New Trustees welcomed to Arts Centre Melbourne

The Victorian Arts Centre Trust, which oversees the iconic Arts Centre Melbourne, is pleased to welcome two new trustees: Dr Janine Mohamed and Ms Nhung Mason.

The Trust’s core purpose is to enrich the lives of all Victorians culturally, educationally, socially and economically by making a leading contribution to the Victorian creative and visitor economies.  Through its leadership collective leadership, the Trust ensures that Arts Centre Melbourne continues to inspire people on and off the stage.

Victorian Arts Centre Trust President, Mr Ian Carson AM:

We are thrilled to welcome Dr Janine Mohamed and Ms Nhung Mason who recently joined our highly skilled Trust team. Each bring considerable expertise, credentials and perspectives to the table. Both appointments are an important part of us delivering on our commitment to being an equitable and inclusive organisation, and our focus on ensuring our priorities, strategic and operational decision-making reflect the diverse, contemporary community we are here to serve.

Dr Janine Mohamed, a Narungga Kaurna woman from South Australia, has been a champion of nursing and health policy for Indigenous communities in Australia for more than two decades.

Based on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne since 2019, Dr Mohammed served for nearly five years as the CEO of the Lowitja Institute – Australia’s National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. Prior to this she was CEO of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives.

Mohamed initially studied nursing at the University of South Australia where she is now an Adjunct Professor and a celebrated Alumni of the Year. For 25 years, she worked in nursing, health policy and research in the Indigenous community-controlled health sector at state, national and international levels.

In 2020, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in nursing by Edith Cowan University and, in 2024, was named Victoria’s Australian of the Year for her dedication to fighting racism and improving health outcomes for Indigenous communities. Mohamed currently holds the position of Deputy CEO First Nations at the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).

Mohamed:

I am deeply honoured to be appointed to The Victorian Arts Centre Trust. Art is a powerful cultural determinant that plays a crucial role in the identity of First Nations peoples in Australia and broader Australia.

It is through art that we express our stories, our histories and our connection to the land; our culture! This appointment is not just a personal achievement, but a recognition of the importance of celebrating and valuing the rich, talented and diverse cultural heritage of our First Nations communities. I look forward to working with the Trust in the spirit of reconciliation and reciprocity.

Ms Nhung Mason is Accenture’s Client Group Lead for Australia and New Zealand advocating for women in leadership. Originally a refugee from Vietnam, Mason has worked across Consumer Industries for almost 20 years.

Voted as 40 Women to Watch in APAC from Campaign Asia-Pacific in 2018, Mason’s focus has been on working with organisations to deliver customer/consumer-centric and data driven transformations. She is passionate about diverse teams and believes that it is the combination of different strengths that lead to the strongest teams.

Mason:

As a refugee from Vietnam who has grown up surrounded by, inspired by, and full of admiration for the arts, the thought that I would be able to contribute to our rich arts culture in my home – Melbourne – is beyond an honour.

I am so excited to work alongside our amazingly talented Trustee members and our visionary CEO, Karen Quinlan AM, as we further transform Arts Centre Melbourne to deliver the world’s best experience.

Dr Janine Mohamed and Ms Nhung Mason join current Trust members Ian Carson AM (President), Paul Barker, Greta Bradman, Leigh Johns OAM, Paul Bonnici and Caroline Bowditch.

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