● Meet the team
Shopfront’s board are the guardian’s of Shopfront. There are two designated Young People positions on our Board of Directors embedding genuine Youth Leadership in all we do! The Board are governed by a Code of Conduct. As part of this Code of Conduct, they agree to:
Treat everyone with respect and honesty, including children, young people, parents/guardians, staff and volunteers
Be a positive role model to children/young people
Care for the wellbeing of Young People as trusted adults in their lives
Abide by our Child Safe & Social Media Policies
Report risks of harm to Young People
Board
● Chair of the Board
Meet Lesley
Lesley Hitchens AM is an Emerita Professor at University of Technology Sydney (UTS), having retired in February 2023. Lesley practised as a commercial lawyer in Sydney and London before moving to an academic career. She has held academic positions in several universities in the UK and Australia, researching in media and communications law. In 2013 she became Dean of the UTS Law Faculty until taking on the role of Acting Provost in October 2021 until she retired. She serves on the Advisory Committee of the Centre for Media Transition (UTS). Lesley is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2015 she was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and in 2018 received the Financial Times Australian Legal Innovator Award. In January 2024 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to tertiary education, and to the law.
Lesley has not worked in the creative and community arts sector but is an active consumer of performing and visual arts and a member of Hummingsong Community Choir. Prior to studying law, Lesley was a primary school teacher for about five years. Her final three years were spent at Hurstville Primary School and during that time she and her classes worked with Shopfront developing and performing plays.
● CEO + Creative Director
Meet Nat
Natalie Rose (she/her) is one third of the performance collective POST, Creative Director/CEO at Shopfront Arts Co-op, and has been involved in Australia’s Contemporary Arts scene for the past 24 years. Her work has been seen nationally and internationally at Sydney Festival, Belvoir, Sydney Theatre Company, and Cambridge Junction (UK). Most recently with POST, Oedipus Schmoedipus has toured to Santiago Chile, West Kowloon Cultural Precinct Authority in Hong Kong and in 2020 was to be showcased as a part of AsiaTOPA at Arts Centre Melbourne. Their 2017 Sydney Festival work Ich Nibber Dibber was remounted at Sydney Opera House and Malthouse Theatre. Nat has facilitated workshops for the past 24 years for Young People and emerging artists with and without disability. Nat has a Bachelor of Arts (Theatre-making) from the University of Western Sydney, Nepean and has previously trained at PACT and Urban Theatre Projects as a member of their ensembles.
In 2022/23, Nat began developing My First and Last Solo Show supported by Performing Lines and Creative Australia. She was selected by Creative Australia as a 2022 Arts Leader recipient, spending time abroad exchanging with artists in Indonesia. Most recently, she devised The Lies We Were Told with an ensemble of Young People. This production was awarded the 2023 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Young People. In 2024, Nat has embarked on a new project Si’ Malamalama La’ititi (This little light), with fellow Arts Leader recipients, Grace Vanilau and Bethany Ashley-Ward exploring the intersection between motherhood, community and the arts. Nat will also continue developing My First and Last Solo Show, a further investigation of her creative practice and motherhood. She is on the Board of Directors for Voices of Women.
Nat is an accredited Youth Mental Health First Aider.
● Board Director
Meet Nick
Nick Atkins has held senior artistic and advocacy roles within small to medium arts organisations. This includes as director, new work for Q Theatre, chair of Theatre Network NSW, member of Create NSW’s Artform Advisory Board (Theatre), co-artistic director of Crack Theatre Festival (TiNA) and board member of PACT. He has completed cultural fellowships for the City of Parramatta, Create NSW and has been an artist in residence with Bundanon, UNSW, Centre D’Art Marnay Sur-Seine (France) and NES Artist Residency (Iceland). He is currently completing a practice-based PhD program with the Creativity and Cognition Studios (UTS). He also is the founding Director of Operated Coin, who find new ways to make shared experiences by mixing theatre and tech.
● Board Director
Meet Vanessa
Vanessa Hyde (she/her) is an Arts Manager and Creative Producer with extensive experience working in community arts and cultural development. She currently works as Company Manager at National Theatre of Parramatta, the producing arm of Riverside Theatres. She was General Manager and then CEO of CuriousWorks from 2012 to 2022 and has previously worked in various festival-producing roles including co-founding and producing Festival Mata Air, a high-profile environmental arts festival in Indonesia (2006-2009). Vanessa has served on the board of Sydney Culture Network and Komunitas TUK and has produced several community initiatives including the FUNPARK and WOW Festivals. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from The University of Sydney.
Vanessa has a strong commitment to community empowerment through the arts and is a deep believer in the power of story. She has been an admirer of the impactful work that Shopfront does over many years, as both a parent of an enthusiastic young member and as a peer collaborator in the performing and community arts sectors. She looks forward to contributing to the Shopfront community.
● Board Director
Meet Giorgia
Giorgia Butt currently works for the Climate Change and Sustainability team at KPMG Australia. Her role includes overseeing assurance engagements for listed and non-listed clients for various voluntary and regulatory non-financial obligations. Giorgia has previous experience in financial statement audit and is a qualified Chartered Accountant (GradDipCA). Completing her studies at the University of Sydney in BA Commerce and Arts, Giorgia volunteered for a program called Uni 2 Beyond (Centre for Disability Studies) for several years and took up a position as Social Inclusion Officer in her final year.
