Simon Collins was first elected MEAA federal president in 2015, and again in 2017 and 2019.

Now retired as a full-time musician, Simon played viola for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for more than three decades.

He began his career as a professional musician at the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in 1978 and quickly became active active with the Musicians’ Union of Australia.

He was an instrumental figure in the creation of the Symphony Orchestra Musician Association (SOMA) in the mid-1990s.

As Federal President, Simon’s responsibilities include signing off on MEAA’s financial accounts, chairing meetings of the board and the Federal Council, and representing MEAA on various forums.

Read more about Simon.

Karen Percy
(Federal President)

Karen was elected President of MEAA Media in 2022. She has been a journalist for more than 35 years. She is currently a freelance journalist. She has worked for the ABC as a local reporter in Adelaide, Alice Springs, Darwin, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as the national broadcaster’s South East Asia Correspondent from 2006 to 2009. From 2010 to 2013 she was a freelance correspondent based in Moscow working for a number of clients including Radio NZ, SBS, Deutsche Welle, CBC, Radio France, RTE. She is Deputy Chair of the Walkley Foundation and a past chair of the Dart Centre Asia Pacific.

Committee elected in February 2022

Jason Klarwein
(Federal President)

Jason is an actor, director and producer who has worked nationally and internationally with Australia’s leading theatre companies and has been the artistic director of Grin and Tonic since 2011. The Queensland-based theatre company delivers critically-acclaimed mainstage productions, as well as workshops to over 60,000 school students per year. Jason has been a member of MEAA for nearly 20 years serving on the Queensland Branch, National Performers Committee and the MEAA Board. He was appointed Equity President in 2020 and elected in 2022.

Committee elected in February 2022

Fiona Donovan
(Federal President)

Fiona has worked in the Australian screen industry for three decades as a production designer and art director on productions ranging from local TV series like A Place To Call Home to offshore features such as Pacific Rim: Uprising. As well as serving as a federal councilor, she has been a member of the offshore template agreement negotiating committee, Get Real on Rates campaign committee, and is vice-president of Australian Production Designers Guild. She was first elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2022.

Committee elected in February 2022

Cameron Brook
(Federal President)

Cameron has been the tuba player in the WA Symphony Orchestra since 1983. He has been representing the interests of musicians since the mid 1980’s, and has a deep knowledge of the industrial, political and financial issues faced by the sector. He is an experienced negotiator and has represented the interests of musicians at a Board and Government level.

Committee elected February 2022