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Engagement Network

Meet the industry and education experts who strategically guide our work.

Meet the industry and education experts who strategically guide our work 

We’re driven by a community of industry and education experts who work in or support the finance, technology, and business sectors.  It’s called the FSO Engagement Network.  

Drawing on the best expertise, we bring the right people together to provide strategic guidance, industry insights and advice on workforce-related matters. The engagement network also provides recommendations and assists with co-designing and delivering projects.   

The engagement network includes diverse representation across industry, unions, government and training providers. We will continue to review and evolve the network representatives. If you have feedback or questions, please contact us here.

Taskforces and Committees

Meet the people who share their vast knowledge and experience as part of the FSO Engagement Network. They provide strategic guidance, industry insights and advice on workforce-related matters, as well as recommendations and advice on project priorities.

Last updated: 31 July 2026

Terms of Reference

Leaders representing small, medium, and large companies are working with education experts to advise on strategies and programs that will meet the demand for the most important skills.  

  • Chair: Jodi Phillips, Strategic Advisor Public Sector, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • Sebastian Brash, Policy Manager, Tech Council of Australia (TCA) 
  • Sally Bruce, Non-Executive Director, Airwallex (SVF)
  • Ross Creelman, Associate Director Digital, Cyber and Energy, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)
  • Luisa Grant, Industry Skills Advisor to the Queensland Government, Australian Computer Society (ACS)
  • Brett Hall, General Manager – Policy, Research and Projects, Centre for Education and Training (CET), Ai Group
  • Russ Hawkins, CEO and Executive Principal, Community Education Australia (CEA)  
  • Kathryn Howard, Product Owner Community Skilling, Commonwealth Bank Australia
  • Amanda Linton, CEO, The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB)
  • Scarlett McDermott, Managing Director, Longitude Advisory
  • Serryn O’Regan, CEO, Equinim College
  • Robert Petherbridge, General Manager, TAFE Queensland Gold Coast
  • Dr Prins Ralston, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Computer Society (ACS)
  • Chris Smith, Head of Strategy & Innovation, ReadyTech
  • Michael Thomas, Assistant Branch Secretary, Together Queensland
  • Damien Van Eyk, Chief Commercial Officer, Chisholm Institute
  • Ishtar Vij, Director, Eloquium and Convenor, Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA)
  • Dan Walsh, Head of Education, Mortgage and Finance Education Australia (MFAA)
  • Elizabeth Whitelock, CEO, Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA)

Last updated: 1 June 2026

Terms of Reference

Experts from some of Australia’s biggest business, finance and technology organisations are helping us address the skilling needs of large companies.

  • Chair: Pip Dexter, Chief People and Purpose Officer, Deloitte Australia
  • Angela Budai, Research and Policy Manager, FSU
  • Jen Delves, EGM Workforce, Suncorp
  • Grace Gown, Head of Public Policy, Xero
  • Kathryn Howard, Product Owner, Community Skilling, Commonwealth Bank of Australia
  • Shane Little, Managing Director, Enterprise Solutions, Hays
  • Robyn Judd, Chief People Officer, CareSuper
  • Courtney Sloane, Head of Government Relations Australia and New Zealand, MYOB
  • Simone Sporle, Head of Employee Experience, Global Learning and Skills, Fujitsu Ltd  
  • Anna Stone, Workforce Strategy and Organisational Effectiveness , Telstra
  • Emma Walker, Regional Manager Cisco Networking Academy ANZ & Pacific, Cisco Systems Inc  
  • Tiffany Wright, General Manager Customer Success, Microsoft  

Last upated: 10 March 2026

Terms of Reference – RTO Taskforce

Terms of Reference – RTO Delivery Taskforce

Professionals from RTOs across each state and territory are guiding us on ways to transform and fast-track training delivery.  We will continue to review and evolve taskforce representatives. If you have feedback or questions, please contact us here.

RTO Taskforce

Last updated: 1 July 2026

  • Richard Abelle, Education Design and Delivery Lead, Canberra Institute of Technology
  • Nigel Blake, Educational Manager, TAFE SA
  • Joshua Cameron, Executive GM, Lumify Learn
  • Alex Gilbey, Director Teaching Development and Innovation, Box Hill Institute
  • Brian Heim, Executive Director, Education and Training, TAFE Queensland
  • Michelle Hoad, Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, North Metropolitan TAFE
  • Irene Ireland, Director Learning and Teaching – ICT, TAFE NSW
  • Ron Maxwell, CEO, VERTO
  • Bernadette Mills, CEO, St George & Sutherland Community College
  • Conor Mullan, Chief of Education, Chisholm Institute
  • Serryn O’Regan, CEO, Equinim College
  • Nick Patterson, Director of Future Technologies, RMIT University
  • Andrew Roadknight, Head of Digital Initiatives, Bendigo Kangan Institute

