STAFF
Director Jacqueline Hornjik
Creative Producer, Programming + New Work Gabriela Green Olea
Creative Producer, Youth + Emerging Bina Bhattacharya
Creative Producer, Community + Engagement Daisy Montalvo
Finance + Operations Manager Holly Morrison
Associate Producer / Marketing Associate Neda Taha
Casual Associate Producer Olivia Xegas
Archivists Luke Goddard and Samira Basic
Podcast Producer Charnel Rizk
Youth Week Producer Riddhi Dua
Companies-in-residence Sweatshop Literacy Movement
2026 Artist-in-Residence Jollee Hacadurian-Sacco
Works-in-Development Geraldine Balcazar (Bodies Hold Histories), Jacqueline Hornjik (Quinceañera), Neda Taha (Finding Jody Jenkins), Gerard Cabellon, Alejandro Scarone and Lawrence Bernal (Break the Fifth Wall), Efren Pamilacan, Eliam Royalness, Feras Shaheen, Gusta Mara, Jamaica Moana and Troi-Saraih Ilsle (The Street Dance Exchange).
BOARD
Co-Chairs Donna Abela and Najee Tannous
Treasurer Frank Ashe
General Board Members Dr Rachael Jacobs, Tammy Dang, Kelly Kim, Jessica Boudville, Julia Hunt McNeur.
PYT Staff
L-R Jacqueline Hornjik, Gabriela Green Olea, Bina Bhattacharya, Daisy Montalvo, Holly Morrison & Neda Taha.
Director – Jacqueline Hornjik
Jacqueline Hornjik is a Producer, Director, and Arts Leader with a passion for theatre-making and community engagement. She champions young and emerging artists, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and Western Sydney.
With over 20 years of experience in the arts, Jacqueline’s journey includes founding the Liverpool Performing Arts Ensemble in 2007, producing and curating theatre at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, and serving as Deputy Chair of Access Arts Australia. Her other roles include Creative Producer at Critical Stages, Marketing Manager at Monkey Baa Theatre Company, Producer for Children, Families, and Creative Learning at the Sydney Opera House, and currently, Director at PYT Fairfield.
Jacqueline is also co-founder and co-director of consultative play-based company Toy Diplomacy, developed during Covid as a way to help break barriers to play.
Jacqueline holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Performance Studies from the University of Sydney, along with a Master of Marketing and a Master of Business Administration.
Her contributions to curating and producing performing and visual arts programs for young audiences have garnered her numerous awards, including nominations for the Western Sydney Women and Women of the West Awards and the winner of the iMAGine and Vivid Ideas Awards.
Creative Producer, Programming + New Work – Gabriela Green Olea
Gabriela Green Olea is a Western Sydney-based dance artist and creative producer. Of Chilean-refugee heritage, her work explores cross-cultural identity and art as activism. As a producer at PYT Fairfield since 2021, she champions culturally diverse, emerging artists. Her producing portfolio includes major works like Dorr-e Dari (Sydney Opera House), Pioneers (Art & About), The Hen House (regional NSW tour), and KATMA (Sydney Festival). Her own creative practice includes cross-cultural, collaborative, participatory projects such as ‘Mystery Call’ with the MindsEye Collective in Sydney and Teatro Sur in Chile for Midsumma Festival 2025, reflecting her commitment to pushing artistic, social and cultural borders and boundaries.
Creative Producer, Youth + Emerging – Bina Bhattacharya
Bina Bhattacharya is an AWGIE-nominated feature film writer and award-winning filmmaker from Campbelltown in Sydney’s southwest. Her debut feature film as writer and director, “From All Sides”, starring Max Brown, Monique Kalmar and featuring Rebekah Elmaloglou, was selected for Queer Screen’s prestigious “Goes to Cannes” showcase at Marché du film and is scheduled for release in 2025 with Screen Inc. Bina was one of eight writers for the anthology film ‘Here Out West’ which was the opening night film of the Sydney Film Festival 2021. She directed the music video for ARIA-nominated Punjabi-Australian singer Parvyn’s single ‘What You See’, which was featured in Rolling Stone India. Bina works as a Creative Producer – Youth and Emerging at PYT Fairfield – Western Sydney’s leading professional theatre company with a focus on youth where she uses her skills as a writer, dramaturg and director to shape new theatre works with multicultural young people from Western Sydney. She runs a production company, Gemme de la Femme Pictures, with her husband, creating narrative and factual content that reflects modern, diverse Australia. Bina is also a prolific public speaker, panellist and moderator, having appeared on Weekend Sunrise, the ABC and live events across Sydney. She also works regularly as a script doctor and editor for screen projects in development.
