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.

Michael Jones – Treasurer

Michael Jones is a Chartered Accountant and a Tax Institute Fellow who owns his own tax practice – Atramentum Accounting & Consulting. He has 34 years of commercial, accounting, finance, business transformation, and leadership experience gained in accounting practice, commercially focused finance and executive roles – across the aged care/health, oil and gas, financial, taxation and business services, hospitality, arts and education industries – in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Michael has extensive board and governance experience, having sat on a number of Boards, including ARTRAGE.

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. 

Julia Dobson – Board Member

Julia Dobson is an Entrepreneur and Brand & Marketing Strategist who has worked internationally for some of the worlds most loved luxury brands. Julia’s career in fashion includes working in Switzerland with Bally and London with various surf and skate brands.  She completed an MBA in International Luxury Brand Management in Paris and joined the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy Group leading brands CELINE and then Acqua di Parma in the UK and Ireland. Julia launched her own leather-goods brand Village England, selling in boutiques and department stores across Europe, America, Canada and Australia. She sold the business to facilitate a move back home to Perth. She brings a detailed understanding of brand design, development, communications, campaign strategies and leveraging coverage by using technology and creativity to ensure an extension of reach.

Stuart Shepherd – Board Member

Stuart has practiced as a barrister, mediator and academic in Perth and London for more than 30 years.  He is currently a member of Murray Chambers and is a clinical fellow of the Curtin University Law school.  Stuart has a broad litigation and mediation practice and regularly appears in defamation, commercial, corporation, and partnership matters. Over the course of his legal career Stuart has held numerous board positions including six years as Chairman of the WA Legal Aid Commission, and board and committee positions with Swy Theatre Company, the Western Australian Debating League, Australian Business in Europe, WA Bar Chambers, the Joondalup Health Campus Human Research Ethics Committee, and the Editorial Committee of Brief, a magazine produced by the Law Society of WA. Whilst an undergraduate at the University of Western Australia, Stuart was president of the Australasian Law Students Association and the University Debating Union, a member of the Australian Debating Team, represented UWA in national mooting and trial advocacy competitions, and appeared in a number of University Dramatic Society productions. For a short period in 1984, Stuart led a registered defence syndicate for the Americas Cup. Stuart continues to offer his time to local film students as a performer in undergraduate film productions.