Board

ABOUT THE ABORIGINAL BENEFITS FOUNDATION

The Foundation is managed by a board of directors as listed below, and supported by patrons from the political and artistic spheres. Information on about patrons can be found here.

jenny-isaacs-400x400
Jennifer Isaacs AM, Chair

Jennifer Isaacs has worked with Indigenous artists and communities for 46 years. She was involved in conceiving and establishing the Art Centres in many remote areas, has mentored individual artists and guided stellar art careers, advised and curated the collections of significant donor collectors from acquisition to exhibitions and the eventual transfer of the works into major International museum collections. Isaacs writes on culture, art, history, biography, food and herbal medicine.
Read More

Adrian Newstead OAM
Adrian Newstead OAM

Adrian Newstead is a former President of the Indigenous Art Trade Association and Director of Aboriginal Tourism Australia and is the immediate past President of the Art Consulting Association of Australia. An Aboriginal art consultant, dealer, and art commentator he has 35 years experience working with Aboriginal communities and indigenous artists.

Simon Chan Photo for ABF
Simon Chan

Simon Chan is the Director of Art Atrium, an art gallery exhibiting contemporary Australian, Asian and Aboriginal art and also a practising architect and Director of SCA Architects. He holds several directorships and sits on various boards spanning the arts, multiculturalism, Chinese community and local government. In 2013, he was awarded the inaugural NSW Premier’s Multicultural Award for Arts & Culture in recognition of his work and expertise in this area.
Read More

John Headshot
John Coffey, Treasurer

John Coffey is retired from the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) where he was responsible for regulating remediation of major contaminated sites. He is now consulting in this field and is also a part-time farmer.

person logo2
Adam Flynn

Adam Flynn is a lawyer with over 10 years of experience in the private, not-for-profit and public sectors. He received an Arts Law Centre of Australia Pro Bono Print Commission Award in 2010 for providing legal services to artists and arts organisations and his art has been exhibited at the Manly Art Gallery and Museum.
Read More

Richard Weinstein
Shelley Indyk

Shelley Indyk is Director of Indyk Architects, a practice that can range from bespoke carpet design to high end residential projects to large commercial cinemas to particular community projects in remote communities. Indyk Architects collaborated to design the concept for the Yirrkala Healing centre as part of one of the ABF projects in 2010.

20072016-Christo-Sonja-6918-400x400
Sonja Lee

Sonja is a senior communications and marketing specialist and is currently Head of Marketing for TCorp (NSW Treasury Corporation). She is committed to equality and justice for all and to mentoring people to be their best. Before joining TCorp, Sonja was a Senior Consultant for the Thinking Ahead Group at Willis Towers Watson UK, an investment think tank that researches the industry’s problems of tomorrow. She was previously Marketing Director for Towers Watson Australia, National Marketing Manager for Watson Wyatt, and Senior Analyst for The Boston Consulting Group.