Our Board

Chair

Sarah McLeod

SARAH McLEOD is the founding member, frontwoman and guitarist of The Superjesus, a multi-ARIA award-winning and platinum album-selling band.

Her illustrious career spans nearly three decades and is marked by her induction into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame. Renowned as one of Australia’s most versatile artists, she seamlessly transitions between rock band, solo career, and acclaimed theatrical productions.

McLeod’s journey began in Adelaide with the meteoric rise of The Superjesus in the mid-’90s, leading to global tours and numerous accolades. Her solo career is also impressive, with four albums, several EPs, and various EDM chat topping singles to her name. McLeod has made significant contributions to theatre, with standout performances in ‘Green Day’s American Idiot’ and Shake & Stir’s ‘Jane Eyre,’ where she composed and performed the soundtrack live as well as portraying a host of characters.

McLeod’s reputation for delivering vibrant, high-calibre work, coupled with recent solo tours showcasing new songs with relatable messages, heralds anticipation for fresh material across various projects.

As an inspiration to generations of artists, Sarah advocates for equality in the music industry, exemplified by her voluntary role on the board of directors for Australian Women in Music.

Her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity is a cornerstone of her latest project. Developed over six years, it is a significant milestone in her career, embodying themes of empowerment, acceptance, and longevity.
McLeod and her band The Superjesus just released their first full length studio album in 20 years which debut at no 10 on the Aria Australian Albums chart. Sarah continues to push boundaries and captivate audiences.

Her legacy as a versatile artist is testament to her dedication, creativity and unapologetic authenticity.

Treasurer

Jane Rybarz

JANE RYBARZ is a passionate live music supporter. She is also a Chartered Accountant and CPA who worked for KPMG in their Adelaide and Cairns offices before establishing and later selling the firm Rybarz Zappulla Chartered Accountants.

After leaving private practice she worked in senior finance roles in film, television and music with Southern Star Endemol, Moneypenny, Encompass Management, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, NITV the National Indigenous Television Channel, and Vanessa Stoykov’s Evolution Media Group.

Jane also worked as CFO of Link-Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation who reunite members of the Stolen Generation, and Financial Controller of the private members’ club the Australian Club.

Her current role is head of the finance team at the Ettalong Diggers Club where she is enjoying being involved in the local NSW Central Coast community.

Jane is co-author of “The District Commissioner”, the memoirs of David Milbourne Marsh OBE and his nation building work in Papua New Guinea 1940 to 1975, and is honorary Public Officer of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia Inc.

She has served on the Boards of Aurora Community Television Ltd, WIFT – Women in Film and Television Association of NSW, FTA – Film & Television Association (FNQ), Cairns Regional Gallery VIPs Association, and the Australian American Association Inc Cairns.

Jane was an honorary consultant with Arts Law, and won the inaugural Cairns Business Woman of the Year Encouragement Award, and a North Queensland Radio Marketing award.

Secretary

Kristy Dixon

KRISTY DIXON is a partner and head of the Corporate/ M&A and NFP teams at Marque Lawyers, which was founded in 2008 with the modest ambition of completely changing the way law is practised.

Kristy gained high level experience at big law firms before joining Marque and she hasn’t looked at a time sheet, or worn a suit, since.

An expert in corporate law, Kristy has run every kind of corporate deal imaginable and has a keen interest in corporate governance, emerging corporate structures and social venture models. Kristy works with many not for profit clients in respect of their corporate and governance needs, with an eye for detail but with the focus squarely on impact.

Kristy currently sits on the boards of Australian Women in Music and Brand X. She is a former long-term director of Spark Festival.

NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

AWMA FOUNDING EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Vicki Gordon

VICKI GORDON is a Helpmann Award winning Music Producer who has been a ground breaking advocate for gender and cultural equality her entire career. She has extensive experience in the Australian music industry and the performing arts having worked as a musician, tour manager, artist manager, marketing director, festival director, cultural consultant, documentary maker, independent record label manager and music theatre producer. She has worked with First Nations artists for three decades and in 2000 was the first woman voted onto the ARIA Board as a Director in her own right to represent the Independents.

In the early 90s, Vicki founded the Australian Women’s Rock Institute producing Australia’s first training program for female DJs; Australia’s first All Girl Rock Festival and first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Contemporary Music Festival publishing the first Australian fanzine for female musicians.

