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RIDBC Executive Committee
Chris Rehn - Chief Executive
Chris Rehn
BBus, DipAppSc, joined RIDBC on November 1, 2010. Previously for 14 years, he was General Manager of the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre. His early career was in nursing and health administration. He is a Harvard Club Australia Non Profit Fellow. Chris became Chief Executive on April 1, 2011.
Contact: Robyn Williams (PA to RIDBC Chief Executive) (02) 9872 0215
Professor Greg Leigh - Chair, RIDBC Renwick Centre
Professor Greg Leigh
DipTeach, BEd, MSc, PhD, FACE, joined RIDBC as Head of Renwick College in 1993, and was appointed Assistant Chief Executive (Educational Services) in 1999. In 2006, he was appointed to his current role, and assigned the responsibility of expanding and developing RIDBC’s research and professional development programs and facilities.
Contact: Sue Vale (Secretary to Chair, RIDBC Renwick Centre) (02) 9872 0373
Jan North - Director, Children’s Services
Jan North
CertTeach, BSpecEd, MEd, MACE, was a university lecturer in Special Education before joining RIDBC in 1990 to establish the early childhood programs. Jan subsequently headed the RIDBC VisionEd Department before leaving in 1998 to become Principal of Highfields School. She was a Director on RIDBC's Board from 1999 until 2002, when she rejoined the staff as Manager, Service Development. In 2006, she was appointed Manager of Children’s Services.
Contact: Joan Roach (Executive Assistant) (02) 9872 0788
Paul Harris – Director, Corporate Services
Paul Harris
BEc, MEc, MBA, FCPA, joined RIDBC in September 2009, having previously held senior management positions in the corporate sector. His background is in finance, accounting, information systems and business, with experience working for ASX50 multi-national corporations both in Australia and overseas in senior financial management roles.
Contact: Wendy Middleton (Secretary to Director, Corporate Services)
(02) 9872 0274
Rob Walker - Manager, Human Resources
Rob Walker
GradCertMgt, GradDipBA, MMgt, has worked for most of his career in human resources, training and recruitment in the corporate sector. He joined RIDBC in 2005.
Contact: (02) 9872 0803
RIDBC Heads of Educational Services
Sue Benzie - Head, RIDBC Early Childhood Services (Hearing Impairment)
Sue Benzie
CertTeach, TDeafCert, DipTeach, BEd, MLMEd, GradCertEdStud(SpecEd, Sensory Disability), MACEL, MACE, joined RIDBC in 1994 as Director of RIDBC Nepean bringing experience as a teacher and administrator with the NSW Department of School Education. She was appointed Manager, Preschool Services, in 1997, and to her current role in 1998.
Contact: (02) 9872 0217
Alan Baynham - Head, RIDBC VisionEd, and Coordinator, RIDBC Assessment Unit
Alan Baynham
BEd, MEd, MEd(SpecEd, Multi-sensory Impairment), DipTeach, GradDipSpecEd, GradDipAboriginalEd, GradDipSchoolAdmin, worked as a teacher for the NSW Department of School Education before joining RIDBC in 1979 as a residential care assistant. He transferred to the RIDBC Alice Betteridge School in 1980, and was appointed Deputy Master in 1981 and Principal in 1984. Alan was appointed Manager, RIDBC VisionEd, in 1998 and Coordinator, RIDBC Assessment Unit, in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0366
Paul Colyer - Principal, RIDBC Alice Betteridge School
Paul Colyer
MEdle, BEd, DipTeach, became a teacher in 1983, an Assistant Principal in 1998, and Principal in 2005. He has been Principal of two primary schools, most recently St Bernadettes Catholic School, a large mainstream school situated at Castle Hill.
Contact: (02) 9872 0292
Julie Kirkness - Head, RIDBC Auslan Programs
Julie Kirkness
BA, GradCertEd, MSpecEd(Sensory Disability), worked as a Special Education teacher at RIDBC Alice Betteridge School from 1984 to 1992. She left to work as a Literacy and Support Teacher of adults with hearing and vision impairment at Western Institute TAFE, and as Assistant Principal of the North Rocks School for Blind Children. Julie returned to RIDBC in 2002 as a Teacher/Consultant. She was appointed to her current position as Principal of RIDBC Thomas Pattison School and Manager, RIDBC Auslan Services in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0367
Sandi Ambler - Head, RIDBC Garfield Barwick Centre (RIDBC Garfield Barwick School and RIDBC School Support Services (HI))
Sandi Ambler
Contact: (02) 8838 1401
Genelle Cook - Senior Audiologist/Head, RIDBC Jim Patrick Audiology Centre
Genelle Cook
MA, DipAud, MAudSA(CCP), has extensive experience in paediatric audiology in the public hospital system, private ENT practice, and with Australian Hearing. She joined RIDBC in her current role in 2004.
Contact: (02) 9872 0828
Dr Jill Duncan - Head of Graduate Studies, RIDBC Renwick Centre
Dr Jill Duncan
BSc, MEd(HI), MEd(Man), LSLS Cert AVT, PhD, joined RIDBC in 2005 as a Senior Lecturer at the Renwick Centre. She previously held an academic position with the University of Melbourne, and senior administrative positions with the Cora Barclay Centre in South Australia and with Soundbridge in Connecticut, USA. Jill was appointed to her current position in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0331
Melissa McCarthy - Head, RIDBC Teleschool
Melissa McCarthy
BA, MED, LSLS Cert AVT, joined RIDBC in 2004 as a Teacher/Consultant in the Early Learning Program (Hearing Impairment). In 2007, Melissa was appointed Coordinator of the new RIDBC Teleschool and in 2008 was appointed to her current role as Manager of RIDBC Teleschool. Melissa brings a unique combination of skills to her role, with training and experience in speech pathology, audiology, early childhood education, deaf education, distance education, consulting and management, in a variety of early intervention and educational settings.
Contact: (02) 9872 0821