The National Portrait Gallery of Australia’s governing Board is responsible for the appropriate and efficient performance of the Gallery’s functions, and is accountable to the Minister for the Arts. The Gallery’s Board is appointed by the Minister; they hold the office on a part-time basis and must possess the requisite knowledge or experience relevant to the affairs of the Gallery. The Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal determines remuneration for Board members.
The Board's role, responsibilities and powers are set out in the National Portrait Gallery of Australia Act, 2012 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
Penny Fowler
Chair (appointed Chair from 1 January 2022, appointed member 9 March 2016)
Qualifications: Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Monash (Chisholm) University; member and graduate, Australian Institute of Company Directors
Relevant roles, skills, and experience: Penny Fowler is Chairman of the Herald & Weekly Times and is News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador. Penny has been a member of the Gallery Board since 2016. She is Chair of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, Chair of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, and a Board member of Tourism Australia. She is also on the Advisory Board of Visy/Pratt USA and is a board member of Tech Mahindra & the Bank of Melbourne (St.George) Foundation. Penny is a member of Chief Executive Women and an Ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and SecondBite.
John Barrington AM
Deputy Chair (appointed 4 May 2022)
Qualifications: Bachelor of Business, Curtin University; Master of Business Administration, Australian Graduate School of Management; HonDComm, Curtin University; Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management WA; Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
Relevant roles, skills and experience: John Barrington AM is co-founder and previously Managing Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) company Artrya Ltd, developing AI solutions to improve the diagnosis of heart disease. He is Chair of John Curtin Gallery and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and a Director of Health Translation Group Ltd. He was previously Chair of Perth Festival, Deputy Chair of Creative Partnerships Australia, Deputy Chair on the Federal Government Creative Economy Taskforce and a recipient of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Award for Excellence in the Not-for-Profit Sector.
Sam Meers AO
(appointed member from 5 November 2024, incoming Chair from 9 March 2025)
Qualifications: Bachelor of Law and Arts, University of Sydney; Master of letters (literature), University of Sydney.
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Ms Sam Meers AO is co-founder and Chair of the Nelson Meers Foundation, a not-for-profit philanthropic foundation. Ms Meers has extensive experience in the arts and philanthropy sectors and was made an Officer for the Order of Australia in 2018. She is currently chairman of the Brett Whiteley Foundation and a director of Environmental Leadership Australia. Her board appointments have included chairman of Belvoir St Theatre; chairman of Documentary Australia; deputy chairman of the Federal Government Creative Partnerships Australia; a trustee of the Arts Gallery of NSW and a director of the State Library of NSW Foundation. Ms Meers holds degrees in Law and Arts and a Master of letters (literature) from the University of Sydney. She is a member of Chief Executive Women, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Royal Society of NSW.
Hayley Baillie
(appointed 31 March 2022)
Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts, Southern Cross University
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Hayley Baillie and her husband James co-founded the striking Baillie Lodges in 2003. Hayley is currently also a board member of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Australian String Quartet, and a foundation board member of the Australian Ballet. She was a board member of Tourism Australia from 2016 – 2022.
Elizabeth Dibbs
(appointed 1 January 2022)
Qualifications: Master of Laws (Hons 1), University of Cambridge (Trinity College); Bachelor of Laws (University Medal), Bachelor of Arts, University of Sydney; Member Australian Institute of Company Director’s and Law Society of NSW
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Elizabeth Dibbs is a non-executive director in the government and for-purpose sectors. She is Deputy Chancellor of Western Sydney University, Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee, and a member of the Board Executive and Transnational Advisory Committee. She is Chair of United Way Australia, Deputy Chair of the ACT City Renewal Authority, Governor of Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, a member of its Audit and Risk Committee and Trustee of the Centenary Foundation. Elizabeth was the Western City District Commissioner with the Greater Cities Commission from 2018–22, President of YWCA NSW from 2007–11, a Director of YWCA NSW from 2000–07 and a Director of YWCA Australia from 2009–13. Previously she has served as a Council member of Chief Executive Women and Chair of its Scholarship Committee, and remains an active member. Elizabeth was a Partner and General Counsel of PwC until 2005.
Hugo Michell
(appointed 10 April 2019)
Qualifications: Art History, Adelaide Central School of Art
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Hugo Michell established Hugo Michell Gallery in Beulah Park, South Australia in 2008 and has grown the gallery to be highly respected within the Australian art scene. He is committed to presenting exciting and innovative work by established and emerging local and national artists at the forefront of contemporary art across a range of mediums. Hugo Michell Gallery’s client base includes public institutions and private collectors locally, nationally and internationally. Over the past few years Hugo Michell Gallery has collaborated with some of Australia’s top galleries such as Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne. Prior to establishing the gallery, Hugo worked for Tolarno Galleries and has been highly involved in the contemporary arts scene for more than 15 years. Hugo currently sits on the Helpmann Academy, Visual & Performing Arts Foundation Board, the Jam Factory South Australia Board and assists with judging and advisory panels for numerous local organisations.
Tom Mosby
(appointed 21 November 2022)
Qualifications: Bachelor of Laws, University of Melbourne; Bachelor of Applied Science (Conservation of Cultural Materials), University of Canberra
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Tom has held a number of board positions across the arts portfolio including past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair, Board member Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Public Galleries Association of Victoria. He has been recognised both nationally and internationally in arts journals and celebrated for his focus on the culture of Torres Strait Island communities, conservation and the moral and legal rights of First Nations peoples and stories.
Elizabeth Pakchung
(appointed 22 March 2022)
Qualifications: Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Laws, University of Sydney; Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Law Society of NSW
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Elizabeth Pakchung is an Australian company director, corporate lawyer, and supporter of fashion, art and architecture. She is a Non-Executive Director of H&M Australia and New Zealand (part of the global fashion H&M group), 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (visual arts), Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (performing arts), and Oranges & Sardines Foundation. She is a supporter of Australia at the Venice Biennale, a Patron of the Sherman Centre for Culture & Ideas, and a member of the International Women’s Forum Australia. Prior to her director career, Elizabeth was a corporate lawyer at global law firm Ashurst (formerly Blake Dawson) for over 25 years including many years as a Partner until 2012. She practised in mergers and acquisitions, equity capital markets and corporate governance. Elizabeth is also a former General Counsel of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Valerie Tam
(appointed 20 September 2023)
Bachelor of Commerce, ANU; Bachelor of Arts, Arts History, ANU; Member of CPA Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Relevant roles, skills and experience: Valerie has significant experience in financial and business management in the arts sector and a strong track record of delivering strategic outcomes and building financial sustainability in arts companies. She is currently on the Board and Chair of Audit & Risk Committee at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music and a member of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee at the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Valerie was most recently the Chief Financial Officer at both Queensland Theatre and Opera Queensland. Prior to that she was also Financial Controller at Australian Galleries in Melbourne and Business Manager at Jan Murphy Gallery in Brisbane, representing both established and emerging contemporary artists. Valerie is a co-founder, and currently the Director of Finance and Operations at Diogenes Investing, a boutique property investment firm. She is a supporter of Arts Project Australia, Disabled Wintersport Australia and Blind Sports Australia, advocating for accessibility and participation for individuals living with a disability.
