Read Shifting the Balance: Our report on culturally diverse arts leadership

Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Di has made a life-long contribution to her community in the areas of health, welfare, education and land rights. Aunty Di identifies with the Ganun Willam Balak clan of the Wurundjeri. Apart from one year of her life when she lived in Canberra, Diane has always resided in Wurundjeri country having grown up in Moorabbin. Now Aunty Di is the matriarch of her family and takes pride in being a ‘mum, a stepmum, a foster mum, an aunty and a grandmother.’ Aunty Di has devoted many years to improving the lives of those in her local community. She has worked in various fields including child care, education, native title, Stolen Generation support, and other community activities. She has been a mentor and foster carer for many Aboriginal children and young people. Her passion lies in the area of social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal communities.

Beverley Wang is a journalist, producer and podcaster who is allergic to being bored. She’s the creator and presenter of ABC Radio’s “It’s Not A Race”, the ground-breaking podcast that has been recognised for opening up new conversations on race and identity in Australia and beyond.

Beverley’s done her time as a serious journalist, working her way up from editorial assistant, to news reporter, to producer and executive producer for newspapers, The Associated Press and the ABC, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to dive deep into pop culture for RN with Stop Everything! They said it couldn’t be done, but she’s finally putting her honours arts degree in cinema studies and semiotics to practical use. Born and raised in Canada, Beverley moved to Australia in 2009 after stints living, working and studying in Japan, the United States and Taiwan. In addition to the BA from the University of Toronto, she holds a master’s degree in journalism from New York University.

Rohini is on the Executive Leadership Team at Museums Victoria, as the General Manager of Immigration Museum. With a diverse career history spanning over 25 years in the technology and professional services sectors, Rohini has specialised in building high performance teams and leading growth in international markets, for multinational institutions. For US-based, global software multinational, SAS Institute Inc., Rohini started-up and established the Indian subsidiary, as its Managing Director.  Her experience in working with businesses within the Asian region and global engagement was recognised at the 2015 Telstra Business Womens Awards. Rohini is a contributor to a number of non-profit, private and academic boards including Swinburne Innovation Precinct, Commonwealth Bank Cultural Diversity Council, Research Unit into Public Cultures (University of Melbourne), International Women’s Federation of Commerce & Industry. She holds a Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Swinburne University. Rohini is a mother of three children, with an enduring commitment to family, painting and influencing global change.

Jane Crawley is the Director of Arts Investment at Creative Victoria, a role she took up in September 2016. Her portfolio leads strategy, funding and investment for Victoria’s non-government arts and creative industries sector and leads Creative Victoria’s engagement with and support of Victorian First People, Regional Victoria, Contemporary Live Music and Education. Prior to joining Creative Victoria, Jane was Manager of Arts Melbourne with Melbourne City Council.

During her six years in this role, Jane helped position Melbourne as a leading creative capital and led significant initiatives including Australia’s first local government Cultural Infrastructure Framework; the revitalisation of Arts House as Melbourne’s centre for contemporary and experimental performance; and Yirramboi First Nation’s Arts festival. Jane has an extensive background in public sector arts strategy and reform, creative production, community cultural development, and community media.

Tim is the Founder and National Co-Director of Democracy in Colour – Australia’s first racial and economic justice organisation led by people of colour. Previously, he was a Senior Organiser at United Voice where he helped low-paid workers start Hospo Voice – a new union in hospitality. He has led campaigns at Oaktree, been an adviser to two Senators, was the Campaigns Director at Jhatkaa, led national communications at UN Youth Australia, and co-founded Open Sky – a well-known performance art community. Tim is also on the Boards of Plan International Australia, the Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre, Stop the Traffik, Climate for Change, and The Wilderness Society (Vic).

Jackie is the founder and Principal of BYP Group and has 18 years experience in the Australian government and non-profit sectors. She has worked in executive policy and research roles for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Health and Ageing and the Australia Council for the Arts. Jackie has a University Medal, BA (First Class Honours) from the University of Queensland and a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Media from the University of Melbourne. Jackie is also a writer of creative fiction and non-fiction. She has been published in a number of publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, ArtLook, Arts Professional UK, Global Storytelling and Online Opinion. She was shortlisted for the Rhodes Scholarship, is an alumnus of the Varuna Writers Centre and recipient of a Research Excellence Award to undertake a Creative Writing PhD through the University of New South Wales.

Gemma Mahadeo is a multilingual writer and performer who came to Australia in 1987. Written work published includes poetry and criticism in Archer, Australian Poetry Journal, Cordite, Djed Press, Peril, Rabbit, The Suburban Review, and The Victorian Writer, and is currently reviews editor for the Melbourne Spoken Word website, and poetry editor for Concrete Queers zine. Readings and talks given include Freeplay Festival, Digital Writers’ Festival, Emerging Writers’ Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Midsumma, and the Queensland Poetry Festival. Find them on Twitter as @snarkattack, Instagram as @eatdrinkstagger, or blogging at eatdrinkstagger.com

Image: Gemma Mahadeo by Leah Jing McIntosh

Lena Nahlous is Executive Director of Diversity Arts Australia. She is an experienced CEO, producer, curator, artistic director and facilitator/trainer with a long-term commitment to anti-racism and equity in the creative sector. She has over 20 years-experience in arts, cultural and media organisations where she developed artist brokerage and training programs focusing on artists from culturally diverse, refugee and migrant backgrounds, and established initiatives like the Arab Film Festival and Switch digital media centre. She is the host of Diversity Arts Australia’s Colour Cycle podcast.

Hoa Pham is the author of six books and two plays. Her most recent novel, Wave, was published in 2015. The Other Shore won the Viva La Novella Prize in 2014. Hoa’s most recent piece is The Lady of the Realm, in the Review of Australian Fiction. Her play “Silence” was on the VCE Drama list in 2010. She is also the founder of Peril Magazine, an Asian-Australian online arts and culture magazine. She has completed her doctorate in creative arts and also holds master’s degrees in creative writing and psychology.

Cubbie Mako aka CB Mako is a non-fiction, fiction, and fan-fiction writer. Winner of the Grace Marion Wilson Emerging Writers Competition, shortlisted for the Overland Fair Australia Prize, and longlisted for the inaugural Liminal Fiction Prize, Cubbie has been published in The Suburban Review, The Lifted Brow, Mascara Literary Review, The Victorian Writer, Peril Magazine, Djed Press, Overland, and Liminal Fiction Prize Anthology (via Brow Books, arriving in 2020). On Twitter as @cubbieberry and @cb.mako on Instagram.