Board
Jane McConville
For over 15 years Jane has worked in senior positions across large national NFPs, education and consulting firms in risk, industrial relations and HR roles. In 2023, she stepped into the role of Chairperson at 汤头条.
Jane grew her passion for problem solving while undertaking a Bachelor of Law/Environmental Science.
In 2017, Jane launched Newcastle-based Professional Services Firm, FiveSeven Consulting. With a passion for strategic thinking, Jane and the FiveSeven team work alongside some of the state鈥檚 largest employers.
Jane has consistently committed to developing and empowering others and is committed to offering opportunities that showcase the strengths and careers of those returning to, or starting out, in the workforce.
David Larkman
David joined the 汤头条 Board of Directors in 2020, becoming Deputy Chairperson in 2023, and currently sits on the Executive Subcommittee.
David co-founded Note It with a vision to transform workplace communication through innovative technology. With a diverse background that spans heavy industry and SaaS sectors, he has been a pivotal figure in shaping Note It鈥檚 operational strategies and technological integration.
In the global arena of high-growth companies, David is recognised for driving operational efficiencies and leading significant system transformations. His expertise in assembling and steering high-performing teams has been crucial in aligning scalable systems with strategic business goals, while also promoting a balanced approach to work and life.
Coming from a family that highly values education, David is deeply committed to expanding access to learning opportunities. This personal commitment to education parallels his professional dedication, as he continues to empower others to achieve their educational and vocational aspirations.
David’s foundational knowledge in commerce, underpinned by a degree from the University of Newcastle and his accreditation as a Chartered Accountant (CAANZ), has informed his pragmatic and empathetic approach to business leadership.
Cass Phillpott
Cass joined the 汤头条 Board of Directors in 2022 and currently sits on the Audit and Finance Subcommittee.
Cass has over 15 years experience as a Chartered Accountant, starting her career as an external auditor for a big 4 accounting firm before moving into the commercial sector where she has gained valuable experience across a range of industries including mining, local government, and education. Her diverse roles have resulted in a wide range of professional skills including in-depth analytics of financial statements, managing finance teams and interpreting and ensuring the compliance of Accounting Standards and Australian Competition and Consumer Law. Cass brings with her significant experience in the not-for-profit sector, with a sound knowledge and understanding of the finance, commercial and governance requirements of non-government schools.
In late 2022, Cass commenced as a Compliance and Commercial Specialist at the Australian Rail and Track Corporation where she is responsible for the regulatory compliance of the organisation. Cass holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle and is a member of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (ICAANZ).
Cass is passionate about people, education and making a positive contribution towards empowering students to receive quality education and to thrive in a safe learning environment whereby then can achieve their full potential.
Seamus Fagan
Seamus is currently an Honorary Associate Professor in the Academic Division of the University of Newcastle. Prior to his retirement, he was Director of the ELFS Centre, which hosted the largest enabling program (foundational courses for students who have had a challenging educational experience) in Australia.
Seamus has played a national role in enabling education and English Language Teaching sectors serving on the Boards of the National ELT Accreditation Scheme (NEAS), International Education Association of Australia (IEEA), National Enabling Educators of Australia (NAEEA) and English Australia. Seamus received life membership of all of the above organisations and in June 2020 he was made a member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to tertiary education, specifically ELT.
Seamus currently serves on the Board of the Northern Settlement Services (NSS) and has a lifetime commitment to ensuring education is for all, and firmly believes that all people have 鈥渦ntapped鈥� capability(ies)
Pru Killick
Pru Killick is a dynamic, hands-on strategic and operational people leader, with over 18yrs experience across; HR strategy, learning & development, service operations, compliance and Governance. Over the last 10yrs she has honed these skills working within a SaaS B2B B2C company Pegasus. This included, scale up experience, having been part of the Executive team for both Silicon Valley Series A funding and US based acquisition by Avetta. Currently Pru is the P&C Strategic Partnership Manager with the City of Newcastle supporting and enabling the HR and IR team within the council to deliver operational excellence.
