Our People

Kate Duncan is the CEO of Australian youth music charity The Push. Since stepping into the role, Kate has driven the transformation from a Victorian-based organisation into a national voice for young people in music, delivering programs and events that connect and inspire thousands across every state and territory.

Greg brings 15 years across operations, education, finance, IT, project management and governance in banking, education, sport and music. As Head of Operations at The Push, he blends governance with creativity to make lasting impact. A devoted electronic music fan, he produces music and loves synths, drum machines and vinyl.

Craig Rogers is a cultural leader with over twenty years’ experience across government and not-for-profit arts. Spanning festivals, contemporary art, music, venues and cultural policy, often intersecting with community health including gender violence, community development, and emergency recovery. Craig currently Chairs L2R, Australia’s only youth street dance social enterprise.

Aarti Desai works at the intersection of music, culture and opportunity, helping the next generation break into the industry. With experience across festivals, government and youth organisations, she’s all about turning big ideas into real pathways for emerging artists—connecting people, building programs and championing the future of Australian music.

Tim Wamala is a musician, project manager and youth worker with over 20 years of experience across the arts and community sectors. He leads youth music programs that build creative skills, industry pathways and real-world opportunities, with a strong focus on inclusion, participation and young people’s voice.

Jamison is a musician, producer and creative industry professional, currently the Youth Lead (Training and Operations) at The Push. Originally from regional South East Queensland, she works across songwriting, performance, community engagement and workshop development and is passionate about creating pathways for young people into the creative industries.

As Content and Communications Youth Lead at The Push, I work across all things communications to amplify young voices, build culture, and create impactful content to ensure every young person can participate and thrive in Australian music.

Jay Underwood (they/them) is a youth and community development professional with 12 years of experience. Jay was championed in all ages music, and continues to create these spaces across sectors - specialising in creating accessible, inclusive and artist-first events for community.

Jess Healy is a film composer with over 14 years’ experience creating immersive, atmospheric soundscapes. A classically trained pianist and multi-instrumentalist, she blends diverse influences across her work. Based on the Mornington Peninsula, she is also a youth worker where she led  the IMPAKT Amplify/FReeZA program, supporting young people to create music.

Kiera brings a broad range of music industry experience across independent labels, digital marketing, event management, PR, and more. As an artist, she produces and DJs as Chaotiic Good, performing across cornerstone Australian venues and festivals, while also securing international support slots.

Maddy Herbert is the frontwoman of Victorian soul/pop group Velvet Bloom, who released their debut album and toured nationally in 2025. With over eight years’ industry experience, she’s worked across venues, festivals and artist management, and contributes to accessibility initiatives through Tibi Access while also facilitating workshops with The Push.

Pantjiti is the Workforce & Crowd Care Manager at Untitled Group. She supports major contemporary music festivals and live events, leading workforce planning, crowd care, and on-the-ground operations to help deliver safe, inclusive, and well-run experiences for staff, volunteers, and audiences. Pantjiti also collaborates with Regional Arts Victoria and The Push, grounding her work in community, care, and lived experience.

Musician and industry creative Suzi has been active in the Australian music scene since volunteering with her local FReeZA committee in 2015. Alongside her artist project, she’s worked across event management, music marketing and her label Very Good Records, while touring nationally and championing opportunities for young people entering the music industry.

Tanya is a vocalist and looping artist known on Australia’s festival circuit. A The Voice Australia 2021 finalist (Team Rita Ora), she has performed at major festivals including St Kilda Festival, WOMADelaide and Queenscliff. Fresh from European shows, Tanya performs solo and with her five-piece band, with her debut album Contrast due by 2026.

Tom Nethersole is an emerging Australian pop artist gaining attention after performing at Spilt Milk and releasing his eight-track EP Father, Son & the Space in Between. Supported by Triple J and Rolling Stone Australia, he has played festivals including Always Live and Victoria’s Pride Street Party, and toured with Drax Project and RARIA.

Sam Blitvich is a Perth-based musician and youth mentor focused on music education and artist development. He’s worked with young people through Rock Scholars for over a decade and is a founding member of ARIA-charting band Sly Withers. Sam also brings experience as a former artist manager and youth development officer with Hyper Festival.

