Meet Our Board

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  • Born and raised in Brisbane, Luisa prides herself on being an eclectic mix of performer, entrepreneur and passionate advocate for the arts. Prior to her musical studies at the University of Queensland, she successfully completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science.

    Whilst at UQ Luisa toured to Cairns and Tenterfield, founded the UQ Opera Society and performed a wide range of roles. A finalist in the Ethel Osborne and Margaret Nickson Prize, Luisa quickly found herself performing with local groups such as the Seven Sopranos and Brisbane Baroque whilst still completing her studies. Keenly interested in innovative and new avenues of opera, Luisa premiered the virtual reality opera, Artemis (composed by Taana Rose) in the title role which was featured in the 2022 Qld XR Festival.

    A co-founder of Springboard Opera, Luisa wanted to create an arts organisation that championed emerging artists and provided them with the opportunities they needed to grow their careers right here in Brisbane. She aims to create an inclusive, accepting environment in which every artist is able to share and nurture their unique artistic voice.

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  • Heru Pinkasova is a Papuan-Australian vocalist and performer, born in Port Moresby and raised in Cairns. She has studied and performed across Australia and Europe, including with Australian Dance Theatre in The Beginning of Nature, where she sang in the Kaurna language. In 2024, Heru created the role of Maria in Three Marys, a new opera by Andrée Greenwell at the Sydney Opera House. She has also appeared with the internationally acclaimed Hot Brown Honey.
    A versatile artist, Heru starred as Queenie in Show Boat with The Production Company in Melbourne, and captivated audiences at Wynnum Fringe with Songs My Aunties Taught Me—a fusion of opera, beats, and island storytelling, co-created with beatboxer Dr. Rhythm (Jonny Drama). Her autobiographical cabaret Bilum Mamma, supported by the Australia Council and Arts Queensland, premiered in 2022 and features traditional Papuan music, original songs, and operatic repertoire. A regular collaborator with Opera Queensland, she presented Pacific Harmonies for their 2024 Studio Series.
    Based in Brisbane on Yuggera and Turrbal country, Heru serves on the Board of Springboard Opera. In October 2025, she will appear in Opera Australia’s Pasifika Concert at the Australian Museum in Sydney, celebrating 50 years of PNG independence and the cultures of other Pasifika nations.

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  • Don is a Chartered Accountant by training and has had a strong interest in the arts for most of his life, attending theatre and musical theatre since he was a boy. Don’s professional interests centre around building innovative and sustainable futures in organisations generally and in the arts specifically. The world in 2023 is significantly different to ever before and requires new and innovative solutions to suit the expectations of new audiences and a wide range of stakeholders.

    The role of Board Chair of Springboard Opera is an opportunity to build a contemporary Opera organisation which takes advantage of 21st century innovation and thinking and technology capabilities that have not existed before to support emerging Queensland Opera artists and reinvent that opera idea.

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  • Vanessa was born and raised in Central Queensland, attending boarding school on the Gold Coast and university at JCU in Townsville. A Certified Practicing Accountant with over 30 years of experience in commercial finance, strategy and governance. She is also classically trained musician in flute and voice, she has had a strong interest in the arts from a very early age. With the encouragement of her grandmother attending anything from the opera, theatre, musical theatre, ballet and orchestral works to broaden her knowledge and experiences.

    The role of Board Member of Springboard Opera is an opportunity to build a contemporary opera organisation which advances the careers of all emerging artists from performers, and composers to back of house, lighting and set design and everything in between.

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  • Nicholas has always had a close affinity with the arts – particularly opera and choral music – both as an artist and in governance roles. He has been an opera and choral singer, an orchestral player (cello), and has supported the arts both as a board member and as a regular audience member. Nicholas has been a Board Director for the Ella Community Centre and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and has worked closely with performing artists, instrumentalists and stage crew through his work as a union representative.  

    Starting his career in federal government, his passion for singing and theatre soon led to a change of course and a decade of dedicated vocal study and performance, including with the Opera Australia Chorus. In what may seem like an incongruous move, this was followed by a period working in the union movement, including with the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, before returning to the world of government as an industrial relations professional with the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet and Transport for NSW.   

    Having had firsthand experience as an artist seeking to develop his foundational skills for a career as a professional artist, Nicholas is excited at the role that Springboard Opera can play in supporting emerging artists today.  

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  • From performing to training, from broadcasting to producing, even to sewing sequins on costumes, Springboard Opera director Leslie Martin has been living and breathing professional opera performance for over 25 years.

    Starting at Opera Australia, her own performance career took her overseas before she returned to Brisbane where she continues to work for Opera Queensland. She is a well known voice in Brisbane through her performances with Brisbane orchestras, the 4MBS Festival of Classics and her broadcasts on 4MBS Thursday Night Opera.

    Knowing how her own career was supported in the early stage, Leslie wants to create similar opportunities for the emerging artists of South East Queensland.

    Leslie has been a Member of the Queensland Arts Advisory Committee 2013 to then Senator George Brandis and a Company Director (2015-2017) of Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing (ANATS). She is currently a board member of 4MBS.

    As a member of our board, Leslie brings her industry knowledge and experience, her strategic thinking and her networks to Springboard Opera.

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  • Cameron Bryer is an accomplished arts manager with a forward-thinking approach, based in Meanjin (Brisbane) and Nipaluna (Hobart). With extensive experience across arts administration, Cameron has contributed to numerous Brisbane-based organisations in roles spanning management, marketing, and audience engagement. Recently, Cameron relocated to Lutruwita (Tasmania) to join the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra as Customer Manager, where they focus on enhancing accessibility in the arts, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and creating engaging, immersive concert experiences for contemporary audiences.

    In addition to their management work, Cameron is an emerging disabled artist with a strong performance background. They have appeared with organisations including St John’s Cathedral as a Lay Clerk, as a chorus member with Opera Queensland in productions such as their Verdi Showcase, The Sopranos, and Macbeth, as well as in the landmark collaboration with Opera Australia for The Ring Cycle. Cameron has also performed as a soloist with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra in its Heart Chamber concert.

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  • Jonathan was born and raised in Melbourne, where he gained an appreciation for the arts - Opera in particular - from his mother. Prior to moving to Brisbane, Jonathan was a long-time subscriber of Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet. 

    Professsionally, Jonathan has built a successful career in the automotive industry, working in and running automotive dealerships, as well as working for vendors in the automotive industry. Jonathan brings to the board a wealth of knowledge in management, marketing and business development, as well as an extensive network of commercial contacts.

    Jonathan's goal on the board is to advocate for the financial advancement of all artists, so that they are paid fairly for their work. This belief was born from his favourite opera, Pagliacci, where Tonio reminds the audience that actors are real people, with real emotions.