Darrell Evans
Darrell is passionate about the transformative power of education and its promise for future generations. He is the founder of globalDARBE (Consulting and Training) and an academic by background. He brings to ATWEA College senior management experience leading education portfolios in universities as a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching). Darrell is currently an honorary professor at The University of Newcastle and Adjunct Professor at Monash University.
Gillian Malcolm
Gillian brings significant experience in risk management and business continuity from her roles working for Coal LSL, Westpac and Defence Housing Australia.
As General Manager Risk, Governance and Assurance for Coal LSL, she is passionate about embedding sound risk management practices in decision making and supporting the business achieve its strategic objectives.
Gillian holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle, is a Certified Internal Auditor, Certified Practicing Accountant, Professional Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and holds a Master of Business Administration.
Gillian is passionate about helping people in the community as evident with her volunteer work with Meals on Wheels and she brings this passion and commitment to her role at Atwea.
La Toya Pinner
La Toya joined the Atwea Board of Directors as an Emerging Director in June 2023 and appointed as Director under the provision of the Constitution s 42 casual vacancies and additional directors in June 2024.
La Toya is a proud Gamilaraay, Gawambaraay and Wiriyaraay woman from the Gomeroi Nation, who provides professional support within First Nations consultation and stakeholder engagement on construction projects.
Culture and community are important to her, and this is shown through her commitment to effecting positive change for mob and her community.
Senior Management
Helga Smit
Helga brings over 20 years of varied national and international experience in Strategy, Operations and HR across For-Profit and For-Purpose (NFP) sectors.聽 She also has experience in education and training, mainly in the Registered Training Organisation sector.聽 Her impressive history has allowed her to showcase her leadership in strategic planning, stakeholder management and engagement, and governance.
Helga is responsible setting Atwea鈥檚 strategic direction and ensuring financial stability and sustainability. She is also tasked with overseeing the delivery of senior secondary and vocational education across 汤头条鈥檚 seven campuses.
Helga is an accomplished and pro-active senior leader with a strong humanistic and quality orientation. Helga has qualifications in Industrial Sociology, training and assessment, community sector management, and in quality auditing and is also graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Aisha Choudhari
Aisha Choudhari is a highly accomplished People and Culture professional with over 12 years of experience spanning customer service, operations, and human resource management. Renowned for her expertise in organisational development, employee relations, learning and development and employee engagement, Aisha has consistently demonstrated her ability to align people strategies with business objectives.
Since joining 汤头条 in 2022 as the People and Culture Business Partner, Aisha has progressed to the role of People and Culture Manager. During her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in driving key HR functions, including successfully leading the onboarding of over 70 new hires, managing workplace relations, driving employee engagement and navigating organisational restructuring with resilience and professionalism.
Aisha鈥檚 holistic approach to HR, combined with her strong capabilities in policy interpretation, stakeholder engagement, and process improvement, make her an invaluable asset to the organisation.
Simon Gelder
Simon is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and brings a wealth of experience to Atwea. With a strong background in finance, procurement, business integration, and strategic development, Simon has excelled as a senior finance and commercial executive. He has demonstrated leadership and expertise in change management across various industries, including manufacturing, services, infrastructure, and shipping.
Simon鈥檚 leadership skills are complemented by his extensive experience in project management, communication, business case preparation, data analysis, audit & risk management, and stakeholder engagement. His enthusiasm for driving business growth and success makes him an outstanding addition to our team.
Rowan Cox
Rowan Cox is the Principal of Alesco Secondary College.
A co-founder of Alesco Secondary College, Rowan experienced what she describes as a 鈥榗hallenging鈥� adolescence where education wasn鈥檛 stressed to her as a priority.
It is this experience that inspired her to ensure young people have access to alternative forms of education that suit their specific needs in order to pursue a sustainable future.
Rowan spent 10 years in several positions at WEA Hunter. These included, Manager VET and Equity, Deputy Director and General Manager, a position she held for over six years.
Possessing a Bachelor of Social Science (Sociology), Rowan also has qualifications in education, counselling, youth work and community welfare.
Rowan is passionate about making community based education accessible to all members of the community without compromising on the quality of service provision.
