The Academy of Makeup recruits the very best Artists in the makeup industry to train our students. We enlist educators who are experts in all things makeup and are highly specialised in their chosen field, be it bridal, editorial, SPFX or film & TV. All trainers have extensive experience working in the makeup industry, with most still freelancing in their spare time.
Trainers
Janey Umback
Originally from Canberra, Janey considers herself a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ within the makeup industry and has extensive experience in the fields of fashion, editorial, short film, catwalk and cosmetics retail.
A creative and extremely professional artist with over 13 years in the industry, Janey has worked both nationally and internationally, with stints living and working in Japan and the United Kingdom; where she was able to attend training workshops run by international artists including Jeanine Lobell (Stila), Terry De Gunzburg (YSL and By Terry) and Australia’s own Poppy King (Lipstick Queen).
Janey is extremely passionate about education and approaches her work with enthusiasm, dedication and a keen eye for detail.
When she’s not at the Academy, Janey can be found running a successful freelance business, specializing in fashion editorial and wedding services.
Past clients include: MBFWA, VAMFF, Space.NK (UK), All Around The World Records (UK), Bauer Media Group, AAP, Alpha 60, The Brownlow Medal, The Canberra Times, Future Music Festival and many more.
Kerrie Stanley
Hair and Makeup Artist.
A multi-faceted talent, she is also a highly sought after hair stylist and make-up artist with over 20 years experience in the fashion, theatre and commercial industries.
Kerrie works for ABC Breakfast Television in Melbourne and is also working on the production of Harry Potter, The Musical in Melbourne.
Narelle Rudkin
Trained under the late Franklin Chaloner in 1993, Narelle is an accomplished makeup artist with experience in beauty, corporate, bridal, fashion and photographic makeup. She was one of the first to bring spray tanning and airbrushing services to Brisbane, and for many years worked within one of Australia’s most renowned modeling agencies where she applied makeup for a few of today’s world-famous models. Some of her previous clients also include B105, Fox Sports, Harpers Bazaar and Girlfriend.
Her role as an educator began in 1999 when she started working with the late Craig Hartley. It was through teaching that Narelle discovered the true value of her skill, and throughout her career she has utilized this to assist with community service programs such as Look Good Feel Better, Lifehouse and The Amira Project.
Narelle has become a strong advocate of using personal grooming and cosmetic services as tools for building positive assertiveness in women of all ages. It was this philosophy that led her further into training, and she has been overseeing the Academy of Makeup’s Brisbane campus since opening in 2007. Narelle’s role as Head Lecturer is supporting her students as they grow as artists and individuals, and she feels that she is rewarded with every graduate that enters the industry as a qualified professional.
Dyan Acuesta
Dyan has been involved with makeup for over 10 years. Her love for beauty started during her career in aviation, where she managed the Style & Image department for Etihad Airways.
She specialises in beauty and closely works with brides, photographers and commercial brands.
She has received training from internationally known brands such as Hourglass, Laura Mercier, Smashbox and By Terry to name a few.
Now based in Brisbane, she is a published makeup artist holding a Diploma in Screen and Media. Her works include print, TV and most recently Melbourne Fashion Week.
Alana Winter-Smith
Alana is an internationally trained Makeup Artist and hair stylist. Her love for art and makeup started at a very early age, and in 2011, it blossomed into a career.
Originally from Perth, WA, Alana has progressed from retail cosmetic counters to living in the UK, where she worked and developed her craft, styling clients for photo shoots from a studio in the centre of London.
In 2016, Alana moved to Brisbane to continue building her freelance business and is now currently teaching and mentoring students in makeup artistry and hair styling techniques.
Alana has extensive experience working with TV personalities, recording artists, talented teams on movie sets, as well as enjoying the fast paced environments at Fashion shows.
Alana is inspired by helping people to feel empowered in their own skin and is driven to create looks which are sculpted to fit every individual.
Effie Tzagarakis
It all started with a short course in makeup, which lead to a vocation in creativity and artistry that would soon become Effie’s profession for years to come.
