• Panellists

  Dr. Michelle Stevenson

  HEAD OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY, MUSEUMS VICTORIA, & CULTURAL HERITAGE HISTORIAN AND CURATOR

  

  With over 15 years’ experience as a museum and cultural heritage professional, Michelle is passionate about history, heritage and creative ways of sharing knowledge with a wide range of audiences. As Head of the History & Technology department at the Museums Victoria Research Institute, she leads a dedicated team of curators and collection managers to facilitate the development, care and use of the History & Technology collections across all MV venues and departments. Michelle led the ten-year Royal Exhibition Building Dome Promenade project and has been involved in several projects exploring ways technology can be used to manage, preserve and interpret Melbourne's only UNESCO World Heritage site. Michelle holds a PhD in Cultural Heritage, Museum Studies and History from Deakin University and is co-chair of the Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee.

  Deborah Tout-Smith

  SENIOR CURATOR - HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY, MUSEUMS VICTORIA & EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER, INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS

  

  Deborah Tout-Smith has been a museum curator for over 35 years, with additional experience as a collections manager and registrar across cultural and academic institutions such as the Western Australian Museum, the University of Alberta and the Ohio Historical Society. Her professional focus includes the strategic frameworks that guide international museum practice, and the importance of international cooperation relating to issues including repatriation, restitution and climate change. She is a member of the Executive Board of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and ICOM Strategic Allocation Review Standing Committee (SAREC).

  Deborah is also passionate in researching and elevating the voices of those who can no longer be heard, or who were never heard. She is particularly interested in World War I history, culinary history, home life and clothing and textiles, and has curated major exhibitions around these topics. She also sits on the boards of the History Council of Victoria (HCV), the Australian Centre for Architectural History, Urban and Cultural Heritage (ACAHUCH), and has long been involveed with the Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA), including presidency of Museum Historians National Network, for four years.

  Karen Fisher

  LEAD CONSERVATOR (BIODIVERSITY GALLERY RE-DEVELOPMENT), COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND ACCESS, MUSEUMS VICTORIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE

  

  Karen works across all collection and material types to deliver preservation outcomes in Museums Victoria exhibition renewal, loan and access programs. Her work is multi-disciplinary and collaborative. Karen is a member of the Pumping Station Working Group and is part of a Museums Victoria team developing a sustained approach to activation and preservation of the Royal Exhibition Building. Of particular interest to her work is community led decision making in the care and activation of heritage places and collections, and the role of digital technology as an effective management and access tool. Karen volunteers with the National Trust of Australia (Vic).

  Kate Gray

  PRINCIPAL AND DIRECTOR, LOVELL CHEN

  

  Lovell Chen director and principal Kate Gray brings 30 years of experience in cultural heritage practice to her work in heritage assessment, the provision of strategic advice, and the management of heritage sites and places.

  Kate’s expertise includes the assessment of heritage places of significance at local, state and national levels — including individual buildings and structures, landscapes, industrial complexes and groups of places linked by ownership or use. She is highly experienced in the management of heritage buildings and places, in the assessment of development and adaptation proposals, and in the consideration of options to mitigate possible impacts or risks. She provides high-level strategic heritage advice as well as addressing issues of detailed design.

  Kate has led the Lovell Chen team for historical heritage for the Metro Tunnel project Environment Effects Statement process and was also EES specialist lead for the West Gate Tunnel and Northeast Link projects and has also managed major strategic heritage projects for the University of Melbourne, Port of Melbourne Corporation, Airservices Australia and the Australian National University. She is an experienced expert witness, appearing before planning panels, VCAT and the Heritage Council of Victoria.

  Kate holds a Master of Arts (History) with a post graduate qualification in heritage planning and management. She is a member of ICOMOS, has authored numerous conference papers and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Melbourne and Deakin University. She is an external member of Heritage Victoria’s archaeology advisory committee, and a member of the City of Melbourne’s Melbourne Design Review Panel.

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