Molly McKenna is a musician and pioneer of accessible live music in regional WA. With experience in organising, hosting, promoting and performing at DIY events, they have a strong dedication to sharing a passion for music and empowering young people to pursue creative pathways. She fronts the band Dullhouse and runs the live music organisation The South West Setlist.

Rosie is a Naarm-based artist, producer and festival organiser blending alternative R&B with traditional gamelan. She has performed at Boiler Room Festival, NGV Friday Nights and We Out Here (UK), composed for dance and theatre, and programs events across Australia and Indonesia. Rosie also works with Indonesian-Australian collective Nongkrong.

Anna is one part of the ownership group for CG Live, The Corner Hotel, Northcote Social Club, The National Hotel and The Railway Hotel North Fitzroy and for the past two decades Anna has provided her Human Resources expertise to these music and hospitality venues as well as other external community groups.   

Anna started her career as a youth worker working with marginalised young people at both Anglicare and Melbourne City Mission. This experience enabled Anna to build her deep knowledge and commitment to social justice issues affecting young people. 

As a lifelong lover of live music (who sadly cannot sing a note in tune), she brings her experience and commitment in working towards increasing opportunities for young people to thrive, connect and grow through a mutual love of music.

Stu has been working in music either as a musician or music industry worker for over 30 years and brings with him a diverse collection of experiences.

His previous roles vary broadly from CEO of Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), running Q Music, serving on the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) and managing the Licensing, Business and Public Affairs for Nightlife Music.

He has served on the Q Music and 4ZZZ Board of Directors, consulted to AIR as their Industry Advocacy and Government Relations Spokesperson and has also provided Industry and Government Relations expertise to the Australian Live Music Business Council (ALMBC) and served as their General Manager until the end of 2023 when he accepted the role as the General Manager of Creative, Programming and Production with the QMF running the Qld Music Trails.

He is also a creative business mentor, delivers strategic, business and policy advice for several clients. He is parochial to a fault when it comes to representing Australian music and the Australian business who support our musicians.

Jake Lowe specialises in the cross over realm of Finance, Music Business and Entertainment. Taking his first step into the Music Industry, Jake quickly made his way to Business Manager at White Sky working alongside artists such as The Living End, Peking Duk and CHRVCHES.

Over the past decade, Jake has spent most of his time working behind the scenes in business management and finances for an impressive list of Artists, Management groups, Labels and Agencies, as well as being an active member of Melbourne’s live music scene. He currently holds leadership roles with some of Melbourne’s most esteemed

I’m Alex Thompson, an accountant at Sorrento Strategic Accounting in Perth, Western Australia, with over 8 years of experience in the music and creative industries. I hold a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance and I’m currently progressing through the CPA Program. I’m passionate about music, and this passion led me to The Push. In my role as an accountant, I feel it’s important to help musicians understand their numbers so they can build sustainable, successful careers.

Currently an intern at Warner Music Australia, Cadon is excited to apply his strategic experience to champion emerging voices. He previously showcased this drive as a Student Brand Manager for Red Bull, where he spearheaded a partnership with the arts college Collarts. This professional work is fuelled by his deep passion for music, which began with rigorous classical piano training, culminated in the completion of his LMusA, and led to a scholarship to study jazz piano at Berkeley.

Charlotte Sterenberg is a musicologist from Adelaide, South Australia. She first broke into South Australian music through performing as a bassist in local bands before finding her strength in research within contemporary areas of musicology and ethnomusicology. 

Charlotte has presented her research at the Musicological Society of Australia Annual Conference and was selected to sit as a panel member on the review board for the Elder Conservatorium of Music and Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music. As well as academic research, Charlotte has been heavily involved in volunteering at local music organisations, including Music SA and Girls Rock! Adelaide, and within the local festival scene.

As The Push expands nationally, Charlotte brings an interstate perspective as well as her research experience in both musicological and ethnomusicological areas. As a 2023/2024 student of Berklee University’s Master of Arts in Global Entertainment and Music Business, Valencia Spain, she also contributes an international and contemporary perspective to The Push’s program.

