MHC Forum 1999

Biographies

Monica Barone

Is the Manager of Policy, Planning and Commissioning at Warringah Council. Her unit is responsible for Council's cultural, social, environment, open space recreation, economic and capital expenditure planning. Prior to joining local government she worked in the community sector managing migrant and youth services. For nine years she ran her own business People Next Door. PND projects included an invitation by the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands, to develop and run the University's first course in Australian Cultural Studies.

Andrew Jakubowicz

Is Professor of Sociology at UTS and Executive Producer of Making Multicultural Australia - a multimedia documentary. He has been an advisor to HREOC on racism and the media and to the Commonwealth Government on New Media and the Cultural Industries. He has served on the Australia Council's Community Cultural Development Board and the Multicultural Advisory Committee.

Vasiliki Nihas

Has for the last decade operated as a freelance consultant providing training delivery and policy advice on issues that are multicultural, access and equity and customer service related. She is currently Director of Voyaging Pty Ltd, on the Board of the ACT's Cultural Facilities Corporation and Deputy Chair of the Cultural Council of the ACT. She was formerly a Senior Executive in the Australian Public Service, including a term as Assistant Secretary to the Office of Multicultural Affairs (Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet). She has also written Upfront - an Access and Equity Guide for Trainers in the APS.

Frank Panucci

Was General Manager of Carnivale and president of FILEF (Federation of Italian Migrant Workers and their Families). Previously, Frank was a Senior Policy Officer at the Ethnic Affairs Commission, managed the Community Cultural Development Fund at the Australia Council and was a freelance consultant. Frank recently presented a paper on arts and cultural funding from a community cultural development perspective at the International Conference entitled The Humanities, Arts and Public Culture in the Two Hemispheres.

Christine Sammers

Is an arts consultant, cultural activist, filmmaker and theatre worker. She was a co-founder of Death Defying Theatre (now Urban Theatre Projects) and she has produced multicultural programs for ABC & SBS TV. Christine managed the Australia Council's Community Cultural Development Board for three years and then was the inaugural Director of the Arts Funding Division of the Council. As an arts consultant she has recently completed a review into arts development in Western Sydney for the NSW Ministry for the Arts.

Dr Janis Wilton

Teaches Australian history in the School of Classics, History and Religion at the University of New England. Her areas of research and publication are oral history and ethnic community history. She is currently coordinator of the NSW Ministry for the Arts funded project Golden Threads: The Chinese in Regional NSW, Australian representative on the Council of the International Oral History Association, and a member of the Historic Houses Trust of NSW.

Cheryle Yin-Lo

Was Downstairs Theatre Manager and Artistic Director of the Sydney Asian Theatre Festival at Belvoir St Theatre from 1994 to 1997. Since 1997 she has been working in positions funded by the Australia Council in audience development with ethnic communities for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and now with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Cheryle was Deputy Chair of the Community Cultural Development Fund at the Australia Council and is a member of the Arts Advisory Council of the NSW Ministry for the Arts.