NAVA announces key governance changes with new board appointments

NAVA is pleased to announce the appointment of Rebecca Ray, a Meriam woman descended from the Torres Strait Islands, as the new Elected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Director. Rebecca is an experienced curator, writer, and practicing visual artist with experience across regional, national, and institutional arts contexts.

Based on Gadigal Country, she currently serves as Curator, First Nations Art at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia (MCA), where she leads curatorial and research practices that prioritise re-Indigenisation, rematriation, and the reclamation of autonomous and sovereign cultural spaces. Rebecca brings a wealth of curatorial and policy experience having held Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-identified positions at major institutions including the National Portrait Gallery, Australia, Home of the Arts (HOTA), and Griffith University, Queensland.

“I am honoured to be elected as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Director on the NAVA Board and I look forward to joining the strong leadership team whose collective experience and dedication continue to shape and strengthen our creative arts industry, and I remain committed to this legacy ensuring that First Nations voices remain central to the conversations and decisions that influence our cultural landscape” said Rebecca Ray.

Dr Ryan Presley, formerly the Elected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Director, has been appointed as Artist Representative Director, succeeding Michelle Vine. 

The Board thanks Michelle for her generous and dedicated contribution to NAVA over the past three years. Her leadership as Deputy Chair and her service on both the Governance and Development Subcommittees have been invaluable. Michelle played a key role in shaping NAVA’s Disability Action Plan and contributing to the development of a new Constitution for NAVA which is in its final stages of development and will be shared with Members later this year.

NAVA is pleased to welcome back Imogen Beynon as a Co-opted Director. Imogen previously served on the NAVA Board from July 2021 to February 2024. She is currently Senior National Industrial Officer at the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and a PhD candidate at RMIT University. Her professional experience includes senior leadership positions in government and member-based organisations, with key responsibilities across industrial law, strategic leadership, regulation and policy.

NAVA also announces the appointment of Jamie Lewis and Liz Nowell as Co-Chairs for a one-year term, stepping into the role following the departure of Clothilde Bullen OAM, who served as Chair from 2021-2025.

The NAVA Board, Members and staff extend their deepest gratitude to Clothilde for her visionary leadership. During her tenure, she was a driving force in steering the organisation’s vision and direction. Her leadership was instrumental in the development of NAVA's First Nations Policy 2024-2029, which lays the foundation for cultural safety, workforce development, and deeper engagement with First Nations artists, arts workers, and organisations across the sector.

As existing Directors, Jamie and Liz bring complementary strengths in arts governance and a shared commitment to advancing equitable conditions of work and practice for the sector. They have committed to a year of shared leadership focussed on succession planning, aligned with the Board’s skills matrix and needs to improve geographic diversity - particularly addressing under-representation from the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia on the NAVA Board.

“We are honoured to step into this role at a pivotal moment for NAVA. Building on Clothilde’s legacy of courageous leadership, we are committed to a purposeful and collaborative approach that strengthens the organisation’s foundations and ensures NAVA remains a trusted voice for artists and arts workers nationally.”

NAVA Board Directors. L-R: Rebecca Ray (NSW) photo by Marcus Wright, Ryan Presley (Qld) photo by Sam Roberts, Imogen Beynon (Vic), Jamie Lewis (Vic) photo by Leah Jing McIntosh and Liz Nowell (Vic) photo by Natalie Piserchio.

ID: Five portrait photos of NAVA Board Directors arranged in a rectangular grid.