CDN is managed by a Board of volunteers whose expertise includes arts practice, academia, local and state government, the non-profit sector and arts organisations.

Karen Corry, B.Com, FCA, FAICD, Chair
Karen is an experienced board director and business leader with a career in finance, digital technology, consulting. Previously a partner at KPMG Consulting, she is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts and has worked globally, including KPMG London. In her consulting career she has led strategic planning and transformational programs and has been responsible for business development and growth. She established and led a consulting company, Delta Management Consulting, for over 15 years in the health and government sectors. Her current portfolio includes her non-executive director roles at Peninsula Health, Holmesglen Institute, ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) and Chair of ACSO (Australian Community Support Organisation) as well as a director of McCormack Housing, its subsidiary. She was appointed to the board of the Australian healthcare software provider Global Health Limited (ASX: GLH) in 2011. She is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and in 2020 was privileged to participate in the AICD Chair’s Mentoring Program. Her experiences leverages strategy and growth with a strong balance between innovation, governance, finance and risk. Contact Karen
Nic Hodges
Nic Hodges works at the intersection of technology, media and culture. Holding a Masters of Design from Swinburne University, Nic has over two decades of experience in digital media, including senior roles at leading agencies including M&C Saatchi, Clemenger BBDO and MediaCom. He currently works as an independent consultant with brands and startups focusing on innovation in communications and business strategy.
Nic is a frequent commentator on the future impact of technology on communities, people and business. He has been featured on ABC’s 7.30, written for Wired and Forbes magazines, keynoted conferences in Australia, Asia, Europe and the US, and has written code that is now in the National Archive of Australia.
Nic sits on the board of several Australian technology companies, is a member of the Digital Advisory Committee for Sydney Living Museums, Course Advisory Committee for Swinburne School Design and Architecture and is a Non-Executive Director of Startup Victoria.

John Smithies
John joined CDN in 2005 and worked with the Board and a highly skilled team to support stronger planning and evaluation of cultural activities across libraries, arts and heritage. He has led the argument for a cultural perspective to be applied to many of the issues raised across economic, social, environment and governance domains of public policy since the landmark published research project Generations (2006-2009). In 2013 John initiated the partnership between the Commonwealth and local government, through the Australia Council (now Creative Australia) and the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the eight Australian capital cities to hold a six-year National Local Government Cultural Forum to establish consistent and useable frameworks for planning and evaluation in the cultural sector. This work is underpinned by five measurable cultural outcomes released for “road-testing” in 2016 and published in the journal Evaluation in 2020. CDN’s field work and published research since 2010 has led to the development of the Takso outcomes planning platform, the first public policy planning and evaluation solution, that is being further developed with partners and users in Australia and internationally.