Create & Innovate. Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programs.

Kevin Coffey

Managing Director of Jean Bas Design

Kevin holds a Post Grad Degree in Innovation, Commercialisation and Intellectual Property.

Kevin has 30 years experience in the Fashion Design industry, commercialising ideas.

Kevin collaborates with fashion designers, stylists, photographers, event managers, charities, suppliers, fabric and clothing manufacturers to bring ideas to market.

Colin Klupiec

Colink Media

Colin Klupiec is a technical educator and director of Colink Media. Colin’s consultancy spans disciplines such as design and media and technology in learning.

He has a passion for innovation and recently shared a stage with Dr Norman Doidge – author of The Brain that Changes Itself – on his Australian tour.

Adam Lance

The Village of Useful

Adam won his first job as a writer at agency, McCann Erickson after being named ‘National Winner’ of AWARD School in 1990. While there, he created the ‘Skysurfer’ commercial for Coca Cola – the first Australian made ad to run globally.

After a number of years at other agencies, and a stint travel writing for the BBC, Adam took a role as Creative Director of Lowe Hunt, where he launched the Hyundai A-League (winner of a Gold Effectiveness award) and produced the Lynxjet campaign for Unilever (winner of nine Cannes Lions).

Adam has been invited to judge at international award festivals including Cannes and was named among the top ten Creative Directors in the region by Campaign Brief magazine. A quest for uncrowded waves landed him in Merewether.

Brian McGuigan

McGuigan Wines

Brian McGuigan has been at the forefront of the Australian wine industry for more than 40 years.

Starting as an apprentice and learning the ropes from industry icons Brian quickly became one of the wine industries best winemakers, viticulturists and marketers.

After working for and creating some of Australia’s most well known brands it was time to create a stand alone McGuigan wine. With Brian at the helm, his wife Fay running exports and Brian’s youngest brother, Neil in charge of production McGuigan Wines was born.

Brian has had a massive influence, not only on the Hunter Valley, but also the Australian wine industry. This has been recognised in being awarded the Australian Medal and more recently as a Hunter Valley Living Legend.

Helen Lee

St Philip's Christian College

Helen Lee is Director of Teaching and Learning (Professional Practice and Innovation) at St Philip's Christian College, Newcastle Campus.

Helen has been in the Education sector for 27 years and has worked in classrooms K-12 in public and independent schools, in TAFE and University settings, across 3 states.

Her current role at SPCC involves working with staff to ensure quality teaching, and working with staff, students and University of Newcastle colleagues to continually develop and implement innovative practice based on 21st century learning principles.

St Philip's is an organisation that has never been satisfied with 'good'. This year they have changed some structures and language in order to leave industrial models of education behind and move into a self-directed community.

Dallas Fell

Mind Switch Coaching and Change

Dallas Fell is Director of Mind Switch Coaching and Change, based in Newcastle. She is an internationally published behavioural scientist with a background in psychology research and application, management and consultancy.

Mind Switch is about using cutting edge psychology to help people shape and change their mindset.

Harry Raftos

Business Coach ActionCOACH

Harry is joint owner of the local franchise of ActionCOACH Business Coaching Firm.

He has twice been awarded ActionCOACH’s Global Best Client Results and was honoured with the Best Client Retention Award in 2009.

Harry grew up in a family business and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree and an Honours Degree in Psychology. He spent several years working for a multi-national company in Sales and Marketing.

Andy Howard

The Village of Useful

With his unique skill set and over 10 years of digital strategy, design and technology experience in Australia, the UK and USA, Andy adds firepower to business development and integrated marketing through his deep understanding of digital channels.

Andy has delivered successful digital campaigns for clients including Sydney Airport, Harley-Davidson, Smirnoff and The Royal Bank of Scotland across web, mobile, branded content, search and social media. He’s dreamt-up and hand-built useful things like the Newcastle iPhone app.

He leads digital teams with strategies that join digital marketing, design and technology to create unique opportunities. You’ll find him surfing around Newcastle.

Jeff Phillips

Varley Engineering

Born and raised in Taree, Jeff attended Chatham High School (where he was dux in his year 12 studies). He obtained a Traineeship with BHP Newcastle Steelworks in 1982 for Electrical Engineering and graduated from the University of Technology Sydney.

He then commenced his career as an Electrical Engineer in 1986 with BHP Newcastle Steelworks and later with BHP Engineering as a Project Manager specialising in Automation and Process Control.

Jeff commenced employment with G H Varley Pty Ltd as a Project Manager in 1993 to oversee the new business sector of Defence and Aerospace. In 1995 he was appointed Managing Director of the Varley Group and in 2000 Jeff was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of that group of companies.

Bev Frowen

Director, WiserChangeTM

Bev is a highly experienced people and change leader. She brings a strong and comprehensive leadership capability combining business acumen with cultural insight. This has led to a successful track record of over 18 years of progressively more challenging roles across multiple sectors.

Bev offers Program and Change management expertise – facilitating, educating, delivering frameworks and consulting. She holds a Masters degree in Business and Change Management and is an accreditation assessor for the Change Management Institute.

Christina Sykiotis

Co Manager Create and Innovate

Christina is currently the project manager for the Create and Innovate Programs at Hunter TAFE.

Christina has an interest in empowering team members. She is Coordinator of the Production House, an in house media facility at Hunter TAFE, working with strategic partners including Hunter Founders Forum, Hunter Manufacturers and HunterNet.

Christina manages the Digital Media School and was recently awarded the NSW Department of Education and Training’s Director-General Award for Outstanding Service to Public Education and Training.

Richie Williams

P.R.I.D.E. Coaching Network

Richie’s clientele range across a broad spectrum of industries, incorporating micro-business, small to medium enterprise businesses and government organisations, as well as some notable heavyweights in their fields, including LJ Hooker, Goodyear, Leading Edge Group, R.M.S.A and NAFDA just to name a few..

Dr Eileen Doyle

Doyle Partners

Dr Eileen Doyle has had an exceptional career in large corporations over three decades. BHP, CSR, OneSteel, Port Waratah Coal Services, CSIRO, Boral and GPT Group are just some of the names etched into her portfolio as executive and non-executive director and chairman.

She has had a long history of angel investment, working with inventors and small businesses to introduce and grow their products. She is a Conjoint Professor in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Newcastle. She was Australia’s first Fulbright scholar in Business Management in 1993, where she undertook an International General Management Program at Columbia University.

She is the principal consultant business strategy at Doyle Partners.