and Current Affairs in 1990, and later working with the ABC’s Indigenous Programs Unit on its award-winning series ‘Blackout’. Michelle has also worked with National Indigenous Television (NITV) and National Indigenous Radio Service (NIRS News).

Michelle is currently assisting her family in their aspirations for native title, as well as helping plan, manage and protect cultural heritage on country.

In 2012, Michelle was appointed to the Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG) for Brisbane Festival – Queensland’s largest cultural event. Michelle helped develop the Festival’s ‘Statement of Intent’ with a vision for healing and meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and communities. In 2018, Michelle continued sharing her knowledge and experience with Brisbane Festival staff, as well as taking part in Acknowledgement of Country ceremonies with the Festival’s visiting international artists.

     

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