Our Team

Heather Croall

Director and CEO

Heather first worked at the Fringe in the Star Club in the early 1990’s and also ran the film event, Shoot The Fringe from 1992 to 2002. After a decade away from Adelaide running a festival in the UK, Heather returned to take up the role of Director and CEO in 2015. She has a passion for rollerskating.

Aggy Szelesta

Head of People and Culture

Aggy completed years of work in corporate environments of the private, not for profit and government sectors and she is also an interpreter. Aggy's HR interest include employee wellbeing, work-life balance, and workplace culture. In her spare time, Aggy can be found sampling some almond latte and an occasional pu-erh or matcha tea. She's into cinematography, film review writing, and photography.

Jo O'Callaghan

Head of Program Operations

Jo likes to throw a party, it’s true, she also likes dogs. She has returned home to SA to throw the biggest party to date in her career, and joined the Adelaide Fringe team in 2017. Her first encounter with Adelaide Fringe was producing and performing on busses across Adelaide, with the cult hit Op Shop Tours. You may also know her from various management roles at festivals such as Melbourne Fringe, Melbourne International Film Festival, Short + Sweet Melbourne, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.  If you can’t see her, listen for her laugh. 

Emma Bedford

Head of Production

Emma Bedford is committed to the diverse, eclectic world of live entertainment and large scale events. In recent years, Emma has been a key player in delivering some of Australia’s large scale events, including Sydney Festival, WOMADelaide and Adelaide Fringe. Emma has also been a leader in Australian theatre organisations including Erth Visual and Physical, Performance Space Sydney and Vitalstatistix.

Ella Huisman

Head of Ticketing and Digital Operations

Ella started her ticketing career as a BOB at Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh and has made her way across several arts festivals to be at Adelaide Fringe as Head of Ticketing and Digital Operations. She is a lover of comedy, ticketing stats, riding her bike to work and good spelling. 

Dean Worthington

Head of Marketing and Business Development

Dean brings to the Fringe team an extensive background in marketing and partnerships and a passion for community, arts, events and philanthropy. In 2019, he became the head of the Marketing and Business Development department. Originally from Mildura, his career has taken him across the globe, where he has gained insight into every facet of arts, social engagement and events, from volunteering to management to Board participation. The three loves of his life are his cat, Hunter, Dolly Parton and indoor plants (in that order).   

Damon Maslen

Head of Finance

Damon thinks it would be accrual world without the Fringe. He has a background in audit but has been drawn into the commercial world by the attractiveness of Adelaide Fringe, and its rocking family. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing sport or travelling the world. In a past life, Damon was a soccer coach, water polo coach, a swimming coach, a life guard, and spent far too much time at the Garden and other Fringe locations.

Bronwyn Foster-Jones

Marketing Manager

Bronwyn came to Fringe in 2018 after a number of years marketing within the beauty, home improvement and arts industries. She is a people person who is enormously passionate about using marketing and digital mediums to tell stories and connect with others. Bronwyn loves travel, instigating office banter and reading just about everything.

Danielle Hoban

Marketing Manager (Membership)

With a MA in Business Management (Arts and Cultural) and a BA in Visual Arts, Danielle was no stranger to all things creative and imaginative before joining the Fringe Fam in 2019. She has 10+ years experience in venue and artist management, and is the go-to-gal for all your Fringe Membership needs. Danielle is an avid member of the Fringe volleyball team, loves true crime and, when she's not at the office, spends much of her time with her skateboard-riding Chihuahua x Papillion pup, Nola.    

Andy Beecroft

Marketplace Manager

Andy caught the festival bug back in 2007 and has worked many international festivals over the last 11 years, working within marketplaces and industry from Sheffield Doc/Fest to Edinburgh Fringe. He made the leap over to Adelaide Fringe in 2016. He manages the Honey Pot, working year round to bring out the best presenters and organisations from around the world to see shows within the Honey Pot program during Fringe. Andy’s perfect weekend would include a few cellar doors in Mclaren Vale followed by a beach walk and swim at Port Willunga with friends.

Jaimie Halliday

Partnerships Manager

Coming from an events and marketing background, Jaimie joined the Fringe in 2018 as a Partnerships Events Coordinator before moving into the role of Partnerships Manger in 2019. When she is not looking after our Partners, she is drinking Italian wine, eating Korean food and hanging out with her cat Valerie.

