Committee

Isolde Lueckenhausen

Chair & Public Officer

Isolde is a Director at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. She previously worked at the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and was a Senior Associate at a Melbourne law firm, practising in media, entertainment, intellectual property and communications law. Isolde has provided both legal and strategic advice to various artists, writers, arts/media organisations and publishers. She is a member of the Australian Law Council – Media and Communications Committee, a director of Melbourne Fringe and director of the International Women’s Development Agency Foundation. Subcommittee: Finance.

Eddie Creaney

Eddie Creaney has been a long-time member and volunteer for the VWC. He has also served on the Board of the Melbourne Poets Union as secretary. He is a member of the MPU Trust Fund. In his working life he has been executive director of the National Institute of Accountants as well as CEO of Interflora Australia. Joined in 2008.

Annie O'Hanlon

Secretary

Annie has a background in theatre, and has been the Australian Writers' Guild Victorian officer manager. Joined Committee of Management in 2006.

Bronwyn Blaiklock

Bronwyn Blaiklock is based in Ballarat and has extensive experience in the arts industry across three states as an arts administrator, performer (pianist), adjudicator, editor and teacher. She also has experience in the higher education sector in the areas of publications, marketing, equity and student support, where she has served on various committees. Bronwyn is the current chair of the Ballarat Writing Council, and is actively involved in supporting the development of live music and writing in regional Australia. Joined Committee of Management in 2009.

Joel Deane

Deputy Chair

Joel Deane is a poet, novelist and speechwriter. He has worked in Melbourne and San Francisco as a reporter, editor, producer, and press secretary, as well as speechwriter for two Labor Premiers, John Brumby and Steve Bracks. Joel has published two novels, two collections of poetry and a poetry chapbook. His most recent novel, The Norseman’s Song, was released in March. His most recent collection of poetry, Magisterium, was a finalist for the Melbourne Prize for Literature in 2009. Joined in 2010.

Ben Starick

Ben graduated from RMIT University with a degree in public relations (with a literature major) and is now the account director at Starling Communications and Millimetre – working in publicity, marketing and graphic design on a variety of corporate, theatre and arts related projects around Melbourne. Ben has provided consulting services to Arts Victoria, Regional Arts Victoria, fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Platform Youth Theatre, Theatre Works, Melbourne Writers' Theatre, Larrikin Ensemble Theatre, Perilous Productions and the Melbourne International Film Festival. Joined in 2011.

Simone Lunny

Treasurer

Simone has a background in economic analysis and accounting analysis and currently works with the National Australia Bank as a tax transfer pricing manager. Simone was a board member for St Martin’s Youth Theatre for three and a half years. Joined in 2011.

Maria Katsonis

By day, Maria is a bureaucrat in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, working as a special adviser in strategy and innovation. In a former life, she was a performing arts administrator but decided it was time for a career change and joined the public service. By night, Maria is an emerging creative non-fiction writer and can be found procrastinating over a manuscript of some 35,000 words. Joined in 2011.