The Central Coast Conservatorium Board

  • Claire Braund

  • Elizabeth W. Scott

  • Paul A Murnane AM

  • Kate McCallum

  • Rob Kitchen

  • Bettina Pidcock

  • Janet Attwood

  • Hilary Day

  • Douglas Wallace

  • Catharine Retter

  • Penny Lee

Claire Braund

Board President

Claire is a businesswoman based on the NSW Central Coast. She co-founded Women on Boards in Australia in 2006 and in the UK in 2012 following a career in journalism and public relations. An experienced Non-Executive Director on small businesses and large Not-For-Profit organisations, Claire has significant expertise on board governance in many other sectors.
Claire is also a graduate of the Benevolent Society’s Sydney Social Leadership Program which has led to a lifelong interest in affordable housing and related social issues, particularly those impacting women and children. Since 2020 she has served on the board of Coast Shelter Emergency Accommodation Ltd, a registered Community Housing Provider operating crisis accommodation refuges across the region for people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or experiencing domestic and family violence.
Elected to the Board in 2016k, Claire is a lover of the visual and performing arts.

Elizabeth W. Scott

Vice-President

Elizabeth W. Scott is a global arts and culture strategist with over 25 years’ experience advising and producing content for cultural organisations across the USA, UK and Australia.

Her roles have included Executive Director of CREATE NSW, the State’s Arts and Screen funding and policy department of government; Chief Media and Digital Officer of New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; and co-owner of a consultancy that served performing arts, visual arts, and arts education organisations of all sizes around the globe. She has been honoured to be recognised with Emmy awards for her work live-producing concert and theatrical performance productions.

Prior to her arts sector executive work, she ran the business of Major League Baseball’s film and television production for over a decade, implementing many firsts for US sport that provide relevant learnings and insights for arts accessibility and audience development today.

She has also contributed as an international thought leader on media and technology’s impact on the cultural sector and has been a featured speaker at leading universities and peak body conferences for each performing arts form, across the globe.

Elizabeth currently serves as Board Member of the US’s largest artist peak body, Fractured Atlas, and as a Director of the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra. Her sector service has also included International Counsellor for the UK peak body, Creative Industries Federation.

An accomplished performing artist who has freelanced as a conductor with opera companies, choruses and festivals across New York, her recent work in Australia includes conducting the Orange Symphony Orchestra and the East Sydney Chamber Orchestra. She recently assumed the role of Music Director with the Central Coast’s VERVE Voices.

Elizabeth’s belief in the life-changing impact of strong music education has drawn her to service on the Central Coast Conservatorium’s Board. She credits inspirational arts educators in her youth as the most influential people in developing her intellectual curiosity, her leadership skills and a confidence in her own artistic voice.  Elected as Vice President of the Board in 2023.

Paul A Murnane AM

Chair, Audit & Risk Committee

Paul has more than 35 years of diversified experience in investment banking/financial services, consulting, and general management in Australia and overseas. He spent two decades as a director with several banks, including Citibank, focusing on corporate finance. Subsequently he was a partner/managing director in a global professional services firm for 15 years, and later a director and senior adviser in corporate development and advisory roles with JB Were Goldman Sachs. 

Paul also chaired and advised an independent corporate advisory firm. He has wide experience both as a non-executive chair and director and as an advisor to many boards in the public listed, private unlisted, and government sectors on strategy, governance, chair/director selection, board/CEO performance issues, and leadership assessment. Paul’s extensive not-for-profit (NFP) experience has included establishing,revitalizing, merging, and advisingmany NFP boards and CEOs on strategy, governance, mergers and leadership performance in many NFP sectors.

Currently, he serves on the Boards and committees of organisations involved in philanthropy, education, social enterprises and corporate governance. He recently retired as a non-executive director from the Australian String Quartet where he served for a 13-year term. Elected to the Board in 2022.

Kate McCallum

Secretary | Chair, Growth & Development Committee

Kate McCallum is a leading Australian financial adviser and co-founder and director of award-winning firm, Multiforte Financial Services. She has an extensive background in business strategy and finance, having held executive positions at Westpac, BT Financial Group and Commonwealth Bank.

Kate is a published author, media commentator, successful business woman and recipient of multiple awards in the Financial Services industry. Kate holds a BA Hons from the University of Sydney, an MComm from the University of New South Wales, and post-graduate qualifications in financial advice and applied finance.

Kate has studied piano and fine art, and enjoys live music, and the performing and visual arts. She has co-MC’d Opera in the Arboretum (alongside Tim Page) in 2022 and 2023. Kate was elected to the Board in 2021.



Rob Kitchen

Chair, Premises & Building Committee

Rob is a civil engineer working with deep expertise as a project manager for large scale private, Local and State Government projects. He has a hands-on role as a Project Director on key projects including a new Sydney CBD hotel and SINSW projects.

He previously worked with Pacific Link Housing to increase its housing portfolio through the construction of new housing; and with the NSW State Government at the Department of Land and Property and the Department of Planning where his main project there was the $1 billion mixed use redevelopment of Gosford Waterfront.

Rob was formerly on the Board of the Gosford and Erina Coastal Chamber of Commerce and has extensive international experience in the whole range of construction processes from conception to completion.

