Australian Student Leadership Association

Dr Lindsay Oades

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  Tanya Oziel
  
  Tanya Oziel is a 42 year-old mother of three of Iraqi Jewish decent from Sydney, Australia.  She is the Executive Director of the Peres Centre for Peace – Australian Chapter, while operating her own Business Development Consultancy –  Tanya Oziel Consulting. In August 2008, Tanya achieved another big dream of creating and contributing to peace in the Middle East.  This became a reality when she brought 13 Palestinian and 13 Israeli’s together as teammates to play a game she knew and loved, AFL  (Australian Rules Football). Once again, against all odds, she bridged the political, historic, geographic and cultural divide among this inspirational group of men, making the impossible, possible and created a miracle in only 9 short months.
  

During years spent travelling - working in hospitality venues from cafes to clubs and bars, embracing the culture and business practices - John Hennessy developed an intense passion for coffee and a real sense of what it takes to be successful in the industry.

Andrew Robertson

Andrew is a Business Coach, owns two businesses and parent to an adopted daughter. He has a degree in Economics and is a chartered accountant.

In his spare time he is an avid sports person having represented in numerous sports.

Andrew’s vision is “supporting business leaders to create thriving communities by helping them to run better businesses, increasing profits and improving their lifestyles”.

Over the last 20 years Andrew has coached and supported 1000’s of businesses, to achieve expanded results - 10 years of which were spent as the owner of an accounting firm that Andrew grew to triple its size.  Andrew also knows the importance of balancing work and lifestyle, to ensure you are refreshed and energised to achieve real success in your business.

Karelynne Randall

Karelynne’s mission and vision is for people to know there is choice and strategic ways in which to  ‘move beyond limitations’… facilitating self leadership and professional growth… from wherever they are right now, to wherever they want to be. 

Empowering self will enhance your business, because… ‘you are your business!’ 

Karelynne’s values based methodology  is results oriented…  setting  people  apart from others with an authentic ‘Goal Achievement Plan’  to realise the vision of effective self and / or community leadership. 

In 2010 Karelynne co-designed, implemented and coordinated publication of the Youth Off The Streets, ‘Smart Money’ financial literacy program for young people, funded by Citi Foundation.
She has co-authored with Fr. Chris Riley in the Sydney University international publication, ‘Literacy and Social Responsibility - A Multiple Perspective.’ (2010) and is currently a Senior Teacher with the Youth Off The Streets organisation

Matt Dallas

After completing an Electrical apprenticeship with BHP, Matt started a successful Electrical Contracting Company, which at its largest employed 10 people. In 2007, as a mature age student, Matt started his Bachelor Degree at the University of Wollongong. Graduating in 2010 with First Class Honours, Matt was awarded the prestigious Chancellor Robert Hope Memorial Prize in recognition of his Outstanding Academic Performance and Exceptional Contribution to the Community. In 2008, Matt co-founded ARMS Ltd Shoalhaven, an initiative to offer free meals and counselling to people in need.

Raised in Wollongong, Matt now lives in Nowra with his wife and 2 children, whom both suffer from Tourette Syndrome (TS). Matt continues to be involved in numerous volunteer activities in his community, enjoying varied roles including that of board member for TSAA (Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia). As event co-ordinator he is active in raising funds for the association, and awareness of TS. Throughout his life Matt has had a passion for learning and has repeatedly proved his ability to lead through diverse and challenging situations. As a Sociology Tutor at UOW, Matt is thoroughly enjoying this new stage of his career, and is looking forward to starting his PHD studies next year. 

Graduated from the UOW with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Exercise Science and Nutrition, during my study I found my passion for health and the role healthy eating plays in wellbeing. In March 2011 I decided to take the first steps towards starting my own business, and launched Feelin’ Fit Nutrition. Over the past 6 months I have been able to develop my skills and bring food and nutrition advice to individuals and the community. Running my own business is constantly challenging, but I have been able to learn, grow and network with others along the way.
I have also worked in the fitness industry for 2 years, I am a fitness trainer at Contours Woonona, running group fitness circuits, zumba and boxing classes. I like to keep active, playing soccer and am currently training for a triathlon. My other passion is cooking, and I would like to eventually combine this with nutrition, teaching healthy cooking classes and writing my own recipe books.

