Our Team

Kate Costello

Chair

Kate is a professional, non-executive director having sold her consultancy, Governance Matters, in 2017. Prior to establishing Governance Matters, Kate earned a law degree from the University of Melbourne and worked in management at a commercial law firm. Kate is an expert in strategy, governance and commercial law. Kate’s board experience has spaned commercial, statutory and not-for-profit entities across diverse sectors: banking and finance; engineering; defence; biotech; entertainment; gaming; software; education; employment; housing and accommodation and professional services. She currently chairs ASX-listed LBT Innovations Ltd and is a director of Whittles Management Services Pty Ltd and Lanser Services Fund and, is a trustee of Adelaide Workers' Homes. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Lisa Bishop

Deputy Chair

As the former CEO of Music SA, Lisa spearheaded the creation of the Umbrella Festival and the SA Music Awards. She is currently a professional company director and as a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Lisa has had a 25 year board career with organisations including Vitalstatistix Theatre Company, Urban Myth Theatre of Youth, the Media Resource Centre, Centennial Park Cemetery, SAFKI Medicare Local Pty Ltd and SAPMEA. Now transitioning into the screen industry, Lisa has produced three short films (including her award winning debut Aftershock) and has built-up a skill set covering everything from script development to post-production. 

Andrew Mailler

Treasurer

Andrew has been the Treasurer of Adelaide Fringe since 2016, Chairs the Finance Committee and is a member of the Risk Committee. As a Chartered Accountant and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Andrew has held senior executive roles in a range of industries including professional services, retail, manufacturing and consulting as well as Director roles for a private technology company and a NFP Foundation. Andrew is currently Principal of Finance and Company Secretary for Hames Sharley, a national design practice specialising in architecture, interior design, urban design and planning,

Heidi Angove

Board Member

Primarily, Heidi Angove is a geek. Out and Proud! Over the years this has meant she’s been lucky enough to work in a couple of very different worlds. Telco and IT wise, she’s done everything from managing a variety of UNIX Systems, managing a number of large scale physical sites through managing Internode’s Corporate Support team, typed ‘show int’ on way too many Cisco devices and even written a bit of code here and there. She presently holds a wonderfully diverse position as the Operations Manager for Base64, Tech Evangelist Simon Hackett’s post Internode adventure. Arts Wise she’s served as the General Manager of ANAT (Australian Network for Art and Technology), been a member of a number of Boards, made portable ‘backpack’ internet radio stations, interactive audience controllers for theatre, rebuilt old rotary phones and connected them to the internet to make audio storytelling projects and a bunch more tech based stuff!

Odette Pearson

Board Member

Nick Linke

Board Member

Van Tang

Board Member

David Pearson

Board Member

David Pearson is the CEO of the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (AAEH) where is working to build a national campaign to support communities across Australia to end street homelessness. Previously he was the Executive Director of the Don Dunstan Foundation – a thought leadership organisation established to inspire action for a fairer world, and to build on the legacy of the late Premier of South Australia, Don Dunstan. Prior to this, David was the Senior Policy Adviser to a number of South Australian Premiers and Commonwealth Government Ministers where he advised on a range of policy areas including the arts and creative industries. David is Chair of the Fringe Festival Foundation, Deputy Chair of Community Bridging Services SA and Chair of the Yunus Social Business Centre at the University of South Australia. In 2019 David was recognised as one of the top 40 Under 40 leaders in South Australia and was awarded a 2020 Churchill Fellowship.

Heather Croall

Director and CEO

Heather Croall is an experienced CEO and Director known as a visionary in the creative sector who delivers innovative festival programs, new audiences and organisational growth. 

Under her leadership, every festival Heather has run has seen an increase in turnover, been met with high critical acclaim, delivered increased ticket sales and expanded audience demographics. Heather embraces adaptive and agile leadership methodologies and is known for implementing innovative digital platforms and systems that drive change and growth. 

Heather is a filmmaker and has produced and directed documentaries for SBS, ABC, Ch 4 and BBC. 

