Meet our MMAD Board

Geraint Davies is the Chairperson of MMAD’s Board, bringing extensive leadership experience from his senior roles in the music and media industry, including as Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Radio Network (ARN) and iHeartRadio. With expertise in governance, operations and strategy, Geraint offers a steady hand in guiding MMAD’s vision and sustainability.

Drawn to the organisation’s belief in music as a powerful tool for transformation, Geraint is passionate about ensuring young people facing adversity are given opportunities to be heard, supported, and empowered through creativity. He plays a key role in supporting strong governance, mentoring the leadership team, and advocating for MMAD’s mission to partners and communities.

Beyond the boardroom, Geraint is a genuine champion for the role of music in building resilience and connection. His commitment is grounded in the belief that music has the power to break down barriers and change lives.

Mukesh Chander is a highly accomplished and purpose-driven executive with extensive senior leadership experience across the disability, human services, and not-for-profit sectors. He has a proven track record of driving sustainable organisational growth, fostering positive cultural change, and delivering operational excellence in complex, client-focused environments. His expertise spans strategic planning, financial oversight, and leading digital transformation initiatives, consistently improving service delivery and client outcomes.

He also has deep knowledge of regulatory compliance and risk management, ensuring organisations operate in line with industry standards and governance frameworks. An exceptional communicator, Mukesh excels in stakeholder engagement, building strong relationships with government officials, advocacy groups, and community partners, including direct engagement with Premiers, Ministers, and Members of Parliament.

Mukesh holds advanced tertiary qualifications, including a PhD, MBA, Juris Doctor, and LLM, providing a strong foundation in governance, ethical leadership, and strategic decision-making.

Lani Booth is an accomplished executive leader with extensive experience driving strategy, innovation and growth across the tech, digital media and communications sectors. Having held senior roles including with Yahoo, Lani has honed her ability to lead diverse teams, shape organisational vision and deliver impactful outcomes. Her specialist expertise in executive leadership brings a valuable perspective to MMAD’s board, ensuring strong governance and future-focused decision making.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Lani is deeply passionate about creating positive social change. She believes in the transformative power of music, mentoring and storytelling to uplift young people facing adversity, and she is committed to helping MMAD provide spaces where they can heal and thrive. By combining her boardroom experience with her compassion for community, Lani plays a vital role in strengthening MMAD’s capacity to reach more young people and achieve lasting impact.

Annette Sherwood brings more than 25 years of experience leading not-for-profit organisations to her role on MMAD’s Board, underpinned by a deep passion for empowering young people and protecting vulnerable communities. With expertise spanning child safety, compliance, management, program development and coordination, Annette provides invaluable insight and guidance to ensure MMAD continues to operate with integrity and care at its core.

Her qualifications include MACAPCA, an Advanced Diploma in Social Science, and an Advanced Diploma in Counselling Communication. These professional credentials, combined with her hands-on experience and a detailed understanding of MMAD’s inner workings, allow her to contribute at both a strategic and operational level.

Annette has been dedicated to MMAD’s cause for more than a decade, supporting the charity’s growth and evolution with consistency and heart. Her commitment ensures the board remains well-informed and grounded in strong governance while staying true to MMAD’s mission.

Chris Freel is a highly respected leader who bridges the worlds of media, marketing and the not-for-profit sector. With senior leadership roles across major media organisations, Chris has built a reputation for driving innovation, partnerships and growth while keeping people at the heart of every decision. His deep industry knowledge is matched by his passion for purpose-driven work, which has seen him dedicate significant time to leading and supporting charitable organisations.

Chris has played a pivotal role in strengthening the connection between industry and community, harnessing the power of media and creativity to make a meaningful social impact. His extensive not-for-profit experience brings valuable insight into governance, fundraising and strategic development, ensuring MMAD continues to deliver programs with integrity and sustainability. With a natural ability to inspire collaboration, Chris brings both expertise and heart to his role, helping MMAD amplify its mission nationwide.

When Dom and Em met, they made a bold pact: to dedicate themselves to helping children and young people in need. If they hadn’t made a difference by Christmas the following year, it wasn’t meant to be. Their common mission sparked the journey that would become MMAD.

Drawing on Dom’s foundations in juvenile justice, youth work, program development and music business, combined with Emma’s extensive experience working with children and young people, along with qualifications in youth mental health, business management, holistic counselling, and WHS consultancy, they grew MMAD into a national charity that blends creativity, care, and community.

Over more than 25 years on the frontline, Dom and Em have poured their lives into empowering young people through music and mentoring. Their dedication has created a passionate team, a strong network of support, and transformed thousands of lives across multiple generations.

Evan “The Profit” Lawrie serves both operationally and on the MMAD board, ensuring strong alignment and transparency between operations and governance, in line with best practice recommendations from Harvard for charities. With over two decades of frontline experience, Evan has been instrumental in shaping MMAD’s creative youth mentoring programs, guiding a growing team of mentors and industry professionals.

He holds qualifications in training and development and is deeply committed to advancing program curriculum. Evan ensures that all initiatives are trauma-informed, that safeguarding protocols are robust, and that MMAD’s systems support sustainability and generational continuity.

A respected hip hop artist and producer, Evan brings authentic industry insight to mentoring, empowering young people to build resilience, creative confidence, and life skills. His dual focus on operational excellence and strategic governance strengthens MMAD’s mission to transform lives through music and mentoring.

Garret Haakma brings extensive music industry experience to MMAD’s board as the General Manager of Marketing at Universal Music Australia. In this role, he leads strategic partnerships, global artist development, and international label initiatives, combining commercial expertise with a deep understanding of the creative sector. His experience managing high-profile artists, coordinating large-scale projects, and navigating complex industry landscapes provides MMAD with valuable insight for program strategy, partnerships, and operational growth.

Garret has been actively involved with MMAD for over a decade, contributing his expertise, mentorship, and industry guidance to support young people and emerging artists. He is passionate about empowering young Australians through music and creative expression, believing that access to mentorship and opportunities inspires resilience, personal growth, and community engagement. Garret’s longstanding commitment and industry knowledge help MMAD design impactful programs and expand its reach nationally, strengthening the charity’s mission and outcomes.

Jon Austin brings extensive marketing and leadership expertise to MMAD’s board as a founder of Supermassive, a leading marketing agency. With experience building the agency from the ground up, Jon has led major campaigns, strategic brand initiatives, and integrated communications projects across diverse industries. His specialist skills in marketing strategy, audience engagement, and partnership development provide MMAD with invaluable guidance on raising awareness, building community connections, and amplifying the charity’s impact.

Jon is passionate about using creativity and storytelling as tools for positive social change. He believes that well-executed marketing can create opportunities for young people, increase access to programs, and inspire personal growth. In his board role, Jon supports strategic planning, program promotion, and stakeholder engagement, helping MMAD expand its reach and impact nationally while remaining true to its mission of empowering young Australians through music and creative expression.