Creative Producer Community + Engagement – Daisy Montalvo
Daisy Montalvo is a Mount Druitt community artist with a focus in film-making and community & engagement. She started her career in the Arts as a performer for the Mt Druitt Press Conference at the ‘FUNPARK’ Sydney Festival in 2014 and in 2019 Daisy went from being a participant in FUNPARK to becoming its Director (2019-2024).
Daisy completed a Journalism degree in 2015 and went on to make a documentary called Broadening Horizons (2017) following the stories of six young women from Bidwill on a six day hike in Tasmania. From there she has gone on to direct short films El Baile (2018) and Sydney Festival short film Prone to the Drone (2019). Daisy has also been involved in other film projects as a producer for feature film From All Sides (2023) and short film Tony’s Dream (2023).
She is a passionate storyteller who believes in the importance of sharing and giving voice to the stories of young people in Western Sydney and has practiced that daily through her role at PYT Fairfield.
Finance + Operations Manager – Holly Morrison
Holly Morrison is an arts administrator and certified bookkeeper who has been working in financial management for not for profit organisations for eight years. She holds a Bachelor of Art Theory (Distinction) from the UNSW Art & Design and a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping.
Whilst studying, Holly worked in community services in Waterloo, Sydney where she experienced the connection between art and social agency, and has worked for organisations who support artists and build relationships with communities ever since.
Holly has previously worked in community development at Cumberland Council’s Peacock Gallery and Auburn Arts Studio and is currently also Best Practice and Finance Coordinator at the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) where she specialises in best practice
Associate Producer / Marketing Associate – Neda Taha
Neda Taha is an interdisciplinary artist and producer from Western Sydney whose creative journey began in street hip-hop as a young founding member of the award-winning dance crew, The Pioneers. Her practice spans dance, theatre, film, and producing, with performances on prestigious stages including the Sydney Opera House and World Expo 2020 in Dubai.
In 2023, Neda made her directorial debut with Tuân’s Party, which enjoyed a sold-out premiere and a critically acclaimed remount season in 2025, earning ★★★★ from WhatsTheShow and praise from ABC Radio’s Rod Quinn as “the best show he’s seen all year.” Alongside her creative work, Neda has worked as Creative Producer, Communications and Social Media at FUNPARK, and has produced and supported a range of events and initiatives at PYT Fairfield, including Making Waves, the Women’s Weaving Workshop, and Women Who Launch. She is also a dedicated member of PYT Fairfield, contributing as a Director, Actor, Co-Writer, and previously as Senior Facilitator for their after-school drama program, Pilots/Junior Ensemble.
Neda’s commitment to nurturing young artists and creating culturally responsive, community-driven work continues to define her as a vital force in the Australian arts sector. In 2026, she will begin development on her first solo work, Finding Jody Jenkins, marking a new chapter in her practice as a performer, writer, and multidisciplinary storyteller, and further expanding her voice as an independent artist.
PYT Board
L-R Donna Abela, Frank Ashe, Kelly Kim, Rachael Jacobs, Tammy Dang, Jessica Boudville and Julia Hunt McNeur
Co-Chair – Donna Abela
Donna grew up in Western Sydney, and is a founding member of PYT Fairfield. Her plays have won the Griffin Playwriting Prize, AWGIE awards for Stage and Audio, the Human Rights Award for Drama, and been nominated for prizes including two NSW Premiers Literary Awards. As a dramaturge, she has extensive experience developing emerging writers and new works for the stage. She studied at UTS, NIDA, UNSW, and UoW where she completed a doctorate and taught creative writing. She currently teaches scriptwriting at Excelsia College and NIDA, and in 2017 and 2021 delivered the bespoke year-long Page to Stage course for the National Theatre of Parramatta.
Co-Chair – Najee Tannous
Najée is an interdisciplinary performance maker and arts educator. His work spans across installation, immersive performance and contemporary dance. The Australian-based creative works for agencies, production houses, start-ups, and educational institutions to create meaningful contemporary work that matters.
Najée is a graduate of the Australian Academy of Dramatic Arts and Australian Catholic University completing a Bachelor of Performance (Acting & Directing), Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts & Theatre Studies) and Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary). He has worked with the Sydney Opera House (Education/Programming), Australian Theatre for Young People (Education), and Barefeet films (Assistant Director). His film and television credits include Home and Away (2007), Gangs of Oz (2008), Dance Academy (2008) and Dream Kiss Cry (2011).
His art and stage credits include Doctor Faustus (2013), One Way Pendulum (2013), Six Characters in Search of an Author (2013), Three Sisters (2011), Oedipus (2008), Untitled (8/8) (2015), Lootna (2013), and Tropospheric (2013). Najée was awarded the 2019 and 2020 Artist Residency at PYT Fairfield where he developed PYT’s first queer work, Carpet Stories (2019); a multi disciplinary work that examines the Middle Eastern queer experience. Najée was also selected as a participating artist for Performance Space’s Queer Nu Works (2021) at Carriageworks and is currently working on his new in-development work Pickled (2023).
