Queensland Overseas Foundation Board
Geoff Favell
Queensland’s current Training Ombudsman, Geoff Favell, has had over 30 years’ experience in the Queensland public sector with senior roles across employment, industrial relations and training portfolios in metropolitan and regional centres. As Interim Training Ombudsman, Geoff will provide a recognisable and accessible avenue for complaints and consumer advocacy for VET stakeholders to progress disputes and seek advice and assistance relating to the overall conduct of the VET sector in Queensland.
Geoff holds a Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management). Geoff also holds directorships with CISC Pty Ltd trading as Construction Training Centre and the Queensland Overseas Foundation.
Paul Miles
Paul Miles, CEO and Executive Director at BUSY At Work, has been with BUSY since January 2007, initially as Deputy CEO and then appointed as CEO in late July 2012. Paul has a degree in Law from Cardiff University, Wales, however retrained as an accountant within the energy industry and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). In between leaving the energy industry and joining BUSY, Paul worked within the financial services sector for major banking and insurance organisations in both Australia and the UK. Paul is also very proud to be the Vice Chair of the Australian Industry Trade College.
Carla Crawford
Carla is the Director – Legal and Communication at Construction Skills Queensland. She joined the QOF Board of Governors in 2017.
Paul Kulpa
Paul is the current General Manager of Training for MTA Institute and General Manager of Innovation for MTAiQ, Australia’s first automotive innovation hub, developed by the Motor Trades Association of Queensland.
Paul has worked in various management roles in not for profit and government agencies with over 20 years of experience in skilling and workforce development dealing with government contracts, corporate business policy and the development and implementation of training processes.
Paul joined the MTA Institute (RTO no. 31529) as General Manager in 2011 and is responsible for its management and operations. MTAI is the largest private automotive Registered Training Organisation in Queensland and provides training predominantly focussing on apprenticeships. Prior to this position, Paul worked as the Executive Officer at Automotive Skills Queensland, which provided advice to Government regarding training initiatives for current, medium and long term issues affecting the automotive industry. The role of the Executive Officer was vital to driving change in the Vocational Education & Training (VET) sector by working closely with industry, key stakeholders and Government to achieve solutions for the automotive industry skills’ shortage and sustainability.
Paul has also worked on the Queensland ITECA State Committee for the 5 years achieving positive results for the VET industry through policy feedback to the government of the day and RTO industry guidance.
Paul holds the following qualifications: BBus (Marketing), Grad Cert Business, Grad Cert Veterans’ Law, Dip Market Research, Dip Export Management, Cert IV TAE.
Merv Walton
Merv served as an apprentice Boilermaking with Vickers Ruwolt and was awarded a Victorian Overseas Foundation Scholarship in 1962 working with Vickers Armstrong in England and Canada. In 1987 Merv joined Evans Deakin Industries as the Marketing Manager – Design and Construction Division and Corporate Marketing Manager. Retiring in 2008 Merv holds a range of positions with non-profit organisations – he has worked tirelessly on the Board for over 25 years, most of those as secretary. During this period Merv has mentored Sandra Smith (1992), Rebecca Chadwick (1993), Cassandra Baker (1997), Caitlyn Paustain (2011), Phoebe Younger (2011), Rhys Walsh-Tundall (2013) and Russell Routledge (2015).
Simone Smiles
Simone is the State Coordinator for the Queensland Training Awards and she previously worked as a Corporate Events Manager for TAFE Queensland Brisbane, Southbank. Simone joined the Queensland Overseas Foundation Board of Governors in 2016 and she brings a wealth of experience in managing a state-wide, vocational sector award programme to the QOF Board.
Mary Campbell
As the Chief Executive Officer, Mary is responsible for the strategic direction and overall operation of TAFE Queensland as the largest and most experienced provider of vocational education and training across Queensland, delivering practical, industry-relevant training to more than 120,000 students each year.
Mary has spent more than 30 years working in the VET sector and is passionate about all aspects of the business, but most importantly about creating real outcomes for students and their employers. Mary has held a number of senior leadership positions within the VET sector and brings a wealth of knowledge to this important role.
Most recently, Mary has worked as the General Manager of TAFE Queensland SkillsTech, the lead provider of trade and technician training in Queensland. Prior to her appointment as General Manager, Mary held senior management positions across a number of TAFE institutes in Queensland including SkillsTech Australia, Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE and Moreton Institute of TAFE.
As a member of or contributor to a number of government, industry and community forums and committees, Mary is a well-recognised leader in the VET sector, not only here in Queensland, but also at a national and international level.
Mary has a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Diploma of Teaching (TAFE), Graduate Diploma in Open and Distance Learning, and a Master’s Degree in Education and Learning Innovations.
Ed Given
Ed Given started his career in 1975 as an apprentice carpenter in the construction industry working mainly in the housing industry. After 25 years as a builder ,project manager and building estimator Ed followed his interest in training young people through apprenticeships and pursued a career in the Group Training Industry. Spending 22 years in Group Training allowed Ed to assist in the development of hundreds of young men and women into fine tradesmen and women many of who have become leaders in their industries. Ed is proud to be involved in the Qld Overseas Foundation assisting young tradesmen and women to travel overseas to expand their skills and to bring their skills back to Australia.
Eric Davis
Eric Davis has over thirty-four years experience in the VET sector, twenty-five as a teacher and nine years as the Queensland State Manager for Worldskills Australia. Eric holds several qualifications including a Diploma of Teaching, Bachelor of Education and a Post Graduate Diploma of Occupational Health and Safety.