She first worked at the Fringe Star Club in the early 1990’s and also ran the film event, Shoot the Fringe from 1992 to 2002, then was Director at the Australian Documentary Conference before going to the UK to take up Festival Director and CEO role at the Sheffield Doc/Fest from 2005 – 2015.

Heather then returned to Adelaide to take up the role of Director and Chief Executive in 2015 at Adelaide Fringe.

Tara MacLeod

Head of Operations

Tara’s love of Fringe started in Edinburgh, where she spent 5 years before heading to London to live for another 5. It’s been a lifelong dream to work at the Fringe and she’s now Head of Operations – and loving it! 

It’s Tara’s second role in the Arts, her first foray being at the Adelaide Film Festival heading up the areas of Development, Events and Operations. A background in events, project management and ops, Tara spent 13 years at Port Adelaide Football Club as GM Events & Game Day and then switching to GM Strategic Projects. Tara reckons the move from AFL to the Arts hasn’t been too difficult…passionate, committed and staunch supporters sit on both sides.

Damon

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.

Ella

Head of Marketing and Ticketing & Digital

Ella started her Arts career at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a BOB at the Pleasance Theatre. Over the last 10 years she has made her way across several arts festivals to be at Adelaide Fringe as Head of Ticketing, Marketing and Digital.  The Fringe has evolved dramatically in the 7 festivals that Ella has been involved; with an impressive Digital overhaul including new ticketing and website platforms and a nearly doubling of ticket sales in this time.

Ella is a lover of comedy, ticketing stats, riding her bike to work and good spelling. 

Jo

Head of Program Operations and Business Development

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. 

Adrian

Office & Volunteer Manager

Adrian learnt from Kieran and quickly overtook him as ‘one of the best Volunteer Coordinators of the past 8 Fringes’, second only to Adelaide. He has joined the People and Culture department as the Office & Volunteer Manager and is as keen as ever to see all the faces that walk through the door. You may know his voice from Radio Adelaide’s Local Noise and Flâneur Files or maybe you’ve switched your screen off when his face appeared on the local music web series Songs for Pasta. Either way, he’s ready to say hi every day!

Amanda

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 been around since as the Ticketing Manager. Amanda’s favourite things include napping, travelling, alcoholic ginger beer, SNL, times shared around a bonfire, Fringe time, and her boys. 

Andy

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.

Chloe

Culture and Inclusion Manager

Chloe has been onboard the Fringe train for six seasons now, starting her journey in the ticketing team and now as a part of the operations team. Chloe strives to create a safe space for all, allowing individuals to thrive not only in a professional sense but also a personal one. Other than fostering culture Chloe's passions include Geology, peanut butter and all things sports. 

Danielle

Marketing and Communication Manager

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.    

Grace

Producer

Grace started working in the arts in 2015 at Adelaide Festival and has been obsessed with events and creating ‘wow’ experiences for audiences ever since. She has travelled to more than 20 countries and seeks out major cultural events and festivals wherever she goes. She is a dog lover and plans her trips to the beach or the park to be during ‘puppy peak hour’. Her favourite food is vegetarian dumplings and loves camping in her van on weekends.

Harrison

Production Manager

Starting as a theatre tech in regional SA in 2013, Harrison has worked in a varied aspects of events, from the Adelaide Marathon, to styling weddings, to the beautiful Yabarra - Dreaming in Light. Career highlights so far include; styling Post Malones dressing room, moving 9 tonne of sand into an indoor venue, and accidently running a 21km trail run to “check out the course.’ As a former child, Harrison knows the magic that the Arts can make to the up and coming, and it’s his ambition to see this “theatre” magic sprinkled throughout everything he does.

