STAFF

Bio

Kiri Zakinthinos is an arts professional and writer whose driving purpose is a desire for a fairer, more inclusive, more democratic cultural landscape, which reflects our plurality of cultures and lived experiences. As a child of migrants and having grown up in West and South-West Sydney navigating two cultures and pursuing a path in the arts, she's passionate about making space for and supporting others on similar journeys. Kiri has worked in the creative industries in diverse roles within local government and the small-medium non-profit sectors for organisations such as Utp (Urban Theatre Projects), the Think + Do Tank Foundation, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Cumberland Council’s Peacock Gallery and Arts Studio, new music outfit Ensemble Offspring, Diversity Arts Australia, and anti-racism social change organisation, All Together Now. As an independent producer, Kiri has presented concerts, cultural workshops, and a children's music and storytelling show in key venues across Sydney. She maintains a writing practice alongside her work in cultural projects, self-publishing commentary and review pieces on the theme of cultural diversity in the arts on her blog www.culturalomnivore.blog, with a focus on new music, occasionally also reviewing theatre and performance works. Her essays and creative non-fiction pieces have been commissioned by Sydney Living Museums (The Factory Floor) and published by Sydney Review of Books (The Paper Trail). Kiri holds a Graduate Diploma in Creative and Cultural Industries Management from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of NSW. She is a current Australia Council for the Arts Peer.

Bio

Elias Nohra is a digital artist with over 17 years of experience using old, new and emerging technologies to tell stories in innovative ways. Primarily a filmmaker with experience directing, editing and shooting in both corporate and non-profit contexts, Elias has also utilized his skills in digital media and storytelling to produce works in theatre, art installations, web & interactivity development, and videogames. Formerly the Community Director and Head Educator at CuriousWorks, Elias has worked with hundreds of young and old people from culturally diverse backgrounds from all across Australia, building their capacity for sustainable self-expression through diverse digital media forms. He brings a passion for a more diverse and representative media and arts landscape to all of his work. Elias is an accomplished digital artist with recent works including 宿 STAY (2022) which involved a 14 screen video presentation for a Sydney Festival theatre show, Laka (2018) a feature film which Elias edited in collaboration with S. Shakthidharan and CuriousWorks, and Snowflake Moon: A Paperville Mystery (2017) a videogame he developed and produced with Studio A artist Skye Saxon. He has also worked with CuriousWorks and Bus Stop Films to innovate in the fields of VR, AR and 360 degree interactive storytelling.

Bio

Andrea Nealy is a Western Sydney filmmaker and writer. Andrea connected with CuriousWorks in 2012 as a participant on various projects including Riz (2014), When the Tide Comes In (2016), Urban Stories (2016), Las Rosas (2017) and Prone to the Drone (2019). At the end of 2018, Andrea joined the staff team at Curious Works working in administration and finance.

Bio

Miranda Aguilar is a queer Filipinx writer, creative producer and community arts worker. Miranda first joined CuriousWorks back in 2014 as a participant, working on projects including Riz (2014), Las Rosas (2017) and the first Urban Stories (2016). Their first play Let Me Know When You Get Home, was written and produced with CuriousWorks support, from its early development all the way to its premiere showing Riverside Theatre's National Theatre of Parramatta 2020/2021 season. They now run creative programs like Handle with Care and Testing Grounds aimed at supporting the growth and development of emerging artists. You can read more about their artistic practice on their on their website here.

Bio

Diego Murillo is a Peruvian Australian filmmaker born and raised in Western Sydney. Growing up in a culturally diverse community, Diego believes filmmaking can be used as a powerful tool for representation, and he strives to engage audiences with different perspectives from all walks of life. After working across different Social Enterprise contracts with CuriousWorks, Diego has stepped into a staff position as the Emerging Social Enterprise producer. You can read more about his artistic practice and visit his website on his artist’s page here.

