Natalie Jenkins – Chair

Natalie has carved out a reputation as one of the most respected leaders of the arts, culture and not-for-profit sectors in WA. Her expertise spans high-level stakeholder engagement, the leadership of cultural and community organisations, corporate community partnership development, and not-for-profit governance. Natalie ran her own consultancy, NJ Management, for eight years, and has been a sessional lecturer in Arts Management at Edith Cowan University since 2007. Most recently, Natalie was co-chief executive officer and executive director of Black Swan State Theatre Company. She is currently deputy chair of Regional Arts Australia and a Board member of Future Now – Creative and Leisure Industries Training Council.

Stephen Bevis – Deputy Chair

Stephen is a former arts editor at The West Australian from 2006 to 2016. His career at The West Australian included previous roles as editor of the West Magazine, deputy foreign editor, night editor, Canberra correspondent and state political reporter.

Janelle O’Hare – Treasurer

A partner at PwC, Janelle specialises in corporate and international tax, tax management consulting and tax effect accounting. She has over 18 years’ experience in Australia and Europe providing tax consulting services to clients across a range of functional areas with a focus on international taxation, tax audit, tax risk management (including internal audit), as well as tax effect issues.

She has advised clients on significant inbound and outbound mergers and acquisitions, as well as the implementation of holding and financing structures, including the largest project financing undertaken in Australia. Janelle has experience across a broad range of industries, including oil and gas, energy, GOCs, consumer business, financial services, agribusiness and shipping, having advised on cross-border transactions, acquisitions, divestments and joint ventures in these sectors.

Michelle White – Secretary

Michelle is a Yamatji storyteller with more than 30 years’ experience as a writer, producer and broadcaster for television, radio, print and online.

Michelle was the ABC State correspondent for the 7.30 Report, Australian Story and Triple J’s Morning show. She was series producer of the ABC’s flagship Indigenous magazine programme Message Stick and she was the chief executive officer of 100.9fm Noongar Radio in Perth. Michelle’s experience in the arts includes a long stint at Yirra Yaakin Aboriginal Corporation – both on staff and the board.

Michelle volunteers as a director on the board of Perth’s only Aboriginal radio station, Noongar Radio. She is also a director of As One Nyitting Limited – a registered charity that provides cultural pathways to empower First Nations people.

For the past decade Michelle been a major contributor to Community Arts Network (CAN), leading many high profile community projects with the Noongar Community. Michelle currently serves as CAN’s partnerships and platforming manager. 

Rosalind Appleby – Board Member

Rosalind Appleby is a Perth-based arts journalist, author and speaker. She was music critic for The West Australian for 14 years (2002-2016) and has contributed to various national and international publications including The Australian newspaper, The Guardian and Opera magazine (London). From 2012-2018 she operated the blog Noted, providing insights into the Perth arts scene. Rosalind’s book Women of Note (Fremantle Press, 2012) reveals startling discoveries about Australian women composers, locating the missing jigsaw pieces in Australia’s music history. Rosalind advocates for the arts through her lectures, author talks, artist interviews, pre-concert talks and school seminars. She has presented at the Perth Writers Festival (2013, 2018, 2019) and at the national Women in the Creative Arts Conference (2017) in Canberra. For several years she produced and broadcast the experimental program Difficult Listening for RTRFM. She has been interviewed by Andrew Ford on The Music Show and for programs on 3MBS, 2MBS, Radio Fremantle and RTRFM.

Ruth Callaghan – Board Member

Ruth Callaghan is Cannings Purple’s chief innovation officer, who uses two decades of experience as a media strategist, communications adviser and journalist to develop, deliver and distribute messages that cut through. She specialises in providing strategic digital and content services for clients, using the principles of newsworthy and engaging content to tell compelling stories. She is a skilled media trainer and works with professionals both within and outside the communications industry to develop their digital, writing and media skills. Ruth’s work in this field has included developing digital and inbound marketing strategies for clients, including the use of lead generation software, content marketing and social media. She works with emerging technologies including virtual reality in campaigns and continues to write for publications including the Australian Financial Review. When not distracted by the next shiny digital tool, Ruth likes to holiday in cooler climates with her family or hang out with her stubborn Scottish Terrier Maisie.

Nina Levy – Board Member

Nina Levy has worked for over a decade as an arts writer and critic. In May 2017 she co-founded Seesaw with Varnya Bromilow and has been co-editing the platform since it went live in August 2017. 

Nina began her career as an arts journalist as editor of Ausdance WA’s dancewest magazine (2007- 2011). She started working as a freelance dance critic shortly after, writing reviews and features for Dance Australia, from 2007. In 2012 she became editor of online content for Dance Australia. Nina was co-editor of Dance Australia from July 2016 to June 2019. Nina was also dance critic for The West Australian newspaper from 2009-2018.

Nina has worked extensively in arts education and advocacy. She taught dance history and analysis at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts from 2011 to 2020. Between 2007 and 2011 she was Communications Manager at Ausdance WA and she has worked casually in education at the West Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (2007). Nina taught dance and drama at Applecross Senior High School from 2003-2006. From 2000-2018, Nina was co-owner, manager and principal of Classical Dance Studio, a private dance school.