“I’m a big supporter of the arts, and I can’t wait to connect with fellow creatives in the Shopfront community”
● Board Director
Meet Maybelline
Maybelline San Juan’s artistic journey began in 2018 as a graduate of the Class of Cabaret program, performing in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival under the mentorship of Amelia Ryan and Michael Griffiths. She quickly returned the following year in 2019 as part of the festival’s GreenRoom Speakeasy. Maybelline further pursued performing arts at the University of South Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Creative Industries and earning an academic medal. She then transitioned into an arts and festivals career, working for distinguished organisations including the Festivals City Adelaide, the Adelaide Fringe and Slingsby Theatre Company among many others. In 2023, she was honoured as one of 50 arts professionals in Adelaide Festival Centre’s ‘Celebrating 50 Years’ book.
Today, Maybelline resides in the heart of Western Sydney, working as the Venue Hire Coordinator at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta, also serving on the ATYP Youth Advisory Board and as a Performance Space Youth Ambassador. This year, Maybelline is dedicating her time to reigniting her creative practice through an ArtsLab residency with ShopFront, developing her debut one-woman cabaret show, ‘Slut Era’.
● Board Director
Meet Pratha
Pratha Nagpal is a director, writer, activist and a passionate theatremaker working on unceded indigenous land. Pratha’s arts practice is deeply inspired by BIPOC stories and art. Being a first- generation immigrant, she deeply understands the need for art that centres BIPOC voices, in both the stories that are being told, and the process undertaken to tell these stories.
She is a current student at NIDA completing her Master of Fine Arts (Directing). At NIDA, she has directed a short play in collaboration with ACA (Actors Centre Australia) named Ali by Daniel Keene. She has also directed Ghagra, a bollywood piece for NIDA Kabarett 2022. In collaboration with Triple J, she recently directed a music video for emerging band, Coconut Cream, called What Kind of Music Do You Like To Listen To?. In 2021/22, she wrote, directed, and devised her show माँ की रसोई (Maa Ki Rasoi – My Mother’s Kitchen) at 107 Projects under the ArtsLab residency program by ShopFront. In 2022, माँ की रसोई (Maa Ki Rasoi – My Mother’s Kitchen) was also a part of the Art in the Heart of Haymarket festival at 4A. In 2021, she also directed a sold-out season of Rice by Michelle Lee at Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS).
● Board Director
Meet Bethwyn
Bethwyn Serow – Current Chair for the Performing Arts and Create NSW Dance and Physical Theatre Art form board member, arts consultant and former Executive Director of Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG), Production Executive and Senior Policy Manager for the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA). Bethwyn has a rich career as a creative industries practitioner and developer, as a television director and producer in Australia and Europe and in senior management roles for both state and commonwealth creative agencies and industry associations. This has involved leading state and national sector development initiatives in areas such as well-being and arts education, offshore collaboration, commissioning and leading research papers and representing industry and sector voices in developing new policy frameworks such as the current National Performing Arts Partnership Framework. Screen Producer Offset, importation of foreign artists, tax reform, and providing sector business advice with regard to industry agreements and codes of practice.
Bethwyn grew up in Blakehurst and was actively involved in the arts across dance, music and theatre before working behind the scenes at the Old Vic in London in her gap year, returning to complete a Communications BA majoring in film at UTS, and later a Postgrad in Arts Management. Completing a Teaching BA this year, Bethwyn is keen to bring her skills and experience in the arts, child creative development, and teaching practice into formal and informal child-centred forums. She is currently teaching through PLC’s Futures public-facing program, both curriculum and extra-curriculum studies, with an emphasis on civics, creativity and critical thinking.
“Shopfront is an exciting dynamic arts organisation that embraces and nurtures young people’s agency, sense of ownership, and artistic and social potential to make a positive impact now.
I am very excited to join Shopfront and hope I can support the dynamic Shopfront team to create great impact, fostering access and opportunity for its members and its broader community.”
● Board Director
Meet Marie-Louise
Marie-Louise Albani has close to 30 years’ experience working in the Australian Public Service (APS) across a number of large Commonwealth government departments. As a director in the APS, Marie-Louise has had a diverse and rich career with experience in program management and delivery, community and stakeholder engagement and corporate functions, amongst other areas. In particular, Marie-Louise has extensive experience as a senior leader and business partner in human resources and throughout her career has had a strong interest in supporting organisational change management, building positive workplace cultures, mentoring and coaching, workplace health and safety, diversity and inclusion, workforce planning and integrity.
Marie-Louise holds a Bachelor of Arts in English literature; post graduate qualifications in public policy and governance; and is a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute.
Marie-Louise, who is a Carlton local, is a passionate supporter of the arts in all its forms and values the importance of story telling. On the weekends you will often find her enjoying art exhibitions, writers festivals, theatre or at a gig.
Marie-Louise looks forward to being able to contribute to the Shopfront community.
● Connect with us
Join Our Team
We’re always excited to work with new artists and volunteers! Get in touch if you’re looking to learn more about how to work with Young People and communities, or an experienced artist-facilitator keen to work with Shopfront.