Changes to YPAA Board

 

YPAA now has a much revitalised Board with a new Chair and four new members from across Australia just this year. The new members add a range of skills and backgrounds in creative practice, policy and research.

 

Sam Appleton has accepted the new role of Chair of YPAA Board. Sam is a Senior Associate at the international law firm Baker & McKenzie. He practices as a commercial lawyer in the areas of securities, funds management and structured financial products. Sam is a young person (under 30) with an active interest in the arts.

 

 

Our sincere thanks go to Catherine Baldwin, our Chair of some six years, for her significant contribution to YPAA.

 

Catherine oversaw as Chair, a major galvanization of the sector and the achievement of triennial funding for the organization for the first time, as well as the incredibly successful ASSITEJ World Congress and Festival in Adelaide in 2008.

 

The newest additions to our board are Simon Clarke from Southern Edge Youth Arts in WA and Steven Maxwell from Markwell Presents in QLD. We warmly welcome Steven and Simon to the YPAA Board.

The YPAA Board now consists of:

• Sam Appleton (Chair)

• Noel Jordan

• Helen Hristofski

• Helen Machalias

• Simon Clarke

• Steven Maxwell

• Meg Upton

 

Simon Clarke – Simon is the Artistic Director of Southern Edge Arts in Albany WA. Simon’s experience as an artist and practitioner combined with his understanding of regional needs is invaluable to the board. Simon is also a member of Country Arts WA Board.

 

Helen Machalias – another wunderkind of the Arts policy variety! Helen has experience working within the Department of the Prime Minister within the Office for the Arts in the policy area. She has recently undertaken an Australia Council study to New York and is currently working in the Education team at Sydney Theatre Company after a stint at Riverside in Parramatta ...and all this at the age of 22. Impressive.

 

Steven Maxwell – is one half of Markwell presents – the Cinematic theatre Company for young people from Brisbane. Steven brings a wealth of knowledge as an educator and practitioner to the YPAA board and is also on the board at Youth Arts Queensland. Steven has proven already to be a a great addition as a thoughtful and insightful board member.

 

Meg Upton – Meg’s background as a performer , educator and researcher is extensive, having worked with Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne for many years and more recently with Platform Youth Theatre on the brilliant Tenderness Project. Meg also was an investigator on the Theatrespace research project. Meg provides a wonderful conduit to research opportunities and trends in the near and longer term for YPAA.

 

We would also like to thank Helen Hristofski and Noel Jordan for their contributions especially as their experience and insights bring great stability and wisdom to the board.

 

YPAA also warmly welcomes Colleen Diver as Bookkeeper to the YPAA team.