TAFE NSW corporate governance

Stephen Brady joined TAFE NSW as Managing Director in December 2021. He has over 20 years of experience in executive leadership in the private and public sectors. He brings a wealth of experience from a diverse range of NSW government agencies. Prior to joining TAFE NSW, Stephen held Deputy Secretary roles in NSW Treasury, Department of Premier and Cabinet and Revenue NSW. Most recently, he was the Chief Operating Officer of the NSW Department of Customer Service.

Danny O'Connor brings extensive experience in healthcare management and public administration to his role as Chair. He has served as General Manager of hospitals and Chief Executive of healthcare organisations like Western Sydney Local Health District and Greater Western Area Health Service. He has extensive experience in government and public administration with a focus on stakeholder management in health services.

Katrina Troughton is the Vice President and Managing Director for Adobe ANZ. With over 25 years in the IT industry, she has a proven track record of driving high-growth businesses. Katrina has held senior roles as Managing Director of IBM Australia and New Zealand, General Manager for IBM New Zealand, and Vice President of Data and Analytics solutions for IBM Asia Pacific.

Isaiah Dawe, a Butchulla and Garawa Aboriginal man, is an entrepreneur, storyteller, and social change advocate. He is the Founder and CEO of ID. Know Yourself - a mentoring organisation for Aboriginal youth in out-of-home care. Isaiah serves as Chair of the Aboriginal Advisory Council at TAFE NSW and is on secondment with ROC Partners. In 2022, he was a nominee for NSW Young Australian of the Year and completed an executive leadership course at Stanford University.

Alison Mirams is the founding CEO of Roberts Co. She is deeply passionate about addressing the systemic issues in the construction industry, and attracting and retaining more women in the industry. During her 30+ year career she has been responsible for leading Lendlease’s building business in NSW/ACT and worked at Multiplex for 16 years. Alison is a member of the Federal Governments National Construction Industry Forum.

Adam Liaw is a cook, writer and broadcaster. He has written 10 cookbooks, is a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald and has had multiple TV series including 'Destination Flavour' and 'The Cook Up with Adam Liaw'. He is the co-Managing Director of i8 Studio, a television production company in Sydney. He also serves on the boards of the Australia-Japan Foundation, the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery and the Museum of Chinese in Australia. He is UNICEF Australia’s National Ambassador for Nutrition.

Dr. Geoff Newcombe served as the Chief Executive of the Association of Independent Schools of NSW from 2005-2022. Dr Newcombe, whose career in education spans more than 40 years, has a strong background in teaching, school management and finance. In 2017, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to education and educational organisations. In 2019, he received the NSW Sir Harold Wyndham Medal, the highest teaching accolade in NSW.

Mary Ann O’Loughlin has had a long career as a senior executive. She’s worked in Commonwealth and NSW governments, and the private sector. She specialises in social policy and government financial arrangements. She has also contributed to major policy reforms in education, health, aged care and disability. Currently, she is a senior policy strategist on domestic violence at UTS Business School and a member of CEDA's Research and Policy Committee.

Megan Callinan is the CEO and board member of Marathon Health. Her experience spans health and community sectors, training, employment and the building industry. Megan excels at uniting the right people to solve problems. She has strong connections across regional, rural and remote Australia, made up of a network of people who work to support vulnerable populations. Megan is also Pro Chancellor for Charles Sturt University and a board member of Regional Development Australia (Orana).

Kurt Fearnley, five-time Australian Paralympian, an experienced director in both government and non-government sectors, was appointed Chair of the National Disability Insurance Scheme board in 2022. Kurt serves as a board commissioner of the Australian Sports Commission and is board director of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee. He has previously been a board member for several organisations focused on disability and community issues. He is also a high-school teacher, television presenter, podcaster and broadcaster.

Eva Hanly has over 25 years of experience in the infrastructure and energy sector. This includes senior roles at Worley, Transurban, Origin Energy, Transgrid and Fortescue. She was previously CEO of Squadron Energy, the largest renewable energy company in Australia. Eva holds degrees in engineering and arts from UNSW, and has an MBA. She has also completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

Mr. Murat Dizdar PSM is the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education (DoE), overseeing education and training services. These include Early Childhood Education and Care, schools, and Vocational Education and Training (VET). His career began as a social science teacher and he went on to have senior principal roles at Belmore Boys High and Punchbowl Boys High. As Deputy Secretary – School Performance, he co-led the DoE's School Performance division. He’s received numerous awards for his contributions to education, including the Australia Day Public Service Medal in 2016.

Stuart McKinder joined TAFE NSW as a teacher of engineering trades in 2008. He has over 20 years of experience in heavy fabrication and welding, and mechanical plant installation. He’s also experienced in commissioning across industries, including heavy engineering, water, wastewater and food production. He has worked with CBI Constructors on the Collins Class submarines, Manus Island water treatment plant, and Anglian Water International.

Stephen Brady was appointed Managing Director, TAFE NSW in 2021. He has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in the private and public sectors. Stephen focuses on positioning TAFE NSW as a leading vocational training provider, emphasising innovation, industry collaboration, economic impact and financial stewardship. He has held deputy Secretary roles in NSW Treasury, Department of Premier and Cabinet and Revenue NSW. He was also Chief Operating Officer at the NSW Department of Customer Service.

Julie Tickle joined TAFE NSW as a teacher in 2002 and has since held many leadership roles within the organisation. She now serves as the Chief People and Culture Officer and is responsible for ensuring TAFE NSW operates in a safe, diverse and inclusive work environment. In her role, she oversees the development and continuation of a capable workforce. This ensures TAFE NSW can deliver the best outcomes through effective people and safety processes, policies and programs.

Janet Schorer joined TAFE NSW in 2022 as Chief Delivery Officer. She has extensive public sector experience, notably leading NSW's transition into the NDIS at the Department of Premier and Cabinet and developing the NDIS workforce strategy. A registered nurse and child psychologist, Janet has also led various educational and community programs, including Families NSW. In addition, she served as the NSW Children’s Guardian, a role in which she oversaw child welfare initiatives.

Dr. Margot McNeill joined TAFE NSW as Chief Product and Quality Officer in 2020. She has over 30 years of education experience, including serving as Deputy Vice Chancellor at the International College of Management. Margot's career includes head roles at Navitas, Think Education and OTEN. She’s also held senior positions at Western Sydney University, UNSW and Macquarie University. She focuses on developing innovative, industry-aligned courses at TAFE NSW.

Celia Murphy joined TAFE NSW as Executive Director, Strategic Planning and Policy in 2024. Prior to joining TAFE NSW, Celia was Executive Director, Policy and Planning at the NSW Office of Sport. Celia has 20 years of experience in shaping policy and implementing major reforms at a state and national level. Celia previously held senior roles with the National Disability Insurance Agency and the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Patrick Woods joined TAFE NSW as Chief Operating Officer in 2022, bringing decades of education sector experience. Formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), he led strategic initiatives, including business planning and campus development. Patrick now oversees TAFE NSW’s Shared Services Group. The group aligns infrastructure, finance, procurement and governance to support skills development in NSW.

Fiona Rankin joined TAFE NSW as Chief Information Officer in 2022, bringing extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. She is passionate about building high-performing tech teams and has a proven track record of delivering digital transformation projects in large organisations. Fiona has worked in the higher education, finance and technology sectors – most recently as the Chief Information Officer at the University of Wollongong.