Bio

Daisy Montalvo is a Mount Druitt community artist with a focus in film-making and community & engagement. She started her career in the Arts as a performer for the Mt Druitt Press Conference at the ‘FUNPARK’ Sydney Festival in 2014. Daisy completed a Journalism degree in 2015 and went on to make a documentary called Broadening Horizons (2017) following the stories of six young women from Bidwill on a six day hike in Tasmania. From there she has gone on to direct short films El Baile (2018) and Sydney Festival short film Prone to the Drone (2019). Daisy has also been involved in other film projects as a producer for feature film From All Sides (2023) and short film Tony’s Dream (2023). In 2019 Daisy went from a participant in FUNPARK to its lead coordinator and is still within this role on a two-day a week basis & is also working three days at PYT Fairfield as their Creative Producer – Community & Engagement since 2022. She is a passionate storyteller who believes in the importance of sharing and giving voice to the stories of young people in Western Sydney and has practiced that daily in her two jobs and in her art.

Bio

Neda Taha is a Tongan-Iraqi interdisciplinary artist hailing from Western Sydney with core practises in dance, theatre and community engagement. From her street hip-hop roots with The Pioneers dance crew to her captivating performances in Sydney's prestigious venues like the Sydney Opera House, Neda's talent knows no bounds. As a creative producer and advocate for the arts, she is dedicated to empowering young people from Western Sydney and encouraging their involvement in the vibrant arts community.

Bio

Robyn has been involved in FUNPARK since its launch in 2014 as a participant. She went on to participate in the Mount Druitt Press conference before beginning work as the Community and Youth Liaison officer. She is a young person passionate about creating change and giving young people a voice.

Bio

Samantha Barahona is an Australian-born Salvadorian filmmaker from Western Sydney. She recently finished her Bachelor of Screen Media (arts and production) degree at Western Sydney University in 2019. A Liverpool-based artist, Samantha joined the ReFILL team in 2020, and in 2021, has stepped us as the ReFILL and Generate2168 Program Producer. You can read more about her artistic practice on her artist’s page here.

Bio

Huy is a designer with a background in architecture, visual marketing. Since the completion of his Architecture Degree at UNSW in 2016, Huy has been working as a photographer (specialising in event, product, architectural and interior photography) and graphic designer for several companies including CuriousWorks. Huy combines knowledge from his architecture degree with a passion for cinema and minimalism and to forge a distinctive aesthetic that is bold yet subtle and contemplative. You can view more of his work for CuriousWorks and beyond here.

Bio

Andrea is a creative producer living and working on Bidjigal, Darug and Tharawal land. She cares about arts-based initiatives for social outcomes, and is particularly passionate about access to information. Her work spans grassroots community arts as an organiser and performer exploring the multifaceted layers and complex relationships to identity. She has a strong interest in the reimagining of our relationships to self, and with each other as persons of colour. Aligned with that vision, Andrea launched HoldingSpace – a mentoring program for emerging artists of colour to access information needed to grow, heal and thrive in the arts. She has worked in cultural development and planning within the Fairfield area for the past 3 years producing community programs and the FLAME Festival. Prior to that, she produced Storefronts Uncontained – a BIPOC residency program with the Centre on Contemporary Art Seattle. Andrea holds a Masters in Arts Leadership from Seattle University and a Bachelors in Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Bio

Mark graduated from the Australian Film and Television Radio School as a documentary filmmaker and has been working closely with Australian Indigenous communities and people from culturally diverse backgrounds since 2006. As an educator and workshop facilitator, Mark has sought to build the capacity for sustainable self-expression through digital media with every group and individual he has worked with, including marginalised communities, other not-for- profit organisations, school students and passionate individuals..

