Professor Gail Whiteford - Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Inclusion)

Gail currently holds the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Inclusion) at Macquarie University, a portfolio which includes  the Participation and Community Engagement Project, Equity and Diversity, and Indigenous Engagement (outreach, education and employment). Gail is a sought after speaker, having given keynote and invited presentations in Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, France, NZ, the UK and South Africa. She has recently worked on two European Commission social inclusion projects involving disadvantaged groups such as street children (Turkey) and people with disabilities (Bulgaria). Gail is well known in her home discipline of occupational therapy with several edited books and numerous publications focused on occupational deprivation and its impacts. In 2009 Gail’s international contribution to the discipline was recognised when she was the recipient of a Canadian award for meritorious service.

Naomi Gray - Executive Assistant to Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Inclusion)

Naomi joined the Social Inclusion team in May 2009 after 24 years with the New Zealand Police force, the last three served in the Solomon Islands as Executive Assistant to the Australian Police Commissioner as part of the RAMSI Mission (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands).

Originally from New Zealand, Naomi is a Ngai Tahu and Tai Nui woman and lived most of her life in Wellington on the North Island.  

kate wilson - director, equity & diversity

Kate started as a teacher in an independent progressive school in the Adelaide Hills before moving back to her home town Brisbane to complete a Masters and specialise in educational and therapeutic programs for disadvantaged groups (at risk youth, sex offenders, long term unemployed , disadvantaged women and migrant groups).

She joined QUT in 1998 as coordinator of mentoring programs for academic women and over the next 5 years worked as an academic in Education and Human Services, as a Dean’s researcher and as an Equity and Diversity consultant across a number of faculties and offices.  In 2002 she moved to Sydney to become Coordinator (Gender and Disability) at UTS where her team established Women@UTS and strengthened the disability employment program. In 2007 Kate was invited to join Macquarie.

Passionate about people and building an inclusive environment for both staff and students of Macquarie University, Kate is developing a strong and effective equity and diversity team to progress the social inclusion agenda.

Daniel O'Neill - Senior Equity & Diversity Officer

A former MQ graduate, Daniel recently returned to Macquarie as Senior Equity & Diversity Officer after a stint teaching in Europe. He has over ten years’ experience in a broad range of equity & diversity matters, having worked at UTS, the Anti-Discrimination Board NSW and the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology & Clinical Research. He also worked as a freelance qualitative research consultant. Daniel has a great deal of experience in working with staff and students to address sex-based harassment, discrimination and bullying in the workplace and on campus. He also lectures on sexual and gender diversity and is the Macquarie Ally Network Coordinator.

Charlotte Moar - Manager, Indigenous Engagement

Charlotte’s cultural heritage is Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander (Meriam Mir), Scottish and Irish. She joined the Social Inclusion team in January 2009 having previously worked for several years at the Equity and Diversity Unit, UTS. Her background is in student equity, coordinating access schemes and outreach programs to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Charlotte is committed to the advancement of Indigenous people and ensuring a supportive and inclusive workplace which respects and promotes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. In her current role she recognises the value of being a positive role model and providing effective leadership in achieving improved employment and educational outcomes for Indigenous people.

Naomi Carolin – Indigenous Engagement Officer

Naomi Carolin joined Macquarie in April 2010 after three years working at UniSA as a Project Officer with the Divisions of Business,  Health Sciences and as an Academic Advisor with the Indigenous Student Services. Naomi’s cultural background is Aboriginal (Borroloola and Darwin), and Italian. Naomi is passionate about “Closing the Gap’’ in areas of social justice and education for Indigenous Australians.

Naomi holds a Bachelor of Media (Honours) from the University of Adelaide majoring in Radio Production and a Master of Arts by Research. Naomi’s  thesis was looking at Indigenous people’s remembrances of Cyclone Tracy. She is committed to redressing the way Indigenous people are represented within the media and in preserving the oral histories of Indigenous people for future generations.

Ruth Tregale - Equity Outreach Coordinator

Ruth joined the Social Inclusion team in January 2010, having previously worked as Social Sustainability Manager at the University's student services organisation. She holds a postgraduate diploma in Community & Youth Work; and a Masters degree in Sustainable Development from Macquarie.

Through previous roles with a global NGO and the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, Ruth is very aware of the role of education in achieving sustainable development. She is passionate about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to access and succeed in tertiary education, regardless of background or current socio-economic status.

DR Justin Dutch - Transition Program Coordinator

Justin's connection to Macquarie goes back to 1989, when he undertook his studies as a secondary teacher, and subsequently a PhD in Cultural Theory and Performance. Since then, he has taught and lectured in high school, TAFE and university settings. More recently, he was Macquarie's International Study Skills Adviser. In that role, his experiences with commencing students alerted him to the importance of effective, well-supported transition to university study, and in 2008 Justin brought these experiences to his current role of Transition Program Coordinator.

Currently, Justin co-chairs the First Year Experience Working Party with the PVC for Social Inclusion, Professor Gail Whiteford.

SVETLANA MARTYNOVICH - EQUITY AND DIVERSITY OFFICER

Svetlana joined the Social Inclusion team in May 2010 with a strong background in community development. Originally from Russia, Svetlana came to Australia in 2006 and worked extensively in migrant and refugee resettlement on government funded projects, including migrant education and employment initiatives such as major Expos and Citizenship support programs.

Svetlana completed her Bachelor of Education / TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) in Russia and undertook a Bachelor of Community Welfare (Family and Community) at UWS in 2008.

Education has always been an important part of Svetlana’s life and she is dedicated to greater educational engagement and positive experiences for everyone no matter what their background.

lindie clark - Acting Programs Director of Participation and Community Engagement

Lindie Clark is the Acting Programs Director of Participation and Community Engagement (PACE) at Macquarie University.  She is also the Director of the Health Studies program, and in this role she runs a participation (and capstone) unit, HLTH300 Health Placement. In 2008 Lindie and two of her colleagues were awarded an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for 'Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning'. Prior to joining Macquarie University Lindie worked in a range of regulatory agencies in the health, employment and industrial relations fields. As a Harkness Fellow she completed a Master of Public Administration at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Lindie is also a Trustee of the Dusseldorp Skills Forum, a not-for-profit organisation that works within the broader community to enhance the opportunities for education, skills and employment for all young people, particularly those who don't succeed in the 'mainstream'. Seeing students realise the valuable contribution they can make to their community, and recognise the amount they learn through the act of participation, is one of the most rewarding Learning and Teaching experiences Lindie has had in her career.

Brian Hurd - Manager, Scholarship and Prizes

Brian has worked at Macquarie University since 2001. Most of this time was spent working in Admission within the Coursework Studies Section.  He was appointed Manager of the Coursework Scholarships and Prizes unit which resides in the Social Inclusion portfolio.  The Coursework Scholarships and Prizes Unit has a scholarship budget of $2.3 million.

Before coming to Macquarie, Brian worked in the Higher Education Sector in the United States for six years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York and a Master Degree in Educational Leadership from Macquarie University.