Board of Directors

Anna Walsh (appointed 2018. Chairperson since 2022)

Executive Director of Theatre Forum
As Executive Director of Theatre Forum, Anna works closely with the organisation’s team, board and over 280 members to plan, produce and deliver training, as well as an annual programme of events. Her background is in strategic communications and advertising, having worked with multinational and indigenous companies, internationally and locally. Anna holds an M.A. Cultural Policy and Arts Management awarded by UCD, an M.Phil. Irish Art History and an M.Sc. (Management) Organisational Behaviour, both awarded by Trinity College, Dublin. She was an Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards judge in 2015 and chaired the judges’ panel in 2016.

Karen Howley (appointed 2022)

Strategy & Commercial Lead
Karen Howley is a senior marketing consultant and EMCC-accredited coach and mentor with experience leading change and building marketing capabilities in organisations so they can continuously evolve and grow as markets change. SSE Airtricity, The Networking Institute and the AIM Centre are some of the organisations Karen has advised. In 2022, Karen left a 15+ year career that spanned working with start-ups, large organisations and media. Some organisations she has worked with include Accenture, RTE and Virgin Media. Today Karen pursues a mission to coach people towards more sustainable careers and workplace behaviours to achieve greater confidence, happiness and growth in their professional lives. She has helped many individuals in the creative industry get clarity on what they want from their professional growth and helped them overcome barriers along the way.

Anne-Marie Smith (appointed 2022)

Financial Management
Anne-Marie holds a BSc in Biochemistry from UCD and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, having trained with KPMG, Dublin. She spent 8 years working in the audit sector, predominately in the areas of retail and the arts. For the past twenty five years, Anne-Marie has been working in the area of financial management, holding the position of financial controller for HMV Ireland and Cpl Resources plc. For the last 16 years she has held a senior financial management role within the music industry.

Tobi Omoteso (appointed 2023)

Dance Artist, Choreographer & Curator
Tobi Omoteso is an internationally acclaimed Nigerian/Irish B-boy (Breakin’ /Breakdancer) and Hip-Hop Freestyle dancer, having trained at Broadway Dance Centre, New York and Breakbeat Dance Studios, Ireland. Dancing for over 20 years, Tobi supports the foundations of this dynamic and influential dance form with his B-boy crew – RECESSION SQUAD NINJAS. He is curator and director of the hugely popular TOP 8 STREET DANCE BATTLE, now in its 8th year. He was previously a board member of CoisCéim Dance Theatre and part of Dance Sport Federation of Ireland/Breakin Ireland Head of Athlete Commission. As a dance facilitator, he has designed and delivered youth programmes, bringing his knowledge of Hip-Hop and breakin’ culture into a wide variety of youth, school and academic contexts. As a choreographer and performer, his work has been presented at Dublin Dance Festival, WHAT NEXT dance festival, Cork Midsummer Festival, Glor Dance Platform, Spraoi Festival, Irish Arts Center (New York), Eva Biannual International Contemporary Arts Festival, SODEA Festival, 1916 Easter Rising Commemorations in Croke Park (TG4 & Tyrone Production LAOCHRA), Dancers from the Dancer Irish and International Festival & Bloodlines, RTE’s Commissioned “I am Ireland”, VISUAL Carlow, Fidget Feet & Irish Arial Creation Centre, Thisispopbaby, the Abbey Theatre, and Loud Base Hip-hop induction Africa (Nigeria). On screen he has performed on Sky One's Got to Dance, Penny Dreadful, Apple TV Foundations, RTE, and in numerous music videos and commercials.

Alessandra Azeviche (appointed 2024)

Dance Artist, Choreographer
Alessandra Azeviche is an Afro-Brazilian dancer, Capoeira performer and instructor from Salvador, Bahia – home to the largest African diaspora population and Afro-Brazilian culture. Her practice is rooted in body movement to promote connections and cultural education. Since moving to Ireland in 2015 she has established herself as an ambassador of Afro-Brazilian culture, working with choreographers Catherine Young, John Scott and more, as well as Dublin City Council, Axis Ballymun, Carlow Arts Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival and the Brazilian Embassy, and is an associate artist with Irish Modern Dance Theatre and THISISPOPBABY. Leading her dance groups Quilombo Terra (the first Afro-Brazilian Arts performance group in Ireland) and Natural Rhythm, Alessandra has performed at major festivals sharing rhythms and dances that developed from her roots that echo the resilience and beauty of indigenous communities. Alessandra is working increasingly in contemporary arts performance dealing with themes of de-colonisation and intersectionality.