Renew Australia is a national social enterprise designed to catalyse community renewal, economic development, the arts and creative industries across Australia. We are an apolitical organisation, with no allegiance to any political party.

We work with communities and property owners to take otherwise empty shops, offices, commercial and public buildings and make them available to incubate short term use by artists, creative projects and community initiatives.

Please download the below brochure to find out a little more about Renew Australia and our services.
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Board Members

Jerome GauderBoard Chair

Jerome is a career retailer with multiple executive roles in Australia and New Zealand. Jerome has worked at iconic brands such as Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s and Red Group Retail.

With expertise in Store Operations, Marketing, Property and People his passion lies in small and emerging retail, as well as markets. Jerome is currently helping small businesses and not for profit organisations grow through his coaching business Hangar18.

As a Leader and Manager, Jerome has had a successful career building teams to provide great customer experiences.

Libby VaughanBoard Member

Libby Vaughan is an experienced board director and governance leader with over 15 years in philanthropy, social impact, and community engagement in Hong Kong and now Australia. Recently relocated to Melbourne, she brings to Renew Australia her expertise in strategic partnerships, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement, along with a passion for fostering community renewal and creative collaboration.

Libby is also Co-Chair of Kids4Kids Hong Kong and Founder of the Cambodian Children’s Fund Hong Kong chapter . Her executive roles include COO of The Inclusive Company and CEO of the American Club Foundation. Recognised by the Cambodian Royal Family for distinguished service, she holds an MBA from Henley Business School and a FT Non-Executive Director Diploma.

Peter LamellBoard Member

Peter has served on over 25 boards across the not-for-profit, energy, power, services, technology, and telecommunications sectors. He has broad global senior executive experience having worked in the UK, US, Europe, Asia/Pacific, Canada and Australia with a prime focus on successfully building and turning around a number of complex businesses. He champions Sustainability and Digital Transformation and has a passion for everything that Renew does and stands for.

He spent over 25 years working with Shell and was a member of the Board of Shell Australia. He is a Director of Citywide Service Solutions, pitt&sherry, National Trust (Victoria), Chairman of Renew Australia, and is a fellow of the AICD. He was formerly President of Lorne Sculpture Biennale and a Director of the Melbourne Forum. He has a Senior Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School.

Dr Rory HydeBoard Member

Dr Rory Hyde is Associate Professor in Architecture, Curatorial Design and Practice at the University of Melbourne. From 2013 to 2020 he was the Curator of Contemporary Architecture and Urbanism at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and a Design Advocate for the Mayor of London. He studied architecture at RMIT, where he also completed his PhD.

Hyde is deeply engaged in the arts and culture of Melbourne, having hosted a weekly radio show on Triple R, and currently on the Design Review Panel for the City of Melbourne, Board of Research for Museums Victoria, Editorial Advisor for Architecture Australia magazine, and Board of Directors of McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park.

Rod ColemanBoard Member

Rod has over 20 years experience in global strategy and general management roles based in Australia and Europe.  He has led growth, commercialisation, turnarounds and investment exits across a range of industries and currently leading transformation project for an M.H. Carnegie & Co. owned professional services business.

Rod brings to Renew Australia significant operating experience combined with corporate finance, IT and marketing skills. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance & Investment, and an MBA from IMD in Switzerland.

 

Craig AllchinBoard Member

Craig Allchin is an architect and urban designer, a director of the consultancy Six Degrees Urban, and Adjunct Professor of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).  Craig works on projects across a range of scales, from plans and strategies for metropolitan areas to fine grain ground plan activation of specific places.

Craig has spent many years in urban design and city planning ranging from recycling and renewal projects around the revitalisation of the Melbourne City Centre, to completing over 40 district and city masterplans. Craig was Director of Urban Design for the Metropolitan Strategy for Sydney, the NSW Government’s 25-year masterplan for Sydney, then spent three years living Brooklyn, New York, teaching at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Design. Craig now lectures at UTS and consults on a range of public and private sector projects.

Craig is a strong advocate for understanding cities as complex ecosystems, and a believer that creating diverse, vibrant, locally-driven and active ground planes is a fundamental principle of good places.

Staff Members

Alice Henchion-GrantGeneral Manager

Alice Henchion-Grant is the General Manager of Renew Australia, leading national programs that activate underutilised spaces and create opportunities for artists, creatives and communities.

Since joining Renew in 2018 to manage Renew Wollongong, Alice has worked across project delivery, research, program design and consulting. She has contributed to initiatives including Renew Cairns, Renew On Q in Campbelltown, regional activation programs across Queensland, and scoping studies in Gladstone and Alice Springs.

Alice works across the intersection of creativity, small business and place, helping turn ideas into real projects in both regional towns and city centres.

Based in Bulli, NSW, she is also a designer, freelancer and sustainability educator, staying closely connected to the creative and entrepreneurial communities she supports

Fiona ThurtellBusiness Services Lead

Fiona is the steady hand behind Renew Australia. With a background spanning finance, HR, administration and governance, she keeps the wheels turning smoothly and the board in check. From payroll to insurance, budgeting to board reporting, Fiona handles the numbers and the nitty-gritty that keep our projects on track.

