Executive Leadership Team

With a background in marketing and communications, Kim has worked in the USA in senior roles in non-fiction television for Discovery Channel and National Geographic and co-founded the iconic Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World campaigns in the 1990’s working in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The co-author of five True Green books published in Australia and internationally by Nat Geo, Kim has received many awards for her environmental and citizen science work.

She graduated from UTS with a BA Communications in 1980 and currently serves on the UTS Council and Chairs the NSW Government’s Museum and History Art Form Board. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Wollongong in 2022 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to science, including her work on environmental and conservation issues, and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Technology Sydney in 2023 in recognition of her achievements in the community, non-profit, cultural, environmental, communications and business sectors.

Kim was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2008 for distinguished service to the environment and the community.

A native of California, Russell moved to New Zealand in 2002 and joined the team at Auckland Museum from 2007-2012. There he held the position of Director of Exhibitions and Programs and was Director of the War Memorial during planning for the WWI Centenary.

He then continued to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne, where from 2012-17 he was Director of Exhibitions and Collections. Previously, Russell worked for a decade as Executive VP and Creative Director of a high-end multimedia company in California that specialised in interactive technology, user engagement strategy and audio/video production. Russell received a Bachelor degree in Film and Television at the University of California, Los Angeles.

People & Culture’s purpose is to optimise the Australian Museum’s outcomes through the provision of integrated people and performance solutions to achieve an agile, engaged and high performing workforce. People & Culture’s function:

• Develop strategic partnerships with our clients to provide people advice and solutions that anticipate and meet their business needs.
• Provide expert advice, support and tailored options to the business to enable them to effectively manage HR matters
• Support our clients to develop workplace cultures that foster high performance, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion.
• Facilitate effective and efficient people related change processes for our clients that minimise risk and ensure business continuity.
• Coach our clients to manage and enhance the performance of their employeesand effectively manage grievance, workplace issues and underperformance processes.
• Advise and support our clients to undertake organisational design, ensuring optimal structures and roles are in place to meet business needs.
• Develop the capability of leaders in the business to manage their people through the provision of guidance and coaching.

Amanda has been part of the Australian Museum’s executive leadership team since 2016. Amanda was previously a senior advisor to former NSW Premier, Hon. Mike Baird and the former Managing Director of National Geographic Channel Australia/New Zealand with a depth of marketing, advertising, communications and digital broadcasting experience.

Amanda has a personal interest in First Nations affairs and community building and has been actively engaged in several place management and community building committees.

Heather is an experienced museum director, with extensive knowledge of strategy and policy development for museums, collections management and care, and current museum practices and trends. Previous roles have included Director of Cultural Organisations for Auckland, Director of Conservation and Collections Management at the V&A Museum (London) and Chief Operating Officer at Auckland Museum. In her earlier career, she worked as a New Zealand diplomat and lawyer, and on major change projects in the public sector.

Heather has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from Auckland University, a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from Otago University, a Graduate Certificate in Art History and Architecture from the University of London and a Masters Degree in Art History from the Courtauld Institute in London.

Kris holds additional academic appointments at the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, the Natural History Museum (London), the Bishop Museum (Hawaii), and the South Australian Museum (Adelaide). He is a board member of Zoos South Australia and Conservation International (Australia).. He has been recognised as a Fulbright Fellow, a National Geographic Society Explorer, and a CNN Inspirations Researcher.

Laura has 15 years professional experience working in Museums, Indigenous education, and cultural heritage. Laura is an award-winning curator and lead First Nations storytelling with GADI and UNSETTLED exhibitions.

Laura’s academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts (University of Sydney) conferred in 2008 (double Major in Psychology and Australian Indigenous Studies), and Master of Aboriginal Education (University of Technology Sydney) conferred in 2012.

Brett has extensive experience managing, advising on, and delivering a wide range of financial, strategic and other key functions in large and complex organisations across both the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors. At Ausgrid, Brett led the Financial Control team through the company’s transition from a NSW State Owned Corporation to private ownership in the largest acquisition in Australia in 2016. At NBN Co, Brett established and then led the Commercial Finance function of the wholesale broadband provider. Most recently, Brett worked for the NSW Department of Education where he was Director, Financial Analysis and Partnership. In this role, Brett was a key member of the Finance leadership team, where he implemented changes to the Department’s reporting suite across more than 2,200 NSW public schools, enabling more effective and easier tracking of costs.

He was the Finance lead on the COVID-19 Intensive Learning Support Program which was awarded the Secretary’s Award for Agility in 2021. Since beginning his career at KPMG in the Sydney and Los Angeles offices, Brett has also held senior roles at Ecolab and UGL Rail. Brett’s demonstrated success in government roles, projects-based and infrastructure intensive businesses means he is well placed to make a significant contribution to the Australian Museum’s Executive Leadership Team.

Brett holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney, is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

As part of the Executive Leadership Team at the AM, Jacinta is responsible for the oversight, business development and revenues associated with marketing, communications, sponsorship and partnerships, visitation, membership and tourism and other commercial activities.

Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, focused on Communications, International Marketing and Media Studies from the University of Canberra, Jacinta’s business acumen renders her well versed in international management, business planning, negotiation and the full spectrum of communications including media, digital, stakeholder and celebrity management.