Australian Youth Orchestra
Introducing AYO’s New Board Directors
“We are delighted to welcome Kate, Andrew and Sally to the Board of the Australian Youth Orchestra. Their experience, expertise, and networks together with a passion for the development of young people will contribute significantly to our pursuit of AYO’s vision of empowering all young Australians with musical knowledge, imagination and a love of music.”
– Ben Rimmer, Chair
Sally Basser
Born in Melbourne, Sally has over 25 years’ experience in public policy, program delivery and operations management in a range of areas including child protection, human services, arts and sport. As Executive Director of the Ministry of Arts from 2007-2017, Sally led the Ministry in the development and delivery of policies and programs to encourage excellence in the Arts. Prior to this Sally held a senior role in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where she led teams to deliver key social policy agendas in disability, skills and natural disaster recovery. Sally is currently also a Non-Executive Director for Playwriting Australia and Bell Shakespeare.
Dr Andrew Lu OAM
Dr Andrew Lu OAM is a lawyer, company director and educator. He currently serves as Partner at HBA Legal in Perth and is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Western Australia. A former violinist, Andrew is passionate about the arts sector as both a philanthropist and non-executive leader. His experience includes serving as the Chairman for five years with the Canberra-based Jigsaw Theatre Company and a Non-Executive Director on the National Gallery of Australia Foundation and Arts Law Centre of Australia. Andrew was Non-Executive Director and subsequently Deputy Chairman of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra between 2004 and 2013.
Dr Kate Hadwen
A respected educator, Kate has pursued a career in education inspired by her own love of learning and her passion to empower young people to step outside their comfort zone and to flourish in our increasingly complex world. Kate’s background includes teaching and leadership roles in Junior, Middle and Senior schools, research and lecturing in the tertiary sector, and National project management in school-based pastoral care programmes. Kate also has outstanding academic qualifications having completed a Bachelor of Teaching (1996), Graduate Certificate of Education (2006), Master of Education (2007) majoring in Educational Leadership and a Doctor of Philosophy (2015) focused on transitioning challenges faced by boarding students and their families.