From humble beginnings, her career led to work on fashion and beauty editorials, advertising, bespoke weddings, cosmetic retail and backstage at shows including MSFW and VAMFF. Effie’s work has been featured in several Australian and International Publications.
With over a decade of experience, she now has the professional freedom to run her own freelance business. Having developed many working relationships with photographers in both commercial and bridal areas this allows her to thrive wholesomely within the Industry.
Effie stays abreast of current trends and has had the privilege of receiving training by International Cosmetic brands such as NARS, Hourglass, Ellis Faas, Stila just to name a few.
As an Educator at the Academy of Makeup, sharing her experiences and Industry knowledge has become a passion for Effie, allowing her to grow and encourage her students to thrive as she did and become there own artist.
Kirsty Bremner
Kirsty moved from New Zealand to Australia to study Make-up in 2002. She is currently the 2IC at AOM Sydney and loves her new role. She loves being able to pass on her skills and Knowledge to Students. She is always looking to do anything new creatively and is striving to be the best artist she can be.
Her previous experience includes being head make-up artist for a well-known Sydney Studio where she lead, taught and trained a team of 12 make-up artists. Moving on to London she worked as a Make-up co-ordinator for a busy Make-up store, where she worked with various brands like Chanel, YSL, Nars, Laura Mercier, By Terry, Chantecalle, Shu Umura, Ellis Fass and Lime Crime.
She now has her own freelance business in which she does Make-up and hair for a variety of clients. They include Network Ten, Brides, TV personalities, Advertising agencies, Events companies, numerous photography studios and photographers, and everyday people who want to look and feel amazing for an occasion. She has also done make-up for some of the cast of Neighbours, Home and away and Australian Idol. Magazines work includes Complete Melbourne wedding guide, Womans Day, CEOMagazine, Alchemist Magazine, Online french Fashion Magazine Kodd, Girl Power, Total Girl. Advertising champagnes include Sunbeam, Weight Watchers, Student flights, Twinrix, Oshka Black Jewellery.
Emma McMannas
Emma has worked as a Professional Make Up Artist for over 11 Years. During this time, she has worked extensively in the fashion industry, working on editorials shoots, fashion shows as well as commercial advertising, TV and film.
Emma moved from Ireland to Australia and has had some great opportunities since arriving here. Leading a team of makeup artist at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week Sydney for the grand finale show “Bowie Wong” has been Emma’s highlight to date.
Emma has been teaching makeup for several years along with working as a freelance makeup artist.
Some celebrities and campaigns Emma has worked with are U2, The Counting Crows, Boni, Il Divo, Dizzy Rascal, Pierce Brosnan, Jerry Bruckheimer, Alex Zane (MTV), Eamon Sullivan, Hugo Boss, Guiness and Vodaphone to name a few. Emma is a full time trainer at our Sydney Academy.
Janeen Brown
Belfast born Janeen Brown began her career in Makeup Artistry at The Academy
of Makeup Sydney after relocating to Australia in 2007. With a career spanning over 10 years in the Fashion, Beauty, Advertising, Film, Theatre and Music industries, Janeen's body of work encompasses numerous Advertising campaigns, Short films, T.V.C's and Music videos together with key roles as Hair and Makeup Consultant and Designer to various theatre and
stage productions. Janeen's resume has an impressive client base across the
board. Alongside her work as a Makeup artist. Janeen lends her industry experience, skills and expertise as a regular contributor to a range of Print and Online media publications.
Some of Janeen’s Credits include: Westpac Bank, Harpers Bazaar China, Mercedes Benz Fashion week, Jets Swimwear, Katies Fashion, Good Health Magazine, The Beauty Hunter, Sony Music Australia, Masterchef, Wanted, Haunting Australia, and Belle Shakespeare Theatre.
Leisa Puckeridge
Leisa has been working as a makeup artist for over 14 years.
During that time she has worked in many different areas within the industry such as bridal, photographic, fashion catwalk, theatre & film.
Leisa has a background in Fine Arts, studying drawing, painting and photography. She loves working with colour and has an eye for detail.
