The BEST Board Members are voluntary, local community members that are
selected for their skills, knowledge and experience. Our Board of Directors are
committed to good corporate governance and passionate about the region.
Our Board is the legal entity and is responsible for the strategic direction of
the BEST organisation.
ANNETTE BARWICK – CHAIR
Annette is the Learning, Development & Inclusion General Manager of Lady Gowrie Tasmania Inc. and has extensive business, early & middle childhood, people & culture, and VET experience. Annette was appointed the BEST Chairperson in 2022 and has made a significant impact on the operations at BEST and her contribution to the organisation is invaluable. Annette’s governance experience spans over 20 years and she is the current President of Early Childhood Australia, Tasmania Branch, a Board member on the Tasmanian Department of Education Children and Young People (DECYP) RTO, and is on the HumanAbility Children’s Education and Care Advisory Council. Annette holds both VET and Higher Education qualifications. Annette has strong affiliations and connections through research partnerships with a number of Universities including UTAS, QUT, and ACU.
MURRAY JAMES – TREASURER
With over 35-years of experience as a Management Consultant, Murray has actively contributed to the development of new business across various industries and has consulted widely in Tasmania. He has owned and operated a number of small businesses and understands the challenges faced by smaller enterprises particularly in their startup. Murray completed 8 years of university education with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees upon which his consulting was based. He also holds a Diploma in Company Directorship. Murray is BEST’s Director of Finance and is the representative from the Glamorgan Spring Bay Region. He brings invaluable expertise in business operations and training to our Board of Directors.
DI CUSICK – PUBLIC OFFICER
Di is an actively engaged member of the community and dedicates her time to contributing and driving various projects that have supported the growth in the region. This has included developing a program to use the school farm as an inclusive educational resource. This initiative earned Di the Sorell Rotary Excellence in Workmanship Award. Di has worked alongside teachers to develop an Enterprise Learning and Workplace Learning syllabus and resources to be inclusive of all students. Di was heavily involved in the establishment of the Sorell Skill Centre and its transformation into a Registered Training Organisation, catering to students who feel they are not prepared to go to college. Di successfully developed a program for employees of the Education Department who are working in School Offices to develop their skills and acquire Certificates II and III in Business. Even in her retirement, Di remains actively engaged in the community, and her significant contributions were officially acknowledged with the Sorell Council Australia Day Citizen of the Year 2022 award.
JANET GATEHOUSE – SERDA REPRESENTATIVE
Janet has spent over 13 years actively contributing to her community in a variety of leadership and volunteer roles. She served as Chair of the School Association for four years and was a committee member for 10, championing the redevelopment of Sorell School. Her efforts ensured that the project incorporated full community input, resulting in a multi-use educational and civic facility. With 13 years of experience working in the School Canteen, Janet understands the challenges faced by young people and families in the area. Recognising the critical role that training and employment play in expanding opportunities, she was invited to join the initial working group for the South East Jobs Hub (pre-BEST). Janet has also been involved in the Young Farmer County Leadership Group (UK), served as a Tasmania Fire Service Active Brigade member and Community Engagement officer for the Brigade, and volunteered with the Sorell Football Club and South East Netball Association. She is a Life Member of South East District Little Athletics, demonstrating her long-standing commitment to local sports. In addition to her volunteer work, Janet has written grants, coordinated events, and successfully lobbied on behalf of community groups at higher government levels. After serving as a Sorell Councillor for two years, she now holds the position of Mayor.
CATHERINE LOPPY – DIRECTOR
Catherine has seven years’ experience in project management and works as a Project Manager at TasWater. Catherine served in five different community board roles within the Tasmanian African Community and the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community. Catherine is passionate about construction management and the empowerment of young people, migrant students, and women across all walks of life. Her goal is to encourage young people and women to utilise their talents, maximise their potentials, discover their career interest, get the required training and development, impact their communities, fulfill their purpose, and be a positive influence for the next generation. In her work in the community and career, Catherine has received several awards in the past six years as testament to her dedication in pursuing her passion. In 2017 Catherine was awarded ‘African Australian Woman in Community Leadership.’ In 2019 she was awarded ‘Role Model Award for Project Management Excellence’ in the African Community. In 2022 she was awarded ‘African Australian Book Excellence Awards’ for her Memoir ‘Beyond the Shadows’. And in recent news, Catherine was awarded the ’NAWIC National Association of Women in Construction Crystal Vision Award’ for her tireless work on advocacy for women in the Construction Industry in November 2023.