In 2019, Vicki was the only Australian Music Executive in the TOP 100 AFR Women of Influence and a finalist in the 2020 Telstra Business Women’s Awards. She has been awarded a Human Rights Commendation, a Community Cultural Development Fellowship, a Women in the Arts Fellowship, Gold and Platinum ARIA Awards and the OZTIX Trailblazer Award in recognition of her contribution to industry.

Vicki also holds a Certificate of Completion in Indigenous Cultural Protocols for Business.

Non Executive Director

Zoe Hauptmann

ZOE HAUPTMANN is one of Australia’s most in demand session musician’s who has recorded and performed with some of the country’s most iconic artists including Paul Kelly, Neil Finn, Wendy Mathews, Kate Ceberano, Missy Higgins, Ian Moss, Kasey Chambers, Katie Noonan, Tim Rogers and Peter Garrett.

Zoe has recorded on over 80 albums, performed at every major Australian festival and at a multitude of venues in both capital cities and regionally. In 2017 and 2018 Zoe was a finalist in the National Live Music Awards for “Australia’s best bassist”. Internationally Zoe has toured throughout Asia, Europe and America.

Board Observer

Nina Korbe

As a proud Koa, Kuku Yalanji, Wakka Wakka woman, NINA KORBE is actively involved in the championing of Indigenous Voices; working closely with the Queensland Youth Orchestra, sitting on the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s First Nations Advisory Committee, the Playlab Theatre Board and recently as First Nations advisor to the Australian Music Foundation and Board Observer to Australian Women in Music.

Award-winning soprano, Nina Korbe, is quickly establishing herself as one of Australia’s leading young sopranos. Nina received her Bachelor of Music (with Distinction) from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and her Master of Arts (Performance – with Distinction) from the Royal Academy of Music in London. Performance highlights throughout her studies included Arminda (La finta giardiniera), Héro (Béatrice et Bénédict), Ilia (Idomeneo) and Little Miss Manifest in the World Premiere of Freya Walley Cohen’s Witch.

For Opera Queensland, she has appeared in their productions of La bohème, Die Fledermaus, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Peter Grimes and Verdi’s Requiem and this year is a returning Young Artist. In concert, she has been engaged as soloist by Camerata Chamber Orchestra, Queensland Ballet, Southern Cross Soloists, the Goldner String Quartet and is a returning artist with Melba Opera Trust as the recipient of the Ruskin Opera Scholarship in 2024. Nina made her Opera Australia début as Maria in West Side Story and sang Lisette in Puccini’s La rondine for Victorian Opera.

She has been welcomed back as Artist in Residence with the Queensland Youth Orchestra and in this capacity, she has sung Ravel’s Shéhérazade at the Musikverein in Vienna, Stiftung Mozarteum in Salzburg and Laieszhalle in Hamburg.

Nina performed the Jewel Song composed by Charles Gounod from the Opera FAUST as a tribute to Dame Joan Sutherland OM, AC, DBE who was inducted into the posthumous AWMA Honour Roll in 2024.

Non Executive Director

Yumi Stynes

YUMI STYNES is an author and broadcaster working on Gadigal land.

She was part of the seminal music TV channel, Channel [V], from the year 2000, spent a decade talking about music on the KiiS FM network and continues to support musicians through her work on the national broadcaster, Double J.

Yumi is probably best known from the hugely popular ABC podcast ‘Ladies, We Need to Talk’ – currently in its eighth season demystifying taboos around women’s bodies, health and love lives.

Her groundbreaking books co-authored with Dr Melissa Kang include this year’s ABIA Winner for Book of the Year for older Children, ‘Welcome to Sex’. The ‘Welcome to’ series of guidebooks have sold over a quarter of a million copies and been translated into 14 languages.

Non Executive Director

Anne Wiberg

ANNE WIBERG is a collaborator, programmer, mentor, networker, live music lover and a DJ. She is also a Board Director with Tutti Arts, a ground-breaking multi-arts organisation for artists with disability.

Her role as Artistic Director at Light Cultural Foundation (recently renamed Immersive Light and Art) for almost three years, saw Anne bring to life a brand new multi-arts venue.

She continues her freelance work in contemporary music and the arts as programmer and event producer for the South Australian Ruby Awards, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide Film Festival and corporate clients.