Bluebird Foundation is a not-for-profit incorporated association managed by a volunteer committee of management.

committee of Management

Jane Prouten (President) MBA, BDes (IntArch)(Hons), DipBus(Gov)
Jane grew up between various Australian cities and Suva, Fiji. This early exposure to the inequalities between communities sparked Jane’s desire to improve living conditions for people in need. Initially studying Interior Architecture at RMIT to focus on built environment solutions, Jane moved to the Kimberley and then the Northern Territory and worked with remote Aboriginal communities building much-needed community infrastructure. Jane then moved into various State Government departments supporting children and families in the Child Protection system and working on community development initiatives to improve social outcomes for people experiencing hardship.

Jane went on to complete her Master of Business Administration (International and Community Development) and a Diploma in Business Governance whilst working for Architects Without Frontiers on local, remote and international development projects. She currently works for the City of Greater Geelong developing social policies for the City and advocating for communities who are facing barriers to participation. Passionate about equality, children’s rights and a sustainable future; Jane is honoured to be a part of the exceptional team at Bluebird. 

Debbie Elea (Treasurer) GradDip (Management)
Debbie worked in the Family Services Department at the City of Greater Geelong for 30 years, ‘semi-retiring’ in 2011, and has been a volunteer with the Bluebird Foundation since its early days. Singing is a great passion. Deb sang with Geelong Harmony for 15 years and was on the Committee of Management for most of those years, and Assistant Director for five years. She sang with Something Else! a cappella quartet for seven years and now sings with 3 Docs & a Diva a cappella quartet.

Angelica Klein-Boonschate (Secretary) BHlthSc & IntDev
Angelica(Gel) is Bendigo born and bred but made the sea change to Geelong in early 2017. Graduating University with a double degree in Biomedical Science and International Development, she is a lover of travel, an avid explorer, lover of sport and family. Currently employed at Deakin University overseeing the welfare and wellbeing of over 800 residents living on Campus, Gel’s love for people and all things Geelong culminates in her involvement with Bluebird Foundation. Passionate about music, singing and the next generation, seeing children and adolescents explore the power of the arts is one of Gel’s greatest joys. Proudly partnering with the BCYF Out of Home Care Program, Gel and her husband Brendan have been fostering vulnerable children in Geelong for five years and are proud to belong to the Geelong Community.

Joshua Maxwell de Hoog
Joshua Maxwell de Hoog is a Geelong-based multidisciplinary maker. They are passionate about illustration, self publication and the preservation of interesting graphic or physical oddities. Playing in Geelong's most experimental Jazz band, Final Final, Joshua combines their love for the visual medium into musical output, and their passion for music is clearly evident in their visual art. De Hoog is a great advocate for the importance of mutual inspiration and works tirelessly to create spaces welcoming for all to express their creativity and explore their passion. They are dedicated to fostering young minds and creative thinkers. Having been in the arts business and gallery world for over fifteen years, Joshua has a strong ability to turn drawn or collected images into professional output, and they love sharing their ideas and knowledge both in teaching and in collaboration.

Melissa Murphy BMus (Hons), RMT, PhD
Melissa grew up in Canberra and moved to Mt Duneed as a teenager. She moved again to Melbourne in 1989 to begin an Arts degree before transferring to study Music after reading an article about music therapy. She has practiced as a Registered Music Therapist ever since, in special education settings, child protection, palliative and aged care, mental health and adult disability. The call for further study in 2013 drew Melissa back to the University of Melbourne to embark on a PhD research project looking at opportunities for young people with disabilities to pursue music after school. She moved to her current residence in Geelong West to pursue this for the next several years, becoming enmeshed in the development of the NDIS in the region and the effect that this has had on the lives of the young people with whom she was researching. Her research led to the founding of MusicSpace, a Bluebird Foundation program that aims to support people’s interest and ambitions with music. She is excited to be supporting access to the arts more broadly through the Bluebird Committee of Management.

Jane Pearson
Jane is the founder and former owner of Perth based creative space and pottery painting studio, Pears On Pottery, with extensive experience co-ordinating and running arts-based workshops and events. Having recently relocated to the Geelong/Surf Coast area, Jane has a keen interest in the creative programs Bluebird Foundation delivers, and hopes to bring her small business knowledge base to further the reach of Bluebird through community participation and investment.

With many years spent in smaller towns in outback South Australia, the Kimberley and the N.T, Jane has witnessed the positive impact that arts and creative outlets can have for all members of the community, aligning with Bluebird’s values.

Kylie Riley (GCertWritLit, PGDipHealthProm)
Kylie grew up in Melbourne and moved to Geelong in 2018. She works as Senior Health Planner for the City of Greater Geelong, and her career in local government has included roles in Environmental Health, Health Promotion and Social Policy. She is a strong advocate for the role of the arts in promoting health and wellbeing. She loves pets, travel, visual art, a good book, and is a former violinist with the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Glen Smith BA(Fine Art)(Hons), DipEd, Mbus(ACM)
Born and raised in Geelong, Glen has spent most of his life living, working and creating locally. Completing his undergraduate studies in visual arts at RMIT, and complementing this with post graduate studies in secondary education and through a Masters of Business in Arts & Cultural Management. Glen has an extensive background in teaching and training, currently holding the position of Department Manager of Visual Arts at Oxygen College, a tertiary creative arts provider. With a passion for art making, Glen has undertaken eighteen solo exhibitions and participated in more than one hundred group shows to date. Career highlights include; '#RitzHeritageOverlay' a large format installation at the Geelong Gallery, selection for the 1st Australian Print Triennial, the Chrissie Amphlett mural for the City of Greater Geelong, creating a multimedia presentation for the 2006 Commonwealth Games live site and gaining representation locally with Boom Gallery. Glen looks forward to supporting the next generation of artists and helping Bluebird Foundation continue to deliver its amazing and accessible programs for the Geelong community. 

Catherine C. Turner (she/they) DipGovt(Mgt), BAComcn(Hons), MFA(CulLship)
Books and stories are Catherine’s first love. She is an emerging writer, qualified book editor, award-winning freelance book publisher, and regular writers’ festival goer. They’ve also volunteered at state-based writers' centres and worked in educational book publishing.

Catherine is also passionate about visual arts, history and heritage, as a hobby photographer who’s exhibited in two states and enjoyed museum exhibitions across Australia and while travelling in the UK, Europe, Turkey, and North Americas. Between 2015 and 2021, this combined with their literary love as she worked in the GLAM (gallery, library, archives and museums) sector in regional communities in three states.

Their other lifelong love is for the performing arts. She’s performed as an amateur flautist in community bands in two states and one territory, worked at Australia’s largest regional theatre, and is currently working with an orchestral organisation in Naarm/Melbourne.