Elected to the Board in 2019.

Bettina Pidcock

Board member

Bettina is an accomplished executive with a 30-year career spanning retail and wholesale banking, wealth management (including superannuation, investment, financial advice and private banking), life and general insurance. She has held positions at leading Australian Financial Institutions in marketing, communications, product management, corporate affairs and customer experience.

Bettina is a Committee Member of the Tattersall’s Club (and was the first female to hold this position), was the Chairman of the QBE Foundation and a member of the NSW Regional Council of FINSIA from 2014-2020. She holds a BSc (major in Chemistry) from the University of Sydney, an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management, a Business Management Qualification in Sustainability from the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership, is a Senior Fellow of FINSIA and a Graduate Member of the AICD.

Bettina was elected to the Board in 2020.

Janet Attwood

Board member

Janet is an accomplished transformation leader with more than 20 years’ experience in the Public Sector. She specialises in digital transformation, strategic planning, regulatory policy, compliance, governance, and risk and has a deep understanding of work health and safety. Janet is currently a Non-Executive Director and on the finance committee of the Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre, a not-for-profit organisation providing essential health services for women, including support for women in crisis.

A recipient of a 2018 Australia Day Award for future leaders, Janet holds post graduate qualifications in Public Sector Management & Work Health and Safety, as well as in Autism (special education) which was motivated by Janet’s lived experience of disability and desire to drive community acceptance of different neurotypes as a standard type of human diversity.

A born and bred ‘Coastie’, Janet understands the key role the Conservatorium plays in bringing music and the arts to our local community and is grateful to be contributing to the Conservatorium’s next steps. Elected to the Board in 2023.

Hilary Day

Chair, Teaching & Music Committee

Hilary graduated as a physiotherapist from Cumberland College of Health Sciences and has worked for the Central Coast Local Health District for 22 years and Residential Aged Care for 17 years. She is committed to providing free public health services to the residents of the Central Coast and brings to the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music (CCCM) Board her skills as a coordinator gained through wide teamwork experience.

In her music profession, Hilary achieved her diploma in cello and was employed as the cello tutor at the Central Coast Grammar School for 18 years, as well as many years teaching privately. She believes that giving children and adults the opportunity to play music creates joy and social harmony and benefits all learning areas.

She is Assistant Principal Cello of the Symphony Central Coast (SCC), which has a close association with the CCCM. She has served on the Management Committee of the SCC and its predecessor for 39 years, including 13 years as President. Her experience in managing and maintaining a thriving community orchestra is valuable to the Conservatorium.

Elected to the Board in 2010.

Douglas Wallace

Board member

Douglas is highly experienced in the fields of investment management and corporate finance. He is based on the Central Coast and works remotely as a senior executive of an asset management firm in South Africa, known as Visio Fund Management. He is one of its co-founders and has been with the firm since 2006. In his role at Visio, he is involved in the management of equity funds and hedge funds. Douglas has a passion for investment research and analysing companies listed all over the world.

Prior to his move into investment management, he held various corporate finance roles, participating in numerous M&A and capital markets transactions. During this time, he developed keen interest in the analysis of equity markets and investments, due diligence and valuations. Douglas was a corporate finance executive in London and Johannesburg with JP Morgan Cazenove and an associate director with UBS Investment Bank in South Africa.

Douglas strongly believes in the long term value of education in all spheres of life and that music education in particular provides unique benefits and transferable life skills.

He is a Chartered Accountant, a holder of the Chartered Financial Analyst charter (CFA) and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Elected to the board in 2023.

Catharine Retter

Board member

Catharine is an experienced board director and CEO with a strong career background in management, marketing, tourism and publishing. She has broad corporate governance and strategy experience on boards in the corporate, ASX, government and NFP sectors.

Catharine has been a senior marketer of some of Australia’s major events, including the Bicentennial celebrations, Sydney 2000 Olympic Bid, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, etc. She was asked to become CEO of the iconic Driza-Bone company to ready it for private equity sale, successfully returning it to Australian ownership. Then, looking for fresh challenges, Catharine focused on establishing a book publishing company, Citrus Press, which has now edited and produced over 100 titles. On moving to the Central Coast in 2018, she launched COAST magazine which has grown into the largest quality magazine, showcasing the best of the region.

Catharine has been a member of the Central Coast Tourism Advisory Committee for the Central Coast Council and similarly for the Gosford-Erina Business Chamber. She is the author of nine published non-fiction books, as well as being a closet novel writer. Catharine’s interest in the Conservatorium was born from a strong family background in music. She is proud to be able to take a small stride in following both her maternal and paternal grandparents’ giant footsteps as founders, administrators and classical musicians in orchestras across the Netherlands, Russia and Vienna. Elected to the Board in 2023.

Penny Lee

Chair, Legal & Governance Committee

Penny is an experienced senior lawyer who works for the NSW government advising on issues relating to environmental law. She worked as a legal adviser to the British government in London for eight years and also as a lawyer for the United Nations in West Africa. Penny holds a Master of Laws, a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts. She has also taught law at university level. 

Penny plays the violin and has a strong belief in the importance of learning music for people of all ages and abilities. She believes that music inspires people to come together creatively in a magical way. Penny has been an active member of the Board since 2019.