ABOUT SIMA
Staff, Board & Committees
Our Staff
Novak Manojlovic
Artistic Director
Novak Manojlovic is a composer/improviser whose work describes a restless artist fascinated by contrasts. He has written and performed works which defy easy categorisation for a range of settings from solo piano to orchestral works, receiving acclaim for his subversive piano trio HEKKA, his contemporary string sextet PLACES PEOPLE, and for his cross-genre collaborations with Australian cult jazz quintet GODTET. He has also worked as a musical director, composer, arranger or collaborator with NGAIIRE, Sampa The Great, Bonniesongs, The Glider, Believe, Earshift Orchestra, Microfiche and more. As a result of his individualistic voice and diverse output, Manojlovic was awarded the Freedman Fellowship (Jazz) in 2019.
Jess Green
SIWJF Program Director
Jess Green is a guitarist, vocalist and composer. She has performed with Katie Noonan, The Catholics, The Vampires, Jim Conway, Laura Jean and for Playschool. Her Commissions include; The Australian Art Orchestra, visual artists Patricia Piccinini (National Gallery of Australia and Melbourne Rising) and Nell (Sydney Contemporary), Sydney Festival (with Bree van Reyk for Big Hart), and Luminescence Chamber Singers. Recently Jess extended her performance skills to include musical theatre, playing Luna in the premiere of new Australian children’s work The Girl Who Glows. In 2024 Jess was appointed Equity in Jazz Program Leader at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Nick Pontikos
General Manager
Nick has worked for over thirty years in the music industry and arts sector, as an A&R Manager at Mushroom Records, and Head of A&R and Labels at the inception of Inertia Music, managing breakthrough releases for Sigur Ros, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and The National, signing Ben Lee and directing the multi-platinum ‘Awake Is The New Sleep’ project. Nick developed artist and label rosters as COO of Fuse Music, and Managing Director of Other Tongues and Longtime Listener, working with The War On Drugs, The Hold Steady, You Am I, Gift Of Gab and Medeski Martin & Wood. Moving into the arts, Nick was General Manager of Ensemble Offspring and Aerialize, and Operations Manager at Bus Stop Films.
David Reglar
Creative Producer
A Sydney-based saxophonist, clarinettist and composer, David has been passionate about music from an early age. Originally from Wollongong, NSW, he discovered a love for jazz during high school while studying at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music. After earning a Bachelor of Music in Jazz from the Sydney Conservatorium, David became known for his versatility as a performer across diverse genres, playing and recording with acts like indie-pop sensation Lime Cordiale and world music/reggae groups Sub-Tribe and The Strides. An in-demand tenor saxophonist, he has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Tom Avgenicos, Nadje Noordhuis, Bobby Shew (USA), and Roger Manins (NZ).
Clayton Thomas
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Clayton is an award-winning writer, Creative Director, festival creator and world-renowned double bassist. He is the co-founder of the NOW now festival, Inner West Jazz Fest, SOUND THE ALARM, Splinter Orchestra and the Berlin based Splitter Orkester. As well as being a specialist fundraising copywriter he continues to be an active participant in the global improvised music community with working bands based in Berlin, Paris and the US. In his role with SIMA he will bring over 25 years of experience in communications, aligned concert promotion, community advocacy and fundraising.
Matt Keegan
Tour Ready
Project Manager
Matt is a saxophonist and project leader of thirty years’ experience who has produced and released 10 albums featuring his innovative work as a composer, arranger and soloist. He is the artistic director of the intercultural ensemble, The Three Seas (IND/AUS) for which he has been awarded the MCA Freedman Fellowship (2011) and the APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund (2018). “Always an exceptional saxophonist… an imagination that dares to hear the improbable” – SMH
Nick Garbett
Tour Ready
Research Officer
Nick is a trumpet player, composer and band leader, a founding member of ARIA Award-winning quartet, The Vampires, founding member of the Sydney based reggae outfit, The Strides, and leads his own groups Garfish and The Nick Garbett Quintet. As a session trumpet player Nick has performed, toured, written and recorded with artists such as Don Henley, Noel Gallagher, Jimmy Barnes, Bernard Fanning, The Presets, Lionel Loueke, Angus Stone, Jessica Mauboy and Tex Perkins. Nick holds a Bachelor degree in Jazz Studies from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and was the recipient of the Freedman Jazz Fellowship.
Our board
Marion Benjamin
President
Principal of her own law firm in Wollongong, Marion’s background includes working in documentary film, teaching in the Arts and Humanities at Universities in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales for 14 years. Whilst studying Law, Marion was Executive Officer of a regional not-for-profit community environmental organisation for 9 years, managing projects worth over $1m in sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation. Marion was a key player in establishing the NSW and National Landcare Networks to support community organisations and projects. Marion has been an active member of SIMA since the mid-1990s and volunteered on the door back in the Side On Café days. Marion was also a member of the NSW Jazz Co-ordination Association committee.
Kirstin Fischer
Secretary
A corporate lawyer, with a practising certificate and AICD qualifications and membership, Kirstin has led a consultancy group at Ernst & Young, with a strong focus on the arts. Now she works as a senior legal counsel alongside the Cosec, inside one of the largest national community service providers nationally, BaptistCare. She is Secretary also on the Board of Stalker/Box of Birds Productions, a multi-arts physical theatre for all ages, operating on a global scale, with a leading edge in the use of immersive and interactive digital arts.
