Board & Staff

SYN is governed by a Board of Directors, elected by the SYN membership, who offer their time and expertise voluntarily to our organisation. 

The SYN staff carry out the administration and organisational management of SYN. These people work with our amazing volunteers to make SYN's strategy come to life.

From time to time, SYN also employs project staff to undertake funded projects.

Here are our Board members:

  • Dan Pejic - President

Dan Pejic was elected to the board in late 2010 after three years of volunteer service. He has previously taken on the roles of SYN Talks Manger, Music Manager and was also a key member of the training department, being awarded Trainer of the Year in 2009.

 

Dan has a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Melbourne and was involved in a number of campus publications throughout his studies. He has also undertaken volunteer projects for Triple R and is former of editor of online music resource The Dwarf and A Fine Line magazine.

 

In 2009, Dan made the final selection stage for the United Nations Youth Ambassador and in 2011 he is returning to the University of Melbourne to obtain a Masters in International Relations.

  • Adam Christou - Vice President

Adam Christou was elected onto the SYN board at Vice President in late 2011, following four years of volunteering with SYN.  In that time Adam hosted a large variety of specialist music programs, managed punk and metal night and served as SYN’s Music Manager.

Adam has as strong history and background in the community broadcasting sector having spent time as a key volunteer at JOY 94.9 as both music director and a specialist music presenter.  Adam has also been involved with Melbourne’s Triple R FM as a regular fills, and guest/summer host presenter.

Adam has a strong passion for community broadcasting, non profit organisations, is a strong advocate for LGBTI issues and rights and works actively to help support the Australian music scene through airplay and community radio support.

When not involved in broadcasting, Adam works at The Worker’s Club in Fitzroy as administration assistant and spins records there on a Thursday night.

  • Andrew Crook - Secretary
Andrew Crook is senior journalist at Crikey.com.au covering politics and the media. He has previously reported on finance for Business Spectator and on music for Mess+Noise and The Vine. He spent three torturous years toiling as a policy officer in the Victorian Public Service before settling in behind the newsdesk.
 
Andrew has had a storied history at SYN, hosting the seminal Indie Night show Hyperstation in 2004 and serving for 5 subsequent years on the SYN board. He has overseen a number of key reforms, including a revamp of SYN's finances and the organisation's successful transition from a tenuousyear-to-year proposition to a feisty and independent media entity.
 
  • Felix Hogan

Since joining SYN in early 2009 Felix has been heavily involved in both SYN Radio and SYN TV. He has presented a variety of shows about different subcultures, the Geek movement and has delved into the social norms that bind our society.

He currently content produces for Get Cereal TV on Thursday and presents a weekly technology segment on Channel 31. He has accepted the role of SYN Online Manager for 2011 and hosts his own SYN radio show on Friday afternoons.

Outside of SYN he maintains strong connections with RMITV and Deakin TV, running Graphics for the national community show “The Inquiry News 24” and is currently producing  Channel 31 Sitcom “Fergus in Hell” for RMITV and “Where’s it At” for Deakin TV.

When not delving into the Media he manages the flash mob group “Improv Everywhere Melbourne” and works on his own creative writing.

  • Joe Toohey

Joe is currently the General Manager of Express Media, a Melbourne-based organisation which provides support and development opportunities for young Australians in writing and media. He has previously worked as a Project Officer at Regional Arts Victoria, a Research Assistant and Sessional Tutor at Victoria University, and a Youth Services Officer for Banyule City Council on the area’s FReeZA Youth Music and Cultural Events program.

Joe joined the SYN Board in 2008 and has been President since July 2010, after volunteering in roles including presenter and Executive Producer since 2007.

  • Leonie Morgan

Leonie Morgan has worked across the public, private and community sectors.  She currently works with the Office for the Community Sector to improve the workforce capacity of Victoria’s not-for-profit sector. 

Leonie brings her experience in strategic planning, human resource management, governance and advocacy to the SYN Board.

She is also on the board of the Australian Centre for Research into Employment and the Workplace, and has just ended a four year term on the Film Victoria Board.

  • Tamzin Byrne

Tamzin is currently studying a postgraduate journalism degree at RMIT University, but she feels that the real learning happened at SYN, working on the current affairs program, Panorama.

She foolishly ignored SYN's first call-out for presenters as a fresher back in 2003. But in 2008, Tamzin dropped in to help a friend one day, and didn't leave SYN until she'd had a go at everything - TV and Radio, talk and music, as presenter and producer - including as Executive Producer of Panorama in 2009 and Radio Manager 2010.

Since leaving SYN, Tamzin has been published in The Age, The Herald Sun, Crikey, The Punch and The Drum. She's taught broadcast journalism to school-leavers and run a program for international student journalists at a UN conference in Melbourne.

Tamzin wants more young people to have the same transformative experiences that she had at SYN. Her priorities are to increase participation and to lower the barriers to access for anyone who didn't think radio was for them, particularly under 18s and students from fields other than media studies.

  • Sally Whiteman

Sally Whiteman was elected to the Board in late 2011. She has been involved with SYN Media for several years, contributing to "The Hoist" and more recently TV program "1700" as Music Manager. She is currently composing a royalty free database for SYN media.

Sally holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Monash University and is particularly interested in Media Law and Intellectual Property.

 

SYN's Governance Structure