Academy Staff

Carolyn has over thirty years’ experience in vocational training and education with TAFE NSW where her most recent role was Head Teacher of Business and Management.

Carolyn’s outstanding educational leadership has proven her commitment to her staff and students and their successful learning outcomes and welfare. She was presented the Staff Achievement Award from North Coast Institute of TAFE in 2007 for “Outstanding Achievement in Responding to Customers” and was nominated for the “Director General’s Award for Excellent Service to Public Education and Training” (2006).

Nicole joins the Academy with over 25 years administration experience. In one of her previous roles Nicole was responsible for design and placement of advertisements for the Coffs Coast Advocate Newspaper which is where she has gained her great attention to detail along with her love of working in a team environment. Nicole has extremely high organisational and problem solving skills which are invaluable in her role as Operations Manager. She comes with a high level of customer service skills. Nicole is passionate about ensuring that everyone who contacts the Academy is made feel welcome – Nicole is the friendly face you will see when you call in at the Academy.

Jess is our Gen Y staff member and fills an important role at the Academy which includes Student Services, Compliance and Finance. One of Jess’s many strengths is her desire to excel in everything she does which has resulted in her receiving HSC Awards such as: First in Standard English, Modern History and Textiles and Design as well as an Award of Merit in General Maths, Standard English and Biology. Having grown up on a farm Jess brings a freshness to the Academy team and comes with a diverse range of skills gained from previous administration and customer service roles. She has an exceptional “eye for detail” which is invaluable in her current compliance role. She delivers quality customer service and is the friendly voice you will hear on the phone when you call the Academy.

Kerry has over 20 years experience in the Vocational Education and Training sector as a Business Management and TAE Trainer and Assessor for TAFE as well as 10 years management experience in the Corporate sector in Telstra Management.

Kerry teaches from her heart and is passionate about supporting and mentoring her learners to ensure they receive the best learning experience possible. She is a qualified Myers Briggs practitioner and specialises in the delivery of Leadership and Management. Kerry delivers engaging workshops on Developing Emotional Intelligence and has a love for Language, Literacy and Numeracy.

She has been responsible for the development of our Indigenous Digital Literacy programme and has been making a difference in remote Indigenous Communities. Kerry is also passionate about making a difference to businesses and specialises in training “Real Skills for Work”.

Carolyn has over 25 years’ experience in the Vocational Education and Training sector with TAFE NSW where her most recent role was Educational Leader for the Business Faculty. This role included mentoring new teachers and head teachers to ensure they were equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide a quality training experience.

Her teaching experience spans the Business Management and Training and Assessment areas in both TAFE and the private sector state wide. She is highly experienced in curriculum and assessment development which includes writing material for TAFE NSW to be used across all Institutes.

Carolyn quickly embraced the concept of distance learning as a delivery mode and has developed online learning material and delivered and assessed online since 2002.

Jo has been in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector for over ten years. She is passionate about training and assessing – her specialty area being TAE. She loves creating a rapport with her learners and through her quality mentoring and support she enables them to grow and reach their potential.

Jo has substantial industry experience which she incorporates into her training and assessment to ensure the training she delivers is industry relevant. Her experience also spans across VET compliance where she has been in managerial roles ensuring quality training and assessment. During Jo’s career she has trained and assessed in TAE, Literacy and Numeracy, Business, Leadership and Management and Retail. Jo is also a Myers-Briggs Accredited Administrator and is known for her engaging workshops on personality types.

Jo is currently one of the Lead TAE Trainers and Assessors at International Teacher Training Academy (Australia).

Sandy comes with a wealth of experience and is an instructional designer who develops resources for the TAE and BSB training packages. There are more than 50 RTOs throughout Australia who use her resources (including ITTA). Sandy is one of ITTA’s Lead Trainers and Assessors in TAE and Leadership and Management.

Sandy’s background is change management, starting in the late 1970s helping organisations transition to computers. This involved analysing systems, planning and tailoring the installations and training staff. This is when she discovered her love of training.
About 16 years ago she left the corporate world and entered the VET world as a trainer/assessor. It was frustration with the quality of resources available that prompted her to begin writing learning and assessment material for VET qualifications.

Sandy continues to train, because she says it’s not possible to write engaging and relevant resources unless you can picture the trainees. Her resources are peppered with examples gathered from her years in the corporate world.

Cyril has Eighteen years’ experience in vocational training in Australia. This has been with several Community Colleges in the Sydney area and a commercial RTO as a trainer assessor. Courses included the TAA40104 and TAE40110 as well as Certificate I and II level IT courses. Cyril worked for Julalikari Aboriginal Corporation in Tennant Creek, NT in the 1990’s supporting the organisation to provide training and employment to regional communities in the Barkly Tablelands. He has been involved in agriculture rural development in northern Thailand working at the University of Chiangmai’s Agriculture faculty. During this time, he was involved in developing the skills of farmers to substitute opium production for other cash crops. Most recently his work experience has included, working as a trainer and assessor at a local community college and managing training and compliance.

Chris started his career as a primary school teacher in England and after migrating to Australia in 1983 became a Manual Metal Arts teacher to the post primary boys class at Numbulwar School in Arnhem Land. He then spent 6 years as the community’s Adult Educator.

Chris moved to Katherine in 1990 and through the NT Open College of TAFE he delivered Language, Literacy and Numeracy. He then joined the Northern Territory University and took responsibility for the new training and assessment qualification – in those days it was the BSZ. Chris is a passionate TAE trainer and assessor with more than 25 years’ experience in this field. He has delivered the TAE (both Certificate IV and Diploma courses) across the Northern Territory in some very remote locations. Many of his graduates have made successful careers in training and assessment within their own fields.

In his spare time Chris enjoys reading, calligraphy, genealogy, beekeeping, gardening and studying Hebrew. He is a member of Rotary and founded the Katherine Men’s Shed.

Tania is a widely experienced retail manager, corporate facilitator and learning & development professional who is driven to excellence by a commitment and passion for people.

Having established her management career in the fast-paced and sales driven retail sector, she quickly discovered the critical importance of effective leadership and a commitment to developing others, as the key to achieving results.
Having worked across a range of businesses in the Government, Not-for-Profit, Private and Corporate sectors, she recognises that success within any industry is dependent on the success of its people.

Tania is passionate about helping organisations and their people to realise their full potential.

Charlie is responsible for, maintenance of staff well-being, assisting in developing open communication and is overall the office favourite.

Lillie was responsible for excellence in the development and maintenance of staff well-being and morale. She worked at the Academy for 6 years and due to a rare lymphoma disease, Lillie resigned on Wednesday 11 March 2020. She was an inspiration to all and set the record for zero absences.