Prior to recent appointment with CQU Australia, I was the Business Operations Manager for the Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy (QCESA) within the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES). I ceased employment with this agency when it was dis-established and became the Queensland Fire Department.  I was responsible for the strategic and day-to-day business operations management. I was directly responsible for facilities, human resource, finance, fleet, equipment, health and safety and risk management at QCESA as well as its Live Fire Campus. The Academy is the hub for Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, State Emergency Service and Rural/Auxiliary Fire recruit, volunteer, and staff training for Queensland. I currently manage a $38 million budget.

In 1992 I commenced his career as a special education teacher working with youth with severe behavioural and learning difficulties. Around the same time, I joined the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) as a volunteer. I served in multiple training, operational, leadership and management roles over a 28-year career with the SES. As a volunteer, I attended hundreds of major emergency and disaster operations including the Boondall Bus Crash, Equine Morbillivirus response, Daniel Morcombe searches as well as multiple, cyclone, flood, and fire operations. In 2002, having become a Deputy Principal, I left Education Queensland, following being stabbed by a student. This incident prompted me to take up a career with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) as a senior advanced first aid trainer/assessor. 

Following six years with the QAS I joined Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ), and its various iterations (PSBA, QFES) where I am in my 20th year. During this time, I established and lead the inaugural Volunteer Emergency Services Training Command (VESTC), as its inaugural Executive Manager. Following this tenure, I was responsible for establishing and implementing an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework for the School of Fire and Emergency Services Training (SFEST) Academy. I was involved as part of QFES’s planning in the lead up to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and numerous other significant projects.

I have a passion for ‘life-long learning’ and demonstrated by the numerous formal qualifications I have completed, including Bachelor of Social Science (Emergency Management), Graduate Certificate of Public Sector Management, Graduate Diploma of Community Service Management, and an MBA (Master of Business Administration). I am currently completing a Professional Doctorate researching a national, sustainable volunteer emergency services model. I have presented on various leadership and management topics, as well as on my ongoing research, at many national conferences including the Disaster and Emergency Management Conference (DEMC). I was recently accepted as presenter and session chair of the ‘Volunteer and Aid in Disaster Contexts’ sessions, for the prestigious, International Sociological Association (ISA) World Congress in 2023.

I runs my own successful first aid and fire training business, am Qld President of the Australian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES) and committee member Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and my latest ‘project’ is assisting my wife manage her award winning small business, Driving Miss Daisy. I am currently a casual assessor with the University of New England (UNE) Diploma of Facilities Management, Cert IV Medical Practice Assistant and Cert IV Leadership and Management programs. I continue to develop my passion for training and education, emergency services volunteering and leadership and management, hoping to make some small contribution to making the world a safer place. 

My mantra: Live every day as if it were your last. As one day it surely shall be!

Griffith University

Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Charles Sturt University

Central Queensland University (CQU)

University of New England (UNE)

University of Southern Queensland (USQ)

University of New England

Central Queensland University (CQU)

•  Awarded QFES Diligent and Ethical Service Medal, 2023
•  Awarded Most Improved Franchise in Australia, Driving Miss Daisy Forest Lake, awarded in Sydney, Australia, 2024.
•  Finalist, 3MT (3 Minute Thesis) competition, Charles Sturt University, 2023.
•  Winner, Australasian Fire Authority Commission (AFAC) Independent Panel’s choice for Best Presentation 2016
•  National Service Medal (25 years continuous meritorious service)
•  State Emergency Service Meritorious Service Medal (25 years continuous meritorious service to the Qld community as an SES volunteer)
•  Winner, Queensland Outdoor Recreation Association, Award for Safety and Risk Management (October 2004)
•  Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Award for Excellence - Brisbane SES Unit – SES Member of the Year (November 2002), chosen out of over 1000 candidates

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• K1-10 school teacher - 10+ years
• Special Education teacher - 10+ years
• State Emergency Service (SES) Senior Instructor - 25+ years
• University of New England - Trainer 5 + years
• Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) - 6 years

