Board and Trustee Profiles

Helen Symon KC (Chairperson)

Qualifications: BA/LLB (Hons)

Experience: Helen Symon K.C. is one of Australia’s most respected tax litigators with a broader commercial and public law practice. Helen has been a member of not-for-profit boards for more than 20 years and brings extensive experience in governance and fundraising, especially in the arts.

Board Experience: Victorian Women’s Trust, Board Member (1999–2002); Buoyancy Foundation of Victoria, President (1999–2000); The Hunger Project Australia, Chair (2002–2008); Leo Cussen Institute, Chair (2009–2013), Board Member (from 2001); Victorian Bar Ethics Committee, Chair (2013–2016), Member (from 2011); The Australian Art Orchestra, Board Member (2008–2014); Tura New Music, Board Member (2016–2020); Punctum Inc, Chair (2022–2023), Committee Member (from 2016).

Elected Board member since 2022.
Part-time resident of Castlemaine.

Mark Sheppard (Deputy Chairperson)

Qualifications: BEng (Chemical), MPhil (Economics)

Board Experience: Former Director of numerous Australian subsidiary companies of ABN AMRO Bank NV.

Experience: An experienced finance professional with broad international experience. Formerly President and Director of a US financial technology start-up. Prior to that, Managing Director and Head of the Financial Solutions Group at National Australia Bank, Head of Structured Capital Asia Pacific at ABN AMRO NV, and similar roles at The Chase Manhattan Bank since 1986.

Elected Board member since 2022. Previously Board member from 2018-2020. Previously member of the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum Revenue Committee.
Resident of the Mount Alexander Shire.

Kieren Naish (Hon. Secretary)

Qualifications: B Com, LLB (Hons) (Melb)

Experience: Since 2005, a barrister specialising in commercial disputes, with a particular focus on construction and engineering litigation. Previously a solicitor at Mallesons Stephen Jaques and an associate at the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Appointed Board member since 2023.
Resident of Castlemaine.

Sarah Liversidge (Hon. Treasurer)

Qualifications: Adv. Dip Accounting, MBA.
Professional Memberships: Member Institute of Public Accountants (MIPA FAFA), Institute of Community Directors (MICDA)

Board Experience: Council of Single Mothers and their Children (November 2020–2022; Treasurer); Celebrate Ageing Ltd (Director); Archie Roach Foundation (Director, Company Secretary 2014–2016).

Experience: Highly experienced Accountant & CFO with expertise in the arts, creative industries and NFP Sector with skills in Digital Systems Advisory, Governance, Business Management, Strategic Development, Operations and SME Coaching.

Appointed Board member since 2022.

Tiriki Onus

Qualifications: Bachelor of Music Performance, University of Melbourne

Experience: Tiriki Onus (Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung) is Associate Dean Indigenous Development and Head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development, University of Melbourne. Onus grew up in Melbourne and spent ten years as a visual artist, art conservator and exhibition curator before he began singing professionally. In 2015 he was the inaugural Hutchinson Indigenous Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Onus is a successful recipient of research grants, conducts academic programs on Yorta Yorta Country, consults widely on arts, cultural and educational matters and lectures in Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Practices at the Wilin Centre.

Appointed Board member since 2020.

Jane Amanda Jean

Qualifications: Bsc Architecture (Queens Uni. Belfast, N Ireland) Grad. Dip. Architecture, (Uni. Of Cambridge, England), M of Philosophy, Asian Art and Architecture (Uni. of Sydney, Australia).

Experience: Amanda Jean is a licensed architect, a sole practitioner. She specializes in cultural heritage and building conservation, focusing on the central goldfields of Victoria. Amanda has worked with national, state and local governments and community organisations on projects such as Buda House and Garden, Castlemaine Art Museum, Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo, Central Goldfields Art Gallery redevelopment.

Elected Board member since 2020.
Resident of the Castlemaine Region.

Melinda Harper

Experience: Melinda Harper is one of Australia's leading Abstract painters. She has exhibited throughout Australia and overseas, working with many artists and curators over the last 30 years, and was actively involved in an artist run space, Store 5 in Melbourne in the 1990's. In 2015 Melinda had a survey exhibition at Heide Museum of Modern Art. In 2021, she presented 'Melinda Harper in Conversation with the Collection' at CAM.
Melinda currently works at Castlemaine Health as an Aboriginal Project Officer. Here, she works with the local Aboriginal community to ensure Cultural Safety in the Hospital and to identify the health needs of the community. She is also involved in a social enterprise catering service called Murnong Mammas that was set up by Nalderun, employing Aboriginal people in this area.

Elected Board member since 2021.
Resident of the Castlemaine Region.

Simeon Kronenberg

Qualifications: BA (Monash), Dip Ed. (La Trobe), MA, Fine Arts/Tourism (Monash), MA Research, Contemporary American Gay Poetry (University of Sydney), Current, PhD, Anthony Lawrence and Images of the Father (University of Queensland)

Experience: Simeon Kronenberg is known across the visual arts and museum sectors in Australia, having worked as Director, Museums Australia and as director of leading private galleries, including Anna Schwartz Gallery (Carriageworks, Sydney) and Sherman Galleries (Sydney). He is experienced working in senior administrative roles and as curator, writer and advocate across the visual arts sector. He is also experienced as a published author, reviewer and critic in contemporary poetry.

Elected Board member since 2022.