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 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.
Craig Westwood
Craig has worked in Vocational Education for 25 years; joining the sector after an engineering career in the Australian Army that included his completion of an apprenticeship as a fitter & turner.
He has held senior appointments across Australia; including leadership roles within Group Training Organisations, Registered Training Organisations, Industry Skills Councils, and large publically owned workforce services organisations.
Craig is a former Non-Executive Director and current Executive Officer of the Apprentice Employment Network Qld & NT (AEN). AEN represents Group Training Organisations; the largest network of apprentice and trainee employers in Queensland, as well as operating the Queensland Out-of-Trade Register program supporting at risk and cancelled apprentices back to employment & training. He is also the Director and Principal Consultant of Perform for Purpose Pty Ltd, a strategic level consultancy supporting the Non-Profit sector.
In addition to his trade qualifications, Craig holds a Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning), Advanced Diploma of Business (Management) and Certificate IV in Workplace Training & Assessment.
John Tucker
John Tucker has over 30 years of experience in the VET sector, mostly recently as the General Manager of TAFE Queensland (SkillsTech), the largest provider of trade and technical training in the state of Queensland. During this time, John was also the lead for apprenticeship training delivery strategies for TAFE in Queensland.
Prior to this role, John has held numerous senior executive roles in the sector and is a passionate advocate for vocational training. John has dedicated his career to developing strategy and policies to ensure best practice in skills training at a senior level.
Apart from a Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, John holds qualifications in Executive Management and Development from UNSW Graduate Business School. John is also a non-Executive Director on the board of WorldSkills 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.
Leonie Carlile
Leonie Carlile, Group CEO The BUSY Group, has been with The BUSY Group since 2017, initially as General Manager Corporate Services, then COO and was appointed into the Group CEO role in 2022.
For the past 20 years, Leonie has held roles in Executive and Senior management with experience in both Human Resources and broader Business Management. Commencing her career as an Officer in the Australian Army, Leonie has worked across a range of sectors, including Manufacturing, Government, Resources and for the last decade in For Purpose, Not-For-Profit organisations.
Leonie specialises in Leadership, Strategic and Business Planning with specialist knowledge in HR and Finance. She holds a BA (Economics & Politics), MBA (Human Resources) and Post Graduate qualifications in Accounting.
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.
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.
Steve Wyborn
Steve Wyborn is the Chief Executive Officer of IntoJobs, an organisation delivering Workforce Australia Services across Australia. Steve has held operational and senior leadership roles in the Queensland VET sector since 1995. His early VET experience started within a GTO and RTO where he delivered pre-employment training to disengaged youth in Cairns to commence careers in the Hospitality and Tourism Sectors. Since that time Steve has been a strong and vocal advocate for the role of VET in creating sustainable career opportunities for young people, particularly those most at risk.
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 |
| Merv Walton | Merv Walton & Associates, QOF Life Member Past Recipient - Victorian Overseas Foundation |
| 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