Board members
Gary Rake
Chair and Treasurer
Gary Rake is a Canberra-born economist and accountant. He has held senior positions in the public and private sectors with responsibilities covering planning, asset management, financial management, human resources, criminal and civil investigations, marketing and internal audit.
Gary describes himself a ‘a serial helper’ and has served on the board of community organisations (including as Chair and Treasurer) in the arts, environment, disability and sport sectors.
Liz Nield OAM
Deputy Chair
Liz is currently the Director, External Relations, National Portrait Gallery and has a long history of working in marketing and philanthropy. Previously she was the Executive Director of Philanthropy at Opera Australia and has served on the board of both the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra and the Sydney Chamber Opera.
Anne-Marie Perett
Director
Anne-Marie Perret has had a varied career applying her skills and capabilities with both private and public sector organisations.
Anne-Marie has worked with HSBC in Hong Kong as well as Ernst & Young and PwC in Canberra. Anne-Marie works independently assisting high-growth technology clients with funding as well as governance and growth.
Anne-Marie is actively involved in high growth innovative and entrepreneurial companies through her role in Griffin Accelerator, as an Angel Investor, a Director of the Griffin Accelerator Holdings Pty Ltd, a member of the ACT Government’s Renewable Energy Innovation Fund Business Advisory.
Anne-Marie is President of the Australian Institute of Company Directors ACT Divisional Council, a board member of Brumbies Rugby and a past board member of Capital Artists Patrons Organisation.
Rebecca Edwards
Director
Rebecca Edwards is the Sid and Fiona Myer Curator of Ceramics and Design at the National Gallery of Australia. She has previously worked at the National Gallery of Victoria as Assistant Curator of the Australian Painting, Sculpture and Decorative Arts and held various curatorial positions at the National Gallery of Australia where she worked across the Australian Art collection. Rebecca holds an undergraduate degree in Art History from the University of Melbourne and is in the final stages of PhD from the same institution.
Peter Baker
Director
Peter is a Special Counsel at the law firm King & Wood Mallesons. He holds a Bachelor of Arts /Bachelor of Laws from ANU and has worked with Westpac, JB Were, Bank of America and BT Financial Group.
Katherine Nguyen
Director
Katherine is an enthusiastic and engaged curator who has been involved in art and exhibition practice in Canberra since moving here 8 years ago at the National Library of Australia, Australian War Memorial and now at Parliament House.
Currently employed by the Department of Parliamentary Services as Assistant Director, Projects & Programs and is responsible for managing a range of projects and programs for the Art Collection & Exhibitions section including the delivery of services to parliamentarians, temporary exhibitions & displays onsite, travelling exhibitions and large-scale collection movement projects including election changeovers and refurbishments. Katherine has double Masters qualifications in Art History and Curatorial Practice.
Brendan Smyth
Director
Brendan Michael Smyth is currently the Commissioner for International Engagement within the ACT Government. He is a former politician and most recently held the role Deputy Leader of the Opposition representing the Canberra Liberals. He was a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Brindabella for the Liberal Party from 1998 to 2016. From 2002 to 2006, Smyth was the ACT Leader of the Opposition and served briefly as the Deputy Chief Minister during 2000 and 2001. He has held the ACT portfolios Urban Services, Business, Tourism and the Arts, and Police and Emergency Services. Prior to his election to the ACT Legislative Assembly, he served briefly as the Member for Canberra in the Australian House of Representatives, also representing the Liberals.
Kelli Cole
Public Officer
Kelli Cole is a Warumunga and Luritja woman from central Australia. Kelli is the Assistant Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the National Gallery of Australia. She has worked on a number of major projects at the NGA since 2007, including the National Indigenous Art Triennials in 2007, 2012 and 2017, the development of the eleven Indigenous art galleries in 2010, and the delivery of eight Wesfarmers Indigenous Arts Leadership programs.
Spike Deane
Adviser to the Board
Deane graduated with Honours from Sydney College of the Arts (Glass) in 2012 and was a finalist in both ‘Hatched’ the National Graduate Art Prize and the National Student Art Glass Prize with pieces combining animation and glass. She exhibits throughout Australia, notably since graduation at the emerging artist space at Stills Gallery, Paddington, in the City of Sydney’s ‘Art & About’ festival and as a finalist at the inaugural ‘Kirra Illuminated Light Awards’. Deane’s artistic practice is focused on the underlying narratives found in folk and fairy tales to consider questions of becoming, transformation and ‘the hopeful journey’.
