Our Board
![Farewell to Barbara Pitman (Deputy Chair and Director)](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BarbaraPitman.jpg)
Farewell to Barbara Pitman (Deputy Chair and Director)
Director / Deputy Chair
After ten years of volunteer service to the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation, Barbara has resigned from her position. While we are very sad about her leaving, we will always be grateful for the work she undertook for the Foundation.
Her commitment to Indigenous youth wellbeing was evident in all her work, as was her support for the other directors of the Foundation. During challenging times, Barbara continually developed strategies to keep the Foundation active. She will be truly missed.
![Damian Trotter](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DamianTrotter.jpg)
Damian Trotter
Director / Chair
Damian began his music industry career in 1981 at CBS Records. When Sony restarted its publishing arm in 1992, Damian was appointed Managing Director of Sony Publishing Australia. Following the merger of Sony Music Publishing with EMI Music Publishing in 2012, he was appointed Managing Director of the combined publishing companies. Damian has served on the Sony Publishing Australia board since 2000 and is the current Deputy Chair. He is also a director and former Chair of the APRA AMCOS (music rights management organisation) Board and is a Director of AMPAL (industry collective for music publishers in Australasia). Damian worked closely with the singer Gurrumul Yunupingu and several remote Indigenous musicians to help build and support their careers, taking their music to national and international audiences.
![Donald Wininba Ganambarr](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Don-Wininba-Ganambarr-photo-e1691734748462.jpg)
Donald Wininba Ganambarr
Director / Deputy Chair
Don is a senior Yolŋu man from Galiwin’ku and Gurrumul’s brother-in-law. His status is that of a cultural leader, also known as Djungaya. In that role he has responsibility for cultural and family matters involving Gurrumul’s family. Recently, Don co-directed Buŋgul, based on Gurrumul’s posthumously released album, Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow). Receiving glowing reviews, Buŋgul was an opportunity for audiences to immerse themselves in Yolŋu music and dance, combined with Europe’s musical tradition.
![Rob Collins](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/RobCollins.jpg)
Rob Collins
Director
Born and raised in Darwin, Rob Collins graduated from the National Institute for Dramatic Arts in 2013. Rob’s theatre credits include a national tour of The Lion King in the role of Mufasa and as Lysander in the Sydney Theatre Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. His film and television roles are prolific. In 2017, he won the TV Week Logie Award in the Best New Talent category for his role as Jack in The Wrong Girl (2016). Recent leading roles have been in the ABC’s award-winning drama Total Control (2019-2024), the award-winning film The Drover’s Wife (2021) and Limbo (2023).
![Jennifer Nixon](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/JenniferNixon_320.jpg)
Jennifer Nixon
Director
Jenny is an Amnatyerr, Kaytetye and Alyawarr woman from Alice Springs. She is currently the Director at Central Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) for Central Australia. Over the years, Jenny has accumulated skills in negotiating information and practice in education, social services, law, governance, and health between two cultures. Jenny’s work history complements her desire to improve opportunities for children, families, students, and the wider community. Combined with this is a strong motivation to see Aboriginal cultures shared, incorporated, and recognised more widely in education, health, support, and communication networks.
![Paul Ah Chee ‘Ngala’](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Paul-Ah-Chee-Ngala-photo.jpg)
Paul Ah Chee ‘Ngala’
Director
Paul is a First Nations Arrernte Elder from Alice Springs. He has Aboriginal, Chinese, and European ancestry. Linked always with a strong sense of community and family, Paul has worked in the fields of sport, business and music, His key goal is to assist wherever possible in providing opportunities and pathways for individuals or groups to become economically self-sufficient with an ability to make choices about their future and day-to-day living. Currently Paul is embarking on an exciting re-entry into the creative industry which includes music and film.
![Professor Fiona Stanley AC](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FionaStanley.jpg)
Professor Fiona Stanley AC
Director
Fiona is the Founding Director and Patron of the Telethon Kids Institute, Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Western Australia, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Trained in maternal and child health, epidemiology, and public health, she has spent her career researching the causes of major childhood illnesses such as birth defects. A powerful advocate for Aboriginal social justice, Fiona was named Australian of the Year in 2003 and in 2006 was made a UNICEF Australia Ambassador for Early Childhood Development.
![Michael Hohnen](https://gurrumulfoundation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MichaelHohnen.jpg)
Michael Hohnen
Director
Michael has worked in the Northern Territory (NT) for 21 years, specifically in music and teaching, covering more than 20 remote Indigenous communities. As a classically trained double bass player, he was employed as Coordinator of VET Contemporary Music Certificate for Charles Darwin University which incorporated course delivery into remote Indigenous communities. He established the independent record label – Skinnyfish Music Pty Ltd together with Mark Grose and has since produced numerous ARIA award-winning albums (Gurrumul, Saltwater Band and Nabarlek) as well as receiving his own ARIA nomination for Producer of the Year 2008. Michael was awarded Australian of the Year (NT) in 2013 (in partnership with Mark Grose).