Academic Board | Australian Institute of Music Sydney & Melbourne

AIM’s goal of achieving excellence in education is led and supported by the Academic Board that operates under delegated authority at an appropriate level of autonomy from the Board of Directors, which is the Principal governing body of Institute.

Chair

PROFESSOR MARIE CARROLL

Marie Carroll was until 2015 Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) at the University of Sydney, with responsibilities curriculum, graduate studies and higher degrees by research strategy, and teaching and learning. She obtained her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Otago University in New Zealand

Deputy Chair

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR ART PHILLIPS

Art is two-time Emmy Award winning music composer with credits spanning feature film, television, documentary series and advertising soundtracks including Santa Barbara, Neighbours, Missing Persons Unit, Outback House, Pirate Islands: The Lost Treasure of Fiji, The Flying Vet, Catalyst, The Secret Lives of Sleepwalkers, Dead Tired and Made in China, to name a few.

Phillips is the longest standing President of the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), 2001~2008, and was Vice President from 1992~2000. He is currently a councillor for ‘Music Australia’, formerly ‘The Music Council of Australia’, representing ‘Music in Film and Television, 2005~current.

External Academic Expert

DR KATHIE ARDZEJEWSKA

Dr Kathie Ardzejewska is the Manager of the Learning and Teaching Office (LTO) at the University of Notre Dame. In this role, she provides managerial leadership to the LTO team to provide the academic community with support and resources that ultimately aim to enrich the learning and teaching experiences of students.

External member

MELISSA LAIRD

Dr Melissa Laird is the University of Melbourne, Academic Program Director for Creative Industries and Design, Melbourne School of Professional and Continuing Education (MSPACE). In this role she provides leadership in developing arts-based education assets with the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music (FFAM), and Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (FABP). Melissa works to transform the lives of learners through future-focused and immersive, connected-enterprise learning that positively influences individual wealth and well-being through access to the creative and performing arts, and design. Her discipline expertise extends to leadership in academic governance through her membership of the MSPACE Learning and Teaching Governance Group, and the Australian Institute of Music and National Art School Academic Boards. Melissa received the ACUADS Teaching Excellence Award in 2014.

AIM Alumni

BIANCA-IRENE PARIS

AIM Alumni

Internal Member

Dr GREG CLARK

CEO

Working in higher education, arts and media, and not-for-profits. Nine years as CEO of Australia's longest living charity. Successful merger of six state organisations into one national corporation. Experienced in acquisitions and growth strategy. Interested in the links between leadership, strategy and culture.

Internal Member

Dr GARY HOLGATE

Head of Learning and Teaching

Gary Holgate’s credentials are many and varied. His Associate Diploma Jazz Studies featured majors in both electric bass and double bass, and for his Master of Music degree he focussed on jazz performance while also studying classical bass techniques. Gary has performed and recorded with many acclaimed jazz artists including Kevin Hunt, Grace Knight, Bill Risby, Joy Yates and Dave MacRae, and Jazz Nouveau.His doctoral project focussed on interactions in improvised music and his research interests include live jazz performance and qualitative research methodologies.

Internal member

JENNY FENNER

Head of Student Experience and Success

Jenny has been with AIM since 2018 and has over 10 years’ experience in student services roles within Higher Education. Her passion is to deliver an outstanding student experience to all students of AIM.

Internal Member

DR DAVID FENTON

Program Leader

Program Leader for Graduate Studies at AIM, David is a specialist in Practice-led and Practice Based Research methodologies. He has directed over 65 professional theatre productions in his 35 year career. David teaches in specialist areas of directing, dramaturgy, contemporary performance, classical and applied theatre. David trained and worked at NIDA and is an alumnus of Queensland University of Technology.

Internal Member

THOMAS HEYMANN

Academic Lecturer

Internal Member

NICK FREER

Academic Lecturer

Nick is a contemporary guitarist and composer who has toured extensively domestically and internationally in numerous ensembles. He has worked in various aspects of secondary and tertiary education for twenty-five years. Nick's doctoral project through the University of Melbourne (MCM) focuses on harmonic organisation in the music of Allan Holdsworth.

Internal Member

SCOTT HENDERSON

Academic Lecturer

Internal Member

SOPHIA PAPAS

People and Culture Officer

Sophia is an ambitious, optimistic and pro-active People and Culture professional holding a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Double Major in Management and Human Resources Management from UNSW Australia. Sophia has rich experience in recruitment and hiring, benefits administration, HRIS, HR policies and procedures and employee training and development.

Student Member

ROXANNE HASSBROEK

Student

Student Member

MICHAEL HIGGINS

Student

Michael Higgins is a Djab Wurrung man based in Melbourne, Victoria, currently studying as a composition major at the Australian Institute of Music. He has spent the past two years building a vintage analog music studio after stepping back from the world of professional DJing. He currently works in Aboriginal Education and aims to form a pathway between music and education for the aboriginal community to follow.