Core Team

POWERED BY LOCAL CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY - It takes a village...

It’s almost unfathomable how a bunch of skills, passion, drive and resilience shapes a recipe for not only broad regional positive change, but also elevates our own personal happiness.

Amidst the declining levels of joy around the planet. we are so very proud of our region, our local Central Coast Community, our board, our partners and our Core Team who are prioritising the good stuff, embodying acts of service and volunteering to create the "stuff" that brings fulfillment, healing, happiness and possibilities to so many.

We know for sure creating and giving unleashes a beautiful cycle of joy, positivity, compassion, and impact and these heroes below have been doing just that to bring Coastal Twist Festival 2023 to Life

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Glitta Supernova (she/her)

Coastal Twist Festival Director, Community Maker & Culture Shaker Glitta Supernova is a lifetime art maker / producer, Queer LGBTIQ activist who has led political, satirical and culture changing work across the country for over 20 years.

Jan 2020 Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor announced Glitta as finalist for the NSW WOMAN OF THE YEAR “These incredible women come from all walks of life but the one thing they have in common is that they are inspiring achievers for their communities,”.

The Australian Burlesque pioneer & Co founder of double Green room nominated 1st Burlesque Club and Troupe in Australia with "Gurlesque" ( 2000 - 2011), synonymous with Burlesque performers across the nation & setting the footprint for the broader neo burlesque scene of today. Glitta has been actively building creative community & hosting safe space from Club Bent, to Wicked Women, Club Kooky & Hellfire to Honcho Disco to co-creating The Imperial Hotels infamous "Pretty Peepers cabaret" Sydney’s first ongoing underground uncensored Queer variety club which went on to tour Australia as a roving show gaining acclaim as ABC Performance Awards runner up, Adelaide Fringe weekly cabaret award winner with an additional 2 multi award winning one woman shows “Let's get METAphysical” and “BODYMAP”. Commissioned as Senior Queer Artist alongside William Yang leading the boldest and bravest Queer artists of today in "Day for Night" @ the Carriage works her work has also appeared at the Sydney Opera House, Carriageworks, AGNSW & Casula Powerhouse, Club Kooky, Honcho Disko, Heaps Gay & Loose Ends.

Today Co-Founder & Artistic Director of the regions leading contemporary Arts and Culture organisation Naughty Noodle Fun Haus, Central Coast NSW’s Home for Cutting-edge Performance & Discourse Glitta is simultaneously continuing to push inclusion and creative processes.

Juan Iocco (He/him)

2022 Central Coast Volunteer of the year Juan Iocco, activist & writer, Juan has been actively engaged with LGBTIQ campaigns since the 90s as well as sitting on various LGBTIQ & local council committees with multiple years working across the LGBTIQ arts sector including Gay games reporter & SSO Music editor.

Co-founder/Producer of the infamous Imperial Hotel "Pretty Peepers Club, hugely successful going on to become the first LGBTIQ club to tour Australia on the Fringe festival circuit receiving multiple awards. Celebrated writer of the multi nominated, nationally toured “Let’s get METAphysical” and Internationally toured, awarding winning “BODYMAP” (Best in Fringe, Best cabaret) With over 11 years corporate experience with multi-million dollar project management and Senior Advisor, Innovation roles for Qantas Airlines, Juan brings project, operational and budgeting expertise to the ongoing activations of the Coastal Twist Festival.

Kristy Theobald (She/her)

15+ years working in the finance and insurance industry, local gal Kristy ditched the corporate world and stepped into the role of creative/artist/maker. You can find her popping up all over the coast with the fabulous Bubble and Mouse.

Bringing years of organisation, office administration skill and support, Kristy is our office manager and all round fabmin. Key in co-curating Fair Day stalls for Coastie Carnie Fair Day. Long term fan of the Naughty Noodle it was a natural progression for Kristy to transition to a volunteer position in a supporting role. Kristy is passionate about being a curious creative, community connections and keeping everyone in the office hydrated. P.S This is your reminder to have a drink of water.

María Fernanda Calderón Salcedo (She/her)

Hailing from Mexico City Marifer moved to the Coast 4 years ago. "One of the things that I enjoy the most is bringing ideas to life, as well as performing and being part of a community".

Armed with a Degree in Communications, TV Production, working for Televisa and TV Azteca the two biggest Networks in Latin America Marifer is also an acomplished aerialist who has vast experience across the enterainment sector from Circus Instructor to Entertainment Manager, Events operations to leadership roles. Bringing a sense of detail across arts administration and operations Marfer now leads the venue operations as well as wearing the mutiple hats required for all successful community Arts and Culture organisations.

