About Us
Art Gallery Board Members
Profiles
Helen Cook (Chair)
National Director of KPMG’s Energy and Natural Resources Group, Helen has over 20 years experience in strategic business planning, business development and marketing for the corporate sector with over 7 years in the resources sector. Helen has served on the Board of the Heart Foundation of Australia (WA), Council of the Friends of the Perth International Arts Festival, the Board of the Volunteers Taskforce of WA, and resource industry group committees and councils.
Fiona Kalaf (Deputy Chair)
General Manager Business Development at HBF where she is responsible for the HBF Financial Services business and the development of new business lines. Fiona’s former executive positions were with Asgard Wealth Solutions, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Wesfarmers. She developed the award-winning Wesfarmers Arts sponsorships program, and managed the company’s art collection. Fiona was a winner of the Business News ‘40under40’ awards (2002) and is a member of the WA Planning Commission’s Central Perth Planning Committee.
Hamish Beck
Managing Director of Beck Advisory, an independent Corporate Advisory and a Property Funds manager. Hamish is State Treasurer and Division Counsellor of the Property Council of Australia, Chairman of the Property Education Foundation, Chairman of the Curtin University Advisory Committee, Board Member of the University of Western Australian Planning Advisory Committee and a member of the Rottnest Island Marine Advisory Committee and other industry groups.
Kellie Benda
Senior executive with the Royal Automobile Club of WA (Inc). Kellie is an experienced board member who has held several leadership and senior executive roles. She has extensive experience advising and working with Boards, and has had a long career as an investment banker and corporate finance advisor, as well as practicing as a corporate solicitor.
Adrian Fini
Executive Director Development of the Mirvac Group, a leading diversified property group. Adrian has been involved in the Perth property industry for over 25 years and industry groups such as the Housing Institute of Australia (HIA) and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute of WA. He is a board member of the Australian Business Arts Foundation, University of WA Business School and Little World Beverages.
Kieran Kinsella
Chief Executive Office of the Midland Redevelopment Authority. Kieran has previous managerial experience with several government departments and local authorities. He has previously been on the boards of the Gascoyne Arts Council, Country Arts WA and Regional Arts Australia.
Nikki Miller
Managing Director of Niksim Pty Ltd, a land development company. Nikki is an art consultant to Art Support Pty Ltd. She has a background in the visual arts and has held senior positions as a Curator, lecturer in Fine Arts, and with Arts WA.
Allanah Lucas (ex officio)
Acting Director General Department Culture and the Arts. Allanah has over twenty five years experience in the arts in Australia and the UK. She is a professional arts administrator, a performing arts producer, presenter, researcher, consultant, tutor. She embodies a diversity of business, management, creative, industrial and academic skills and knowledge. Allanah was appointed the Director of Arts WA in 2000 and in 2005 Allanah was appointed as the Executive Director, Culture and Arts Development.
Gary Dufour (Acting Director)
Gary Dufour has extensive experience in the visual arts internationally, having worked as everything from Assoc. Professor in Art to Senior Curator of Contemporary Art. Deputy Director and Chief Curator since 1996 with primary responsibility for the State Art Collection and artistic programs, Gary has been Acting Director since December 2007.
Gary received a Masters of Fine Arts, from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and was responsible for the Curatorial Department at the Vancouver Art Gallery from 1988 to 1995. He is a member of the Faculty Board, Faculty of Architecture, landscape and Visual Arts, UWA and on the Advisory Board of the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery. In 2007 Gary was Curator-in-Residence at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in New York, a research fellowship supported by The Gordon Darling Foundation and the Dr. K. Davis G. Edwards and Margery Edwards Charitable Giving Trust, NYC.
Art Gallery Council Members
Profiles
Marlene Stafford (Chair)
Owner/Director of Stafford Studios, Marlene brings over 22 years arts experience to the Council. Marlene has had many roles, including Art Advisor to Rio Tinto/ Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, member of the Association of Western Australian Art Galleries, President of the Art Association of Western Australia and Vice President for the Australian Institute of Art Educator. She holds a Diploma of Art and a Fine Arts Degree from Curtin. Her career has seen her invited to China to present an Australian Art exhibition in Beijing in 1996 and Administrator for both the Madorla National Art Award and the Artcenta Annual Art Exhibition. To this day she continues to be involved in the valuations of art works and keeps a sharp eye on current sales, clients, trends, and auctions.
Brett Davies
Managing Director of both the Fortuna Funds Management Ltd and Law Central Co Ltd and is a partner in his own law firm, Brett Davies Lawyers. Not only is he a member of the Art Gallery of Western Australia’s Foundation Members board but is also on the WA Limb Service for Amputees Advisory Council and has been on the Customer Service Institute of Western Australia and the Sir Charles Gairdner Art Advisory Committee. Brett has held several positions in several committees including The Law Society of WA, the Law Council of Australia, Legal Practice Board and UWA. Brett has numerous qualifications including Diploma of Education, Bachelor of Art (Honours), Bachelor & Masters in Law, and is currently completing a Doctorate in Juridical Science at UWA.
Annie Fogarty
Executive Chairperson of The Fogarty Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation involved in education and leadership. She is a member of the Art Gallery’s Foundation Council and on The University of Western Australia’s Senate Development Committee. Annie has an Arts degree from the University of Western Australia and study in Arts Management at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, Annie’s career in marketing has primarily been in the tourism and arts sectors.
John Hanley
Deputy General Manager of North West Shelf Gas with 40 years experience in the oil and gas industry in Australia. Community wise he has been President of the RAC WA, Vice President of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy, Vice President of the Royal Agricultural Society of WA and Chairman of the Burrup Industries Forum at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Art and wine are among his main interests. He is WA’s Chief Wine Judge and Chairman of Judges at the Perth Royal Wine Show, he has judged wine in the UK, USA and NZ. John has been awarded several medals for service to the Australian wine industry and an Order of Australia for his contributions to Wine and Agriculture. John has enjoyed a lifetime interest and participation in the Arts, is a keen collector of Australian Art and Art literature and has served on several Committees promoting Australian art participants.
Paul Sullivan
Licensed Real Estate Agent and Certified Practicing Valuer who provides management and advisory services through his Family Trust Company, Loyola Pty Ltd. Paul is a Director and the licensee of Property Associates Australia, an estate agency specialising in the acquisition, marketing, and sale of residential land estates as well as being a Director of several Sullivan family Companies each of which is involved with property investment. He is a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is studying Philosophy part-time at the University of Notre Dame Australia. Previous board experience includes numerous industry and not-for-profit organisations as well as the Western Australian Cricket Association and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Paul has been Chairman of the Iona Presentation Primary School Board since 2004.
Ian Trahar
Chairman of CO2 Group Limited (appointed 12 November 2001) and is Executive Chairman of Avatar Industries Limited (appointed 30 July 1999). Ian has been a director of Avatar since January 1993 and has also been Director of Gribbles Group Limited and Range Minerals NL. Ian was State Manager Investment Banking for Citibank from 1983 to 1985, Executive Director of Mincoa NL from 1986 to 1988 and a Director of Mawson Pacific Limited from 1988 until 1990.
