Governance

Ashley Townsend is a co-Director of the University of Tasmania’s Central Science Laboratory, with internationally recognised expertise in the field of Atomic Spectrometry.

Born and raised in Burnie, Ashley progressed through the public school system and completed his first year of university studies on the NW Coast (prior to the inception of the Cradle Coast Campus). He completed a Science degree with First Class Honours (1990) and a PhD (1994), both in Chemistry, from the University of Tasmania.

During his time as an instrumental analytical scientist with the Central Science Laboratory, he has made extensive contributions focusing on the analysis of elements and isotopes at the lowest levels in challenging samples from local and other pristine areas (for example Antarctica and the Southern Ocean). In particular Ashley has worked in teams developing monitoring procedures and analytical strategies leading to improved understanding of complex environmental situations. The quality of this work was recognised through receipt of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute’s Environmental Chemistry Medal, as well as a prestigious opportunity to address the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, both in 2013.

With a strong commitment to service and aptitude for leadership and governance, Ashley has contributed to many senior University of Tasmania committees including: Council (2000-01; 2023-), North West Advisory Board (2002-05), Alumni Committee (2004-16; Chair 2011-16), Academic Senate (2008-19) and University Foundation Committee and Board (2017-). Externally, he has also served multiple terms on the Board of Directors of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Ashley is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

• Term expires:
  31 December 2024

Karina Groenewoud is the Director Governance and Compliance at the University of Tasmania with responsibility for providing leadership, advice and guidance to the University on its governance instruments framework, decision making and the University’s diverse managerial compliance function. In 2020 she led the transformation of the University’s outdated suite of governance instruments to a modern and effective framework; a project which was awarded the 2020 Vice-Chancellor’s Transformation Award and the 2021 ATEM Best Practice Award for Excellence in Governance and Policy.

Karina has held various governance and general management roles at the University over the last 11 years and prior to that, spent 16 years in the Tasmanian public sector in governance, management and project roles in the education and vocational education and training sectors. She started her working life as a researcher, first at the CSIRO and then in the School of Agricultural Science at the University of Tasmania.

An experienced Company Secretary, Karina holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Tasmania. She is a graduate and current member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Certificate IV in Competitive Systems and Practices (Lean Management).

• Term expires:
  31 December 2024

Based in Devonport, Sheree Vertigan AM was appointed to Council in 2021.

Sheree was born in Tasmania, studied at the University of Tasmania (BA, Dip Ed, M ED), worked for the Tasmanian Department of Education in a variety of roles across the State including serving as Principal of Reece High School in Devonport, before leaving Reece High to take up the position of Executive Director and National President of the Australian Secondary Principals Association. Sheree maintains a strong connection to education through private consultancy and as Executive Secretary for the International Confederation of Principals.

In addition to her work in education, Sheree is actively involved in supporting and promoting the North- West region. She lobbied both the federal and state government to fund the development of the Devonport Country Club, and then project managed the development and the amalgamation of three sporting clubs to create the new entity. Sheree is currently a Director and Regional Economic Development Steering Group Chair for the Cradle Coast Authority, Committee Member for Regional Development Australia, and the Chair for the Live and Learn Steering group for the Devonport City Council.

There are three things that Sheree is truly passionate about after family: education and training, the North- West Region and Tasmania. In short, Sheree wants to use her experience and skills to create a better future and a sustainable future for our community.

• Term expires:
  31 December 2023

Based in Launceston, Tara was appointed to Council in 2021.

Tara has a passion for Tasmania and has brought to fruition a number of acclaimed projects including ‘Blue Derby Pods Ride’ and ‘Change Overnight’.

Blue Derby Pods Ride is the first and only five-star mountain biking experience in Australia, and has proudly afforded Tara a 2018 and 2019 Tasmanian Tourism Silver Award for Adventure Tourism, the 2018 Tasmanian Young Achiever of the Year for Tourism, and the 2017 Trailblazing Innovator of the Year Award, all in the business's first two years of operation. Never far from innovation in the Tourism space, Tara was excited to co-found Change Overnight in mid-2019 - a 31-bed hotel which gives back something tangible to the world with every night's stay.

With a strong background in the space of Brand and Marketing, Tara continually looks to ask the tough questions which few seem to be asking, and to challenge the status quo. Tara wholly embraces her creative and challenging nature, and will continue to advocate and innovate for a more sustainable world. Tara strongly believes that equality in opportunity, especially gender equality globally, is a clear pathway forward to realising this goal.

• Term expires:
  31 December 2023

Sarah-Jayne Hall was appointed to University Council in 2022 and is also a Non-Executive Director of UTAS Properties.