RTO Delivery Taskforce

Last updated: 1 July 2026

  • Richard Barrett, Director of Faculty, TAFE Queensland
  • Sue Jenkins-Jones, Portfolio Director for Business and Entrepreneurship, North Metropolitan TAFE  
  • Gena Rattan, Director, Training Services, NIT Australia    
  • Michelle Saward, Head of Centre, Digital, Business & Pathways, TasTAFE 
  • Jamie Weston, Associate Dean – Centre for Cyber Security and Digital Information Technology (CCSDIT), Holmesglen
  • Michael Williams, CEO, Academy IT

Last updated: 1 July 2026

Terms of Reference

The taskforce will address digital capability at both generalist and specialist levels, focusing on strategic direction for digital skills, AI, and cyber, with experts who understand the broader need for digital skills across the economy.

  • Chair: Scarlett McDermott, Managing Director, Longtitude Advisory
  • Sebastian Brash, Head of Policy, Tech Council of Australia (TCA)  
  • Gail Bray, Executive Director Digital Transformation, Victoria University
  • Julia Burns, General Manager Training | Chair TAFEcyber, South Metropolitan TAFE
  • Ben Campbell, CEO, AITD
  • Nick Clare, General Manager, Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI)
  • Ernez Dhondy, Acting CEO, YLab Global 
  • Aaron Dinnage, Strategic Customer AI Partnerships – Asia, Microsoft
  • Cathy Eracleous, Director of Workforce and People Capability, Department of Defence
  • Michelle Flatt, Program Lead – Centres of Excellence, CIT
  • Martin Frauenfelder, Director Small Business Experience, Australian Tax Office (ATO)
  • Jacqui Loustau, Executive Director,  Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN)
  • Elissa MacKenzie, Director – Digital, AI and Technology, Centre of Excellence at Chisholm Institute
  • Tim Marshall, Head of Corporate Affairs, Australia Digital Inclusion Alliance (ADIA)
  • Amy Morgan, Director, Institute of Applied Technology + National Centres of Excellence, TAFE NSW
  • Terry Patriarca, Manager, VET Engagement & Implementation Service and Creative Skills Australia (SACSA)
  • Lisa Qu, General Manager Group Growth, NextEd Group
  • Andrew Shea, Managing Partner, Skilled Nation  
  • Robert Tonkli, Chief of Staff, SDA.org.au
  • Carolyn Wilcockson, Head of Professional Skills and Practice Enablement, Woolworths Group
  • Beth Worrall, Manager, Responsible AI Network National Ai Centre (NAIC)

Last updated: 31 July 2026

Terms of Reference

The AI Taskforce has been established as a small, expert group to inform and challenge thinking on the impact of AI on Australia’s workforce, skills system and training priorities. The Taskforce will also help guide our forthcoming National AI Report, which will synthesise insights from economy‑wide consultation and support advice to government.
 
  • Tim Allen, AI National Skills Director – ANZ (Microsoft Elevate), Microsoft
  • Ramsey Beydoun, AI Branch Manager, Digital Transformation Agency (DTA)
  • Katherine Boiciuc, Chief Technology Officer, EY
  • Sally Bruce, Non-Executive Director, Airwallex (SVF)
  • Dr Liam Byrne, Future of Work Policy Officer, ACTU
  • Ray Fleming, Founder, Stratentia
  • Leon Furze, Consultant, Furze Smith Consulting
  • Brendan Hopper, Managing Director Innovation Ecosystems, Commonwealth Bank (CBA)
  • Danny Liu, Professor of Educational Technologies, University of Sydney
  • Dilan Perera, Chief AI Officer, Bendigo Kangan Institute
  • Adam Powick, Board Director, Future Skills Organisation (FSO)
  • Stuart Scotis, Global Agentic AI Leader, Deloitte
 

Terms of Reference

Working Group Overview 

Anticipated Commencement Date: June 2026 

Higher Education Working Group 

The Higher Education Working Group has been established to provide advice on the application of tertiary harmonisation principles to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Training Package update. 

The Working Group supports the ICT Training Package reset by identifying practical opportunities to reduce duplication and strengthen pathways between vocational education and training (VET), higher education and employment. This work is informed by national reform directions including the Australian Universities Accord, Jobs and Skills Australia’s tertiary harmonisation roadmap, VET Qualifications Reform and the National Skills Taxonomy. 

The Working Group provides advice on: 

  • Co‑designed AQF 5–7 ICT qualifications spanning VET and higher education 
  • Credit transfer, recognition of prior learning and advanced standing 
  • Modular and stackable qualification design 
  • Shared digital learning, simulated projects and assessment approaches 
  • Governance settings that enable harmonisation while respecting institutional autonomy