Despite challenges, it's been an incredible experience to be on the Board of Mardi Gras for 2 years and I thank the members for supporting my candidacy in 2014.
This time around I am also supporting 3 other fabulous candidates to fill the 4 open spots - Kat Dopper, Samuel Day & Ollie Henderson. Please read a snippet of their bios below.
Electronic voting has now closed. You can vote in person at the Annual General Meeting at 10.30am Saturday 12 November at ACON. For more information see: www.mardigras.org.au
KAT DOPPER
Katrina is an experienced events producer with a youth focus and passion for arts and culture. She is the founder of Heaps Gay and actively involved in the gay and lesbian community.
"Mardi Gras is without a doubt one of the most important voices in Australia. Let’s make that voice speak loudly all year round. Let’s reinvest in the grassroots community by working toward the creation of cultural grants as well as including festival events in the Greater Sydney region. I have a strong focus on supporting the next generation of LGBTIQAs and am keen to ensure that we engage this segment of our community."
SAMUEL DAY
Samuel is a management consultant with 20 years experience in corporate training, leadership coaching, and business planning for many of Australia’s top 200 companies.
"I see my role as helping the board make well informed decisions in the areas of strategy, policy, risk and governance so that Mardi Gras achieves it's aspirations. I'm also focused on working with community groups, individuals and businesses to expand the scope of Mardi Gras so it engages people 365 days a year."
OLLIE HENDERSON
Ollie runs a social business, House of Riot, which works in youth political outreach. She is also an activist, community organiser and campaigner. She is on the board of Vibewire, an advocate for youth voices, and advisory boards with ACON.
"Mardi Gras for me is a celebration of who we are and where we have come from. I feel so much gratitude for those who had fought before me and gifted us the freedom to walk the streets free from prosecution, but also sadness in the knowledge that the fight continues for many. I believe the Mardi Gras’ key performance indicators should not only be financial but should also acknowledge to what degree we serve and support the community that we represent."