Sarah-Jayne grew up on a farm near Deloraine and currently resides in Launceston, where she is a co-owner of a multi-award winning distillery. She has spent the bulk of her career in Melbourne and the United States, predominately in New York City. Sarah-Jayne is an experienced lawyer and executive, having practised corporate and finance law at large international law firms and also worked as a senior executive at a property investment and development group.

Sarah-Jayne is a graduate of the University of Tasmania with degrees in Arts and Law and is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

• Term expires:
  31 December 2024

With a professional advisory career spanning over 20 years, Alicia is an advisor to industry and government in the areas of strategy, risk, governance, stakeholder consultation, and special investigations.

Alicia grew up on the North West Coast of Tasmania and studied at the University of Tasmania. Building on a career which included time in both Melbourne and London, Alicia was appointed as a Partner to WLF Accounting & Advisory in 2013. With a background in financial audit, internal audit, and risk, Alicia has gone on to establish a large and varied client base consisting of government, large private businesses, and government enterprises and won the Tasmanian Telstra Businesswoman of the Year in 2016 in the Corporate and Private Category.

Alicia has a Bachelor of Commerce, is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, Associate member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and is an independent member on a number of Audit and Risk Committees.

Alicia was appointed to University Council commencing in February of 2022.

• Term expires:
  10 February 2025

Peter Dawkins is an economist and educator, whose academic career has spanned teaching, research and administration in various universities in Australia, and before 1984 in the UK. He was Vice-Chancellor and President of Victoria University (2011-2020), the Ronald Henderson Professor and Director of the Melbourne Institute at the University of Melbourne (1996-2005), and Professor of Economics at Curtin University (1990-1995). He is now an Emeritus Professor of Economics at the Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy at Victoria University. He holds a B.Sc. (hons) and PhD from Loughborough University and a M.Sc. (Econ) from the University of London.

For six years (2005-2010) he was a senior public servant in Victoria, as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of Education. He has a passion for the power of education to transform lives and for evidence-based public policy.

At Victoria University, Peter led the implementation of the Block Model, an Australian first, university-wide innovation, in which students study one subject at a time, in smaller classes. He also led an engagement strategy with the community, industry and government in the West of Melbourne,. He has an ongoing commitment to his region as chair of the West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance (WoMEDA).

He has published a number of books and many articles and has served on a range of government committees and reviews including the Prime Minister's, Science, Engineering and Innovation Council, and is currently co-leading a review for the Federal Minister for Education on industry-university partnerships in teaching and Learning,

In 2017 he became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration (Australia}, and an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Council of Educational Leaders. He is a board member of UniSuper and of UniSport Australia. Peter is married to Sue Sleep and has two grown up children, Emily and Mark. He has a passion for sport, especially cricket, but now plays golf and supports the Western Bulldogs in the AFL.

• Term expires:
  30 June 2024

James Groom is an experienced lawyer, adviser and director. He was appointed to the University Council in 2019 and as Deputy Chancellor in December 2021. James is also Chair of the Strategic Resourcing Committee and a member of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee.

James has a BA (Hons)/LLB degree from the University of Tasmania. He has worked with leading commercial law firms in Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

James is currently a principal of Groom Kennedy Lawyers and Advisors and a director of public and private companies. He lives in Hobart with his wife Kate and their three children. His mother Gillian and four of his five siblings are also law graduates of the University of Tasmania.

• Term expires:
  31 December 2024

Ariane 'Ari' Moore is a PhD candidate in philosophy of religion at the University of Tasmania and the appointed Student Council Member for 2023.

Raised in Cairns in Far North Queensland, Ari graduated from Deakin University in Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Philosophy and was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Medal for Outstanding Contribution to University Life. Ari moved to Hobart in January 2020 to commence her PhD.

While at the University of Tasmania, Ari completed a term as the elected Postgraduate President of TUSA and is the first postgraduate recipient of a Vice-Chancellor's Leadership Award in Community Service.

With experience across several roles in academia and government, including at the Parliament of Victoria, Ari has also studied in India, South Korea, and recently as a Fulbright Scholar in the United States. She holds a Cert IV in Leadership & Management and a Cert IV in Business.

Passionate about advancing higher education and all things Tasmanian, Ari is eager to contribute to decision-making in leadership and governance at the University of Tasmania.

• Term expires:
  31 December 2023

Sally is University Secretary and has been with the University of Tasmania for the past six years.  Sally is alumni, having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy Honours) in 2000 and has twenty years’ experience in administration at tertiary institutions with proven strengths in high level administration and an extensive understanding of the processes and governance structure of universities. Sally has excellent communication and interpersonal skills dealing with academic and professional staff at all levels, students and external agencies.