Meet our trainers

Meet our Trainers

NESA

ALICIA WEIDERMAN

Alicia has held senior roles in the Australian Government in the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2001 – 2014. During this time she has held various roles in both Canberra and in Queensland State Offices. These positions involved managing a network of providers, and contract managers through multiple policy changes and environments.
In May 2015 Alicia started Weiderman Consulting, a management consulting company that works with Government and business to address complex problems, with a focus on labour market issues.

NESA

DAMIEN OPOLSKI

Damien joined NESA after an extensive career with the Department of Employment, where he spent the last 12 years as manager of the Learning Centre. As a service provider in the CES, he estimates that he’s conducted over 10,000 job seeker interviews and worked with hundreds of employers to help them find the right staff. A career spanning more than 30 years has given him a unique insight into the employment services sector. Originally from Adelaide, Damien has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Adelaide, and diplomas in Project Management and Training and Assessment. He is also a qualified Teacher to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Think Learn Succeed

Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor turns smart leaders into savvy communicators. She delivers workshops and coaching on ‘people skills’ such as influencing, leading in challenging times, negotiation and conflict management. Eleanor works with leaders, managers and highly skilled professionals in the community, education and corporate sectors. Typically, her clients have already mastered the technical aspects of their work and now want to: • build positive team dynamics • manage performance difficulties • persuade and influence • negotiate confidently at a senior level • lead teams beyond conflict and towards success As the author of Difficult People Made Easy, Eleanor specialises in conflict management. Her expertise was developed in training roles at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University. Prior to starting her training career, Eleanor directed an educational theatre company. There she honed the storytelling and performance skills which make her a vibrant trainer today. Eleanor has trained over 50,000 people in dynamic leadership and breakthrough communication. Your team could be next.

Gail Reynolds-Adamson

Gail Reynolds-Adamson, is a descendant from the Noongar people who are from the South East Coast of Western Australia Nudju people, who are from the Norseman/Balladonia area, Mirrnning people (“Whale people”), who stretch along the coast between Western Australia and South Australia.

Gail has designed and facilitated cultural awareness , cultural competency and cultural intelligence courses for more than 2 decades and currently assists organisations in implementing lasting behavioral and attitudinal change. Gail is a director for both Indigenous Consulting Group and Kaata Tidje.

John Francis

Following many years experience in stock broking and funds management in London and Melbourne, John commenced in the Employment Services industry in 2006. He has ten years experience in DEN/DES (and other industry programmes), in the roles of Case Manager, Recruiter and Training and Assessor. John has delivered accredited motivational training to participants centred on addressing vocational and non-vocational barriers on their own pathway to success. John has developed outstanding communication skills and is experienced in mentoring newer members of staff in their ongoing professional development; including delivering the training and assessing for the Certificate III and IV Employment Services internally. John has very strong employment services networks and has a track record in nurturing and maintaining relationships with service participants and colleagues of all backgrounds.

LESLEY WEST

Lesley West has over 30 years of experience working in the Employment Services arena. As an Operations Manager of five star sites in previous contracts, Lesley managed up to 60 staff at any one time and has hands-on experience managing people of all ages, backgrounds, personality types and levels of engagement. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Psychology, Graduate Diploma in Human Resources and Industrial Relations, Diploma of Management, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and even a Bachelors Degree in Art History. A professional member of the Australian Human Resources Institute who is continually working with jobactive, DES and CDP providers on tender writing, policies and procedural review, and staff training, Lesley is able to impart her knowledge in a way that is engaging, refreshing and makes even the most challenging of topics interesting.

Bounce Australia

MARIA SMITH

Maria Smith has been delivering professional and personal development workshops for over 15 years within organisations in both Australia and the USA. Maria’s facilitation style is both engaging and experiential leading the learner to the results they need to get the job done.
Maria has an excellent reputation in the facilitation of workshops for leaders in providing self-awareness of the impact their unconscious and conscious communication has on influencing the behaviours of their employees. Maria provides elegant influencing techniques for leaders to achieve their desired goals/results, creating the links to move from good to better, and ultimately, best practice. Maria’s workshops and presentations are profound and powerful, leaving you wanting more.

Controlled Chaos

MATT ELDRIDGE

With over 20 years practicing and studying Leadership and Management in a range of community and business settings Matt is committed to innovation and motivating teams. A strategic thinker and strong communicator and teacher, Matt’s diverse experience has grown to create very practical approaches to Training, Management and Technology.

Most recently Matt has formed Controlled Chaos, bringing these passions and solutions to life for many companies in Employment Services, Registered Training and Medium Private enterprises Australia wide.

We encourage you to learn more about Matt through his LinkedIn profile or web www.controlledchaosconsulting.net.

Bounce Australia

Matt Luttrell

Matt Luttrell has over 15 years management experience that includes 6 years managing hotels in Melbourne and Geelong and 9 years experience in employment services. Within employment services Matt started his journey in recruitment and developed into senior management positions where he developed an extensive network and is well regarded for building key stakeholder relationships within the industry.

Matt lists his strengths as Integrity, Honesty and Accuracy, all of which are critical components when building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. Matt is now the National Program Manager at Bounce Australia where he is in regular contact with management and staff of Employment Services and Corporate Organisations to develop programs that add value to their services (in other words, Matt walks the talk himself).

Corporate Culcha

PAUL DODD

Paul is the CEO & Director and a Principal Consultant for Corporate Culcha, identifying himself as a Bundjalung man, the traditional Aboriginal language group of his mother. Paul has a Bachelor Degree in Aboriginal Community Management and Development. Paul has over 22 years experience in facilitating Cultural Respect Training, working in State, and Commonwealth Government in management positions. Between 1994 – 2008, Paul facilitated Cultural Respect Training for over 4000 QLD Health staff alone. Paul also has a background in developing Indigenous Workforce Development Strategies including Indigenous Employment Strategies; and Indigenous Participation Plans for the construction industry. Between 2006-2007, Paul was commissioned to develop 20 Aboriginal Employment Strategies across state government departments in the Central and Northern Coast Regions of NSW. Paul developed the South Coast Regional Health Authority and the Gold Coast Health Services Cultural Awareness Programme.

Betterlink Group

PAUL MORGAN

REBECCA HERBERTSON

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Psychology, a Graduate Certificate in Career Development, and other qualifications in Training, Management and Human Resources. With over fifteen years’ experience working in Employment Services and nine years delivering industry training, Rebecca is able to relay her knowledge and experience using a common sense approach and an informal manner which is popular with her clients. Her Employment Services work has primarily involved facilitating the Certificate IV in Employment Services throughout Western Australia and assisting organisations with other business needs such as tender writing and policy development. Currently the Director of Training and Compliance at the Betterlink Group, a Western Australian based RTO she is also a professional member of the Career Development Association of Australia, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a trainee Life Coach.