Jess Mcleod. (She/her)

Jess is co leading operations across the festival and supporting the broader details, we could not run this year without her expertise, ethusiasm and attention to details. WIth over 25 years in developing and executing project management, communication and stakeholder engagement campaigns in a number of industries including government, private sector and non-profit. Jess loves bringing enthusiasm, energy and passion to the Twist HQ and with our stakeholders.

Oliver Vincent Reyes (He/Him)

Oliver Vincent Reyes has a background in illustration, graphic design and has been working as an emerging community curator since 2021. His work began by actively seeking collaborative partnerships dedicated to serving the intersections of immigrant, refugee and LGBTQIA+ communities, by connecting artists to community venues and events.

This ongoing work has continued with the establishment of a strong partnership with The Packing Room Gallery, an artist-led initiative that Reyes has been solely dedicated to curating since December 2022 - dedicated to platform work by local transgender and non-binary artists.

Volunteering as a Co-curator for the Coastal Twist events has allowed Reyes to begin connecting to the wider Central Coast region. While in his role, he also mentors a young person from the region who is just as passionate about the arts as we want our audience to be.

Carlee Heise (She/her)

Carlee is a performance maker and youth worker, passionate about empowering young people and amplifying their voices. Carlee is the Senior Youth Worker/Producer at Naughty Noodle Fun Haus, leading the YAAS! Young Authentic & Social program and has also nurtured young artists through her work at Shopfront Arts Co-op in South Sydney and supported youth experiencing homelessness at Project Youth in the Sutherland Shire It gives her incredible joy to create safe and fun spaces where LGBTQIA+ young people are celebrated for being their authentic selves.

Sol Blackwood (He/Him)

Sol is a young writer, multidisciplinary artist and trans icon who is currently co-curating this year’s Coastal Twist art exhibition. He connected with Coastal Twist through the YAAS program in 2022 and has since been mentored under Carlee Heise and Oliver Reyes. Sol has been involved in many creative projects with YAAS such as production of the Lavender Room podcast, the Expectations Y.A.A.S. music video and the upcoming Loud Mouth youth showcase.

Melissa Cook (She/her)

Melissa Cook, Coastie & Director of the multi-faceted Caper Creative studio. Melissa’s expertise in Graphic Design, Brand Identity, Advertising, Print and Digital Design is putting a visual face on the Central Coast Pride and Coastal Twist festival branding and marketing. Melissa is passionate about providing visual platforms for Social Justice and Equality organisations to have the exposure and outreach they deserve. Melissa’s dedication to equality for all human beings shines through to all of us who have the pleasure of working alongside her. With over 20 year experience in design and advertising for large corporations such as BBC Worldwide, National Geographic Channel, NBC Universal, Frasers Hospitality, Melissa brings a multitude of skill, talent & knowledge to Central Coast Pride and Coastal Twist festival.

Colin Henson (He/Him)

Known as "Mama Bear", 30 years plus experience leading and managing within the community sector in disability employment and community aged care. Colin is currently the People and Culture Manager at ADSSI, a community aged care and disability service on the Central Coast and in the Hunter. He has volunteered and been active in social justice movements including gender and sexually diverse people’s campaigns, justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, prison reform and inter-faith understanding. Colin is a Certified Practitioner Human Resources - Australian Human Resources Institute and a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, Australia & New Zealand.

Josephine Taylor (She/Her)

Josephine is a ambitious and creative young woman with interests in IT, art and media.

Growing up on the central coast as a proud Trans Woman she has gained valuable insight into the lives and experiences of LGBTQIA+ and disadvantaged individuals and has encouraged and empowered other like-minded people to live proudly as their authentic selves.

Josephine is volunteering with Naughty Noodle Fun Haus as a way to gain more experience and skills which will contribute to pursuing a future career in IT, as well as giving back to and being a part of an important organisation that helps provide safe spaces, fun, education and empowerment to the LGBTQIA+ community of the Central Coast which is a cause that she is proud to be a part of.

Kellie Brown (She/Her)

With over 12 years in social and digital media and TV production, Kellie is a powerhouse of creative content creation, leaving her mark locally and internationally. As Foxtel's former Head of Digital Production, she orchestrated ground-breaking initiatives, playing a pivotal role in the launch of iconic global shows like Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, and The Walking Dead in the Australian market. Kellie's team also created award-winning bespoke content for local productions, securing industry accolades including Gold Promax Awards and a coveted Cannes Lion for Emerging Digital Innovation. Transitioning to Fremantle Media, Kellie brought new energy to the digital narrative before taking the reins as Series Producer for The Voice Australia's 9th season.

A sought-after global keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, unapologetically #EXTRA, Kellie's infectious spirit and storytelling prowess forge compelling connections between audiences and content, setting her apart as a true luminary. Today unleashing her passion for storytelling through Storykeller Productions Creative Content Production House.