Treasurer – Frank Ashe
Frank Ashe has extensive Not-For-Profit board experience, in particular as Treasurer and has worked with Arts Access Australia, Incite Arts (in Mparntwe/Alice Springs), and the Attitude Foundation.
Frank currently works as a consultant specialising in risk governance and behavioural finance. He is fascinated by contrasting facets of human cultures and behavioural psychology and how they affect organisational behaviour.
Frank has worked for over 40 years in Australia, Canada, and Asia. He has worked in pro bono positions in Africa and South Asia, and is a regular presenter.
Frank obtained his PhD from UNSW in Statistics and Applied Mathematics. He wishes there were more serious expositions of mathematics in the arts.
General Board Member – Kelly Kim
Kelly is a media and entertainment lawyer with a passion for the performing arts and live entertainment. She is currently Legal Counsel at Michael Cassel Group, a live entertainment company formed to produce the world’s greatest theatrical productions and live entertainment.
In 2023, Kelly was named a finalist at the prestigious Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards in the Rising Star of the Year (In-House) category. Prior to obtaining her law degree at Macquarie University, Kelly also completed her Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Her passion for the creative and performing arts stems from her personal experience as a performer.
As a first-generation Korean Australian who grew up in South-West Sydney, Kelly is thrilled to be a Board member of PYT Fairfield. She is passionate about supporting and encouraging young and emerging artists in Western Sydney.
General Board Member – Rachael Jacobs
Rachael Jacobs lectures in Creative Arts Education at Western Sydney University and is a former secondary arts teacher (Dance, Drama and Music). She has a PhD on creativity and assessment, and her research focusses on arts for creative and social justice.
Rachael has facilitated art projects in community settings all over Australia, mostly working in migrant and refugee communities. She is also a community activist, aerial artist, South Asian choreographer and runs her own intercultural dance company. She was a founding member of Teachers for Refugees, is on the boards of climate action organisation, Sweltering Cities, and youth theatre company, PYT Fairfield.
General Board Member – Tammy Dang
Tammy Dang is a Western Sydney theatre-maker and filmmaker who makes wholesome, fun and equally emotional stories about dreams, love, and family for young people (think Disney Pixar films!). She was awarded the Mayor’s Creative Artist Award (2023) for her commitment to the creative arts and was a PYT Lansdowne scholarship recipient in 2022.
While currently completing her Law and Media (Screen and Sound Production) degrees, Tammy has directed, filmed and edited her first music video for Charnel Rizk, ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ (2023); co-devised and acted in the theatre show, ‘KHair’ (2023); worked on numerous theatre shows as [assistant] stage-manager and tech crew, including ‘Action Star’ which premiered at the Oz Asia Festival; photographed at high-end events like the ‘Vogue Convention’ (2022 & 2023) and ‘Exclusive Stranger Things Event’ (2022); and worked on various film and video projects, including second-unit directing a feature film, ‘From All Sides’ (2022-23), and co-creating a short film under the Ensemble Micro-commission awards, ‘For April’ (2022).
Tammy is currently creating a musical theatre show called ‘Little Big Dreams’ which explores dreams, love and family in a Vietnamese-Teo Chew household, as part of her 2023 PYT residency.
General Board Member – Jessica Boudville
Jessica Boudville is a performing arts professional with over two decades of experience in the events and entertainment industry, including roles at Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, Hordern Pavilion, Parramatta Riverside Theatres and Powerhouse Museum. Jessica has had the privilege of managing high-profile productions, global artists and strategic initiatives, developing a varied understanding of the intricacies of the performing arts landscape.
Jessica has a deep appreciation for the power of the arts, nurturing young talent and fostering creativity. In the 1980’s her family migrated from London to South West Sydney where she grew up. Jessica is eager to contribute to the growth and success of PYT ensuring it remains a vibrant and impactful platform for young artists to thrive and express themselves.
General Board Member – Julia Hunt-McNeur
Julia Hunt-McNeur is a Performing Arts Marketing Manager at the Sydney Opera House, overseeing campaigns for the Children, Families & Creative Learning, and Talks and Ideas portfolios. With a career spanning Aotearoa New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, Julia has held roles in children and youth-centered organisations, including British-based organisations Kids and Into Film, which annually hosts the largest youth-focused film festival in the world.
Her background in entertainment and the arts in Australia includes roles at Universal Sony Pictures and Roadshow Films. Julia is passionate about accessible cultural initiatives that inspire the next generation of artists and audiences, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Header image credit: Eisha Yawarish