Bio

Emmanuel Asante is a young artist from Ghana in West Africa who currently resides in Fairfield in Western Sydney. Emmanuel arrived in Australia in April, 2015 and graduated from Eagle Vale High School in 2018. He is highly influenced by his culture, Frida Kahlo and his artist-mentor Abdul Abdullah. Self-taught, Asante commenced painting and drawing to deal with depression and personal experiences. He is a board member of the following; Fairfield Arts Advisory Council Committee, We Are Studios and Refugee Art Project. He is a recipient of the Youth Achievement Award in Creative Arts (2019) and has contributed to numerous murals and projects including ‘The Island’ at Addison Rd Community Centre (2019), South West Wall collaboration with Headspace at HJ Daley Library Campbelltown, Big Head holiday collaboration with Abdul Abdullah at C-A-C (2020), Bondi Beach; United To End Racism (2022) and Fairfield High School; Fades and Braides (2023)..

Bio

Amy Noble is an experienced legal and commercial consultant working primarily in the Film and Television Industry. Until May 2023, Amy was the Chief Operating Officer of Flying Bark Productions where she oversaw the expansion of the business into the US as Flying Bark secured appointment as the production partner for Netflix's animated remake of Stranger Things and Paramount's Avatar: The Last Airbender. Amy has also been the Director of Business Affairs and Legal and Company Secretary at FremantleMedia from 2014-2021 and served as a council member for Screen Producers Australia from 2018-2021. Prior to this Amy was lawyer for Screen Australia, Clayton Uz and DLA Phillips Fox (now DLA Piper Rudnick) specialising in Film Financing and Intellectual Property matters. Amy has a Masters of Law from the Queensland University of Technology and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Bio

Easha has more than 18 years experience in accounting and auditing in Australia, The Cook Islands, New Zealand, Botswana & Sri Lanka. Over this time she has worked as Finance Manager for some of the largest and well respected companies in the world – AON, Lloyds International, Westpac, Ernst and Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Easha brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in governance and financial management to CuriousWorks.

Bio

Julie Kalceff is an Emmy award-winning writer and director. Her film and TV credits include First Day (Seasons 1 and 2), which she created, wrote, directed and co-produced, winning an International Emmy Award, a Rose d’Or, and a GLAAD Media Award; feature film Here Out West, which opened the Sydney Film Festival in 2021, PM’s Daughter Season 2, and Starting From Now, the global hit digital drama series she created, wrote, directed and produced. Julie is currently in development on a slate of projects as well as working as a director on episodic television.

Bio

Ameer Ali is a senior executive, Chartered Accountant, and certified translator with over 18 years’ experience. Ameer started his career at the Australian National University followed by ten years of management consulting in the private and government sectors. He is a Strategy Manager at the ABC, leading large and cross-divisional projects across the organisation. Ameer is passionate about creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds and he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in corporate strategy and planning.

Bio

Ashley Gray is a Partner at growth strategy consulting firm, GNG Partners, and has strong experience in strategy, brand, marketing, sales and digital. This experience has been gained in executive and consulting roles in both public and private companies. Ashley grew up in New Zealand and has lived and worked in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, US and Europe. Ashley began his career as a transportation engineer in NZ, advising clients on major infrastructure projects. He then joined L.E.K. Consulting in Australia where he built his strategy skills. After a number of years working with clients around the world, Ash returned to Australia and joined the Westpac Group. Over a ten-year period, Ash held several customer-oriented leadership roles including Head of Brand & Marketing, Head of Youth & Millennial Acquisition and Head of Digital Sales Transformation. Ash has also had the honour to run the St.George Foundation and Bank of Melbourne Foundation, both which focus on helping disadvantaged children.

Bio

Elizabeth Grady is the Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships at Australia for UNHCR, an international aid agency that raises funds to support the humanitarian operations of the United Nations Refugee Agency, and leads all aspects of philanthropy within the organisation. Prior to joining Australia for UNHCR, Elizabeth was the Development and Donor Relations Officer for Mercy Works, a development organisation with projects in Papua New Guinea, Australia and Timor-Leste. Prior to working in international development Elizabeth worked in the film and television industry for Columbia Tri Star Pictures and Working Title Films.