CDN

CDN’s Board

CDN is managed by a Board of volunteers whose expertise includes arts practice, academia, local and state government, the non-profit sector and arts organisations.

Paul Holton, Chair

Paul is Principle at Lightwell Consulting, undertaking projects in the community and local government sectors. He was formerly, Director Development with East Gippsland Shire Council where his role encompassed strategic management of Statutory Land Use Planning, Economic Develpment, Capital Projects and Council Enterprises across East Gippsland Shire. He worked in Local Government for over 30 years in areas such as arts facilities administration, cultural development, leisure facilities and events management. Paul was part of the team that initiated the highly successful Wangaratta Festival of Jazz. He is a former member of the Australia Council’s Community Cultural Development Board.  

Contact Paul


Greg Box, Deputy Chair

For 25 years Greg Box has provided leadership and cultural expertise to multiple peri-urban and regional Councils.  Greg is currently the General Manager Partnerships, Economy and Culture at Bass Coast Shire Council. For over a decade he developed cultural facilities and programming at Yarra Ranges Council in Melbourne’s east.  He has worked as an arts practitioner and administrator with many different communities from a diverse range of social and cultural backgrounds. In particular he has a strong background in creating public art in local government and the university sector.  Greg has led international award winning engagement programs and has presented extensively both in Australia and overseas. He is passionate about the essential role of Culture in all of our lives.
Contact Greg

 


Karen Corry, B.Com, FCA, FAICD

Karen is an experienced board director and business leader with a career in finance, digital technology, consulting. Previously a partner at KPMG Consulting, she is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts and has worked globally, including KPMG London. In her consulting career she has led strategic planning and transformational programs and has been responsible for business development and growth. She established and led a consulting company, Delta Management Consulting, for over 15 years in the health and government sectors.

Her current portfolio includes her non-executive director roles at Peninsula Health, Holmesglen Institute, ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) and Chair of ACSO (Australian Community Support Organisation) as well as a director of McCormack Housing, its subsidiary. She was appointed to the board of the Australian healthcare software provider Global Health Limited (ASX: GLH) in 2011. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and in 2020 was privileged to participate in the AICD Chair’s Mentoring Program. Her experiences leverages strategy and growth with a strong balance between innovation, governance, finance and risk.

Contact Karen


 

Dr Nicholas Hill

Nick Hill graduated from the University of Surrey in Arts/Commerce with Honours and Membership of the Chartered Institute of Marketing working in commercial roles in London, after a graduate rotation in the Royal Navy.

Transitioning into tertiary education to develop foundational arts and cultural management programmes, he became involved with international scholarships through the Erasmus programme in Europe and exchange as Visiting Professor at UCV, Caracas. He undertook a Masters in Arts Policy at City University, followed by a PhD in Cultural Patronage, carrying out fieldwork in India, funded by an ESRC scholarship and the Gresham College.

He came to the University of Melbourne in 2004 as an academic in the School of Creative Arts, involved with the Masters programme in Arts Management. Moving into administrative roles, Nick was central to the establishment of the Australia India Institute and was sponsored through the Harvard Kennedy School International Security programme. He later worked in residential colleges and was instrumental in recalibrating pastoral care and wellbeing, focusing on an intentional academic community.

As well as Deputy Chair of Cultural Development Network and Creating Australia, Nick is chair of the James Morrison Academy and Director of Upbeat Arts, a mental health charity focussing on choirs and creative arts practice to effect transformation.

Nick is a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society and Member of the Royal Over-Seas League in London. He is an advocate for the soft power value of international exchange in education and collaborative research.

Contact Nicholas


Nic Hodges

Nic Hodges works at the intersection of technology, media and culture. Holding a Masters of Design from Swinburne University, Nic has over two decades of experience in digital media, including senior roles at leading agencies including M&C Saatchi, Clemenger BBDO and MediaCom. He currently works as an independent consultant with brands and startups focusing on innovation in communications and business strategy.

Nic is a frequent commentator on the future impact of technology on communities, people and business. He has been featured on ABC’s 7.30, written for Wired and Forbes magazines, keynoted conferences in Australia, Asia, Europe and the US, and has written code that is now in the National Archive of Australia.

Nic sits on the board of several Australian technology companies, is a member of the Digital Advisory Committee for Sydney Living Museums, Course Advisory Committee for Swinburne School Design and Architecture and is a Non-Executive Director of Startup Victoria.

 Contact Nic


Gavin Somers

Gavin Somers is a proud Butchulla/Gubbi Gubbi man who been living and working in Naarm (Melbourne) for the last 30+ years.

An established First Nations performer, singer/songwriter, Gavin is actively involved in the Victorian arts, music and philanthropy community and has held positions on several government and not-for-profit boards across the state. Gavin’s formal qualifications include governance and community development from Swinburne University and AILC Canberra respectively.

Gavin is currently employed as the Director of First Nations, Equity and Social Policy at ACMI (formerly the Australian Centre for the Moving Image).

 

Contact Gavin