Following the Australia Council’s announcement that all Key Organisations will be required to conduct a Board Audit at least once in each triennial funding term, many organisations want to know more about the Board Audit process: what is involved, how long it takes, and what are the benefits to the board and the organisation as a whole.

Even if you’re not required to have one, a Board Audit can be a great way to ensure all your board members are fully engaged and providing their best contribution to your organisation.

The webinar What is a Board Audit? Why do you need one? will answer those questions, with presenter David Fishel talking with Karen Masnata (Chair, Expressions Dance Company QLD) and Helen Simondson (Chair, Dancehouse VIC) about their Board Audit experiences.

David will also provide an overview of the various Board Audit services currently available from specialists in non-profit governance, including a brief explanation of BoardConnect’s service. Organisations previously engaging BoardConnect for Board Audits have said:

"[The Audit] allowed us to review our approach to governance and to focus on a couple of specific issues - in most cases we were aware of these already but David's suggestions on simple and direct methods and techniques for improving the Board's scrutiny and internal reporting procedures were both practical and to the point."

"David really presented the material in a flexible way that supported the culture of our organisation.  Some of his suggestions were easily implemented and very useful for the board."

Participants will be able to ask questions during the webinar through a live chat facility, and we also welcome questions in advance via email. (Once registered, participants will be sent an email inviting specific questions for David to address.)

When: Tuesday 21 February 3.30-4.30pm EST
            1:30pm-2:30pm WA
            3:00pm-4:00pm NT           
            3:30pm-4:30pm QLD
            4:00pm-5:00pm SA
            4:30pm-5:30pm NSW, ACT, VIC & TAS           
Where: Online
Cost: $55 (incl GST)

What is a webinar?

A webinar is a live seminar conducted online, so you can participate from the comfort or your home, office or whilst travelling. Participants are encouraged to ask questions through a chat system, and presenters can share video images of themselves speaking, as well as Powerpoint presentations and websites, throughout the session.

For this BoardConnect webinar, participants will not need a webcam or microphone to participate. Instead they will only need a set of headphones or computer speakers to listen to the presenters, and they will watch the session on their computer screen.

In the days before this BoardConnect webinar is to be held, you will receive an email with a link to click on to join the webinar. 

Speakers

David Fishel is a Director of BoardConnect and Co-Director of Positive Solutions, which was founded in the UK in 1990.  He had previously managed arts organisations including Battersea Community Arts Centre, London, and the Liverpool Playhouse (UK). David has been a board member of several cultural organisations in Australia and the UK.  He is currently Chair of Brisbane Writers Festival and a member of QUT's Council and recently retired as Chair of the Creative Enterprise Australia Board at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

David has developed and implemented appraisal systems both for the arts organisations he has chaired and, as a consultant, for the National Museum of Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, British Film Institute and other organisations.

David has conducted board development projects with organisations such as Mater Hospital Foundation, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the University of Southern Queensland.  In both the UK and Australia he has developed national training programs for board members of arts organisations.

David has written The Book of the Board, an invaluable reference for the board members of non-profit organisations, published by Federation Press in 2003 (2nd edition 2008) and Boards That Work by the Directory of Social Change in the UK.


Karen Masnata is a Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Economics Advisory practice.  In this role, she provides economic and financial advisory services to both private and public sector entities primarily in the ports, energy and utility sectors. Karen entered professional services after 12 years working at Queensland Treasury Corporation and Queensland Treasury focussing on infrastructure projects or major policy initiatives.

Karen is Chair of The Queensland Dance Theatre Limited (Expressions Dance Company) – a contemporary not-for-profit dance company based in Brisbane.She also is a Non-Executive Director of the Holy Spirit Care Services group of companies – which are Catholic, not-for-profit providers of residential aged care and retirement living services.

Helen Simondson is the Chairperson of the board of Dancehouse. Dancehouse exists to advance independent contemporary dance in Australia through its program of research, training and performance. Dancehouse creates an environment where creative risk, 

independent career paths, collaborative relationships and diverse practice and presentation can flourish and is also a crucial link to a network of movement practices, artists and organisations in Australia and internationally.

Helen currently holds the position as the Manager of Events at the Australian Centre for Moving Image (ACMI) which oversees the team responsible for devising and delivering public programs at the centre.  As part of this position Helen has been responsible for initiating and developing the award winning digital storytelling program at ACMI which has seen Helen and her team work with many individuals and communities, empowering them to tell their own stories in their own voice.  She has contributed to academic writings on the role of digital storytelling and, more broadly, cocreative medi

a making within cultural institutions including a recent publication for Cambridge Press and is involved in an ARC grant as a partner researcher exploring the role of user generated and cocreative content making and its potential in a broadband enabled world.

Helen has also worked as an arts practitioner for many years with undergraduate qualifications in Drama and Dance from Deakin University, Rusden and Post-Graduate qualifications in Film and TV from the Victorian College of the Arts.

She has worked on various dance film and documentary projects since graduating from VCA and was the project manager of MICRODANCE, a dance on screen initiative with the Australia Council, AFC and the ABC. Helen was the project manager of the Performing Arts Multimedia Library (PAML) Pilot Project for Cinemedia, which was a partnership project with DICTA and Multimedia Victoria.  It has been an important benchmark project exploring the technical and legal issues relating to the digital delivery of performing arts and the findings of the pilot have been presented in the USA and Europe.  The Kitchen in New York engaged Helen as a consultant to assist the company in developing its technology management policy.

Helen is a member of the board of Lucy Guerin Inc.