JEFF WEEDEN (CHAIR)
Formerly Chief Executive Officer of Forager Funds Management with experience in banking and finance, notably with Bankers Trust and later as an Executive Director at Macquarie Bank. He is a Cornerstone supporter of the Pinnacle Foundation, an organisation that provides financial assistance and mentoring to young LGBTQIA+ students. He has a long held interest in the visual arts, and as a long-term community member he is passionate about the NAS site.
EMILYA COLLIVER
Emilya is the Founder and Director of Art Pharmacy & Sugar Glider Digital, the world’s first B-Corp certified cultural business. With over 20 years in art strategy, placemaking and cultural development, she has delivered multimillion-dollar projects for governments, corporations and cultural institutions, including serving as Deloitte’s Art Curator. Author of The Art Project and Making Art Matter, and creator of the upcoming Conscious Leadership Wisdom Deck (launching soon). Emilya is also a Board member of Create NSW. She is expanding her consultancy into the Middle East, advancing cultural diplomacy and digital innovation, and is the founder of Flourish Women’s Networking.
LUCY KEELER
Lucy is Head of Strategy & Experiences at Luna Park Sydney, a Create NSW Artform Board Member and former Curator of Vivid Sydney’s Light Festival currently working to transform heritage-protected Luna Park Sydney into a world class multi-art and immersive experience hub, where traditional creative practice intersects with digital, experimental and immersive work. Lucy is a graduate of NIDA and the National Art School.
HELEN LOCHHEAD AO
Helen is an emeritus professor of architecture and urbanism, an architect and urbanist with broad experience in government, industry and higher education in influential roles including Dean, Faculty of Built Environment and Pro Vice-Chancellor Precincts at UNSW Sydney, Deputy NSW Government Architect and President of the Australian Institute of Architects. Her career has focused on urban projects ranging from city-wide improvements programs, educational and cultural precincts, to major urban regeneration of waterfronts in Australia and internationally. She now combines academic and advisory roles with professional practice. Helen also serves on the National Capital Authority, the Sydney Harbour Trust, NSW Architects Registration Board, Sydney Opera House Design Advisory Panel and various Planning and Design Panels across Australia.
JESS MILLER
Councillor Jess Miller was first elected to Council in 2016 and is one of the youngest people to hold elected office at the City of Sydney. Jess served as Deputy Lord Mayor from 2017-2018. Jess is currently Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee, the Cycling Advisory Committee, and a member of the Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils. In 2014 Jess was voted Sydney’s Woman of the Year and she continues to be a passionate advocate for the environment, and for a diverse nighttime economy.
JOHN MITCHELL
Partner at Arnold Bloch Leibler law firm and current non-executive director of the board of Carriageworks, a venue renowned for its commercial and cultural enterprise and innovation.
WENDY SHARPE AM
Wendy Sharpe is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and awarded artists. She has won the Archibald prize , (and has been a finalist 7 times) the Sulman and a long list of other important awards and prizes, including a commission as an Australian Official War Artist from the Australian War Memorial (the 1st woman since WW2). Most recently awarded the prestigious Gold Award. She taught part time and casual at the National Art School 1990-2005, and has been awarded a National Art School Fellowship. She has held over 60 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally.
PROF. CHRISTINA SLADE
Christina Slade is Emeritus Professor at Bath Spa University in the United Kingdom where she was Vice-Chancellor from 2012-17. Prior to that she was the Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at the City University London and Macquarie University’s Dean of Humanities. She was Professor of Media Theory with the University of Utrecht and the Head of the Creative Communication School at the University of Canberra. She is currently assisting as Rector of Charles Sturt University. She has studied and worked in universities in Europe, the US, Latin America and South Asia. She has a PhD in philosophy of language and logic from ANU, a Diploma of Education from the University of New England and qualifications in Spanish French and (very rusty) Arabic. She has led major EU funded research grants and has authored numerous articles, books and has given policy advice in Westminster and Brussels.
Her UK board appointments include: Trustee of The Royal High School Bath and the Holburne Museum, Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Association of Commonwealth Universities in the UK, and Director and Chair of the Education, Heritage and Culture Sector Table with the Iraq Britain Business Council. She now chairs the Board of Lincoln University College, serves on the Advisory Board of QS rankings, a UK based group, and on the Boards of the Adelaide based Media Centre for Education Research (MCERA).
BRUCE SOLOMON
Bruce Solomon is the founder and Director of Solotel Hospitality Management, which manages 27 hospitality venues across Sydney and Brisbane. He is also a Trustee of the Lady Mary Fairfax Estate and a director of the Bundanon Trust Board. Bruce and his wife Barbara have been supporters of the National Art School since 2018. To date, they have supported 5 graduating MFA students with the annual Lift Off Award, to support the career development of emerging artists.
