Staff & Board
Image: 2025 Program Launch © 2024-2025 Craate Creative for Midsumma Festival Inc.
Midsumma Staff
Midsumma is powered by a small team of hard-working community-and-arts engaged professional producers, managers, festival staff and work placements.
Midsumma Festival is also assisted by over 500 volunteers across the year, including one year-round volunteer (who has been with Midsumma for over 19 years!).
- Chief Executive: Karen Bryant ([email protected]) - she/her
- Finance & Administration Manager: Priscilla Jeffery ([email protected]) - she/her
- People Capacity Manager: Lisa Newman ([email protected]) - she/her
- Partnerships Manager: Thomas Hunt ([email protected]) - he/him
- (Acting) Program Manager: Pieta Farrell ([email protected]) - she/her
- Head of Marketing & Communications: Timothée Nicot ([email protected]) - he/him
- Social Media & Content Coordinator: Justine Morris ([email protected]) - she/her
- Programming Producer: Martin ([email protected]) - he/him
- Ticketing & Presenter Services Manager: Michelle Wigg ([email protected]) - she/her
- Artist Development Manager: Harriet Devlin ([email protected]) - she/her
- Access Coordinator - Major Events: Joshua Lynzaat ([email protected]) - he/him
- Head of Production & Operations: Michael Ryan ([email protected]) - he/him
- Volunteers Coordinator: Libby Lynch ([email protected])
- Production Coordinator: Arky Ryall ([email protected]) - she/her
- Community Liaison Stalls Coordinator: Jim Beattie ([email protected]) - he/they
- Administration Officer: Flynn Smeaton ([email protected]) - he/him
- Summer Work Placement - Administration & Ticketing: Stella Eaton ([email protected]) - she/her
- Summer Work Placement - Administration & Ticketing: Madeline Browne ([email protected]) - she/her
- Summer Work Placement - Marketing & Communications: Elvis Zhu ([email protected]) - he/him
- Summer Work Placement - Marketing & Communications: Emily Sun ([email protected]) - she/her
- Summer Work Placement - Programming: Keely Moloney ([email protected]) - she/her
- Summer Work Placement - Production: Shardia Goldie ([email protected]) - she/her
- Summer Work Placement - Production: Ella Kerr ([email protected]) - she/her
- IT & Applications: Alan Drummond ([email protected]) - he/him
Victoria's Pride
Midsumma will again deliver Victoria’s Pride in partnership with the Victorian Government.
- Project & Program Manager: Bec ([email protected]) - she/her
- Community Engagement Manager: Ashlee ([email protected]) - she/her
- Production Manager: Nate ([email protected]) - he/him
- Programming Producer: Martin ([email protected]) - he/him
- Program Administrator - Victoria's Pride: Claude ([email protected]) - he/him
- Summer Work Placement - Victoria's Pride: Ash ([email protected]) - he/him
Midsumma Board
At the organisation's core are community leaders dedicating their time to make change. Read on to learn about the current Midsumma Board.
Judy Small AM
Chair
Judy Small AM (she/her) is a lesbian/feminist folksinger/songwriter known as the Grande Dame of Australian Folk Music whose songs are sung all over the English-speaking world at festivals, clubs and concert halls. She is also a proud 78’er having been active in the LGBTQIA+ community since 1975. Judy worked as a lawyer for 22 years, including the last 7 as a judge of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, before retiring in 2020. She returned to the stage in early 2021. Judy joined the Midsumma Board in January 2019 and has served as Co-Chair since the 2019 AGM, and Chair since the 2021 AGM.
Michael Parry
Deputy Chair
Michael Parry (he/him) is Director, Melbourne Arts Precinct at Creative Victoria. He drives development and strategy for the Victorian cultural portfolio, leading the $1.46B redevelopment of the Melbourne Arts Precinct. Previously Michael was Project Director for Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, and earlier, Deputy Director at ACMI, Melbourne. He has led strategy and major projects for a wide variety of cultural organisations across Australia and North America. Michael joined the Midsumma Board at the 2020 AGM and has served as Deputy Chair since the 2021 AGM.
Michael Fuller-Smith
Treasurer
Michael Fuller-Smith (he/him) has a background in corporate tax advisory and currently runs his own tax practice, advising clients across a range of industries such as technology, hospitality, and retail. He primarily assists clients with structuring, tax disputes and managing their compliance obligations. Michael is passionate about community engagement and is actively involved in a number of organisations in addition to Midsumma, including StartUps Tasmania and the Environmental Defenders Office. Michael joined the Midsumma Board in June 2018.
Rhys Cranney
Rhys Cranney (he/him) is a communications, change, Communication and Impact expert passionate about inclusion, sustainability, social change, First Nations justice and the arts. With a professional background spanning across education, government, business, non-profit and politics, Rhys is excited by complexity and always seeks innovative solutions to mobilise audiences behind important causes. Rhys has worked with RMIT University, City of Greater Geelong, Pay The Rent, Victorian NAIDOC Committee and provided community-focused consulting advice to developers, politicians and global health experts. Rhys joined the Midsumma Board in 2016.
Rohan Astley
Rohan (he/him) is an executive leader with experience across corporate, not-for-profit and government organisations in the visitor economy. He is currently Chief Strategy and Governance Officer for the operators of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, overseeing corporate affairs, governance and compliance, legal, and sustainability and impact teams. Previously Rohan was Director of Public Affairs and Sustainability at Yarra Trams, and has held senior communications and marketing roles at numerous cultural and tourism icons, most recently the Australian Museum in Sydney. Formerly a non-executive director on the Board of Critical Stages Touring, Rohan joined the Midsumma Board in August 2022 and acts as Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee.
Enrico Burgio
Enrico Burgio (he/him) is an experienced public policy and advocacy professional and lawyer with extensive experience in strategy, policy development, thought leadership and stakeholder and government relations. His experience encompasses industry superannuation and financial services, government roles and legal practice in the private sector. Enrico is currently General Manager, Public Policy & Advocacy at Rest Super, overseeing public policy, regulatory affairs and advocacy activities and strategic engagement with government and other stakeholders. Prior to working in senior roles with the Victorian Government, Enrico was a senior employment and industrial relations lawyer with Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. He has served on a number of not-for-profit and community sector boards.
Mitchell Ajduk
Mitchell Ajduk (he/him) has over 14 years’ experience providing risk and assurance services to support organisations in private and not-for-profit sectors. Mitchell has worked across multiple industries including professional services, utilities and education and places a strong emphasis on improving risk management and operational practices to support organisational growth. He is currently a senior leader at CPA Australia where he is the Strategic Project Lead and has a strong focus on strategy design and execution to maximise member and customer experiences. He has a Bachelor of Social Science and Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University and is a Fellow Certified Practising Accountant and a Chartered Accountant. He is currently studying his Master of Business Administration at Melbourne Business School. Mitchell joined the Midsumma Board in 2024.
- Mitchell Ajduk
- Enrico Burgio
- Rhys Cranney
- Jennifer Elmer
- Geoffrey Renton
Work With Us
With a small core team working from the Midsumma Office in Melbourne's CBD all year round, we increase our team size with seasonal staff, summer placements and volunteers from September to February each year.
Work With UsMidsumma Year-Round
Want to know what else we do (apart from run a fantastic arts festival each year, of course)! Check out our mentorship programs and year-round activities.
Midsumma Year Round