Board & Governance
The Sturt Gallery and Studios Board comprises eight positions, five of which have now been appointed. Directors serve for a three (3) year term. Further appointments may be made in due course to complement the current directors and ensure the full diversity of skills and perspectives required for Sturt’s next chapter.
Board Members
Tom Bridgestock
DirectorTom Brigstocke is CEO of Principals, Australia’s leading brand strategy and design company, working with clients from top-20 ASX companies through to small enterprises across many sectors, including government and tertiary education.
Tom has extensive governance experience, having served on a range of boards, including as a Governor of Winifred West Schools.
Mary Taguchi
DirectorMary Taguchi (Fellowship, 1961) has a long-standing association with Sturt’s history and creative philosophy, as a teacher, textile artist and scholar.
Following her tenure at a bi-lingual school in Tokyo, where she forged deep connections with ceramicists and textile artists, she established Japanese language programs at Frensham and Gib Gate, fostering cross-cultural exchanges.
Mary is a published author on arts-based language learning, and is an exhibiting textile artist with works shown across Australia. Formerly a Sturt tutor, she currently shares her expertise in paper and cloth workshops at her Braidwood studio.
Howard Tanner AM LFRAIA
DirectorHoward Tanner AM LFRAIA has enjoyed a diverse career as an architect, an author and an exhibition curator. He has written extensively on architecture and landscape design and prepared major exhibitions.
He has held the position of National President, Australian Institute of Architects, Chair of the Heritage Council of NSW, and was appointed Professorial Fellow in Architecture, University of Canberra.
Howard brings to the Sturt board extensive experience in governance and promotion of public cultural institutions, including the NSW Historic Houses Trust, the National Art School, and the State Library of NSW.
Michael Harris
DirectorMichael Harris brings to the board a unique blend of craftsmanship and corporate expertise, combining his Sturt training with over two decades of high-level financial management experience in multinational advertising and communication firms in the UK and Asia.
A highly regarded graduate of the Sturt School for Wood, Michael was appointed Wood School Coordinator immediately following his studies. He has been a dedicated member of the Sturt community, including many years of service as a member of the Friends of Sturt committee.
Madeline Baker
DirectorMadeline Baker is a distinguished legal professional, solicitor of the NSW Supreme Court, and judicial member of the Civil and Administrative Tribunals in NSW and QLD.
Her career also spans significant advisory and teaching roles in government and academia, including senior policy adviser to state ministers, consultant to state and federal government, and as Lecturer in the Law faculty at Southern Cross University.
Founding Membership
To ensure the success of the new entity, the constitutional membership structure has been refined. As a result, a core group, known as the Founding Members, has been established. These individuals are deeply connected to Sturt and will act as custodians of its future, providing stewardship and, where needed, guidance and support to the Board.
There can be a total of 20 Founding Members, and each member is able to hold this constitutional role for a term of five years. We are pleased to announce the first ten Founding Members.
Annabel Beith
Tony Carroll
Elinor Crossing
Geoff Daniel
Gina Fairley
Helen Gauchat
Elisabeth Nagel
Megan Patey
Ingrid Wanner
Annabel White
Friends of Sturt
We acknowledge and greatly value the time and dedication shown by Friends of Sturt over many years. The Sturt Gallery and Studios Constitution now allows the Board to establish Friends of Sturt as a formal supporter community. The precise form, benefits and opportunities for participation within the Friends of Sturt program will be determined by the Board over time as the organisation develops.