Formerly a Melburnian, Fiona now calls the Northern Rivers home, where she enjoys the warmer climate with her family and dog.

Jaclyn PokrovskyProject Manager

Jaclyn or Jac as she prefer to be called; joined the Renew Australia team in 2020 bringing with her an extensive knowledge of handling and managing projects. Jac is our Project Manager for the Picture Windows project with the City of Melbourne.

Jac is also an artist, researcher, technical support person in the Design faculty of RMIT  plus a small business owner for her own jewellery business. Jac’s brings her enthusiasm, attention to detail and project management  to everything she does; she is excited in working towards enlivening the CBD Melbourne back to its glory.

Consultants

Angela SimonsActivation and Meanwhile Space Specialist

Angela Simons is the former Chief Executive Officer of Renew Australia, having led the organisation for over a decade.

During her tenure, Angela guided Renew’s consultation, project development and delivery work across Australia, championing the role of creative industries in revitalising underutilised spaces and building capacity for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

She has worked across a broad range of stakeholders in the arts, property and government sectors, in both metropolitan and regional contexts, demonstrating how vacant spaces can be reimagined to support local economies and communities.

Angela has mentored small and large businesses internationally, drawing on her experience across tourism, business operations, people and property management.

Susannah FarforStrategic Relationships and Development Manager

Susannah is adept at working with interdisciplinary teams to get the best result for multiple stakeholders, along with positive gains for the community and environment. She draws upon project management skills developed across diverse industries and extensive experience as an editor, researcher and writer for publications including Lonely Planet and Good Food guides.

She has recently completed a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, with a major in human-centred design, and applies her creative vision to developing new business models and projects.

Karima BaadillaCurator & Project Advisor

Karima Baadilla leads her own independent studio as a curator, painter, illustrator , social media manager and curator.

Karima is also the co-director of The Artists Guild – a social enterprise with a focus of championing women in the Arts – and the founder of Open Close Gallery, a moveable and nomadic gallery.

Staff Alumni

Mish EisenRenew Fitzroy Street Project Manager

Prior to joining Renew Australia, Mish Eisen was an architect, exhibition designer and founder of NFP initiatives for over 25 years, as well as a project manager for Museums Victoria and founder of PromergingArt.

As Project Manager for Renew Fitzroy Street, Mish brings her creative vision, wide networks and teams of experts to deliver and diversify the project. Mish is well versed to determine the spectrum of the big picture as well as fine tuning details, and is a City of Port Phillip local with a long-term association with Fitzroy St.

When she is away from Fitzroy Street Mish volunteers for Save a Dog Scheme and hosts the podcast, FromTheHip.

Phil - Renew Cairns

Phil DrueryRenew Cairns Project Manager

Phil loves the tropics and has called Cairns home for 35 years. In addition to his
design experience as a registered landscape architect, he spent 18 years at the
property development coalface as a design, development and project manager with
a local property developer.

Phil’s background has put him across the creative and commercial realms, in
addition to working with government at all levels.

He strongly believes that excellent outcomes come with tenacity, innovation, a fully
collaborative approach, a strong awareness of meeting the brief…and listening.

Phil’s favourite job before joining the Renew team was a year spent as the gardener
at a chateau somewhere in France.

Sarah WangRenew on Q Project Manager

Since landing in Sydney 5 years ago, Sarah has co-researched and written a public art masterplan, developed various temporary and permanent public art commissions in Blacktown and Liverpool, including an award winning memorial sculpture for victims of domestic violence, bespoke outdoor furniture for a sports park and a video commission and wall graphics by local artists for a hospital in western Sydney) and worked as the Cultural Engagement and Planning Coordinator for Northern Beaches Council, where she managed the Gallery’s public programs and co-ordinated the marketing and communications for the Arts & Culture team.

Prior to moving to Australia, Sarah worked as Associate Director, Asia-Pacific for an international contemporary art gallery, based in Singapore and Tokyo and before that she lived and worked in London where she founded a non-profit arts consultancy which specialised in managing public art and arts education projects.

As Project Manager for Renew on Q, Sarah brings her international perspective, understanding of delivering creative projects in public spaces for diverse audiences and experience of managing relationships with councils, corporates and creatives and collaborating across disciplines.

When she is not on Q, Sarah volunteers as a surf lifesaver and enjoys exploring arts and cultural events, wild swimming and travelling.

Renew Australia Supporters

Marcus WestburyFounder

In 2008 Marcus started Renew Newcastle and is the founder of Renew Australia. His work in Newcastle led to work with cities around the world on innovative, low cost creative led urban revitalisation strategies through Renew Australia and as an independent consultant.

Marcus’ background is an urbanist, broadcaster, writer, media maker and festival director. He has worked across a range of media as a writer, producer, director and presenter, covering fields as diverse as culture, art, urban planning, media, sport and politics. He is the author of Creating Cities and the writer and presenter of ABC Australia TV series including Bespoke and Not Quite Art.