Gondwana Board

Kate Lidbetter is Chief Executive Officer of Symphony Services International, which provides a range of services and products to Australian and international orchestras. Her previous roles have included Director of Music at the Australian Council for the Arts, Artist Development Manager of Symphony Australia, Artistic Administrator of the Australian Youth Orchestra and General Manager of Sydney Children’s Choir.

In addition to her role on the board of Gondwana Choirs, Kate is a Councillor on the Music Council of Australia and a director of Accessible Arts NSW. From 2012-2014 she was chair of contemporary music group Ensemble Offspring. She regularly participates on panels, committees and juries for various music organisations in Australia and abroad.

Kate’s passion for Gondwana Choirs began in 1994 when she joined the company as General Manager and was subsequently on the Board for a period of time. Her son Vincent became a chorister in 2008 and until 2014 sang in the Young Men’s Choir for boys with changing voices. Kate has observed the many positive outcomes Vincent achieved and wants as many children as possible to have these experiences.

In 1989 Tessa Boyd-Caine joined a small children’s choir under the musical direction of Lyn Williams. Months later, that choir became Sydney Children’s Choir, where Tessa was one of its founding choristers.

Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine is the CEO of Health Justice Australia. A criminologist by training, Tessa has previously worked in the areas of human rights, mental health law and criminal justice, both domestically and internationally. She has a PhD from the London School of Economics and her book on the decision-making about mentally disordered offenders was published by Routledge in 2010.

In 2013 Tessa was awarded the inaugural Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Non-Profit Leadership, which took her to work with non-profit and philanthropic organisations in the US. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a keen interest in good governance of, and public trust and confidence in, charities and non-profits.

Tessa has lived in Beijing, London, New Delhi and New York.

These days her singing is reserved for road trips and Gondwana alumni events.

Hugh is the Founder & CEO of Switchboard, a software company that integrates supply chains across Australia and the region. Prior to founding Switchboard, Hugh worked as the Head of Operations and then Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Sydney-based tech start up, Ofload. Before that, Hugh held senior roles at Uber, and was a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. Hugh brings commercial experience and expertise (along with his long-held passion for Gondwana) to the Board.

Hugh’s interest in Gondwana began as an SCC chorister in the 90’s and continued through many of the SCC and Gondwana choirs over the years. He is passionate about the positive impact that music and organisations like Gondwana can have on young Australians.

Karen Mundine is a proud Bundjalung woman from Northern NSW. She is CEO of Reconciliation Australia and has a background of over 20 years’ experience in public advocacy, communications and social marketing.

Ceremony is at the heart of Aboriginal culture and Karen has always had a strong belief in the power of song and music to transform lives, break down barriers and unite people. Joining the Gondwana Choirs Board has given her the opportunity to apply her professional skills to her passions and to be a part of an inspiring arts organisation that nurtures the musical talent of today to become the artistic leaders of tomorrow.

Karen is particularly excited by the growth of the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir and the opportunity for them to proudly share their stories and language with each other, their fellow choristers, other Australians, and the world. For Karen, this is reconciliation in action.

Alison Deitz is the Chief Executive Partner of Norton Rose Fulbright Australia, a global law firm with over 50 offices throughout the UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, North America and Asia-Pacific, a position she has held since 2020.  Alison has had a long and distinguished legal career as a regulatory and compliance lawyer, servicing the Banking and Financial Services sectors for over 30 years. She is the co-author of the Anti-Money Laundering Handbook and is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Alison’s interest in Gondwana Choirs arose through her daughter, who is an ex-chorister. Having witnessed the musical development opportunities provided to her daughter from her early childhood to early adulthood and the joy and fulfilment that she obtained from her membership of Gondwana Choirs, Alison is proud to be able to assist the organisation to continue to provide these opportunities and experiences to the next generation of choristers by deploying the professional skills and experience Alison has gained throughout her legal career.

Wynetta commenced with QIFVLS in 2011 in the role of Project Officer and, throughout the years, has moved through various positions within the organisation from Community Development Manager to General Manager, progressing to the role of Chief Executive Officer, which she has occupied for the past three years.

A proud Torres Strait Islander woman, Wynetta has family connections from Boigu Island and Horn Island in the Torres Straits. Wynetta has over twenty years of experience in management and project management roles. She is the current Joint Council Representative for Queensland on Closing the Gap and a member of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Coalition (QATSIC). Wynetta is the Chair for the National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services, the national peak body for family violence prevention legal services, of which QIFVLS is a member organisation. Wynetta also represents QIFVLS on the Queensland Legal Assistance Forum and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Service Planning Working Group forums established through the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

Mathisha was a chorister in the Sydney Children’s Choir and Gondwana Voices from 1998 until the choir’s performance at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and describes his time with the choir as life-changing.

Mathisha completed Associate and Licentiate Diplomas in cello performance followed by a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He was a cellist with the Australian Youth Orchestra and worked professionally with symphony orchestras in Australia and overseas.

He later graduated from the University of Sydney with a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws and is now a Partner at Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers where his practice focuses on child safety, insurance and litigation. Mathisha is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia.

Mathisha is a passionate advocate for the arts and diversity having provided pro bono assistance and volunteered on a number of boards and committees for many organisations including The Song Company, Law Society of NSW and Arts Law Centre of Australia.

Mathisha joined the board of Gondwana Choirs in 2022 with the hope that he can help to facilitate opportunities and a love of music for a new generation of children.

Stephanie Paul is a young Arrernte woman from Alice Springs but was born and raised on Gimuy Country (Cairns). Stephanie commenced singing with the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir at the age of 10 years old and is still actively involved in performing with Marliya.

She has recently been appointed as an Associate Board Member of Gondwana Choirs. Stephanie is a law student at the Queensland University of Technology and looks forward to graduating in 2024. In addition to study, she works part time as a Litigation Support Officer for the Office of the Child and Family Official Solicitor in the Queensland Department of Child Safety.