STAFF AND BOARD
Founder and Director: Chiara Grassia (she/they)
Chiara is an arts producer, writer and musician who is passionate about fostering inclusive and supportive creative communities. Inspired by the Girls Rock Camp movement that originated in the USA in the early 2000s and her experience volunteering at several programs, Chiara established Girls Rock! Canberra (now Noisy Futures) in 2015, the first program of its kind in Australia. Chiara has more than a decade of experience designing and delivering arts programs, events and small festivals, and completed a PhD at RMIT University, researching the importance of community arts programs as creative safe spaces for young people, with a focus on Rock Camp.
Strategic Projects Officer: Yasmin Hosseini (she/her)
Yasmine is Noisy Futures new Strategic Projects Officer, based on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country in Melbourne. She has been involved in Rock Camp since 2019, as a band mentor, instrument instructor, and performer. The experience was a stepping stone to establishing her own practice as a musician and artist, and she is now involved in Australia’s local music scene in her post-punk band ‘dogworld’. Her passion for music is only matched by her passion for community and empowering marginalised voices, drawing from her own experiences as a queer woman of colour navigating the world.
Marketing and Communications Officer: Jaida Stephenson (she/her)
Jaida Stephenson is the marketing and communications officer at Noisy Futures. Growing up as a musician in Canberra, Jaida has always admired the work and ethics of Noisy Futures and is stoked to be a part of their incredible team. Jaida is heavily involved in Australias music scene through her band ‘Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers’ gaining her over ten years of music industry experience. She is looking forward to working alongside Noisy Futures to help amplify young girls, trans-boys, gender diverse and intersex young people through creativity, diy and music!
Event Coordinator: Keiran Neville (he/him)
Keiran was first involved in Rock Camp in 2022 as a Camper, and interned the following year helping with Bass instructing. Previously, he worked as an Assistant Event coordinator with Southfest Battle of the Bands from 2022 to 2024, where he worked with a team to create a free youth event for young musicians in Canberra’s south. He is now working with Noisy Futures as a Programs and Event Officer. As a young queer musician, Keiran is passionate about creating music opportunities and safe spaces for young people.
Treasurer: Chelsea Hosking
Chelsea is a Chartered Accountant and Senior Manager at Yardstick Advisory, with over a decade of experience across the private and public sectors. She specialises in fraud investigations, compliance audits, and risk management, and holds both a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and a Master of Fraud and Financial Crime.
Chelsea has worked in consulting roles with both Big 4 and mid-tier firms, including Ernst & Young and Clayton Utz, delivering advisory services to a wide range of government clients. She has extensive expertise in conducting compliance reviews and audits of service providers funded by Commonwealth agencies, ensuring financial compliance with regulatory and funding requirements.
Board Member: Miranda Lello (she/her)
Miranda is a lawyer by training, a public servant by profession, and a published poet. Alongside this, she has dabbled in the Canberra performance scene for two decades – including poetry slams, making experimental noises in front of an audience with various groups, and performances at festivals including You Are Here and Art Not Apart.She has sat on several community boards and committees in Canberra.
Board Member: Karuna Garung (she/her)
Karuna is a small business owner, communications expert, and DJ. She was born in Kathmandu with an ethnic heritage spanning Bhutan, Nepal and India. Professionally, Karuna has had 20 years of media and communication experience in Australia and abroad, starting with an internship at the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women in Bangkok. She has also freelanced as a journalist and editor at various publications overseas before returning to Australia to work in legal advocacy, international development and is currently a media manager in the public sector. Karuna started Smokey Horse, a Nepali bar, restaurant and live music venue in Braidwood in 2018 that is passionate about supporting diversity in the Australian music industry.
Board Member: Emma Dryden (she/her)
With over a decade of professional experience working in the community sector, Emma brings a passion for practising Community Development principles and values in her work as a Community Development Officer with Community Services #1. With her vast experience working with people from marginalised communities, youth and older persons, people who identify as First Nations and those living with disability, she facilitates activities and consultations to build on a community’s strengths and capacity to address their self-determined needs and wishes. In addition to her work specific courses and certificates in leadership, NDIS education, diversity, cultural integrity, crisis management and mental health, she is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Community Development. She has over 20 years experience working in the music industry which includes designing and delivering music programs for youth at risk and as a performing artist, including as bassist for feminist punk band Glitoris.
Board Member: Sarah Burr (she/her)
Sarah has experience as a non-executive director of not-for-profit boards, including YWCA Canberra and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Advisory Council. In these roles, Sarah has led strategic direction and planning, and provided clear guidance to CEOs and managing directors. Sarah has led teams and branches in the Australian Public Service on policy issues including family safety, Indigenous business development, remote economic development, land tenure reform and constitutional reform, and agriculture.