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).

Victoria has spent six years in the employment services sector, most recently as the Business Development and Marketing Manager for two disability employment service providers, and as the manager of a program working with long-term, disadvantaged job seekers prior to this.

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.

In 2009 Victoria completed a Master of Business in Nonprofit Studies at the Australian Centre for Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies (CPNS) at QUT. She received the CPNS Alumni Prize for Governance, and the Not-for-Profit Network Prizes in Marketing Fundamentals and Nonprofit Marketing.

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 board duties, Victoria is a consultant to nonprofit organisations and small-to-medium enterprises. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Women on Boards.

Doug Ranie - Secretary

Doug is currently employed as a Business Manager at a Government Owned Corporation and has management experience across multiple disciplines such as Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology and Health and Safety.

He has served as Treasurer of a Not-for-Profit (Aged Care) organisation, undertakes the role of Company Secretary for his current project and has successfully completed the AICD Company Directors Course.

Sjivonne Grimsey-Smit - Treasurer

For the past 16 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.

Over the past 2 years that I have been associated with AAI I have seen many changes & I am looking forward to a bright future. 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.

Cate Farrar - Ordinary Member

Cate has over 20 years experience in the creative industries working across the visual arts, youth arts, cultural development and disability sectors. With a background in marketing, education and organisational management, and was a recipient of a Margaret Lawrence Bequest Fellowship in 2008. Cate has a good understanding of regional arts and worked at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in Townsville. In 2005, she joined Youth Arts Queensland as CEO and was responsible for the overall business and artistic development of the organisation until August 2009.

Currently Cate is part of the Senior Executive team at Multicap, a leading disability services provider supporting people with multiple disabilities. She a passionate believer in and supporter of the arts; and is particularly motivated to strengthen Access Arts in order for it to be best placed to support artists with disabilities.

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”.

Peta Schaffer - Ordinary Member

Peta has worked in the disability employment services sector for three years, serving in the role of Senior Employment Consultant. She works with people with a wide range of disabilities, assisting them to find employment in the open job market and supporting them during their employment and job search phases.

Prior to this, Peta worked in Ipswich for a Job Network service provider in various roles including reverse marketing, case managing and the management and development of a program to help long-term unemployed and highly disadvantaged job seekers. Although both environments are challenging and rewarding, working with people with disabilities has been and is still Peta’s preference.

Peta has also worked in retail management with McDonalds and Pizza Hut, managing up to 80 staff and responsible for all facets of running a high turnover, fast-paced business including profit and loss and staff retention, recruitment and development. During these 12 years Peta coached and developed a number of staff to management and leadership roles.

She also spent time in the real estate industry, selling properties at auction, before moving into the more people-focused, less competitive environment in which she finds herself, joyfully, today.

Oddur Augustsson - Ordinary Member

Oddur was born in Iceland and has lived in Australia since the time his parents moved back to Brisbane in 1976. Growing up, he was always drawn to the arts as an outlet, participating in school and youth orchestras through the Franciscan Colleges Instrumental Program and QYO on violin, and earning the Senior Art Prize in his final year at Padua College.

His enjoyment and participation has not waned as an adult, and he particularly enjoys choral singing. At various times, Oddur has sung with The Queensland Kodály Choir, Tongues of Fire, Q.P.A.C., Roar, and Chordiality community choirs.. sometimes several of them at once! Oddur was President of Odyssey Creative Productions Associations Inc. during the time of their migration from heritage premises at Herston to taking on a commercial lease and proprietorship of The Globe Theatre, a venue for live music, theatre and cult cinema in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. More recently, Oddur has joined the wonderful volunteer community that supports Queensland Folk Federation’s Woodford Folk Festival and The Dreaming, Australia’s International Indigenous Festival, assisting green room function at the festivals via Artist Transfers. He cherishes memories of meeting Katie Noonan, Alexis Wright, drummers for Taikoz, Ernie Dingo and Deborah Mailman as personal highlights of festival volunteering.

Oddur has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Queensland and works with the Internal Audit Unit of Queensland’'s Department of Public Works. He is an Associate Member of CPA Australia, and is eager to extend his burgeoning skills in governance, risk and internal control on his journey to CPA status through participation in the Management Committee of Access Arts Inc.