VICSCREEN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Head of Development for Tony Ayres Productions
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the MANAGEMENT TEAM
- Board Member of Ausfilm
A dynamic and accomplished leader, Caroline has over 19 years' experience in the screen industry.
Caroline has held management, marketing and business development roles in both government and private sectors, including as Marketing and Business Development Director at Omnilab Media, Chief Executive Officer of Ausfilm, and General Manager of the Melbourne Film Office at VicScreen (then Film Victoria).
Most recently Caroline was the General Manager of Commercial and Marketing at Federation Square. Prior to this she led Deluxe Australia's post-production businesses, DDP Studios and StageOne Sound, as their General Manager.
Caroline is a Board member of Ausfilm, and served on the Board of VicScreen (then Film Victoria) from 2013 to 2017.
Caroline also has extensive destination marketing experience which was developed over a 10-year period working in organisations such as Parks Victoria and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.
Job Titles:
- Board President since November 2022
George has worked in the not-for-profit community services sector and government.
An experienced industry leader he has spent much of his 40-year social work career in leadership roles.
George was the longest serving Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission having held the role from September 2001 to January 2011. He also served as the Chief Executive Officer of the New Hope Foundation and Fronditha Care and was an Executive Director at the Victorian Department of Business and Innovation.
Jenny is Special Counsel at Hive Legal advising in financial services law. Prior to Hive Legal, Jenny worked for Vanguard and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission.
Passionate about community, Jenny sits on the boards of Ahpra, AFL Victoria, is Deputy Chair of the Western Bulldogs Football Club Community Foundation and member of the club's Ethics and Integrity Committee.
Jenny served on the boards of Screen Australia, Channel 31, The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, was Vice President of the University of Melbourne Alumni Council and Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission.
Jenny has a Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Melbourne, attended Harvard Business School as the Hugh DT Williamson Scholar, appeared in the AFR 100 Women of Influence List and received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the financial and investment sectors, and to the community.
Job Titles:
- Director, Marketing & Engagement
Kirsten has over 20 years' experience spanning marketing, communications, corporate strategy and business development across various sectors, including the screen industry.
In addition to a prior brand and marketing role at VicScreen (then Film Victoria), Kirsten also previously held the position of General Manager, Melbourne Film Office, representing Victoria's screen industry overseas and attracting international productions to the state.
When Kirsten re-joined VicScreen in 2018 she managed the strategic direction and operations of the Marketing and Screen Production Attraction division.
Now, as Director, Marketing & Engagement, Kirsten leads VicScreen's work in promoting Melbourne and regional Victoria as a world-leading destination for screen production, visual effects, games, animation and post-production - capitalising on the state's diverse locations, world-leading screen practitioners and outstanding facilities.
Leonie works across the private sector, for government and in the not-for-profit sector in Australia and the Asia Pacific.
An experienced Board director and consultant, Leonie's focus is gender equality, mentoring and good governance. She is recognised through the Victorian Women's Honour Roll and nationally through Membership of the Order of Australia for significant services to women, in particular equitable political representation.
Leonie holds a Masters of Education, is a director of Holmesglen TAFE Institute and is a former SYN Media Board member.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the MANAGEMENT TEAM
- Director, Governance & Operations / COO
- Member of CPA Australia
Liahn is a member of CPA Australia and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Prior to joining VicScreen in 2017, he held various senior finance and leadership roles within the screen industry, including with leading production company Endemol Shine, and the higher education and hospitality sectors.
As Director, Governance & Operations, Liahn is responsible for ensuring the effective, efficient and responsive internal operations across the organisation in addition to the oversight of all financial, accounting and governance requirements.
Liahn is also the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and provides strategic advice to the CEO and the Board on all finance, audit, risk, governance and compliance matters.
Job Titles:
- Lead Producer for Kepler Interactive
An experienced videogame producer and creative leader, Lisy Kane is a Lead Producer for Kepler Interactive and an advisor for the Kowloon Nights games fund.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
Job Titles:
- Director, Economic & Industry Development
Starting his career as an intellectual property lawyer, Michael has accumulated more than 20 years' experience in industry and economic development roles in the State Government. He joined Creative Victoria in 2015 and, as Director, Strategy, Screen and Design, led the development of Victoria's screen industry strategy, VICSCREEN (2021-25) and first creative industries strategy, Creative State.
Michael was the State Government's lead screen industry executive for more than ten years, overseeing development of the Filming Approvals Act, which passed into law in 2014, the approval and construction of sound stage six at Docklands Studios Melbourne and the establishment of Melbourne International Games Week.
He has managed funding programs supporting technology adoption and innovation, worked with the VET and higher education sectors on industry skills pathways and placements, and taken a lead role in projects to secure international investment in the State.
Michael leads VicScreen's Economic & Industry Development team across industry and skills development, production attraction and capacity building and locations support.
Job Titles:
- Director of Mind Blowing Films
- Founder and Director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne
Mitu is the Director of Mind Blowing Films (MBF), a film production and distribution company that specialises in the distribution of Indian films in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. The company also provides local production support to Indian films shot in Australia and New Zealand.
Mitu is the Founder and Director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and also curates Australian films for various international film festivals in India.
Job Titles:
- Director, Content & Talent
Ross has enjoyed a substantial career as both a senior executive within screen industry development agencies and as an independent screen producer. Having not only designed and managed a raft of industry assistance programs, but also driven significant change across two separate state funding bodies, Ross has a wealth of experience in reconciling the needs of industry with the objectives of Government.
A former partner with Australian production company Media World Pictures, Ross' diverse range of producing credits include prime-time TV drama, children's animation series, and feature films (both drama and documentary). His productions have garnered international acclaim winning the Silver Hugo for Best Miniseries (twice), a Human Rights Award, and a total of seven Australian Film Institute (now AACTA) Award nominations, including twice for Best Television Series.
Originally trained at AFTRS, Ross has also directed series drama for television.
Tiriki Onus is a Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung artist, academic and Head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the University of Melbourne and co-director of the university's Research Unit in Indigenous Arts and Culture. He is a successful visual artist, curator, performance artist and opera singer. His first operatic role was in the premiere of Deborah Cheetham's Pecan Summer in October 2010. He received the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust's Harold Blair Opera Scholarship in 2012 and 2013. In 2014 Tiriki was awarded the inaugural Hutchinson Indigenous Fellowship at the University of Melbourne, working with numerous Indigenous communities to revitalise traditional technologies of Biganga (possum skin cloak) creation. Most recently, Tiriki co-directed the feature documentary Ablaze which premiered at the 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival to great acclaim. The documentary uncovers a film made 70 years ago by Tiriki's grandfather, William Bill Onus, an important leader in the Aboriginal rights movement.