Charging toward its 20-year milestone in 2029, ACOCO celebrates a powerful legacy of creativity, connection, and unforgettable moments with artists, supporters, stakeholders, partners, and audiences

Bill Gillies

LL.B. Dip.Crim.

Legal / Arts / Sport historian

Interim Chair 2024 -

Dep Chair 2021 - 2024

Chair 2010-2021

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Bill Gillies brings decades of experience as a barrister, with recognised expertise in complex wills and estates litigation.  A long-standing member of key professional bodies, he also draws on medico-legal and maritime law interests, and is a mentor to aspiring legal professionals. Bill gives philanthropic and volunteer support to Australian Contemporary Opera Co., as well as West Space, UN Magazine, Heide Museum of Modern Art and the Robyn Boyd Foundation. A rugby referee and historian, Bill recently reached a 500 game referee milestone.​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Maxine McKew AM

Journalist / Former Member of Parliament / Board Director

​Hon Enterprise Professor at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education

Joined 2024

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Maxine McKew AM is one of Australia’s most recognisable public voices, having spent over thirty years as an award-winning broadcast journalist before entering federal parliament.  In 2007 she made political history by unseating then Prime Minister John Howard in Bennelong, and she has since continued her public leadership through books, education roles and board appointments in culture and social impact.

Brian Castles-Onion AM

Artistic Advisor / Conductor

Joined 2016

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Brian Castles‑Onion AM is one of Australia’s best-known opera conductors, renowned for his dynamic performances and engaging presence on and off the podium.  With hundreds of opera performances to his credit and an international career that has taken him from the Metropolitan Opera in New York to leading companies across Australasia, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to opera.

Linda Thompson AM

BMus (Hons Perf) MEL GCert Monash

Founder / Artistic Director / CEO

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Linda Thompson AM is an award-winning artistic director, producer, stage director and soprano who has devoted more than three decades to shaping the future of opera in Australia.  Founder and Artistic Director of the Australian Contemporary Opera Company, she has premiered dozens of new works and led boundary-pushing digital initiatives, earning recognition on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia.

Josie Rizza

CPA / Non-Exec Director / GAICD

Treasurer 2022 -

Joined 2022

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Josie Rizza is a highly experienced non-executive director and chartered accountant with deep expertise in finance, risk and governance.  She runs her own consulting practice and serves on several boards and advisory committees, bringing a steady, analytically minded perspective to strategic decision-making in both corporate and non-profit settings. 

Tash Menon-Verheul

MMkt / Curator / Founder

Entrepreneurship / Branding

Joined 2023

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Tash Menon‑Verheul is a Melbourne-based entrepreneur and brand strategist who has reimagined how creative services are delivered in the global gig economy.  Award-winning former CEO and co-founder of Mash, she now runs Menon Curatorial, managing high-performing, on-demand creative teams across dozens of countries. Tash brings sophisticated marketing and global partnerships experience from hospitality and lifestyle brands to her work with Australian Contemporary Opera.

Ruben Clark

LLB / Barrister / Arts (English & Theatre Studies)

Joined 2024

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Ruben Clark is a Victorian Bar barrister with a focus on employment and industrial relations law, regulatory crime and administrative law.  His experience spans top-tier private practice, government regulatory prosecution and leading people and culture functions in the not-for-profit sector, giving him rare insight into both governance and workplace culture. 

Coady Green

Pianist / Artistic Director / Producer 

Joined 2025

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Internationally acclaimed pianist Coady Green is described by critics as a “virtuoso pianist with sensitivity, intelligence and charm”, celebrated for performances that combine dazzling technique with vivid musical storytelling.  After winning many of Australia’s major piano awards and building a significant career in Europe, he now performs worldwide while teaching at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. Coady is Artistic Director of innovative performance projects, including the 45 Downstairs Chamber Music Festival.