About WAH
Wild At Heart works with artists who experience injustice and exclusion through visible and invisible disability. We support the creation of original music which challenges artistic expectations, leading change for access and equity in music culture, industry and society.
Wild At Heart is a vibrant creative community of songwriters, singers, musicians, performers, bands, hip hop crews, film makers, dancers, event makers, project managers, volunteers, staff and directors.
Wild At Heart is an organisation led by artists and other contributors with lived experience of disability - as Board members, leaders, staff members, tutors, program managers, participating artists, administrators, volunteers, interview panel members and more. All those engaged in Wild At Heart are invited to contribute to the governance, management and creative direction of the organisation.
Wild At Heart is built on welcome and access. Firstly by creating friendship and trust amongst people who commonly experience loneliness and stigma. Wild At Heart creates a space where it’s safe to share, to be creative and learn the skills to shape one’s own stories into beautiful, powerful songs.
Wild At Heart helps to break down barriers to arts making for people with disability by ensuring they are in charge of the process - from setting goals, influencing the shape of programs and leading the organisation’s direction. WAH carefully selects and trains a cohort of professional artists to mentor artists, ensuring authentic and self determined music making.
We know from our own impact measurement and the extensive body of international research that music making as part of a community is hugely positive for mental well being, belonging, physical health, economic and cultural representation.
Wild At Heart is a not-for-profit Australian Company. We are governed by a Board of Directors and guided by an Advisory Group made up of the artists we work with. Our staff team and mentoring artists work together to deliver a wide range of artistic and community engagement programs.
Meet the team
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Phil Heuzenroeder
ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Phil Heuzenroeder is a Melbourne musician and leader in community arts. As founder of Wild At Heart, he supports people with disability, mental illness, and exclusion to share their stories through music. He directs the Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir, Club Wild, and the Bipolar Bears, creating vibrant spaces for expression. Driven by a passion for art’s power to connect and transform, Phil fosters inclusion and social change.
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Tamara Issa
PROGRAM MANAGER
Tamara is deeply passionate about music and social advocacy. Her experience working in disability and mental health support gives her an insight into the changes needed within society. As the Inkrewsive hip hop program manager she combines her love of music with community outreach, striving towards equity for all artists. Tamara is a singer-songwriter and musician in Australian band Obscura Hail.
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Laura Hudson
PROJECT ADMINISTRATOR
Laura wrangles all the admin of our programs making sure everything’s ticking along nicely. She is a songwriter who uses her classical voice and theatre backgrounds to strengthen her storytelling. Laura is a neurodivergent person who draws on her empathy for people who also experience mental illness and disability in her work.
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Domini Forster
FINANCE MANAGER
Domini's long-standing connection with WAH has seen her manage our songwriting programs around Victoria for 2 years before taking on her current role as Finance Manager. Through her own songwriting and music career Dom is a passionate storyteller, unfolding meaningful connection and nourishment of spiritual wellbeing. She has recently collaborated and toured nationally with the ARIA Award-winning Lior, with her new solo album slated for release in 2025.
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Rhys Renwick
LIVE MUSIC MANAGER
Rhys is a musician and disability advocate with 10 years experience in songwriting, events and performance across Melbourne venues. He knows what he’s talking about in navigating the challenges in live music faced by our artists, through his own lived experience with physical disability. His passion for rock and roll is matched by his desire for greater inclusiveness.
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Tim Karmouche
LABEL MANAGER
Tim brings to WAH his creative passion and years of professional music industry experience as a performer, songwriter, producer and label manager. As a member of The Murlocs, Tim has recorded extensively and toured internationally. He’s also a trained mental health support worker and psychosocial recovery coach. Tim brings all this experience to WAH artists releasing their music through our record label.
Board of Directors
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Sera Jacob
CHAIR
Sera Jacob is a vocalist, composer, writer, and sound artist whose experimental work explores the intersection of organic and electronic sound. Her immersive soundscapes reflect mental and emotional states, tracing her journey through life as a neurodivergent woman. A passionate advocate for human rights, Sera promotes deeper understanding of disability and mental health through her art. She studied music production at Collarts and was selected for Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio’s Professional Development program. Sera has performed widely in acoustic and a cappella duos, multicultural, soul, and heavy metal/rock choirs, showcasing her versatility as a soprano, alto, soloist, and ensemble singer.
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Phil Heuzenroeder
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Phil Heuzenroeder is a Melbourne-based musician, conductor, and community cultural development leader. As the founder and Executive Director of Wild At Heart Community Arts, he empowers individuals facing disability, mental illness, and social exclusion to express themselves through music and storytelling, fostering inclusion and social change. Phil directs the Melbourne Mass Gospel Choir, a vibrant ensemble known for its soulful performances that reflect progressive values. For over 15 years he led Club Wild, Australia’s pioneering disability-friendly cabaret club, and the Bipolar Bears rock band, providing platforms for creative expression. Phil’s work is driven by a passion for harnessing the transformative power of art to build community and bridge human experiences.
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Bruce Cumming
TREASURER
Bruce Cumming is a Central Victorian songwriter, singer, storyteller, video maker, historian, activist, and community leader. With a rich background in agricultural science, he has spent most of his life working across regional Australia in agriculture, sustainability, community development, water management, and multiculturalism. Bruce has led numerous community organisations and campaigns, combining leadership with creative practice. He is deeply committed to the power of the arts as a means to connect people, share stories, and support mental well-being—including his own. Through his creative and civic work, Bruce continues to inspire positive change and foster deeper understanding across communities.