Octapod is run by a small and dedicated team of part-time staff who work with an indispensable bunch of volunteers to create and support community driven arts and media projects.

Christina Robberds (Coordinator) is Octapod’s jill-of-all-trades – she spends her days dreaming up ideas of what Octapod could be, and enjoys getting the right systems in place, creating a welcoming environment, and listening to the heartbeat of communities in action.

Christina has a background in mental health and disability, and has generally held roles that involved her organising and advocating whilst also getting her hands dirty with community cultural activities. She has studied numerous tertiary courses, including a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Cultural Development.

Eliza Adam (This Is Not Art Festival Coordinator)

Greer Allen (Culturehunter.org Project Officer) is interested in the development of strong and robust local communities.  She is currently working at the Octapod on culturehunter.org, to deliver a free online tool that delivers strength and capacity at the Hunter arts and culture scene.  Greer is inspired by human curiosity and ingenuity and cannot wait to see how people might use culturehunter.org creatively to share their projects and stories.

Greer splits her time between arts and environmental projects.  One days she hopes to combine the two directly and create a Magnificent Revolution.  She has a degree in Development Studies, a degree in Human Geography and has been working as a project manager/ environmental auditor and event organiser for a number of years.

Jean Stora (Accounts/Admin Officer) is Octapod's numbers man - he keeps the books tidy and the place generally ticking over, so that Octapod can make the biggest bang for its buck, in its mission to support community arts and media projects. Always an active participant in community and culture building activities, when not in the Octapod office, he can be found teaching music, movement and capoeira classes for kids, or performing with his Brazilian dance and percussion group Samba Frog.   

Always an active participant in community and culture building activities, when not in the Octapod office, he can be found teaching music, movement and capoeira classes for kids, or performing with his Brazilian dance and percussion group SambaFrog.

Alana Mondy (Community Liaison Officer) is Octapod's spin doctor - interacting with the world of social and traditional media, she keeps Octapod's current and future members updated with Octapod events, oppotunities and projects. Continuing a line of communication between the inside world of the Octapod and the broader community is the aim of the game.

Alana has a long history with community events and is completing her Diploma in Community Services. She also works for the Big Issue Newcastle Street Soccer Program and for Ecclesia Housing, a community housing provider, whilist tending to her two adorable daughters.

In addition to these paid staff, Octapod just could not exist without the support of its volunteers.