CEO and co-founder the Hessel Group
Tanya steers the organisation and is hands-on in the business that she built from the ground up.
Tanya has over 20 years’ experience in Social Care including Allied Health with majority within the children’s services sector driving strategic growth and product visibility for my company.
Tanya is dedicated to nurturing the future generation by supporting, educating and providing solutions to children, educators, families and business organisations. Skilling for the future in South Australia where the outcome is knowledge, enjoyment and employability in the Social Care sector.
Tanya holds a Bachelor of Commerce.
Managing Director, Ganbara Facility Services
Paul’s Aboriginal heritage comes from the Barngarla group of the Whyalla – Port Augusta regions and he brings a wealth of experience having worked extensively in the employment and training sectors in South Australia.
Currently Managing Director of Ganbara Facility Services, Paul previously spent 10-years as the CEO of Carey Training P/L which is 100% Aboriginal wholly owned and operated Registered Training Organisation who provide Training, Employment and upskilling opportunities for both mainstream and Aboriginal Australians. He was also the CEO and founder of Carey Group Training.
Prior to joining Carey Training, Paul was the Manager – Training of the largest private RTO in South Australia (ATEC) and before taking on that role, was the Manager of ATEC’s Australian Apprenticeships Centre. Before taking on the ATEC roles, Paul spent 7-years as the Manager of Business SA’s Australian Apprenticeships Centre.
Managing Director and Owner, Quality College of Australia | Chair, Tourism, Retail, Hospitality and Services
Richard is Managing Director and owner of Quality College of Australia (Formally Quality Training and Hospitality College), a position which he has filled for the last 28 years.
Quality College of Australia is a South Australian based Private Training Company, with offices in Adelaide, and Sydney. The College itself was formed in 1992 and trains both Domestic and International students. Last year the College trained over 1,100 students in a variety of Hospitality Programs and Community Services and has had huge success training for large hospitality venues such as Adelaide Oval.
Richard is also the immediate past chair of ACPET (Australian Council for Private Education and Training) a position he held for 6 years
Richard is also the Managing Director and owner of Quality Catering at the Adelaide Zoo. This company is responsible for all the day to day catering needs of all the zoo visitors and also caters to a growing number of functions and events. Richard is also on the Council of Restaurant and Catering South Australia.
Richard is also the owner of South Australia’s to major Hospitality Jobs Boards, Adelaide Hospitality Jobs and Adelaide Hospitality Crew, which collectively have over 110,000 followers
Richard also owned and operated HMS Buffalo Restaurant at Glenelg, an exact replica of the ship that brought the first settlers to SA in 1836 and a Tourism Icon in SA for over 3 decades
Before joining Quality Training & Hospitality College, Richard worked in the Hospitality and Retail industries both at home and abroad in countries such as Scotland, France and South Africa.
Richard is also the owner of Hospitality Jobs Australia and Hospitality Hire, a platform that links jobseekers direct with Hospitality Jobs
CEO Primary Producers SA | Chair, Agribusiness, Food & Wine/Beverages
Caroline has a long history in agribusiness and currently the CEO for Primary Producers SA, having held senior roles in both the public and private sector and with state and federal farmer representative bodies in Australia. She brings specialist skills in stakeholder management and regulatory affairs.
Caroline brings extensive experience in corporate governance and has served on a wide range of industry and community sector boards. Her current board appointments include the South Australian Cricket Association, the umbrella charity, Foodbank South Australia and the rural service provider, Rural Business Support.
Holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from the University of Adelaide, a Master of Agribusiness from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Managing Director, SAAB Australia | Chair, Defence and Aerospace
Andy served for 22 years in the Australian Navy which included command of two Collins Class submarines and a three-year exchange posting with the US Navy’s Submarine Force in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) for his leadership in command of HMAS SHEEAN in 2006.
Andy retired from the Navy in 2007 and joined ASC where he was responsible for establishing the business improvement capability and managing ASC’s operations in WA, which included maintenance and training for the Collins Class fleet.