Chrissie Vincent has over 40 years experience in the music and entertainment industry. Through her previous company Chrissie Vincent Publicity & Management, Chrissie has worked on a range of successful publicity campaigns for local and international touring artists, festivals and events.

In 2018, Chrissie presented at the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into the Australian Content on Broadcast, Radio and Streaming Services, with a number of her recommendations endorsed. Chrissie is currently Head of Entertainment Management at Collarts (Australian Collage of the Arts) where she is overseeing the Bachelor of Applied Business degree in Entertainment Management.

Claire Qian brings unique insight to the Board from her extensive career in the Australian music industry and as a law graduate at White & Case, a prestigious global law firm headquartered in New York City. Since starting as a FReeZA volunteer at 15, Claire’s eight years experience in music now ranges from having been the previous Local Music Programmer for Groovin The Moo Festival, curator of multiple Sidney Myer Music Bowl shows and in artist and label management at Push Records.

Claire is at the forefront of Australia’s emerging music scene, and is a frequent music industry panellist discussing young audience trends, local music collectives and booking accessible all-ages music events. Claire started her legal career as a Paralegal at Media Arts Lawyers and prior to commencing in corporate law, was part of the annual conference team for the Australian Indie Record Labels Association. Claire’s dedication towards understanding the nuanced challenges facing the music sector, and attention to new trends, has been recognised by The Push Inc through its ‘25 Under 25 – Best and Brightest New Faces of Australian Music 2022’.

Ian Porter is the Head of Portfolio Management at ClimateWorks Australia (part of the Monash Sustainable development Institute). With a background of more than three decades of work in climate change and sustainability, Ian leads ClimateWorks’ program delivery team which aims to accelerate the transition to net zero emissions in Australia, South East Asia and the Pacific.

Ian ensures that ClimateWorks portfolio of programs is having maximum impact on emissions reduction, during this transformational decade for climate change. Ian is an experienced Board Director, has loved music all his life and is an avid listener, vinyl collector and gig attender - his first connection with The Push being Pushover 1995.

Jason brings a mix of legal and policy expertise to The Push Board, along with a long-standing passion for Australian music. He has worked across government and the private sector on complex reforms and legislative reviews, and holds Bachelor degrees in Law and Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the ANU. Jason has previously served on community boards and is passionate about helping young people shape the future of the music industry. In his free time, you'll find him at local gigs or digging through record crates around Melbourne.

Jordan Royal is a radio announcer at 4ZZZ in Brisbane/Meanjin. She hosts a weekly show dedicated to spotlighting emerging local and Australian artists. Her passion for amplifying underrepresented voices in media, particularly young, female, gender-diverse, and First Nations artists, has been fueled by her work at 4ZZZ.
Outside of radio, Jordan works with Omiya Group, a Meanjin-based artist management group supporting PR, bookings, and artist development. She has also worked in artist liaison and stage management at festivals including BIGSOUND and Woodford Folk Festival.
Jordan is currently studying a dual degree in Journalism and Laws at The University of Queensland. She hopes to use her cross-sector experience in the music industry, alongside her studies, to help build a more accessible, diverse and equitable music landscape. Jordan is excited to bring this experience, passion and youth-led perspective to The Push.

Madi Colville Walker, is a proud Yorta Yorta Woman, an inspiring musician who has had many opportunities after her very first performance at the Tamworth CMAA Junior Academy back in 2017.

Since then, Madi has performed at many significant shows throughout Australia and has had the opportunity to work alongside many organisations. During her time in the music industry Madi has supported many well known Artists such as Uncle Archie Roach, Alice Skye, Isaiah Firebrace, Benny Walker, Fanny Lumsden, Kutcha Edwards and Darlinghurst. 2023 was a huge year for Madi, a highlight being the recipient of the NIMA’S (National Indigenous Music Awards) Uncle Archie Roach Foundation Award.

Madi Continues to hold a strong connection to her Community, Country, as well as all of the organisations and people she has connected with throughout her journey as a artist. These people inspire Madi, and have encouraged her to do her best in music, as well as having a strong continuous support from her family.