Membership of the Board
The Board consists of nine part-time members, eight of whom are appointed by the Minister. The Director-General of the Department of Education and Communities is an ex-officio member of the Board.
Members are drawn from industry, the education and training sector and the wider community on the basis of their experience and expertise.
Bert Evans, AO (Chairman)
Bert Evans was appointed Chairman of the Board in 1996, following his retirement as Chief Executive of the Metal Trades Industry Association.
Mr Evans is also Chairman of the NSW Public Purpose Fund.
Mr Evans is a dedicated advocate of the social and economic benefits of quality training for all, who brings passion and energy to his role as Board Chairman.
For additional information about Bert Evans click here.
Kevin Power
Kevin Power was appointed to the Board in 1995. He is a Director of the Australian Training Company and was formerly the Executive Director of the ACTU-Lend Lease Foundation, and former Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education and Training.
Mr Power is a Director of the Indonesian Skills Foundation. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Mr Power is also Special Adviser to the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation, Australia, and is committed to enhancing education and work options for young Indigenous people. Mr Power chairs the Board's State Advisory Committee on Work Placements and Skills Centres Steering Committee.
Leslie Loble
Leslie Loble is Chief Executive, Office of Education, with the NSW Department of Education and Communities. Ms Loble manages the department's policy formulation, program development, strategic planning and intergovernmental relations activities across schools, VET and higher education sectors. Ms Loble also oversees funding and regulation aspects of the NSW VET system.
Prior to joining the Department, Ms Loble served the Clinton Administration as Chief of Staff to Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich, and as a member of the US Department of Labor's senior management team.
Bill Wooldridge
Bill Wooldridge was appointed to the Board in May 2002. He retired as Assistant Secretary of the Electrical Trades Union of Australia, NSW Branch, at the end of 2002, after 34 years as a full-time elected official. During this time Mr Wooldridge was Chairman of the Electro-Tech Group Training Company and Deputy Chairman of the Electro Skills centre.
Mr Wooldridge is a passionate advocate of the importance of quality training for workers in all industries, and has had a long history of involvement in the selection of the Apprentice of the Year for the NSW Training Awards.
Linda Simon
Linda Simon has served on the Board since March 2004. Ms Simon has been Secretary of the TAFE Teachers Association in New South Wales for over ten years, and was Federal TAFE President of the Australian Education Union from 2004 - 2010. She has been both a school teacher, TAFE teacher, and a Head Teacher of English and Communication in TAFE. She is also a member of the Board of the National Centre for Vocational Education Research Ltd (NCVER).
Ms Simon is a strong advocate of public education, and the rights of all Australians to access an affordable quality public vocational education and training system.
Natalie Walker
Natalie Walker was appointed to the Board in 2009. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council and holds Board positions with National Indigenous TV and the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre. Prior to these roles Natalie held positions in the community sector, private sector and government including member of the National VET Equity Advisory Council, Chief Executive and Director of the Aboriginal Employment Strategy Ltd, consultant within KPMG's Government Advisory Service and advisor to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. In 2002, Natalie was a delegate to the United Nations Working Group on Aboriginal Populations.
