Danielle O'Keefe, CEO & AD
Founder and CEO of The House that Dan Built, the joyous company that does. Passionate about passion, Danielle is an interdisciplinary contemporary artist whose site-responsive work with young female singers is being recognised and awarded internationally. Her work has been featured in collaborations through Melbourne Festival, Dark Mofo, and Sydney Festival. Danielle has worked in the Arts for over 20 years. Beginning her practice as a performer and vocalist. Danielle has in recent years honed her skills of leading, establishing a reputation as one of the country’s leading youth arts creators. A trained conductor, Danielle finished her studies in 2003 in London, retuning to Sydney to conduct the Australian Youth Choir (AYC) and held that post until 2012 when she left to adventure the great Australian Outback as the Artistic Director of Outback Theatre for Young People.
KATHERINE SHEARER, Executive Producer
Katherine brings a rare blend of deep musical artistry and high-impact production experience, a combination that perfectly matches our vision for creating bold, transformative performance.
Before joining The House, Katherine served as Producer of Contemporary Music at City Recital Hall, curating dynamic programs that connected diverse artists and sound worlds. Her extensive production credits span both screen and stage, including MISS INK: The Documentary Series, TikTok’s Krystal Klairvoyant, ABC’s The Disposables, and the SBS Digital Original Night Bloomers (both debuting at SXSW Sydney 2023). Through her company Bull Ant Films and her work on five Master of Arts AFTRS films - such as the award-winning Sweet Tooth and This River - she has consistently championed distinct creative voices.
Katherine’s practice is built on a rich background in music and performance. She sings soprano with The Choir of Christ Church St Laurence (CCSL), previously performed with the internationally acclaimed Adelaide Chamber Singers, and holds a grounding in Baroque music from the Adelaide Conservatorium. Trained in Musical Theatre at the Guildford School of Acting (UK) and a graduate of the Flinders University Drama Centre (BA Honours in Performance), she combines rigorous actor training with an intuitive musical sensibility.
Above all, Katherine is committed to supporting imaginative, music-driven storytelling and fostering environments where artists - especially girls and women - can create with confidence, curiosity, and integrity.
Ffion denman, Manager of youth engagement
Ffion believes the most powerful thing art can do is show a young person they were worthy of a platform all along. Trained as a visual artist, Ffion's practice began in photography and curation before she found her true calling connecting artists, educators and communities to build creative pathways for the next generation.
Across seven years, Ffion has led youth arts and engagement programs across the UK, Argentina and Sydney, from a National Lottery Heritage Fund project at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, to a trilingual photography program across rural Argentina, to community-led work at Redfern Community Centre. Along the way she's led teams of teaching artists, built lasting partnerships and never stopped believing that the right support, at the right moment, can change how a young person sees themselves.
Ffion holds a Master of Arts in Curating & Collections from Chelsea College of Art & Design, University of the Arts London, and a First Class Honours degree in Photography from Arts University Bournemouth. Outside The House, she's the founder of hadau, a creative wellbeing platform she built from the ground up. She's endlessly curious, deeply community-minded, and joins The House ready to help build the next generation of artists and leaders.
tallulah simpson, Artistic Associate
Tallulah is an artist, filmmaker and performer, creating on Gadigal land. With extensive experience in theatre and music both on and backstage, she is deeply passionate about collaborating with, uplifting and supporting female and gender nonconforming artists and students.
Working as a performer, composer and teacher for the House that Dan Built since 2021, she has had the privilege of running Toy Choir, weekly singing and songwriting classes for young girls, as well as running regional outreach workshops in performance and music around NSW since 2022.
She is currently studying film-making at UTS.
Her work with The House includes The Mother Project, Tender Young Creatures, BAGATELLE, SALT 360, REVERENCE, 100 WOMEN 100 STORIES and the international collaboration Chasing The Wind.
Harper pollard, teaching artist
Harper is a singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and emerging creative currently studying Communications at UTS. An artist with The House that Dan Built since she was 12, Harper is passionate about bringing women together and helping them feel empowered through the joy of music. She now assists in teaching singing and songwriting to Toy Choir and loves passing the joy of music to more young female creatives!
amelia cosmidis, visual communications intern
Amelia is in her second year at UTS, studying Communications with a double major in Media Arts & Production and Writing & Publishing.
She has a passion for art and enjoys any creative pursuits, particularly screenwriting, poetry, fiction novels, and graphic design. Her study and career goals include directing films and publishing poetry and short fiction, She is dedicated to empowering women and opening pathways for the success of women and girls.
Ella wilson, teaching intern
Ella has always loved performing through theatre, guitar, singing, and dance. She has played guitar since Year 4, performing in multiple rock bands, and has performed in several school musicals and plays.
Ella joined Toy Choir in 2020 and was part of the Senior Choir throughout high school. Building on her passion for music, she composed three original songs in different styles as part of her HSC major work. Ella is continuing her passion fo the arts, undertaking a Bachelor of Media Arts at UTS.
mia perry, visual communications intern
Mia Perry is a filmmaker, video editor, and Media Arts student at UTS. Her background spans post-production, audiovisual support, social media content creation, visual arts, and music, bringing creativity and technical skill to her work. As a classically trained violinist, Mia has performed in live events and taught beginner students. She is passionate about arts education, diversity, inclusion, and community representation.