FIONA BRAITHWAITE – DIRECTOR
Fiona has dedicated 33 years to her role within the Education Department, based at Libraries Tasmania. Currently, her held position is the Adult and Family Literacy Coordinator for the Sorell and Southeast region based at the Sorell Library. Fiona is committed to assisting adults and families in enhancing their literacy skills. The literacy service she oversees offers confidential, personalised, one-on-one, and group support in literacy and numeracy for individuals seeking to improve their skills. By empowering clients to strengthen their literacy and numeracy skills, Fiona is contributing to the economic growth and positive social outcomes in the Southeast region.
MATTHEW DANCE – DIRECTOR
Matthew Dance is the Manager Industry
Relationships and Business Growth at TasTAFE, Tasmania’s public training
provider and the state’s largest registered training organisation. Since
joining the organisation in early 2021, he has been involved in leading the
delivery of key strategic projects and engagement initiatives. This includes
the implementation of TasTAFE’s Stakeholder Engagement Framework, along with
overseeing a number of collaborative ventures with industry and community partners.
Prior to this, Matthew spent time with Skills Tasmania in a senior workforce
strategy role. This included driving the establishment of the Tasmanian
Government’s Energising Tasmania initiative. With extensive
leadership experience in the employment services sector across Tasmania,
Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge to his current role. An Honours graduate
from the University of Tasmania, Matthew is passionate about strategy,
stakeholder engagement, governance and workforce development. His experience as
a leader in the Tasmanian training and workforce development sector has shaped
a commitment to delivering skills-based outcomes for all
Tasmanians.
SUE WILSON – DIRECTOR
Sue is a Registered Nurse, educator, health service administrator, and evaluator with more than 40 years’ experience working in public health. New to the area, she joins Business and Employment Southeast Tasmania eager to contribute to and grow with the local community. She has a demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning with a wide and varied set of professional interests. Forever a student she is continuing her learning journey but already holds a number of qualifications from a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery thru to PhD in which she investigated the relationship between mental health and learning. She is a longstanding member of a rural hospital-based human research ethics committee, has been a supporter and Chair of the Swinburne University Wellbeing Clinic for Older Persons Advisory Committee and is a current volunteer with Libraries Tasmania. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course and brings a wealth of experience and expertise in career pathway development, leadership and management, governance and program evaluation.
DIONNE BERRY – DIRECTOR
Dionne’s professional experience spans 30 years in a range of leadership positions working across the spectrum of Human Resources, Safety, Wellbeing, Training, Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, and Industrial Relations fields. Dionne has firsthand experience as a retailer operating her own business that specialises in recycling, up-cycling and Tasmanian made products. Dionne is a Certified Professional Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) and is a past member of the Tasmanian State Council. Qualified in Industrial Relations, Government Policy from James Cook University and post-graduate experience and knowledge in Training, Workplace Health and Safety, Corporate and Social Responsibility and Remuneration Benchmarking; Dionne is passionate about strategic excellence. Dionne is passionate about sustaining and strengthening stakeholder relationships and establishing positive workplace cultures. Dionne’s understands how all parties to agreements or disputes can formulate strategic responses that deliver fair and reasonable outcomes for all. Dionne is passionate about diversity and has lived experience in the disability sector as a mother and carer of children with additional needs.
STUART HARVEY – DIRECTOR
During the 1990s, Stuart Harvey played a key role in establishing Skill Centres to support training and education for young people in rural communities. As the Rural Development Officer South, he was responsible for setting up centres in locations such as Sorell, Tasman, Triabunna, Campania, Glenora, Ouse, Huonville, and Dover. His work included selecting staff, securing funding, providing equipment, and aligning Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs with local employer needs. Stuart also organised statewide professional development for staff, ensuring high-quality training across all centres. His leadership earned him a role in Skills Tasmania’s Guaranteeing Futures program, where he continued to shape educational opportunities for young people. Stuart’s contributions have left a lasting impact on rural education and training.
DIRK GADD – DIRECTOR
BIO coming soon.