Board and Trustee Profiles

Mark Sheppard (Acting 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.

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.

David Hurlston

Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art (RMIT University), Art Curatorial Studies (University of Melbourne)

Board Experience: Onsite Assessment Panel Member of Museums Australia’s ‘Museum Accreditation Program’ (1997–2001); Chair of the Maribyrnong Public Art Advisory Panel (2001–2006); Member of the Stonnington Art Advisory Panel (2014–2016); Advisory Panel Member for the RMIT Design Archives (2016–2020); and a Director on the NETS Victoria Board (2008–2022).

Experience: Before his retirement as the NGV’s Senior Curator of Australian Art in 2022, David Hurlston worked in a range of positions for the Gallery over a period of 30 years. His previous roles include Curator, Australian Art Exhibitions (2002–2007), Program Coordinator (1999–2002) and Access Gallery Curator (1993-–1999). He also developed the concept for NGV Studio, a contemporary exhibition space at NGV Australia, and from 2011 until 2015 coordinated the exhibition program.

Elected Board member since 2023.
Resident of Macedon Ranges Shire.

Katrina Place (formerly Dernelley)

Qualifications: B.Arts(IntDes)(Hons) RMIT, PGDip.ArchBldgP(ArchHist&Cons) M.Arch Melb, PhD LTU.
Board Experience: Committee of Management, Buda Historic Home and Garden, 2017.

Experience: Katrina has more than 20 years’ experience in the history, heritage and design industries. She has worked for government, private practice, academia and community organisations, including Heritage Victoria, Lovell Chen, Context, RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants and the University of Melbourne. While at Heritage Victoria, Katrina managed assessments and provided advice for heritage places including CAM, Bendigo Art Gallery, the Art Gallery of Ballarat and the Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough. Katrina’s Masters research focused on the Arts and Crafts movement in Victoria and her doctoral research focused on women, home and colonisation on the central Victoria goldfields. She provided expert advice for the tentative World Heritage Listing of the Victorian Goldfields. Katrina is Principal, Regional Heritage, at RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants and works at the University of Melbourne in Estate Planning Heritage.

Appointed Board Member since 2025.
Lives in Castlemaine.

Dr Stewart Gill OAM

Qualifications: Masters, The University of Edinburgh; Masters, University of Toronto; PhD University of Guelph.

Experience: Stewart Gill until recently was Master of Queen’s College within the University of Melbourne. He has also served as Warden of Ridley College (1996-2000) and Dean and Deputy Warden of Trinity College (2000-2004) at the University of Melbourne and Principal of Emmanuel College (2005-2016) at The University of Queensland and an adjunct-Professor in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. He has published articles and books in Australian, Canadian and Scottish History. Stewart is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has been the director of several not-for-profits. He is currently Ambassador for the Association of Commonwealth Universities in Australia and a Senior Fellow within the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne. In 2016 he was awarded an OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his contribution to tertiary education and the wider community.

Appointed Board Member since 2025
Lives in Maldon

Amelia Jones

Qualifications: Master of Business (Arts and Cultural Management), Deakin University; Bachelor of Illustration (Visual Arts), Melbourne Polytechnic

Experience Amelia Jones (they/them) is an arts and cultural management professional with experience across regional and metropolitan Victoria, spanning public galleries, performing arts centres, community spaces and major cultural infrastructure. Amelia currently leads the commercial and visitor experience remit at Ballarat’s Cultural Venues, overseeing commercial development and operations at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Civic Hall and The Mining Exchange. With a focus on financial sustainability, audience development, and inclusive programming, Amelia’s work supports the long-term viability of public cultural assets and brings a strong regional and community lens to arts leadership, governance, and social policy.
Board experience: Melbourne Queer Film Festival; the Baw Baw Shire Council’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.

Appointed Board Member since 2025
Lives on Wadawurrung Country