Meet the team!
Finn O’Branagáin (she/her)
Artistic Director + CEO
Finn grew up in Garramilla (‘white stone’ or Darwin), to Irish and Dutch parents. She likes to spend her time in nature, and making paintings and embroidery crafts while listening to audio plays. She has previously worked with Perth Festival as the Young Creatives Coordinator (taking young people to shows and expanding their confidence and vocabulary around the arts), renegade performance company pvi collective as Company Coordinator (organising large scale games on the streets of cities and looking after artists in residence), The Smith Family as the WA State Events Coordinator and Communities for Children Project Officer (making and supporting programs helping young people experiencing poverty), Crack Theatre Festival as Co-Artistic Director (bringing experimental arts into abandoned buildings), and City of Darwin in the Youth and Community Development Department (working on a youth newspaper, public art, and music festivals). Finn is also a multi-award-winning writer, director, dramaturg and performer, and has been programmed nationally and internationally at major venues and festivals. She makes text-based work for physical performers, puppets, and interactive audiences, using mythology to talk about current social issues. She is passionate about creatively collaborating with artists and communities to create extraordinary work that give transferable life skills.
Craig Taunton (he/him)
Program Manager – RESPECT
Craig has been working in the community arts sector for the past 25 years, working primarily in South West and Western Sydney. With a background in music, performing arts and youth work, Craig has a large focus on young refugees and migrants. Craig has been working with Outloud since 2013, and has been involved in a wide range of workshops, projects and live performances.
Nicole Issa (she/her)
Creative Producer, RESPECT Facilitator
Nicole is a singer, songwriter, and performing artist born and raised in South-West Sydney on Darug Land. Nicole has a degree in Music and Psychological Science from Macquarie University, and is passionate about using music and creativity to develop and facilitate workshops that brings light to important issues and life skills. Nicole is also a vocal coach and a recording artist, and has performed at Metro Theatre and Splendour in the Grass (2019). Coming from a Lebanese migrant family, she wants to encourage others from CaLD backgrounds to follow their dreams and pursue the arts as a career choice.
David Miller (he/him)
RESPECT Facilitator
David has been working with Outloud since 2016 and brings a wealth of experience in music, songwriting and facilitation. David is Filipino and currently studying a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Innovation and Change at Western Sydney University. His passion for music dates back to his first performance in front of a live audience in the Philippines when he was five years old and has since been involved in programs, workshops and theatre projects to hone his skills and talents.
Van Nguyen (he/him)
RESPECT Facilitator/Producer
Van has worked with Outloud from 2019. He brings about his skills and knowledge from his past studies which include a Diploma in Screen and Media, a Diploma in Sound Productions and a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts in Psychology. Van is also skilled in video and music production and also brings his music and performance skills as a musician to the program.
Amanda Smith (she/her)
Financial Officer
Amanda has been Outloud’s Finance Officer since 2016 and has over 14 years experience in the Arts sector, commencing her arts community journey in 2007 with Urban Theatre Projects. Prior to this, she managed her own small business and supported numerous other businesses. She has trained in Bookkeeping, Accounting and Small Business Management.
Tala Issaoui (she/her)
Administration and Marketing Officer
Tala recently joined Outloud earlier this year as a junior marketing officer. As of recent, she officially became Outloud’s administrator and marketing officer. Tala is an emerging multi-disciplinary artist herself, from Western Sydney. Her work explores mysticism through film, music and dance/movement in the experimental form. Currently, she is exploring live performance as another avenue of expression in her work. Tala holds a Bachelor of Media and Communications (Screen Practice and Production/Moving Image and Sound Studies) at Macquarie University. She is part of the Utp Rising program by Utp since 2021, creating video-based works. Tala has also created works with JUXTA, creating a video and sound work which were showcased at the Bankstown Arts Centre last year. She hopes to continue making experimental works, that have a far reach to audiences all over the world!
Mohammad Awad (He/they)
Muslim Peers Project Peer Support Worker
Mohammad is a NSW Health Peer Worker and has worked across 20+ teams in more than 5 hospitals, he conducts lectures at the University of Sydney on the importance of lived-experience in recovery-oriented practice and developed poetry therapy programs for acute mental health facilities in the state. Mohammad is also a prolific poet, writer, director and film maker, who has been extensively featured across NSW and on national TV.