BAYSIDE DIVAS
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Bayside Divas is a community-based, not-for-profit incorporated association. It is governed by a five-person executive management committee, the members of which are elected, on an annual basis, from within the general membership.
MEET THE TEAM
PETA BOURNE
Secretary
Peta joined the Divas in early 2023, after seeking out a more local choir to those she’d been in prior to having her daughter. Her Diva name, Despicable Diva, talks to the love her daughter had at the time of the Despicable Me movies, and because “Daring” Diva had already been taken!
Peta is the current Secretary of the Bayside Divas, diligently noting minutes of many a spirited meeting! While relatively new to the Divas, Peta started her love of singing in choirs during high school. While study, travel and work took centre stage in her 20s, she got back into the choir scene in her 30s, joining Hillbrook Choral under the direction of Kylie Los. She is now thoroughly enjoying her Divas time and the warm and welcoming vibe from the wonderful ladies of the choir.
Peta is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience, who has worked in several roles from Tax Accountant to Management Consultant both in Australia and London. She is currently pursuing a role in Project Management and Business Analysis, which at times is certainly challenging.
Peta loves to travel and explore new places, especially hitching the van and exploring this beautiful country with her Family. She has been lucky enough to have several career breaks spent with her man and her van across the UK, Europe and Australia
HELEN GILMORE
Coordinator
Helen is a Long-Standing Diva (LSD) having joined in 2010. At that time, she was wanting to continue singing with a choir after the birth of her son, in late 2008. She had previously sung with other choirs in Brisbane, including Voiceworks when she was younger.
The Bayside Divas community was so welcoming upon joining and Helen has never missed performing in the yearly Diva concert event. This is a highlight of her year and she loves when family and friends come to support her and the choir. She has also enjoyed choir tours to Melbourne in 2015 and Festival of Voices in Hobart in 2018.
Outside of the choir, Helen has worked in various State Government Departments since finishing school and a business course. She is currently a Legal Support Officer. The coordination required by her job assisted her in taking on the role of Music Librarian for the Divas, a task she has performed for over a decade and which she is now happy to pass on to new Divas who also have a passion for organising music!
Helen enjoys travel, and after spending time visiting Europe and the USA/Canada when younger, she now enjoys seeing a lot more of Australia, having visited every state and territory to see what they have to offer. Most recently, she undertook a trip to Central Australia for a hot air balloon ride over Alice Springs, bicycle ride around Uluru, a tour of Katja Tjuta, the Field of Lights dinner and visiting the many chasms and gorges of the West MacDonnell Ranges.
Singing is what makes Helen smile and being with a group of like-minded women makes going to rehearsal every week an absolute joy. If she isn’t feeling in the mood when she arrives, that mood quickly changes once the music starts.
MEGAN WINCH
Treasurer
Megan came to choral music at a very early age. Her mother used to take her along to church choir rehearsals every week and to their many performances. This meant sometimes joining the choir, on stage, in a bassinet! Megan is sure that this is where her passion for music started. At school she was part of both small and large choral ensembles and she participated in all the school musicals. Megan also learnt to play the violin and studied piano as well.
Megan is a relatively new addition to the Bayside Divas, joining the choir as recently as late 2019. Having not sung with a choir since attending school she was a little bit rusty. But, with a lot of hard work and dedicated practice she was ready to join the Divas for their Christmas performances that same year.
Megan currently works full-time as a Production Manager and Admin. Officer for a food allergen company. She has really enjoyed rediscovering music and how it feels singing with other people that share a common passion.
Megan says, “I think Plato said it best ‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything’.”
MICHELLE JEFFS
Assistant Coordinator
Michelle joined the Bayside Divas in 2022. She has an extensive music background, playing the piano and singing since the age of eight. She joined St Stephens Junior Choir in her hometown of Maryborough because of singing in the background while her eldest sister was at choir practice and the Chorale Director saying, “It’s time you joined as well”. She was subsequently encouraged to enter Eisteddfods every year and held leading roles in musicals when she was at high school. A highlight for her was leading the choir at the Christmas concert with “O Holy Night” when she was only 15.
After moving to Brisbane, when her children were still young, Michelle decided it was time to finish her singing studies, completing her A.Mus.A. in singing and a Graduate Certificate in Music Studies. Later, looking for a choir to join after a long break, “The Divas” were suggested to her. Investigating their website, she recognised the Musical Director – Sandra Milliken. It was a “Fate” moment – this was the choir she was looking for!
Michelle now works full time in an IT support role and, since her children have grown up and moved out, she has time to practice and devote to the Divas. She loves the Divas’ support and encouragement of one another, as well as the fun and dedication they bring to creating beautiful music together. She hopes that, with her knowledge of technology, she will be able to assist the Divas with all things technical in her new role.
CHRISTINE REED
Assistant Coordinator
Christine has always loved singing and dancing. She grew up in London and in secondary school had the opportunity to join the school choir and take piano lessons. Outside of school she enjoyed Latin American and Ballroom dancing and for a short time taught beginners in both these disciplines.
Having stopped playing piano when she left school, she has recently started lessons again and is also studying to improve her singing.
Christine has been a member of the Bayside Divas since 2013 and has enjoyed sharing her love of singing with others. Since joining, Christine has been the concert coordinator, organising all aspects of the Diva’s annual concert.
Christine works full time in a state government role, leading a policy development team. She also enjoys travel and, with her husband David, she has enjoyed several travel adventures including walking to Everest Base Camp and Machu Picchu, visiting the Galapagos Islands, going on an African Safari and staying in an ice hotel in Sweden. Future plans include visiting family and friends in the UK, along with a trip to Iceland.
Christine really enjoys the Bayside Divas being part of her life and values the friendships and connections she has made through the choir.
SUPPORT PERSONNEL
Music Librarians
Sharon Lakua
Kathy Comer
Concert & Membership Coordinator
Christine Reed
Costume Coordinators
Eleanor Way
Wendy Lavender
Grants Coordinator
Marisa St-Onge
Social Media Coordinators
Michelle Jeffs
Sandra Milliken
Social Coordinator
Jill Woods
Section Leaders
Eunice Rienecker
Helen Trappett
Eleanor Way
Jill Wood
Choreographer
Ruth Gabriel
Dance Captains
Eleanor Way