Juror Council
The AWMA Juror Council reflects a wide cross section of artists and industry professionals each of whom provide significant expertise in their respective areas and a broad perspective and overview to the Juror process.
AWMA Juror Chair
Dr Diana Tolmie
Dr Diana Tolmie is Senior Lecturer of Professional Practice at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, D’Addario International Artist, and honoured to be Chair of the Juror Council for the Australian Women in Music Awards, a position she has held since 2020.
Passionately teaching and researching performance, pedagogy, musicians’ health and vocational preparation, her ongoing nation-wide investigation in the Transferable Skills of Musicians has seen her deliver a TEDx talk and guest on ABC radio.
Her teaching excellence has been nationally recognised by a University Australia Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2018), a 2021 Australian Universities Award for Teaching Excellence (Creative Arts) – the most recognised national teaching award in her field, and the 2023 AFR Higher Education (Employability) Award.
She continues to lead an exciting life as a freelance woodwind specialist in a multitude of genres, performing in countless interstate and international tours, plus appearing in live radio and television broadcasts as performer and speaker. Through her role as an artistic talent consultant, she advocates for gender equality in the workplace.
Juror Council
CEO/Managing Editor, Limelight Arts Media (NSW)
Chiou See Anderson
Past President National Council of Women of Australia (QLD)
International opera singer
Artistic Director Pacific Opera Studio (NSW)
Isabel Bearlin
Bookings & Programming Director (Anita’s Theatre – NSW, Festival Hall – VIC, Fortitude Music Hall – QLD, Hindley Street Music Hall – SA, Palais Theatre – VIC, The Triffid – QLD) (VIC)
Ashlee Bickerton
Oztix Client Marketing Coordinator (QLD)
Dr Tina Broad
Education Programs Consultant and Founder of Sing Express (NSW)
Yvette Cachia
SVP, People Inclusion and Culture, Universal Music Australia and NZ (NSW)
Dr Leigh Carriage
Musician and Academic, former Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University (NSW)
Mardi Caught
Head and Founder of The Annex (NSW)
Tahlia-Rose Coleman
Mastering Engineer (NSW)
Bill Cullen
Managing Director, One Louder Entertainment (NSW)
Dr Louise Denson
Pianist/composer, former Griffith Academic QLD (TAS)
Kerry Digby
General Manager Gary Lang NT Dance Company (NSW)
Fiona Duncan
CEO, Music Victoria and Founder & Managing Director, Loog Management Pty Ltd (VIC)
Emily Dynes
Filmmaker and Photographer (VIC)
Jac Frier
Licensing Manager, Gaga Music (NSW)
Dr Narelle Gee
Former Head Programmer RAGE, Author, PhD QUT (QLD)
Lucinda Goodwin
Music Photographer (VIC)
Bec Goulter
Marketing Manager, Oztix (QLD)
Hope ‘Hope One’ Haami
Beatboxer, Poet, Former cast of Hot Brown Honey (QLD)
Jessie Hall *
Marketing & Social Media Specialist, Oztix
Freelance Content Creator (QLD)
Alison Hams
Recording Artist, Producer, Music Educator, AWMA Recipient (2023 Humanitarian Award) (SA)
Sahara Herald
Tour Director, Frontier Touring (NSW)
Will Hunter
Production Manager (QLD)
Dr Angelina Hurley *
Research Fellow, Creative Arts Research Institute (CARI, Griffith University. (QLD)
Andy Kelly
Director, Winterman & Goldstein Management (NSW)
Kristina Kelman
Associate Professor, QUT Academic (QLD)
Georgia Kennedy
Senior Partnership Manager, Healthway; former Strategic Relationships Manager, West Australian Music (WA)
Peter Kilpatrick
Director Audience & Experience, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TAS)
Jimmy Kleiner
Booking Agent, Select Music (NSW)
Genevieve Lang
Broadcaster and Musician (NSW)
Nat Lingwoodock *
QMusic – First Nations Project Officer
QTouring – First Nations Producer/Community Liaison
(QLD)
Emmy Mack
ARIA-nominated singer/songwriter at RedHook, Senior Editor at Music Feeds, former music presenter at triple j & Triple M, recipient of the inaugural AWMA for Women In Heavy Music (VIC)
Phillippa Martin Reiter
Director of Programming and Events, City Recital Hall Sydney (NSW)
Anusha Matthews
MJ the Musical Australian Tour – Head of Sound (VIC)
MusicNSW Program Manager (NSW)
Dr Janet McKay
Manager, Emerging Artists Programs – Musica Viva Australia (QLD)
CEO, Support Act (NSW)
Dr Sam Nester
Faculty, The Juilliard School (NYC)
Faculty, The Manhattan School of Music (NYC)
Artist-in-Residence, New York University, Abu Dhabi (UAE) (QLD)
William Pawa-Oui *
Founder of Pawa Haus Creative, Musician, Triple A Murri Country Radio Presenter (QLD)
Dr Vincent Perry
Lecturer – Contemporary Music: CDU Academy of the Arts (NT)
Photographer and Artist, AWMA Music Photographer Award 2025 (VIC)
Dr Peggy Polias
Composer (NSW)
Christa Powell
Creative Director, TOPOLOGY (QLD)
Dale Prinsse
Teacher TAFE (QLD)
Jeremy Sharp
Co-Director/Founder Craft Music Agency (NSW)
Sonia Smith *
Artist, Songwriter, Composer & Producer (SA)
Kirsteen Stead
Business Manager, Winterman & Goldstein Management (NSW)
Kylie Thompson
Managing Director Sorrento Strategic Accounting FCPA (WA)
Dr Diana Tolmie
QLD Conservatorium (QLD)
Linda Thompson AM
Artistic Director/CEO, Australian Contemporary Opera Company (ACOCO) (VIC)
Emily Tulloch
Acting General Manager, Australian Music Industry Network (AMIN) (SA)
Harry Upton
Events & Partnerships Director, The Tivoli Group (QLD)
Dr Sam Vallen
Lecturer in Contemporary Creative Practices, QCGU (QLD)
Rosalia Vearing
Head of Community Health and Wellbeing, SSI and BEMAC (QLD)
Harry White
Managing Director, Future Classic (NSW)
Cassie Stella Whitehead *
Founder/Director – Unladylike Big Band, Marketing and Communications – Triple A Murri Radio (QLD)
Emily-Rose Wills
Creative Producer, Junction Arts Festival (TAS)
John Willsteed
QUT Adjunct Academic (QLD)
Aaron Wyatt *
Assistant Lecturer, Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music (VIC)
* First Nations Jurors