Steve Beard

Steve Beard is the CEO of The Flagstaff Group, a commercially focussed Social Enterprise operating in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions. Steve is a Chartered Accountant with 28 years’ experience in the corporate and small business sectors.  His printing business, which he sold to Flagstaff in 2004, won the coveted Illawarra Small Business of the Year Award in 2002.  Steve has been the CEO of Flagstaff for 6 years and has worked closely with his board to transform Flagstaff into a dynamic commercial enterprise.  In his role as a Chartered Accountant, Steve worked with a number of not for profit boards to assist them in becoming more sustainable whilst maintaining a clear focus on their mission and vision.  He has a passion for business system development and the successful application of these systems to the disability sector to ensure people with disabilities have the best opportunity to succeed in their working lives.

Jay Bland

Inspector Jay Bland is a career firefighter of 20 years with Fire Rescue NSW. Throughout his career he has performed the roles of: Manager Operational Personnel; Manager Rescue; Manager Structural Fire Safety; Manager Training, Region South; and Manager Operational Information. He has also worked as the Zone Commander for the Illawarra as well as the Zone Commander in Region South One and Region West One.

Jay is the recipient of numerous decorations at a State and National Level, including the Commissioner’s Commendation for Brave Conduct and the Commissioner’s Commendation for Meritorious Service.

Jay is currently Fire Rescue New South Wales’ Duty Commander for the Illawarra attached to “D” Platoon. His region of responsibility encompasses an area from Helensburgh to Kiama and includes approximately 250 personnel. Jay is also a member of the Incident Management Group for the NSW Disaster Assistance Response Team. His most recent deployment with this team was to the Christchurch Earthquake.

He holds post graduate qualifications in Social Science (Emergency Management) as well as a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Michael Dawson

After completing a bachelor of Commerce/ Law at UNSW Michael Dawson entered the legal profession as a solicitor and senior associate at Tress Cocks and Maddox for four years.  Following a two year appointment to senior associate at Baker & Mckenzie, Michael decided to move back to his home town of Wagga Wagga to partner the firm Walsh and Blair. He moved back to Sydney in 1998 to continue his work as a solicitor and was offered a position as partner for Tress Cocks & Maddox. After four more years at the firm he was admitted to the NSW Bar and now acts as a barrister in Sydney. Specialising in ‘commercial law’ Michael has worked on such cases as ‘UMP Provisional Liquidation’ and ‘Pegasus Gold, Deaths in Custody & Seaview Royal Commissions’. Michael gained his Master of Laws at UTS and is also an Accredited Specialist Commercial litigator and Accredited Mediator.

Since graduating with a BA (Marketing/Politics) from UOW in 2006, Mel’s early career has been defined by two words – leadership and learning. Driven by the importance of being an active and engaged member of whatever community you are in, Mel has been an advocate for co curricular opportunities for students enrolled at University. Mel has held various management roles in which she has worked creating and coordinating student leadership and development programs. In her current role, Mel focuses on the first year experience of students and leads a team of 120 staff and leaders who are responsible for running one of the largest and most diverse tertiary peer learning programs in the world. After recently graduating from a Masters of Education (Adult Education) with Distinction, Mel has been appointed to the position of Associate Head, Australian National Centre for PASS. The National Centre provides leadership, training and resources to the Australasian community in the development of peer learning programs. One achievement of relevance, in 2007 Mel was charged with building a team of senior students from UOW and creating a leadership opportunity which aimed to bring together tertiary peers from across the Nation. This was the start of the S4S National Leadership Conference.

Kelly Boom

Keely Boom is a PhD student at the University of Wollongong, a research fellow at THINKK, the think tank for kangaroos at the University of Technology Sydney and Executive Officer of the Australian Climate Justice Program. Her PhD studies focus upon the question of whether countries could sue each other over the impacts of climate change. Keely obtained a UAI of 99.55 and was awarded two scholarships during her undergraduate study.

Keely has previously worked at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Ho Chi Minh City Child Welfare Foundation in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Voiceless the animal protection institute in Sydney and the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo (Italy).

She has taught international human rights law to youth workers and taught English to children rescued from prostitution and trafficking in Vietnam. Keely has taken a leading role in the development of international and national climate litigation since 2007.

Keely lives in the Royal National Park with her soul mate Matty Woods, growing much of their own food together and enjoying walks in the bush. Keely is an Awabakal woman who grew up in the Yuin nation. She is a lifelong vegetarian/vegan who practices meditation, yoga and nonviolence. Keely is a professional bellydancer.