Access Arts Inc® - The Key to Success in the Arts

Victoria Lister - President

Victoria has served at the governance level in a number of nonprofit organisations, including South West Career Connect (current Treasurer, former Vice-President), and Skilling Brisbane North Employment and Training Cluster (former Founder/Chair).

In 2007-2008 she undertook an additional voluntary role, consulting to state government via the Ministerial Regional Community Forum (Greater Brisbane Region).

Prior to this, Victoria spent six years in the employment services sector, most recently as Business Development and Marketing Manager for a disability employment services provider, then as Manager of a program working with long-term, disadvantaged job seekers.

She had an earlier career as a copywriter in the advertising industry, owned and operated a successful food manufacturing company, is a qualified chef, cut her copywriting teeth in community radio, and once made an amusing short film.

Victoria is in the final phase of a Master of Business (Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies) at the Australian Centre for Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies (CPNS) at QUT. In 2007 she received a George Alexander Foundation Scholarship, and the CPNS Alumni Prize for Governance.

In addition to her studies and board duties, Victoria is consulting to a privately-owned organisation, assisting them with conversion to not-for-profit enterprise.

Sjivonne Grimsey-Smit - Treasurer

For the past 14 years I have had the pleasure (albeit being a tad hectic at times) of working for the same company (PSA). During this time my roles have developed from Receptionist, to Accounts Clerk, to Warehouse Manager to my now current position of Financial Controller. My time with PSA has taught me that further success is achievable with a little dedication & perseverance.

Even though my association with Access Arts has so far been brief, I hope that as Access Arts makes a difference to so many talented people, I too can provide a little inspiration. On a personal note I am the proud Mum of my son DeLacey.

Paul Turnbull - Secretary

Paul Turnbull is a historian and professor in the School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classic at the University of Queensland. His expertise is in the history of ideas with a particular focus on the cognitive evolution of racial science. He is also internationally known for his research on the theory and practice of history in networked digital media.

Evan Jones - Ordinary Member

I was born in Brisbane during the post-war boom. Most of my school days were in Brisbane, though I also lived as a child in Rockhampton, Townsville and Adelaide. The dance teacher who played the greatest role in my formative years was Elsie Seguss. Other teachers important in my development here in Australia were Jackie Parker, Anne Roberts, Leslie White, Don Kingston, Martin Rubinstein, Jacqui Carroll and Brian Coughran. I passed the R.A.D. Solo Seal in 1968, the year in which I also matriculated from the Brisbane Grammar School.

At 18, I went to study at Rosella Hightower’s “Centre de Danse International” in Cannes, France. My first professional engagement was with the Marseille Opera Ballet. There followed contracts with Roland Petit in Marseille, Gerhard Bohner and Morley Wiseman in Darmstadt, Germany, and Fred Howald, Egon Madsen and William Forsythe in Frankfurt. I then took up the position of Ballet Master and assistant to the Director, Andris Plucis, at the Staastheater Darmstadt. With all of these choreographers I participated in the creative as well as the performance processes, in many pieces as a soloist or principal dancer.

In 1997, after a quarter of a century dancing and teaching abroad, I returned to my home town to work as a lecturer in dance at QUT. In 2005, I completed the Master of Education (Higher Education) degree at QUT. In March, 1999, I was elected president of Ausdance (Qld), a position I held for two years. 2000 – 2005 I was the coordinator of the QUT, on-campus Dance courses. Currently, I am an Ausdance (Qld.) management committee member, member of the Creative Industries Faculty Equity Committee, president of the QUT Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, unit coordinator and ballet teacher in Dance Technique Studies and unit coordinator and lecturer in the postgraduate subject, “Introduction to Reflective Practice”.