MV Board
The past few years has seen the organisation build on its growing reputation for excellence, collaboration, strong governance, leadership and sound financial management. Moorambilla Voices embraces its important role in the nation’s cultural ecology and the inherent opportunities and challenges this offers. At the core of Moorambilla Voice’s program is our constant drive to work in collaboration across the regions to deliver exciting and innovative arts and cultural opportunity to the many participants from remote and indigenous communities, isolated or disadvantaged backgrounds that are hungry for artistic expression. Once a part of the Moorambilla family, these young people become part of a broader artistic family that allows them to focus and develop their cultural identity by drawing on the richness of 80,000-year-old song lines that frame the landscapes and knowledge of the unique regions in which we work.
Moorambilla Voices seeks to empower children and youth to think big, dream wide and connect to country through our exceptional annual program of skills development workshops, cultural immersions, residences, tours, recordings and performances. Australian composers, musicians, choreographers and visual artists co-create with our children to deliver outstanding performances that celebrate their capacity and our shared connection to country – manifested through joyful performance.
Ms Justine Campbell
Chair and Founding Director
Justine has over 30 years experience and expertise in community business development, private and not-for-profit development, government, governance, place management, grant writing, stakeholder management and board and organisational leadership, bringing comprehensive knowledge and a strategic approach to drive impactful and sustainable initiatives from a people-based perspective. She is from the Moorambilla region and is a passionate advocate for regional Australia, working between regional NSW and WA. Justine is well recognised for achieving outcomes through strong relationship/stakeholder input, collaboration and consideration.
Ms Michelle Leonard OAM
Director and Founder
Founder, Artistic Director and Conductor of Moorambilla Voices, Michelle Leonard is an artistic visionary with a strong motivation to amplify creative opportunities for regional children and young adults as a catalyst for social change. Moorambilla Voices is a nationally awarded regional arts organisation that has been making a significant impact since its inception in 2006.Since then Michelle has personally delivered skills development workshops directly into schools to over 42,000 children from 21 Local Government Areas across regional New South Wales. Michelle has commissioned over 100 new Australian works, and conducts yearly residency camps, tours, recordings, and performances for regional and metropolitan audiences. Under Michelle’s leadership, Moorambilla Voices showcases the extraordinary capacity of children as choristers, dancers, and visual artists to express their shared connection to Country with confidence and joy, to standing ovations.
Ms Margaret Moore OAM
Director
Margie Moore has extensive experience in arts, education as a music educator and administrator. She has had successful careers as a teacher, music consultant, lecturer in arts education and managing the highly regarded Sydney Symphony Education Program. She has worked with many major arts companies around Australia and overseas. Margie has had major roles with the NSW and National Orff Schulwerk Associations. In January 2011 Margie was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her services to Arts through Music Education.
Alison McKechnie
Director
Alison is the Regional Manager – Physical Infrastructure for Cardno Emerging Markets which delivers international development programs across the Asia Pacific region. She also lectures at the University of Melbourne in Design Management for the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning. Alison is a Registered Architect in WA and Victoria, a member of Australian Institute of Architects, Australian Institute of Company Directors and Women on Boards and has been involved in several not-for-profit organisations including Habitat for Humanity and the Victorian based, Fitted for Work. Alison has been involved in music and musical theatre for most of her life and brings to the Moorambilla board a strong understanding of the joy of being a part of collaborative arts and education programs.
Penny Davis
Director
Penny has over 15 years experience in the government and non-profit sectors. She specialises in monitoring, evaluation and learning in the international development sector. Penny is passionate about ensuring programs generate and use evidence to improve their effectiveness. In her current role with the consulting company Alinea-Whitelum, Penny focusses on ensuring programs generate evidence which meets their decision-making needs while also being achievable within the time and resources available.
Susannah Pondekas
Director
Susannah is a Master Project Manager with nCino delivering projects and advising Professional Services companies and Financial Institutions on the implementation of nCino’s Bank Operating System. Prior to nCino, Susannah has 20 years’ experience in senior management roles at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Hewlett Packard Australia in lending services, operational management and strategic projects. She has also consulted for non-profits on business and technology strategy. Susannah holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Information Systems) from the University of NSW and certifications in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Salesforce Administration. Susannah is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Computer Society. Susannah has AMEB certifications in Clarinet and sings in community choirs in Sydney.
Adam Burt
Director
Adam is an Accountant and Financial Planner that looks after Sydney-based and rural clients from the North West of NSW and other regions. He has a Masters in Commerce (Accounting), an MBA, and a Diploma of Financial Planning. He has experience in financial oversight in the not-for-profit space, and is passionate about supporting kids from regional areas. Having lived and worked in a number of places, he understands the importance of cultural sensitivity and identity. He is the least competent musician in his family, but perseveres with bass guitar.