After a two-year stint as Chief Executive of Defence SA, Andy commenced as the Managing Director of Saab Australia in November 2017.
Technologist & Industry Consultant | Chair, Creative Industries, Business, ICT and Cybersecurity
Dino Rossi is a Technologist & Industry Consultant who brings business, technology, innovation and educational expertise to clients. With 25+ years’ of experience having fulfilled responsibilities across Executive, Managerial and Technology roles, he combines business acumen and a strong technology background to foster innovative ways of “thinking” delivering solutions that achieve successful outcomes.
Possessing a passion to develop the technology industry in South Australia Dino is active in fostering mutually valued relationships between industry, education, and research institutions along with promoting the development of digital skills in South Australia’s emerging workforce. He works with the Department for Education to increase the contribution of industry in the education of SA children and delivered a series of structured teacher professional development workshops supporting the delivery of an authentic learning experience in the classroom.
He previously held the position of Chief Technologist for DXC Technology and was responsible for establishing the DXC Internship (Degree) and Digital Traineeship (Diploma) Programs, and established the DXC Adelaide Young Professionals program which fosters the career development of 50+ up and coming DXC Technology professionals. He currently fulfils the dual role of Business and Research Development Manager, and Senior Project Manager on Strategic Programs for the University of South Australia.
Executive Officer, SA Road Transport Association | Chair Transport and Manufacturing
Steve Shearer has been the Executive Officer of the SA Road Transport Association since 1994.
He is also a member of the Australian Trucking Association Council and a number of industry committees and liaison groups with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the National Transport Commission. In this capacity, Steve has played a central role in the development and implementation of a series of reforms within the trucking industry, including the Chain of responsibility reforms and fatigue management programs and the development of the HV National Law which is now undergoing a national review.
Steve has a background of over 15 years of management in the federal Government in several departments, including law-enforcement policy areas and coordinating Australia’s counter-terrorism arrangements in the late 1980’s, and as a State Manager of Veterans’ Affairs in SA and Queensland.
Steve adopts a pragmatic outcome-focused approach and has little time for the purely process-driven mentality as he seeks to facilitate the continual improvements in safety and compliance within the trucking industry. All this has had a dramatic impact on the roles of employees within the industry and the skills they require.
Commissioner, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Adrienne Nieuwenhuis is a Commissioner with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. Prior to this she has held senior appoints at the at the University of South Australia, where she was the Director of the Office of the Vice Chancellor and in State Government, where she was the Director Quality, Tertiary Education, Science and Research in the South Australian Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology.
In these roles she has been responsible for the provision of high-level strategic analysis and policy advice and while in state government, she was also responsible for a range of regulatory services for both VET and higher education. She worked closely with the Commonwealth Government in the establishment of the national regulatory systems for VET and higher education.
She was an inaugural member of both the Higher Education Standards Panel and the National Skills Standards Council. Adrienne has been a member of the South Australian Skills Commission (formerly the Training and Skills Commission) since 2013. She is also a member of the Australian Industry Skills Committee.
Adrienne has over 30 years of experience in tertiary education and has been a member of various state and federal committees and working parties associated with tertiary education. She holds an Honours degree in science and a Masters degree in educational administration.
Executive Officer, Master Plumbers South Australia | Chair, Construction, Mining and Energy
Andrew Clarke is the Executive Officer of the Master Plumbers Association of South Australia Inc. He has held that position since 2007.
Andrew has extensive industry experience as an Advanced plumber by trade with experience across every sector of the industry.
Andrew also has significant knowledge and expertise in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sectors, primarily through Registered Training Organisations and Group Training Organisations that supported the plumbing and motor trade industries.
Furthermore, Andrew is a Director of Master Plumbers Australia Ltd, a member of the national Plumbing Codes Committee as well as being a member of the Construction Industry Training Board. He is well regarded amongst his counterparts in the plumbing industry for his extensive knowledge, passion and expertise for the trade.