Amanda Hillgrove

Ticketing Manager

Amanda joined the Adelaide Fringe team as a box office staff member in 2016, then moved into a Ticketing Coordinator role for the 2017 season, and has more recently taken up the role as Assistant Ticketing Manager, sitting a high-five’s distance away from Ella. Amanda’s favourite things include napping, travelling, alcoholic ginger beer, SNL, times shared around a bonfire, Fringe time, and her boys. 

Chloe Smith

Box Office Manager

Chloe has been a part of the ticketing team since the 2016 season, holding the positions of FringeTIX assistant, Box Office Coordinator and more recently Box Office Manager. Chloe is an Adelaide local and enjoys the inclusive culture of Fringe. Other than tickets Chloe’s passions include Geology, the outdoors and all things sports.

Karina Bryce

Artists and Venues Manager

A self-confessed cat lady, Karina joined Adelaide Fringe in 2015, dancing between seasonal roles in Adelaide and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for three years. A proud Adelaideian, Karina has been a lover of all things Fringe since forever. She enjoys laughing 'till you cry, getting up at 4am for the live Eurovision final, RuPaul's Drag Race memes and a hot mug of Milo.

Kieran Kellett

Digital Project Manager

Kieran has recently joined the legendary Ticketing and Digital department as the Digital Project Manager. For the past few festivals he has worked as a ticketing superstar in the box office and most recently as ‘one of the best Volunteer Coordinators of the past 8 Fringe’s.’ He is enjoying the challenge of steering our AVR platform forward to make the lives easier for our artists and venues, pioneering the Fringes Cheryl’s on the beach volleyball court and learning more about the wonderful mind of Matt as they navigate our digital landscape together. 

Matthew Croall

Lead Developer

Matt is the lead developer on our AVR platform as well as other in-house software. He works alongside Kieran and the many stakeholders in delivering an easy and seamless artist / venue registration experience. Matt is part of the Cheryl’s vollyball team and enjoys gaming, kayaking, taking care of his tropical fish and his amazing dog Monte!

Rachael Williams

Senior Ticketing Coordinator

Rachael has recently returned to the Ticketing and Digital team after pioneering the YEP School’s Booking program in 2018. She is a talented actress, writer and director and creator of the acclaimed 24 Theatre experience, where professional and emerging artists collaborate and create 6 plays in 24 hours! Rachael loves Harry Potter (is a proud Huffel-puffer), reading and the beach. She has an exceptional phone voice and is enjoying the ticketing challenges of all acronym based technologies such as VIA, AVR and XML.

April Wanganeen

Artist Ticketing Coordinator

April is currently working in Ticketing and Digital as our Artist Ticketing Coordinator. She joined the Fringe Team in 2016, after working in various events and hospitality roles in Adelaide and Melbourne. April enjoys spending time with her family, friends and exploring SA. 

Danielle Varnes

Event and Partnerships Coordinator

After managing events across different industries, Danielle has landed in the Festival scene, joining the Adelaide Fringe team as the Events and Partnerships Coordinator. With a knack for creativity and organisation, Danielle believes there is no greater enjoyment than attending an event with wowing entertainment, enticing conversation and free food. Danielle loves cats, kites, musicals and board games.

Matt Furina

Marketing Coordinator

Matt joined the Adelaide Fringe team in early 2019 as a Marketing Assistant, enjoying all things marketing and the regular amount of banter around the office. During Fringe you can find Matt in The Garden at the famous “CornStar” stand or at the nearest bar with a beer in hand. Other than Fringe, Matt is obsessed with all things sport, cheering on the Crows during the footy season and repeatedly watching Billy Madison.  

Emma Johnson

Marketing Coordinator – Membership

Emma joined the Fringe Fam in early 2019 and was quick to make a home in our Marketing department. With a film Major from Uni SA, she fancies promoting the arts in all its forms. She is a brunch enthusiast, hiker and an avid Taylor Swift fan. Reading with a cup of tea in front of her record player? Yep you'll find her doing that, too.

Christy Jones

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Before joining Fringe in 2018 as a Marketing Assistant, Christy lived and worked in Tokyo as an English teacher and travel writer. Her favourite things are dogs, Harry Potter, Studio Ghibli, daifuku, and speculative literature. In her spare time, Christy loves writing, travel, studying and drinking her weight in green tea. 

Missy Husband

Audience Development Coordinator

Missy joined the Fringe in 2019 as Audience Development Coordinator, having previously worked in Tourism and Marketing. As an avid Fringe go-er and a self-confessed Marketing nerd, she is excited to be spreading the word about the Fringe far and wide! Missy’s favourite things include photography, fitness, food, travel, gaming and reading. In her spare time, you can usually find Missy at the gym, drinking coffee at a local cafe or at home on the couch with her family including her cat, Binx, and dog, Günter.