• Business Operations Manager, Operations Business Management Command, School of Fire and Emergency Services Training (SFEST), Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy (QCESA)
• (September 2018 – December 2024)
• Manager, Special Projects – Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Operations Business Management Command, School of Fire and Emergency Services Training (SFEST)
• (July 2017 – September 2018)
• Executive Manager, Volunteer and Emergency Services Training Command (VESTC), Public Safety Business Agency (PSBA), Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) 
• Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Executive Manager, (October 2014 – July 2017)
• Principal Program Officer (State Training Manager) Education and Training Services Unit (ETSU), Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (formerly Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) and the State Emergency Service (SES))
• (November 2010 – October 2014)
• Area Director Gympie/ Wide Bay Burnett; Area Director, South-East Area, Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) and the State Emergency Service (SES)
• (December 2008 – April 2010)
• Senior Training Officer, Community Education Division (Q5), Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) (February 2002 – November 2008) 
• Research Assistant, Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Team (ABIOS), Qld Department of Health (February 2000 – November 2003) 
• Special Education School Teacher 1990 - 2002

•     Director and Qld President, Australian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES) (Queensland Chapter) March 2023 to current.
•     Member, AIES, 25 + year service
•     Board Member, Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) (Queensland) 15 + years
•     Charles Sturt University Higher Degree Research (HDR) Student Committee
•     Past Queensland Representative and Committee Member, Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) Learning and Development Group (AFAC L&D)
•     Past QFES representative on the National State Emergency Service (SES) Training and Education Committee

• Justice of the Peace, Qld 30 + years
• Director and Qld President, Australian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES) (Queensland Chapter) March 2023 to current.
• Board Member, Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) (Queensland) 15 + years
• Co-Director, Driving Miss Daisy Forest Lake

•          Emergency Services Volunteering
•          Public Safety
•          Education and Training
•          Business Management
•          First aid and Fire Training

•          Awarded QFES Diligent and Ethical Service Medal, 2023
•          Elected President, Australian Institute of Emergency Services (QLD) March 2023 to current.
•          Awarded Most Improved Franchise in Australia, Driving Miss Daisy Forest Lake, awarded in Sydney, Australia, 2024.
•          Finalist, 3MT (3 Minute Thesis) competition, Charles Sturt University, 2023.
•          Presented and Session Chair of the ‘Volunteer and Aid in Disaster Contexts’ sessions, for the prestigious, International Sociological Association (ISA) World Congress, July 2023.
•          Accepted to present on the topic of future sustainability of volunteer emergency services in Australia at the 2021 Australasian Disaster and Emergency Management Conference, Gold Coast, Qld
•          Successfully received a Federal Government scholarship for over $160,000 to fund research into emergency services volunteerism through a Doctor of Public Safety program through CSU
•          Completed Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a grade point average of Distinction (2019)
•          Successfully Completed 18-month participation in the Executive Challenge Academy (ECA) program for emerging leaders
•          Winner, Australasian Fire Authority Commission (AFAC) Independent Panel’s choice for Best Presentation 2016
•          Presented papers on topics relating to volunteerism, training, and leadership, at national Search and Rescue (SAR) and Australian New Zealand Disaster Management (ANZDM) Conferences 2016, 2017,             2018, 2020 and 2021.
•          National Service Medal (25 years continuous meritorious service)
•          State Emergency Service Meritorious Service Medal (25 years continuous meritorious service to the Qld community as an SES volunteer)
•          Winner, Queensland Outdoor Recreation Association, Award for Safety and Risk Management (October 2004)
•          Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Award for Excellence - Brisbane SES Unit – SES Member of the Year (November 2002), chosen out of over 1000 candidates
•          Published in A1 Journal, The International Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation (2003)

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Developed, edited and published hundreds of training resources for emergency services. Many were published.

Previous role as Curriculum Developer and Instructional Designer.

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