The ADAD Board

Ian Abbott

Ian Abbott is Head of Creative Programmes for Pavilion Dance South West, the dance development organisation for the South West of England. He provides inspirational leadership for a team whilst developing and implementing a clear cohesive vision and range of activities across the performance, participatory and artist development programmes both in the venue, across the region and nationally.

With over ten years of producing experience in the cultural sector across festivals and theatres, he specialises in artistic programming, strategic development and building partnerships across art forms.

He current sits on the board of Seeta Patel and Lila Dance, mentors a number of young people inside and outside of the arts and presents a weekly radio show on soundtracks and music scores.

Monique Deletant

Monique joined Akademi in April 2006 as General Manager. Since graduating from the University of Cambridge in 1996, she has worked both in the world of arts and government. Following her first job as a researcher for an MP, she left to study technical theatre and worked in stage management on a number of productions. In 2001 she joined the Department of Constitutional Affairs as Manager of the Civil Justice Council (a Non Departmental Public Body).

Robyn Durie (Deputy Chair)

Prior to joining EE's predecessor T-Mobile she was a partner at Linklaters for 11 years, heading up their communications practice. In her deep dark past she worked in television for 3 years for Rupert Murdoch in Australia.

She has been on the boards of various arts organisations, including Pacitti Company and Adzido Pan African Dance Company.

Carolene Hinds

As a founder member of ADAD, Carolene has served as a trustee and also as the Chair from May 2007 - March 2012. Carolene studied at the Laban centre and joined the Jiving Lindy Hoppers which saw her engage with the living history of the Authentic Jazz tradition through travel to America, teaching, performing and to receive tuition form the original dancers. She was appointed Director of Jiving Lindy Hoppers in 1991 and served for over 10 years drawing on the cultural and historical experience she gained, to inform her work. This has included the opportunity to work on TV and film.

As a choreographer on the theatre circuit she has worked on shows at Nottingham Playhouse, The Old Vic and The Crucible. She worked as an assistant choreographer on the NHS section of the Olympic Opening Ceremony, London 2012 in which she also performed. She has served as a trustee and Chair for Spare Tyre Theatre Company and is one of their Associate Artists.

Carolene has continued to investigate her educational work making links with schools and most recently with the Liverpool Museums.

Fatimah Kelleher

Fatimah Kelleher is an international social development consultant, writer, and equalities activist. She has worked over the last 14 years on social development and equality issues across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, working with organisations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, the UN, and varied civil society organisations and NGOs. Half Nigerian and born in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria, Fatimah has a strong work focus on Africa in particular.

As a writer, Fatimah is a poet/spoken word artist as well as a features writer and cultural commentator. She co-founded the spoken word open mic session Urban Griots in 1997, and has performed her work widely, including performances at the City of Women Festival in Slovenia, Poetry International at the Southbank Centre, the Jazz Cafe in Camden, and the Nuyorican in New York. Her work has been included in anthologies, magazines and chapbooks. She has also published literary and popular articles on themes such as Black British writing, cultural transference and the African Diaspora, gender equality, and minority right.s

Dick Matchett

Dick Matchett is a freelance arts consultant. He has gained an MA from St Andrews University and a certificate in Arts Administration from Central London Polytechnic. His long and notable career in dance includes marketing and education roles at London Contemporary Dance Theatre and London Festival Ballet. Dick was a Dance Officer for the Arts Council England, and has also worked independently for the Southbank Centre, Dance Umbrella, Akademi and Prix de Lausanne.

Dick has been a board member for many dance companies and organisations including Extemporary Dance Theatre, Yolanda Snaith, Dance UK, V-Tol Dance Company, Chisenhale Dance Space and is currently working on the board for Hofesh Shechther Company.

In 2005 Dick was presented with the Dance UK Industry Award at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards. Dick's unflagging commitment to dance has been expressed through his considerable knowledge and experience, and through the time that he has given and continues to give to many organisations as a board member.

Lance Moir (Treasurer)

Dr Lance Moir has over 30 years financial experience as CFO, Corporate Financier and Treasurer in international companies. He has been CFO of WIN plc and Executive Director of IMImobile, Group Finance Director of First Choice Holidays PLC, Director of Corporate Finance at Bass PLC and Head of Corporate Finance and Strategy at Storehouse PLC. He currently has a portfolio career as an adviser, non executive director and management educator. He is a Visiting Professor at Cranfield School of Management, where he was on the full time faculty, and is an Non Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Henderson Global Trust PLC.

Catia Ott

Catia Ott is an Italian-born filmmaker based in London. Following her studies in Political Science and an experience as a production assistant for foreign correspondents in Rome, she moved to Paris. In Paris she worked for more than ten years as a producer of advertising films. Through her interest in architecture, design and landscape she started developing projects on cultural documentary films. Her first documentary, Tevere, is a cultural and socio-historical mapping along the Tiber river which crosses the city of Rome. The film has been screened in festivals and cultural institutes as well as at the National Gallery in Washington DC.

Judith Palmer (Chair)

Judith Palmer is considered one of the UK's most distinguished specialists in the field of African Peoples Dance. With a career spanning an illustrious 27 years Judith was a member of the UK's premiere African dance company, Adzido Pan-African Dance Ensemble, as principal dancer and tutor for 10 years. Since leaving the company, Judith has taught African dance both nationally and internationally and instigated an African dance module at the University of Surrey, Guildford.

In 2001, Judith joined IRIE! dance theatre as Course Co-ordinator and African dance lecturer of the UK's first accredited dance training programmers in African and Caribbean dance. She is currently the Development Manager with IRIE! and continues to lecture on the foundation degree programme. Judith has an MA in Cultural Leadership from City University, and continues to freelance as a consultant.