Legacies

Michelle is an award-winning former ABC journalist with more than thirty years’ experience in television, film, radio, print and digital media.

A proud Yamatij storyteller, she is passionate about sharing the stories of First Nation people, and they have formed the basis of many of her creative projects, including short stories, publications and plays.

Michelle’s role at CAN is to look for opportunities to platform CAN’s work and partner with like-minded organisations so we can continue to deliver transformative arts and cultural development programs with communities.

When not working for CAN, Michelle volunteers on the board of 100.9FM Noongar Radio, Seesaw Magazine and As One Nyitting and is a member of the Kalamunda Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.

In 2019 Michelle was featured in the SBS series Every Family Has a Secret which explored her Mother’s stolen generation experiences of removal as a child. She also discovered her Grandfather was sent from England to Australia as a child migrant.

A passionate advocate for the development of arts and culture in the WA Goldfields, Monika Dvorak has managed art studios and galleries for over 30 years including Kalgoorlie’s Desert Art and Bush Blossom Gallery. As a manager, she supports artists with professional development, project opportunities, publications, documentaries and art sales to the local and international market.  

Monika has curated many exhibitions, including the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Art Prize. She has also worked as a project manager for public art projects, such as the recently completed Kal City Centre which is one the largest outdoor Indigenous public art displays in Western Australia. 

Monika is currently Vice Chair of Artgold, the peak body for arts and culture within WA’s Goldfields region.

Wudjari Nyungar woman Debbie Carmody is a Traditional Owner for Upurli Upurli Nguratja (east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder), Anangu Spinifex and Kepa Kurl (Esperance).

Debbie is a film scriptwriter, director and artist. Working in media since 1983, her films have been broadcast on ABC and SBS, and she will direct her first feature film in 2025. Debbie’s artworks have been exhibited throughout WA, and her paintings and public art can be found in major government collections.

Michael Jalaru Torres is a Djugun-Yawuru photographer and poet from Broome, Western Australia. His powerful portraits and conceptual works capture the landscapes and social realities of Indigenous Australia, celebrating cultural resilience and raising awareness of contemporary issues. He is also the founder of the Blak Lens collective.

Sean Lillico is a full-time musician, producer, composer, piano tuner and sound technician from Yallingup, Western Australia.

Sean has been working in the music and recording industries for the entirety of his adult life. He has worked in Perth’s finest recording studios with some of WA’s most successful musicians and finest producers, as a musician and audio engineer for TV, film and radio. 

In addition to his recording work in the Southwest of WA, Sean has been working on community music projects with musicians all over the state, as a travelling sound engineer, producer, mentor, music teacher and consultant.

Sean has a variety of skills that set him apart from others in his field. He has mastered many forms of music,  including classical, jazz and contemporary. He is also an accomplished piano tuner, guitar tech, drum tech and PA tech.

Sean is adept at performance and teaching for many instruments, including piano, guitar, bass, drums and vocals, and advanced music theory. He has also consulted on studio design and large-scale venue design for hundreds of clients.

Sean has a passion for teaching music and production skills to aspiring musicians and audio engineers within regional communities all over WA in order to develop knowledge and grow the music industry as a whole, leaving an ongoing benefit to members of the music community.