Staff
Kent Morris
Kent is a Barkindji man, a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and an alumnus of the Wesfarmers Indigenous Arts Leadership Program. He has over 20 years experience as a practising artist and curator and has specialist knowledge of, and connections within, the Indigenous Australian arts and culture industry. Kent has a strong interest in the educational and healing potential of the arts and in 2011 joined The Torch to design, develop and deliver the Indigenous Arts in Prisons and Community program.
Paul Mc Cann
Paul is a Marrithiyel man and a traditional landowner of the South West region of the Daly River (Northern Territory). Paul is a talented emerging artist who joined the Victorian Justice Department as an Indigenous Prison Officer then moved into an Aboriginal Wellbeing Officer role to better assist the Aboriginal community. Paul provides art and cultural support to Indigenous inmates across Victoria.
Ray Thomas
Ray is a Gunnai man with a long-standing and successful art practice and a background in community support programs. Ray won the Victorian Indigenous Art Awards in 2013 with a portrait of his mother and recently worked as the Cultural Lead at Bunjilwarra, a Koorie Youth Residential AOD Healing centre on the Mornington Peninsula. Ray runs The Torch’s In-Community program which provides art cultural and arts vocational support to Indigenous men and women who are transitioning back to the community after incarceration in Victoria.
Robby Wirramanda
Robby is a Wergaia man who has a strong background in the arts since a very young age. spanning painting, photography, carving, ceramics and music. Robby was introduced to The Torch whilst incarcerated in Barwon prison. Robby now provides art cultural and arts vocational support to Indigenous men and women who are transitioning back to the community in the north western region of Victoria.
Nerissa Broben
Nerissa has worked with the Victorian Koorie community for many years in the areas of education, art and cultural heritage. As the Senior Curator of Collections at the Koorie Heritage Trust for over 12 years, she brings project management, collection management and curatorial experience to the Torch team. Nerissa’s role at The Torch is to manage the artworks, art sales, licensing, commissions & provide exhibition support.
Debra Lyon
Deb is an accountant with over 20 years experience in both the corporate and not for profit sectors and most recently held the position of Finance and Operations Manager at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA). Deb brings experience in supporting smaller organisations during rapid periods of growth and is responsible for managing The Torch’s finance, governance, operations and administration.
Chris Keeler
Chris has over 20 years of experience working in the field of Indigenous cultural heritage at the Koorie Heritage Trust and Museum Victoria, including researching, writing and editing cultural resources, project managing exhibitions and managing cultural collections. Her role at The Torch is to research and produce program resources and assist with the management of artworks and exhibitions.