Connor Jolly

Production Coordinator

Connor started as the Parade Intern back in 2017 and hasn’t left the Fringe since. After a short stint in ticketing, he marched his way into the production department and discovered a passion for all things planning, creating and of course throwing down a jolly good wingding! Connor can likely be found singing Fleetwood Mac at the top of his lungs on the Fringe Club dance floor, any given night of Fringe.  

Kate Cooper

Program Coordinator

Kate started working for the Fringe in 2017, she’s our Program Coordinator with an added twist of zest. When she’s not chatting or organising every bodies calendar of events you can usually find her sipping a large glass of wine with a serious cheese platter. Her side hustle is the Handpicked Festival which is held in Kate's backyard. Imagine barefoot dancing, picnics on the lawn, amazing wine, world class music, laidback vibes and a dash of surprise…sounds like something Kate would create…right?!  

Olga Nowicka

Marketplace Coordinator

Olga has been creativity-inclined since forever, and grew up preferring to visit arthouse cinemas than cause mischief with her peers. Her artistic passions include photography, film and theatre. She joined Adelaide Fringe in 2018 and came straight from Adelaide Film Festival. Previously, Olga lived in Sydney for many years and worked in film production as well as the Australian Writers’ Guild. Olga would like more hours in the week to be able to pursue a variety of creative and artistic endeavours, however, her current role as the Marketplace Coordinator is helping her to balance her many passions.

Sonal Patel

Artist and Venue Coordinator

Love and an unhealthy preoccupation with spreadsheets brought Sonal over to Adelaide and Fringe in 2018 after a few years in Brisbane working on both BIGSOUND and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. When she’s not wrangling awards and grant panels, she spends her time watching films, making films, and getting ridiculously competitive at pub quizzes.

Maddy Warren

Artist and Venue Coordinator

Maddy is a people person, and now she gets to be one of Adelaide Fringe’s people people! Having worked in Wellington, New Zealand for a few years in the Arts, particularly the festivals (NZ Fringe & NZ International Comedy), Maddy made the leap over the ditch to Adelaide to explore the bigger, wider world that is the Fringe. When she’s not on the phone being incredibly helpful, or answering emails with gusto, Maddy can be found dabbling in the performance art known as comedy. She likes a cuppa and a ruddy good chinwag, and is up for all team sports.

Nikki Earl

Artist and Venue Coordinator

Having always loved and worked in the weird and wonderful world of events, Nikki has recently joined the fun bunch in the Artist & Venue team. A lover of logistics and perfectly formatted documents, in her spare time, Nikki enjoys getting a bit gangsta to hip hop and RnB grooves, tending to all her plant babies and “training” to one day be on Australian Survivor! 

Lauren Finch

Executive Assistant to Heather Croall

Lauren started with the Adelaide Fringe in 2014 after working at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe while traveling. She has worked as a superstar supervisor in the box offices, in the Ticketing department as a Coordinator, and has now made the move to Executive Assistant to the Director and CEO, Heather Croall.

Lauren has a cleaning problem, only wears black and is a single mother to her little French bulldog, Ponyo. Lauren likes to have a lol, a white wine with ice and bloody loves Fringe fun times. 

Nick Philips

Graphic Artist

Nick studied Fine Art Sculpture in the UK and was a founding partner in the UK design company The Designers Republic. He was the Lead Artist at the Sony Leeds studio and worked on the Bafta winning Wip3out for the Play Station. Now living and working in Adelaide on everything Fringe and also performing his own show Werewolves in Adelaide and ast Edinburgh Fringe. In his spare time painting murals around town and sculpting.

Chloe Elizabeth

Graphic Artist

Riding her bike straight in from university, Chloe joined the Adelaide Fringe family in 2015. Chloe’s a true believer of clear communication and logical problem solving through design, but always with a healthy dose of fun and Fringe stars! If not at their desks you’ll often find the design team making cups of tea in the kitchen, dancing around, or both. Always appreciates a good IPA, good music (see: BBC Radio 6), and a good boogie at the Fringe Club!

Marlene Mason

Fish Tank Coordinator

Marlene has been with Fringe for over two years. She began working with the marketing department before realising her true calling was in administration. She's a real people-fish and loves greeting new visitors to Fringe HQ. Marlene is a strong supporter of the Fish Are Friends Not Food movement, and in her spare times loves a good swim around her tank.