Children, Young People and the Arts (CYPA) 
Advisory Group

TNA has been the representative organisation for Children, Young People and the Arts (CYPA) since 2016. TNA is the Australian centre for ASSITEJ, the International Association for Theatre for Children and Young People (the acronym comes from the original French: Association Internationale de Theatre pour les Enfants et le Jeunesse), and one of 83 National Centres globally.  

 The Group is made up of representatives from the performance with/for/by young people sector from across the country.  

 The CYPA Advisory Group has two key aims:
1. To maintain strong engagement and information exchange between TNA and the CYPA sector. 
2. To connect the Australian CYPA sector to ASSITEJ International and the opportunities of that global network and fulfill the role of the ASSITEJ Australia advisory. 

2026-2027 CYPA Advisory Group

Sue Giles AM
President of ASSITEJ International and ASSITEJ Australian Representative (VIC)
With over 40 years of experience in the arts industry, Sue was also the Artistic Director of Polyglot Theatre from 2000 - 2022. She is also currently both the Australian representative and President of ASSITEJ International – the global association of Theatre and Performance for Children and Young People – of which TNA is the Australian host and secretariat. In 2019 she was honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

Lesley Graham
DRILL Performance (TAS)
Lesley is Chair of DRILL, a freelance curriculum consultant and casual academic at UTAS. She has taught Dance at all levels of education and training including TAFE and Lecturing in Dance and Education at UTAS and Queensland University of Technology, and has served as the Senior Project Officer Performing Arts, DOE, Tasmania. She mentors emerging artists, undertakes rehearsal direction and dramaturgy and teaches contemporary dance technique, choreography and ballet. She writes reviews for Dance Australia and Arts Hub. Lesley is a member of the National Advocates for Arts Education and the Ausdance Awards panel. 

Sam Wannan
Ramble Arts (SA)
Sam is the Artistic Director of Ramble Arts (formerly Riverland Youth Theatre). An illustrator, animator and art educator striving to create exciting artwork through a range of media, they have a strong focus on strengthening community ties and supporting youth through artistic practice.

Fiona MacDonald
Imaginary Theatre (QLD)
Fi is a founding member and the General Manager/Executive Producer of Imaginary Theatre, a Brisbane based arts org committed to creating theatre and arts experiences with and for 0-12 year olds and their communities. Her focus is on socially engaged projects and supporting artists to use their unique craft to build and better communities. She has worked as a Producer for QLD Music Festival, Brisbane City Council, Contact Inc, Motherboard Productions, State Library of QLD and  many others. Fi has worked extensively in South Korea since 2004, and in 2018 completed an Australia Council for the Arts placement with the Arts Space for Kids, Shanghai. Fi is also currently a Creative Producer at Brisbane Festival, a mother of two beautiful children, and was a fellow with the International Society for the Performing Arts from 2017 – 2020.

Zoe Scrogings
Corrugated Iron (NT)
Zoe Scrogings is an arts manager and creative producer with over two decades’ of working in cross cultural collaborations, major events, and business development. Her previous roles include Business Development Manager with the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Garma Festival, Development Manager at Darwin Festival, Executive Director of Backbone, and Artistic Director and CEO of Contact Inc. Zoe has produced and developed social circus projects for young people with Rock n Roll Circus, Circa, Vulcana, and Women’s Circus.

Previous Advisory Groups

2023-2025
Sue Giles AM (VIC), Kevin du Preez (NSW), Fleur Kilpatrick (SA), Zoe Scrogings (NT), Fiona MacDonald (QLD), Che Skeen (QLD), Lesley Graham (TAS), John Marc Desengano (VIC)

2022-2023
Sue Giles AM (VIC), Kevin du Preez (NSW), Belinda Kelly (TAS), Romi Kupfer (VIC), Fleur Kilpatrick (SA), Zoe Scrogings (NT), Joshua Maxwell (NSW), Fiona MacDonald (QLD)

2021-2022
Sue Giles AM (VIC), Kevin du Preez (NSW), Helen Hristofski (WA), Aleshia Johnson (ACT), Belinda Kelly (TAS), Zac James (WA), Christian Leavesley (VIC), Penny Harpham/Tariro Mavondo (VIC), Sarah Parsons (NSW), Romi Kupfer (VIC), and Rhen Soggee (SA)

2020-2021
Sue Giles AM (VIC), Helen Hristofski (WA), Christian Leavesley (VIC), Tariro Mavondo (VIC), Sarah Parsons (NSW), Romi Kupfer (VIC), Rhen Soggee (SA), Luke Rogers (ACT), Amanda Wright (NSW), Robert Kronk (QLD), Susannah Sweeney (SA), Jay Emmanuel (WA), and Kyle Walmsley (NT).