Since 2003 Eric has also been a regular volunteer for Worldskills Australia, undertaking a number of roles including National Chief Judge, National Project Designer and International Expert for the skill category of Bricklaying.
Eric has demonstrated a long term commitment to the VET sector and is passionate about promoting career pathways to young Australians.
Queensland Overseas Foundation Patron
The Governor's Biography
Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland
Dr Jeannette Young and her husband, Professor Graeme Nimmo are proud to serve all Queenslanders.
The Governor was born in Sydney in 1963, eldest daughter of Dr David Young and Mrs Lilly Young. After graduating from Medicine at Sydney University in 1986, she commenced her medical career at Westmead Hospital. During that time, she married, had a daughter, Rebecca, and transitioned to Medical Management, completing a Master of Business Administration at Macquarie University.
After her marriage ended, the Governor – with Rebecca – moved to Queensland in 1994 to become Director of Medical Services at the Rockhampton Hospital. In 1999, she relocated to Brisbane to take up the role of Executive Director of Medical Services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, and served on various workforce committees, including as Chair of AMWAC (Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee).
During this time, the Governor met her second husband, Professor Graeme Nimmo. In March 2000, they were married, and in June 2001 welcomed a daughter, Jane.
In August 2005, the Governor was appointed to the role of Chief Health Officer for Queensland, with responsibility for leading the State’s preventative health and public health agendas, including response to public health emergencies. In January 2020, when the COVID-19 virus outbreak was declared a pandemic, the Governor became the State Health Incident Controller.
During her medical career, Dr Young had specialist qualifications as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators and as a Fellow by Distinction of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom. She was also appointed Fellow of numerous other eminent education and research institutions, has received honorary doctorates from two Queensland Universities, and has received an Australia Day Achievement Medallion, as well as a Public Service Medal.
Her Excellency was sworn-in as the 27th Governor of Queensland on 1 November 2021.
Past Governors
We are grateful to the following people who have dedicated their time and service to promoting and supporting the Queensland Overseas Foundation as members of the QOF Board
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Tony Andersen (Chair) | General Manager Projects – CS Energy |
| Colin Anderson | Principal – Anderson Printing |
| Ron Berry | Manager – Hastings Deering Institute of Training (former) |
| Joe Box MBE * | Principal – JS Box Master Builders |
| John F S Brown AO MC * | Agent General for Queensland (London) |
| Garth Burge | Secretary – AMWU (Automotive Section) |
| Frank Burnett | General Manager – Castlemaine Perkins |
| Peter Burton | Managing Director – Sterling Process |
| Hon. Fred Campbell (Chair)* | Minister – Employment & Training |
| Bernie Carlon | General Manager – Employment Task Force DETIR |
| Phillip Charlton | Max Solutions |
| John F Cockburn* | President – ASC Pacific Inc. (Washington) |
| D C T Collier * | Original Governor appointed 28.08.1976 |
| Peter Costantini (Chair) | Director at Innovation and Business Skills Australia Ltd |
| Peter de Medici | Executive Officer – Group Training Australia |
| Jenny Dodd | Chief Academic Officer, TAFE Queensland |
| R J (Bob) Druitt | General Manager – Queensland Alumina Limited |
| Jenny Field | Director – Prime Learning Specialised Training Services |
| Desirae French | Principal – Leadership Management Australia |
| Neil A Galway (Chair) | Commissioner – Queensland Electricity Commission |
| Rebecca Hall (Chair) | Director – International Education, Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (Victoria) |
| Harry Hauenschild AO | President – Queensland Trades and Labour Council |
| Keith Hilless | Commissioner – Queensland Electricity Commission |
| Hon. Sir William Knox (Chair) | MLA for Nundah |
| Jack S Lacey* | H R Manager – Mount Isa Mines |
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Wendy Lawson | Customer Services Manager – Toowoomba Holden |
| Roly L Livingstone* | Principal – Livingstone Australia Public Relation |
| Ryan Malsem | Principal – Cold Energy Contracting |
| Lorraine Martin | Principal – Lorraine Martin Business College |
| David Mitchell | Executive Officer – Apprenticeship Employment Network |
| G D (Doug) Moffett | Mount Isa Mines |
| E D Murray* | Original Governor appointed 28.08 1976 |
| Mark Neale | Group Service Operations Project Manager -Hastings Deering (Australia) Ltd. |
| P J (John) Noble | General Manager – CSR Limited |
| Dr John O’Hagan | CSIRO |
| Keith W Peterson* | Managing Director – Queensland Alumina Limited |
| Barry Read | Chief Executive – Department Employment Vocational Eduction & Training |
| Mick J Robertson | Principal – Robertson Business Consultancy |
| Sarina Russo | Principal – Sarina Russo Schools Australia |
| Peter Searson | Business Consultant |
| Will Siganto | Managing Director – Siganto & Stacey Pty Ltd |
| J W W (Bill) Siganto AM (Chair) | Chairman – Siganto & Stacey Pty Ltd |
| Barry B Smith | Chair – Training & Employment Board |
| Chris Trevor-Jones | Principal – HR & IR Services |
| J A (Aussie) Vaughan | State Secretary – Australian Manufacturing Workers Union |
| Roy H Wallace* | Director – Division of Technical &a Further Education |
| Cliff D Wilson | General Manager – AE Smith & Past Recipient – Victorian Overseas Foundation |
| Matthew Traynor | Executive Officer - ACPET QLD |
* Governors of original QOF Board