Andrew Collins
Treasurer
Andrew is a tuba player with an economics problem. He has mainly worked in public policy and government finance. His most recent role was with NSW Treasury where he worked as the Principal Economist responsible for the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Andrew’s financial modelling and work to support the NSW submission to the 2020 review of the GST, led to a $900 million boost in GST to NSW in 2020-21.
Cara Anderson
Cara is a creative and dynamic arts manager with a wealth of experience in publishing, music and performing arts. She has been CEO/Managing Editor of Limelight Arts Media, publishers of Limelight, since 2018. Prior to this she has held both corporate and not-for-profit roles within global and national organisations in New York, London and Sydney. Previously she was Director of Engagement with Music Australia, and has held positions with Opera Australia, version 1.0, Business Events Sydney and Thomson Reuters. Specialising in strategic engagement and partnerships, organisational change, governance, advocacy, publishing, cultural engagement, communications and events.
Carla Hoorweg
Carla is the CEO of ANCAP Safety where she leads the organisation in its mission to protect road users in Australia and New Zealand by improving new vehicle safety and promoting safer vehicles. Prior to joining ANCAP, Carla held various strategy, legal, product development and government relations roles across the financial sector. Coming from a family of professional musicians, Carla is the black sheep of her family having pursued a Masters of Law (Hons) & Juris Doctor (UTS), Executive MBA (AGSM), and a Bachelor and Grad Dip in Applied Psychology (Canberra) instead of practicing the piano. Carla has served on a number of boards and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ellen Kirkwood
Ellen is a composer, trumpeter, bandleader and educator, who has received awards and accolades for her work. She has a Bachelor of Jazz Performance from Sydney Conservatorium, completed an Honours at UNSW in 2020, and is currently doing a PhD in composition and performance at the ANU. She regularly performs in Sydney with her own groups Underwards, EK & the EkstraOrdinaires and Alloy, and is a member of Mister Ott and On The Stoop. Ellen is passionate about gender equity in jazz, and has been director of Spectra Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble for young women and gender diverse musicians, since it began in August 2016. She was a member of the Jazzgroove Association and is currently a co-ordinator and curator of the Jetsets series.
Drew Bourgeois
Drew is an experienced philanthropy and not-for-profit specialist, and Senior Philanthropy Services Manager at Perpetual. He has an extensive background as a fundraiser across the arts sector. Most recently, Drew was Head of Development at Sydney Writers’ Festival, where he led a team that significantly grew revenue in philanthropy, corporate sponsorship and government streams. In previous roles, Drew worked in fundraising and finance roles at the Australian Museum, Carriageworks and the Australia Council for the Arts. Drew also trained as a jazz drummer for over 15 years, touring Australia and releasing multiple albums. Drew holds a Bachelor of Arts (Dean’s Scholar) from University of Wollongong and a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) from University of Sydney.
Carl Dewhurst
Carl is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading jazz and improvising guitarists. He currently co-leads Showa 44 with drummer Simon Barker and has previously co-led ensembles such as The Drip Hards and NUDE. Carl has recorded over a dozen albums as leader or co-leader and has collaborated with a diverse range of artists including Bae Il Dong, Kim Dong-Won, Susan Gai Dowling, Sandy Evans, Stu Hunter, Riley Lee, Scott McConnachie, Bernie McGann, Matt McMahon, Jade MacRae, Lisa Parrott, Mary Rapp, Phil Slater, Scott Tinkler, and Cameron Undy. He has composed music for both stage and screen and is a former long-time member of the Australian Art Orchestra. Carl is currently an Associate Lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Artistic Advisory Commitee
Ellen Kirkwood
Ellen is a composer, trumpeter, bandleader and educator, who has received awards and accolades for her work. She has a Bachelor of Jazz Performance from Sydney Conservatorium, completed an Honours at UNSW in 2020, and is currently doing a PhD in composition and performance at the ANU. She regularly performs in Sydney with her own groups Underwards, EK & the EkstraOrdinaires and Alloy, and is a member of Mister Ott and On The Stoop. Ellen is passionate about gender equity in jazz, and has been director of Spectra Jazz Orchestra, an ensemble for young women and gender diverse musicians, since it began in August 2016. She was a member of the Jazzgroove Association and is currently a co-ordinator and curator of the Jetsets series.
Carl Dewhurst
Carl has spent years honing his craft as a creative musician and is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading jazz and improvising guitarists. He currently co-leads Showa 44 with drummer Simon Barker and has previously co-led ensembles such as The Drip Hards and NUDE. Carl has recorded over a dozen albums as leader or co-leader and has collaborated with a diverse range of renowned artists including Bae Il Dong, Kim Dong-Won, Susan Gai Dowling, Sandy Evans, Stu Hunter, Riley Lee, Scott McConnachie, Bernie McGann, Matt McMahon, Jade MacRae, Lisa Parrott, Mary Rapp, Phil Slater, Scott Tinkler, and Cameron Undy. He has composed music for both stage and screen and is a former long-time member of the Australian Art Orchestra. Carl has lived and performed in London, New York, and Amsterdam and is currently an Associate Lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Chloe Kim
Chloe is one of Australia’s foremost improvising musicians, having performed solo at the Sydney Opera House, Powerhouse Museum, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and Museum of Old and New Art. In 2023, Chloe performed 100 hours of solo drumming over 10 consecutive days at the MONA FOMA festival. She also performed a live response to Do Ho Suh’s Staircase-III installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Sydney Festival and composed/performed a score in the forthcoming documentary The Independents. Chloe has released four solo drum albums, and was also a soloist in the APRA Art Music Award-winning work Disruption! The Voice of Drums. Chloe holds a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance and Masters thesis in solo drum set performance. Chloe has been a lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music since 2021.