Our Staff

Each year our staff typically manage approximately; 50,000 RYDA participants to 2,400 RYDA workshop sessions delivered by 470 trained facilitators over 400 days and complemented by more than 500 Rotary volunteers.

The team is responsible for the operations of RSE throughout Australia and New Zealand, under the direction of its Boards and educationally, under the auspices of the RSE Advisory Council. The company is headquartered in Sydney with a national office in Auckland. Reflected in staff roles, operations include all the elements associated with program development and quality, school engagement and program delivery, corporate governance and fiscal sustainability.

Each year RSE, through its team, releases a revised version of RYDA reflecting ongoing research to maintain alignment of the program with educational curricula, evidence and best practice.

Management Team

• Terry Birss, CEO/Managing Director,
• Brooke O’Donnell, General Manager – Education & Information,
• Maria Lovelock, General Manager – New Zealand, Head of Group Communications & Systems,
• John Elliott, Head of Marketing & Program Delivery, Australia, and
• Christina Anggono, Group Accountant, Group Company Secretry (also held by Terry Birss)

All are Sydney head office based except for the General Manager – NZ who is located in Auckland.

In Australia

• Media & Communications Coordinator, and
• Program Assistant (p/t)

Program Coordinators are responsible for RYDA school engagement and program delivery and are based in Victoria, NSW and Queensland:

• Hannah Olsen, Senior Program Coordinator (QLD),
• Rebecca Bullock (p/t) (Sydney West),
• Lynette Ross (p/t) (Sydney East),
• Anton Hockey (Victoria),
• Michelle Remy (Central Coast/Hunter & regional Australia), and
• Amanda Sesio (p/t), (South East QLD)

In New Zealand

• Graeme Hood (NZ Education Specialist)
• Pearl Newman (Program Delivery Support Lead and Facilitator Training) (p/t),
• Nola Lovelock (accounts administration) (p/t), and
• Nickie Mouncey (grants and funding)

RYDA Program Coordinators are:

• Naomh Cusin, Senior Programme Coordinator (South Island) (p/t),
• Adele Hall (Auckland & Northland) (p/t),
• Michaela de Vantier (Central North Island) (p/t), and
• Peter Knight (Lower North Island from Wellington to Hawke’s Bay) (p/t)