Our People

Chief Executive & Board

Country Arts SA is one of South Australia’s largest arts organisations, providing arts services across regional South Australia. We deliver programs and initiatives, manage performing and visual arts venues, and provide funding which supports the creative endeavours of communities and individuals.

Anthony Peluso

Chief Executive / Executive Director

Anthony has overseen the organisations most ambitious changes, working with the many artists and communities, government funders, corporate and individual supporters who invested time, energy and resources into the impact of the organisation’s arts programs. Working in regional contexts has broadened his outlook and understanding of his place in community. He is dedicated to championing First Nations peoples’ rights and celebrating the diversity of regional communities. And is driven by the stories of regional South Australia to create experiences that can’t be made anywhere else in the world.

Anthony Peluso

Chief Executive / Executive Director

Kath Mainland

Chair

Globally recognised, Mainland has worked in and around festivals for over 30 years. She is currently Chief Executive of the Adelaide Festival. Prior to this, she was Executive Director and co-CEO of RISING, CEO of Melbourne International Arts Festival; Chief Executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Administrative Director of Edinburgh International Book Festival. She is passionate about the arts, their place in society and the unique alchemy that happens at festivals.

Kath Mainland

Chair

Victoria MacKirdy GAICD

Board Member

Victoria is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Victor Harbor. She has over 20 years experience in Local Government having worked with a number of Councils across the State, along with the Local Government Association of SA.

Victoria MacKirdy GAICD

Board Member

Stephanie Toole

Board Member

Owner, winemaker of Mount Horrocks Wines in the Clare Valley, Stephanie Toole is Country Arts SA’s Board member representing the Mid-North & Yorke Peninsula region.

Stephanie Toole

Board Member

Ian McKay

Board Member

A leader in the education space, Ian has spent the last 30 years as a school principal in both government and non government across 3 states. He is currently the Regional Manager at UniSA in Mount Gambier and is actively involved in his local community through his position as District Governor of Rotary District 9780 in 2023 -24 and Board Members with the Australian Rotary Health and Mount Gambier Pioneers Basketball Club.

Ian McKay

Board Member

Susan Betts

Board Member | First Nations Advisory Committee

Susan is a contemporary artist and designer with previous projects for Balarinji Designs, Susan created the Qantas 747 plane Nalanji Dreaming design plus  'Sweet water' design for Coca Cola. She also created the design for the Adelaide Crows's Indigenous Guernsey 2016. Susan's passion is working with school groups and teaching Aboriginal culture and art. She also worked with many communities in creating art in many designs and murals.

Susan Betts

Board Member | First Nations Advisory Committee

Shouwn Oosting

Board Member | First Nations Advisory Committee

Shouwn is a descendent of the Waanyi and Garrwa Nations and currently works as an Aboriginal engagement consultant. Shouwn also has over 25 years of experience working in both the State and Federal Public Sector with a strong focus on Aboriginal affairs policy coordination and program delivery. Shouwn is a trained facilitator and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Management), a Bachelor of Laws and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

Shouwn Oosting

Board Member | First Nations Advisory Committee

Darren Braund

Board Member

Darren lives in the town of Edithburgh on the Yorke Peninsula. He has served as an Elected Member for the Yorke Peninsula Council since 2014 and then elected as Mayor since 2018. Darren has been a strong advocate for the arts while being involved in various arts initiatives for a number of years as an administrator of events and exhibitions as well as a photographic exhibitor and musical performer. He comes from an artistic family with his father being a painter and sculptor.

Darren Braund

Board Member

Ella Winnall

Board Member

Mayor of Berri Barmera Council, Ella has experience in regional development, specialising in economic and community development of rural communities. Ella’s diverse portfolio of skills and experiences across community, tourism, local government, agriculture and innovation allows her to thread together the things that make communities tick to identify opportunities and deliver tangible outcomes. Ella has a passion for developing the future of regional Australia.

Ella Winnall

Board Member

Simone Bailey

Board Member

Mayor of the Mid Murray Council, Simone has an extensive background working in government in federal departments and prior to her appointment as Mayor working in the local government level at the Mid Murray Council. Simone has a passion for community and advocating for Riverland residents and is keen to foster collaboration within her community that addresses their multifaceted needs and aspirations.

