Maree Clarke, Lisa Bowman and Elisa Clements join the ACCA Board
Thursday 29 January: Dr Terry Wu, Chair of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, today announced the appointment of artist Maree Clarke, communications and governance specialist Lisa Bowman, and organisational development leader Elisa Clements to the ACCA Board.
Maree Clarke is an internationally celebrated Yorta Yorta Wamba Wamba Mutti Mutti Boonwurrung artist dedicated to the revival and continuation of south-east Australian Aboriginal cultural practices.
Growing up in Mildura and now based in Naarm Melbourne, Clarke is widely recognised for her leadership in nurturing and promoting the diversity of contemporary south-east Aboriginal art. Known for her open and collaborative approach, she works across generations to revive dormant cultural knowledge and engages new audiences through innovative uses of technology.
Clarke has exhibited nationally and internationally, including the major survey exhibition Ancestral Memories at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2021. Recent commissions include projects for the Metro Tunnel, narrm ngarrgu Library, Footscray Hospital, and the City of Melbourne Stolen Generations Marker. She has undertaken artist residencies in Florence in 2024, and at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma and Pilchuck Glass School in the United States in 2023. Her accolades include the Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture in 2023 and the Australia Council Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Fellowship in 2020.
Lisa Bowman is a communications and community engagement specialist with extensive experience working across large scale government and private sector infrastructure development and digital transformation projects.
Across her career, Bowman has led corporate affairs, issues management, communications, stakeholder engagement and media teams within complex operating environments. She is recognised for her ability to manage sensitive stakeholder and community issues and to develop reputation management strategies for both public and private sector organisations. Trained as a journalist, Bowman began her career in print and radio before moving into public relations and change management. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has served on a number of boards across public health, transport and ex offender rehabilitation sectors.
Elisa Clements, Group Executive Talent and Culture at ANZ, brings more than 25 years’ experience in organisational development across global organisations in banking, automotive, FMCG, pharmaceutical, and professional services sectors.
Prior to her current role, Clements was General Manager Talent and Culture for ANZ’s Institutional Division, where she played a key role in a multi-year transformation across 21 geographies. She has held senior talent and culture roles across Corporate and Commercial Banking and Group Technology Services and Operations and was previously Human Resources Manager for Toyota. Her experience includes workforce strategy, leadership development, and cultural transformation within large scale institutions.
Dr Wu said Maree Clarke would bring significant cultural leadership to the ACCA Board, while Lisa Bowman and Elisa Clements would contribute deep organisational and communications expertise.
“Maree is an internationally celebrated and highly respected Indigenous artist and cultural leader. Alongside our Artistic Director and CEO Myles Russell-Cook and ACCA Board Member Sarah Lynn Rees, and with the support of ACCA staff, Maree will play an important role in championing ACCA’s Indigenous cultural strategy and ongoing engagement with First Nations communities.”
“Lisa brings highly developed governance, communications and stakeholder expertise. Her experience navigating complex public and private sector environments will strengthen the Board’s oversight of reputation, community engagement and organisational accountability.”
“Elisa brings exceptional organisational development experience. Her leadership in talent and culture will support ACCA’s artists and staff to realise their professional potential, particularly as the organisation continues to evolve.”
“Together, Maree, Lisa and Elisa bring tremendous leadership and skill to the Board at a dynamic time for ACCA. With a vibrant program ahead under our Artistic Director and CEO, their contributions will be instrumental as we continue to champion artistic risk taking and cultural leadership,” Dr Wu said.
Maree Clarke, Lisa Bowman and Elisa Clements join existing ACCA Board members Charlotte Day, Lisa Fox, Sarah Lynn Rees, Patricia Piccinini, Dr Theresia Spencer, John Tuck and Gordon Thomson.
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
111 Sturt Street, Southbank VIC 3006
Melbourne, Australia
Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday 10am–5pm, Weekends 11am–5pm
Free entry
#accamelbourne #alwaysNewalwaysNowalwaysFree
For further media information:
Bridget Thompson, Marketing & Digital Engagement Manager
ACCA acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people as sovereign custodians of the land on which we work and welcome visitors, along with the neighbouring Boonwurrung, Bunurong, and wider Kulin Nation. We acknowledge their longstanding and continuing care for Country and we recognise First Peoples art and cultural practice has been thriving here for millennia. We extend our respect to ancestors and Elders past and present, and to all First Nations people.