Families
RIDBC Executive Committee
John Berryman - RIDBC Chief Executive
John Berryman
BSc, MAdmin, MSpecEd (Sensory Disability), GradDipDP, FAIM, FAICD, FACE, John joined RIDBC in 1978 as Manager, Computerised Braille Production. After appointments as Assistant Chief Executive (Administration) and Deputy Chief Executive, he was appointed RIDBC's Chief Executive in 1985.
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, Greg 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 - Manager, RIDBC’s Children’s Services
Jan North
CertTeach, BSpecEd, MEd(Hons), MACE, Jan 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, a new role at RIDBC.
Contact: (02) 9872 0311
Dennis O’Reilly - Manager, RIDBC Community Relations and Fundraising
Dennis O’Reilly
FFIA, Dennis has worked in fundraising, marketing and management in the non-profit sector for 38 years. He joined RIDBC in 1995.
Contact: (02) 9872 0333
Mario Torresan - Manager, RIDBC Corporate Services
Mario Torresan
BBus, MBA, CA, Mario joined RIDBC in 2002. His background is in finance, accounting, and business, with experience working for major accounting firms and business corporations.
Contact: (02) 9872 0884
Rob Walker - Manager, RIDBC Human Resources
Rob Walker
GradCertMgt, GradDipBA, MMgt, Rob 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 - Manager, RIDBC Early Childhood Services (Hearing Impairment)
Sue Benzie
CertTeach, TDeafCert, DipTeach, BEd, MLMEd, GradCertEdStud(SpecEd, Sensory Disability), MACEL, MACE, Sue 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 - Manager, RIDBC VisionEd
Alan Baynham
BEd, MEd, MEd(SpecEd, Multi-sensory Impairment), DipTeach, GradDipSpecEd, GradDipAboriginalEd, GradDipSchoolAdmin, Alan 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.
Contact: (02) 9872 0366
Julie Shylan - Principal, RIDBC Alice Betteridge School
Julie Shylan
BA, DipEd, GradDipEdStud(Prof Dev), MEd(Spec Ed), MBA, Julie was a Teacher's Aide, Teacher and Assistant Principal in the RIDBC Alice Betteridge School from 1980-1989. After working as a Special Education teacher for the Catholic Education Office, a TAFE Disabilities Teacher/Consultant for Students with Vision Impairment, and Deputy Director of Richmond College of TAFE, Julie re-joined RIDBC in 2000 in her current role.
Contact: (02) 9872 0292
Peter Cipollone - Manager, RIDBC Auslan Programs
Peter Cipollone
DipTeach, AssocDipWelfare, NAATI interpreter; Peter has worked as a Youth and Welfare Worker and as a Teacher/Consultant for Deaf and hearing impaired students at TAFE. He was Executive Director of the Tasmanian Deaf Society. Before joining RIDBC in 2006, he was Principal Education Officer, Disability Programs, in the NSW Department of Education and Training.
Contact: (02) 9872 0367
Alan Kelly - Manager, RIDBC Garfield Barwick Centre
Alan Kelly
BA, MSc, LSLS Cert. AVT. Alan joined RIDBC in 1994 as Lecturer and Research Fellow at its RIDBC Renwick Centre. Before this, Alan was the Principal of St Gabriel’s School for Hearing Impaired Children and was director of its Early Learning Centres in Sydney and Brisbane. With over 30 years experience in education, Alan was recently appointed Manager of the RIDBC Garfield Barwick Centre. In that role, Alan leads both the RIDBC Garfield Barwick School and RIDBC’s School Support Service (Hearing Impairment). Prior to this appointment, he has been coordinating both RIDBC’s Cochlear Implant Educational Services Program and its Early Learning Program (Hearing Impairment).
Contact: (02) 8838 1401
Genelle Cook - Senior Audiologist/Manager, RIDBC Jim Patrick Audiology Centre
Genelle Cook
MA, DipAud, MAudSA(CCP), Genelle 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 Rod Beattie - Head of Graduate Programs, RIDBC Renwick Centre
Dr Rod Beattie
BA, BEd, MEd, PhD, Rod joined RIDBC in 1997 as a Senior Lecturer at Renwick College. He previously worked as a teacher of children who were hearing impaired, a special education consultant, a university lecturer, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. In 2002, Rod was appointed Head of Renwick College and in January 2006 he was appointed to his current position in the expanded RIDBC Renwick Centre.
Contact: (02) 9872 0816
Melissa McCarthy - Manager, RIDBC Teleschool
Melissa McCarthy
M.E.D., B.A. (Communication Sciences), Melissa brings a unique combination of skills to her role as manager. She has training and experience in speech pathology, audiology, early childhood education, deaf education and distance education. She has spent the last twelve years working with children who are deaf or hearing impaired. Melissa joined RIDBC Teleschool 2004 and was appointed Coordinator in 2007.
Contact: (02) 9872 0821