Working on fashion shows has definitely been a highlight for Leisa. Taking part in Sydney fashion week many times, doing makeup for designers such as Akira Isogawa, Leona Edmiston, Ksubi, Zambesi, Kirrily Johnston, Third Millenium and Alannah Hill to name a few.
Various projects Leisa has also worked on include: 'The Son of the Mask', feature film, Short films, 'Mimi' and 'Flowergirl', various industry hair shows, ARIA Music Awards, Marie Claire Awards, Client work such as Nike print Ads, Bodypainting events such as 'Deck of Cards' at the Art Gallery of NSW, and 'Naked Spin' at Sydney Mardi Gras.
Leisa continues to freelance in the industry and has been a trainer with the Academy of Makeup in Sydney for many years.
INSTAGRAM artistry_by_ashley101
Ashley Stephens
Since graduating from the Academy of Makeup in 2012, Ashley has had extensive experience across all areas of the makeup industry. She was worked in managerial roles for some of the biggest cosmetic companies in Australia while maintaining a successful freelancing business.
Ashley specialises in beauty and fashion makeup, having years of experience working with numerous photographers through fashion shows and photoshoots. Her work has been featured in local fashion magazine Frock Paper Scissors, she has worked with local fashion designers such as Moreno Marcos, Suzii K, Soot and Petrol Boutique for launch shoots and shows, and has been a part of the team of experts running Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. She has years of experience working with models from THE.mgmt, Quemodels, and Tamblyn Model Management.
Even though Ashley’s experience and passion has always focused on the ‘glitz and glam’ side of the industry, her true love is special effects - the more blood and gore the better. Ashley is known for her realistic SPFX creations and she pushes the limits on what she can create, always using her creativity to its fullest.
As a past student of the Academy of Makeup, Ashley has excellent insight into the life of a makeup student and knows what it takes to succeed in the industry. She is passionate in the classroom and is full of tips and tricks to share with her students. She always tells them “Don't think outside of the box, eliminate the box!”
Danielle Pedrina
Danielle is an adept makeup artist with an extensive portfolio containing everything from natural day makeup through to high fashion, fantasy and theatre looks. She first studied makeup in 1986 and has since built a long list of loyal celebrity clients and been awarded Makeup Artist Of The Year 3 times by the Australian Hairdressing Journal.
Danielle’s work has been published nationally and internationally in magazines, on billboards and on television, and she has also worked on large fashion events and runways for global brands such as Chanel.
Having worked for all major television networks in the past, Danielle is currently a makeup artist at Channel 7 where her clients include the 7 News QLD team. She regularly accompanies celebrities on publicity tours and has worked with the likes of Will Smith, Billy Zane, Magda Szubanski, Dead Letter Circus, The In-Betweeners, and UFC for Fox.
Danielle’s training background in makeup and deportment at modeling agencies led her to the Academy of Makeup in 2010 where she is a valued member of the Brisbane team.
INSTAGRAM billiewestonmakeupartist
First getting a taste for the industry in 1995, Billie is an established artist in all genres of makeup. She has worked in managerial, training and promotional roles for numerous luxury retail cosmetic brands and has directed makeup teams for shows at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and Rosemount Fashion Week.
Billie’s work has also been showcased on The Morning Show, and she was Kim and Khloe Kardashian’s personal makeup artist on their 2008 Australian publicity tour.
Billie has also made up the faces of Gyton Grantley, John Batchelor, Abbey Lee, Alexandra Agoston, Chrystal Copland, Kate Ritchie, Paulini and Kimberly Busteed, and her makeup has been published in Cleo Magazine, OK Magazine, Marie Claire, Style and the Australian Hairdressing Journal. In recent years, most of her work has been in music video and film and she was part of the makeup department for Kong: Skull Island and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Billie is known for incorporating effects and advanced prosthetics into high fashion and fantasy makeup’s, and as a trainer at the Academy of Makeup in Brisbane since 2013 she likes to inspire and encourage students to find their own creative flair.