Janine

Business Development Manager

After 13 years in Melbourne – and nine very long months in lockdown – Janine has returned to her hometown for a limited time only! With a 20-year arts career spanning roles from festival manager, artist agent, producer, judge, mentor and even guest lecturer, the opportunity to re-join the Adelaide Fringe family was just too good to pass up. When she’s not in the Fringe office you’ll find Janine making the most of her new home in the East End enjoying the incredible food, wine and weather Adelaide is famous for.

Katherine

Business Development Manager

Kat spent eight years living in the UK, where she headed-up global partnerships & events for international advertising publication and networking platform, LBBonline. She left the EU around the same time the UK did and returned to sunny South Australia for the wine, footy and pie floaters. Kat joined the Fringe fam in 2017 and is so proud to work with some of SA’s top businesses and organisations to deliver record-breaking Fringes year on year. When not Fringe-ing, Kat enjoys cooking, glitter and sparkles.

Karina

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

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. 

Lauren

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. 

Matthew

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!

Nick

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.

Emma

Senior Campaign Coordinator

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.

Lara

Senior Artist Ticketing Coordinator

Lara joined the Adelaide Fringe family in early 2017 and has worked in various roles and now more recently as the Senior Artist Ticketing coordinator. She is a graduate from WAAPA in Performing Arts and has worked as an actor since 2011. Lara’s favourite things include the theatre, running, the beach, puppies, hot summer days, kicking the footy and anything outdoorsy as well as very long walks—particularly across Spain. Lara is also a yoga teacher and regularly teaches yoga in studios around Adelaide.
 

Nadia

Senior Partnerships Coordinator

Nadia has worked in the arts in various roles in Adelaide for almost 20 years, and loves the very special community that it is. Most recently with the Helpmann Academy, Nadia joined the Business Development team in 2021, and is thrilled to be part of the Fringe Family. She’s super keen to play a part in bringing to life one of the greatest, most fun, and supportive festivals in the world! Nadia is a self-confessed musical theatre super fan, loves baking & cooking, going to the movies solo, hot chips with mayonnaise, and hanging with her friends and family.

Rachael

Senior Ticketing Coordinator

Rachael has been Adelaide Fringe-ing since her homecoming to Adelaide in 2016, and she loves it. She is a talented actress, writer and director and creator of the acclaimed 24 Theatre experience, where professional and emerging artists collaborate and create six plays in 24 hours! She has a delightful phone voice, and when she is not working as the Senior Ticketing Coordinator she spends her time watching plays, writing plays, directing plays, producing plays... Did we mention she likes plays?? 

April

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. 

Chloe

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!

Isabella

Marketing Coordinator

Isabella first joined the Adelaide Fringe team in 2020 as a Marketing Intern before transitioning into her role as Marketing Coordinator. Isabella has a Bachelor of Marketing and Communication, and was eager to join the Fringe family as her first official marketing role. In her spare time, Isabella enjoys trying new restaurants, drinking wine with friends and of course, loves a good Sunday brunch.

Latecia

Junior Developer

Latecia is a self-taught developer who learned to code over the years. She enjoys gaming, board games, reading (mostly science fiction and fantasy related) and watching movies and television. She's forever trying to finish watching the top 250 classic movies list. Obsessed with most things pop culture and watches too much YouTube.

Lisa

Artist and Venue Coordinator

Lisa has dabbled in all areas of artists and venues, with experience as a theatre maker, producer and venue manager. With many years participating as a local in Adelaide Fringe, she has gradually made her way on to the other side! Lisa loves a good chinwag, sunny days, fun festivities and family time with her little humans. You won’t find a person who is more passionate about the arts, and who will do anything for the Fringe fam: artists, venues and all.

Maddy

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

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! 

Trena

Grants and Philanthropy Coordinator

Trena had her first taste of the festival world in 2016 and hasn’t looked back since. She has worked in the Event industry in various capacities across a few cities including London and Dubai. After a bit of travelling, she found herself charmed by the pretty lights and delicious coffee in Adelaide and decided to set camp. She finds nothing more relaxing than a cup of tea accompanied with a HARD COPY book or just binge watching series and dramas under a blanket.

Marlene

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.