Simone Bailey

Board Member

Staff

Leadership Team

Anthony Peluso
Chief Executive/Executive Director and RAP Champion
[email protected]

Sonya Peterson
Leadership Coordinator
[email protected]

Damien Cassidy
Acting Arts & Culture Leader
[email protected]

Sussan Baldwin
Arts Centres Leader
[email protected]

Jill Bolzon
Head of People
[email protected]

Kyra Herzfeld
Head of Marketing & Advocacy
[email protected]

Cassandra Barendregt
Development Director
[email protected]

Josh Trevorrow
First Nations Arts & Cultural Manager
[email protected]

Anthony Jones
Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]

Arts Programming

Louisa Norman
Executive Programmer
[email protected]

Diana Maschio
Associate Producer

Tammy Hall
Creative Communities Programmer
[email protected]

Eliza Wuttke
Associate Producer – Touring

Lauren Mustillo
Visual Arts Manager
[email protected]

Marika Davies
Tarnanthi Regional Curator

Cultural Programs

Dominic Guerrera
First Nations Producer
[email protected] 

Janet Carey
Grants Manager
[email protected]

Kayla Perry
Grants Program Administrator 
[email protected] 

Sonya Rankine
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (Yorke Peninsula Council)
[email protected]

Ali Eckermann
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (Regional Council of Goyder)
[email protected]

Mia Stocks
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (City of Victor Harbor)
[email protected]

Karen Tate
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (Loxton Waikerie Council)
[email protected] 

Gillian Steel
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (City of Port Lincoln)
[email protected]

Jane Ellis
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (Naracoorte Lucindale Council)
[email protected]

Teresa Coles
Arts and Cultural Facilitator
Country Arts SA (City of Whyalla)
[email protected]

Middleback Arts Centre

Contact the team at the Middleback Arts Centre at [email protected] 

Haylee Kuchel
Operations Manager

Lisa Faulds
Administration Officer

Chelsea Berriman
Digital Projection Officer

Northern Festival Centre

Contact the team at the Northern Festival Centre at [email protected] 

Vacant
Operations Manager

Bianca Roeters
Theatre Services Officer

Paul Schrader
Theatre Technician

Chaffey Theatre

Contact the team at the Chaffey Theatre at [email protected] 

Sharlene Goodman
Chaffey Theatre Manager
[email protected]

Lara Vallelonga
Administration Officer

Sophie Cass
Administration Officer

Nicole Kruger
Theatre Services Officer

Luke Meaney
Theatre Technician

Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre

Contact the team at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre at [email protected]

Frank Morello
Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre Manager
[email protected]

Jo Smith
Finance Administration Officer

Fay Cakebread
Theatre Technician

Hopgood Theatre

Lauren Grant
Administrative Officer

Vacant
Theatre Technician

Relationships

For any marketing enquiries please contact [email protected]  

Beth Wuttke
Head of Design

Jess Costello
Digital Strategist

Aden Shukla
Digital Marketing Officer

Vacant
Marketing and Publicity Officer

Paula Backstrom
Marketing and Community Relations Officer (Port Pirie)

Ellie Hawke-Nesbitt
Corporate Marketing and Publicity Officer

Finance

Please contact finance at [email protected] 

Morgan Potter
Finance Manager

Sandy Roach
Payroll and Accounting Officer

Susan Altamura
Finance Officer

Naomi Barrett
Finance Officer

First Nations Advisory Committee

Country Arts SA is committed to the continued development of its First Nations program and in 2011 established an Aboriginal Reference Group (ARG) to support the program. In June 2019 the ARG became an official committee of the Board and was the Aboriginal Advisory Committee before developing into the First Nations Advisory Committee in 2021.

The First Nations Advisory Committee (FNAC) was established by the Board of Trustees (the Board) under Section 10 of The South Australian Country Arts Trust Act, 1992 to assist Country Arts SA in all aspects of decision making regarding First Nations arts, culture and people.

The purpose of the FNAC is to provide advice, governance and leadership to Country Arts SA Board and staff on First Nations people and the arts.

First Nations Advisory Committee Members

Shouwn Oosting (Chair)
Waanyi
Business Advisory and Consulting

Lee-Ann Buckskin
Narungga, Kaurna, Wirangu, Wotjobaluk
Lee-Ann Buckskin and Associates

Danielle Edwards
A South Sea Islander, Gubbi  Gubbi woman (Raised on Yuibera country)

Susan Betts
Kokata, Wirangu and Mirning
Artist and designer

Shania Richards
Barngarla, Wirengu, Nao, Mirning, Ndjau, Gubrun, Bulang, Noongar, Wongutha woman
Multidisciplinary Artist/Creator, and Port Lincoln City Councillor

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Country Arts SA recognises that we are living and creating on First Nations Lands and we are committed to working together to honour their living cultures.

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