Meet the Development Team

The Bell Shakespeare Development team believe in the power of sharing Shakespeare and are dedicated to supporting those who enable these opportunities. 2026 brings fresh and familiar faces that make up our team.

Who we are

Head of Marketing and Development: Debra Reinecke (pictured bottom, right)
Philanthropy and Major Gifts Manager: Ell Katte (pictured top, left)
Partnerships Manager: Elle Hrobat (pictured bottom, middle)
Development and Events Manager: Felipe Cely (pictured top, right)
Corporate and Venue Sales Executive: Georgina Jenkins (absent)
Philanthropy Executive: Jessie Lancaster (pictured bottom, left)
Development Assistant: Phoebe Dunn (pictured top, middle)
Community Engagement Assistant: Kobra Sayyadi (absent)

Get to know the team

What is your favourite thing about working at Bell Shakespeare?

Deb: Bell Shakespeare is a daily dose of inspiration. I feel very fortunate to be immersed in Shakespeare’s poetry every day.  And somehow I think this work attracts good people, because I have been surrounded by them since I started in 2018 – colleagues and supporters both!

Phoebe: My favourite thing about working at Bell has been how welcoming everyone has been and how beautiful our home is on the Wharf - it feels very special to be part of this team!

Elle: I have 3
1. The people! They are the smartest, wittiest people I have ever worked with, and I have met some of my best friends here.   
2. I feel really proud to be contributing to the legacy of Bell Shakespeare, particularly what John Bell has done for theatre in Australia.  
3. I believe the things we do in education is ahead of its game, particularly the methodology we have developed to train teachers.

Felipe: My favourite thing about working here is how the company and donor family welcomed me from the very first moment I stepped into the building. It has embraced my cultural and language diversity, which reflects the ethos of the founder, Shakespeare is for everyone, no matter who we are or where we come from. Thanks to Bell I can say, Australia is my home! 

What do you enjoy about being a part of the development team? 

Ell: I count myself incredibly lucky that as part of my job, I get to spend time with people who share in my passion for theatre, literature and arts education. It's truly so touching to have a donor community who are so passionate for the company you work for and the impact it has. It's a privilege to feel warm and fuzzy from your workplace, knowing that what we do makes a difference. 

Felipe: Creating events that bring together our supporters and theatre makers to connect, share ideas, and express a mutual love for Shakespeare, education, and the performing arts. Which, in the long term, contributes to preserving theatre for future generations of Australians. 

Why is creating greater access to Shakespeare’s work for audiences and communities across Australia important to you?

Jessie: Coming from a performance background myself that has led me to share artistic work in regional areas across Australia, I have seen first hand the power of live theatre – particularly to those who may not have experienced it before or do not have frequent access to it. Shakespeare's work offers it's audience a shared, live exploration of the human condition. I think that the opportunity for communities to unite together in a space and listen to words that have been spoken for hundreds of years, which continue to resonate today, offers a sense of connection and understanding to self and others that is invaluable for every community. 

What is your favourite Shakespeare play and why?

Felipe: My favourite play is King Lear. I’m truly drawn to the honest and genuine love that Cordelia has for Lear, which I feel is very similar to the love I have for my own family. Perhaps it comes from my Colombian/Latino upbringing. 

Jessie: My favourite play is Much Ado About Nothing. The banter and wit between the characters Beatrice and Benedick is delightful! And the trajectory of their relationship is such a satisfying journey to follow as an audience member.  

Kobra: My favourite Shakespeare play is Hamlet. The title character is such a complicated man coming to terms with justice and learning the way of the world – specifically that is not always fair.

Elle: For excitement factor, Titus Andronicus (2019). Jane Montgomery Griffiths was my ‘Judi Dench moment.’ Akin to John Bell’s ‘Maitland moment’ as a young boy, where he first watched Olivier’s Henry V at the local cinema in back-to-back viewings… The way Jane spoke Shakespeare, it was magnetic. It came so naturally to her, and I understood her every emotion. The absurd gore; the shock value; the fainting; the worry for what my sponsors would think. It was exhilarating! 
For emotional factor: Hamlet (cause to thine own self be true, always and forever).