Our training team

B Music, M Education (Music), Dip Gov, FICDA

After completing her Master of Education, Nina discovered her passion for working with communities and empowering them through music-based education programs. In 2016, Nina joined the Victorian Student Representative Council as a training and project manager, and she was later appointed CEO. As CEO, she led the organisation through a time of significant change, from being an auspice agency to becoming a charitable company limited by guarantee. It was during this time that she honed her skills as an executive manager, educator and advocate with a strong focus on strategic planning, mentoring and governance.

Nina excels in strategic and change management, particularly in bringing diverse stakeholders along for the journey. Her agile management style and unwavering energy and commitment enable her to build strong teams that thrive under challenging situations.

Nina is a passionate advocate for ensuring all people, particularly those from marginalised communities, have accessible platforms, opportunities and spaces where they can be heard and supported to create positive change in the world.

Nina works with the training team to develop new training materials and deliver the full range of ICDA programs, including the Diploma of Governance.

BA (Hons), DipEd, Certificate IV (Training and Assessment), Dip Gov, FICDA

Jon has a background as a teacher, trainer, social entrepreneur, filmmaker and writer. He began his career teaching at Melbourne's Northland Secondary College, where in 2000 he was awarded the Peter Clarke Teaching for Reconciliation Award based on his work with the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community at the school. He spent several years being mentored by and working alongside Gunditjmara artist and filmmaker Richard Frankland and together they developed a cross-cultural education program, Planting Seeds, which shone a light on the invisible load that Aboriginal communities in Australia have carried in the wake of colonisation.

In 2008 Jon founded the not-for-profit youth media social enterprise Youthworx, which uses creative and commercial media to work with young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and he led the organisation until 2020 when he joined Our Community.

BA (Hons), Certificate IV (Training & Assessment), Certificate in Intercultural Communication, Dip Gov, FICDA

Annabel brings over 20 years’ experience in facilitation, relationship management, program design, and program delivery across not-for-profits and small consulting firms, with a consistent focus on building capacity and inclusion within the sector.

She has designed and facilitated training programs and coaching for a diverse range of participants, including community board members and leaders, young people, executives from ASX-listed companies, newly arrived migrants, and global teams.
An ICF Associate Certified Coach and accredited ADHD coach, Annabel also holds certifications in a range of communication and leadership assessment tools, which she draws on in both facilitation and coaching.

A committed volunteer since her teenage years, Annabel currently serves as a board member of The Embrace Collective and co-hosts The Village podcast, part of the social enterprise Takes a Village, which supports families raising neurodiverse children.

BA, LLM (Juris Doctor), Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, Certificate III (Investigations Certificate IV (Government Investigations), NMAS Mediation Skillset

Kate (they/them) has a professional background spanning commercial law, government, private investigations and management consulting. They’ve worked with community groups of all shapes and sizes, including by providing legal and regulatory advice, conducting cultural reviews, and facilitating restorative processes. Kate’s diverse experience has given them a nuanced outlook and thorough technical understanding of the sector.

Kate has a long-standing interest in capacity-building; in 2017, they were awarded by the Law Council of Australia for their research in this area. A qualified mediator, Kate also has special interests in conflict resolution, trauma-informed practice, and psychosocial safety.

Kate’s hyper analytical tendencies are balanced with an inherently human-centred approach. Their training style is grounded and pragmatic, with a focus on building connection and confidence.

Ian worked in marketing at the Age newspaper and Syme Magazines before moving into sports administration in 1990 with the North Melbourne Giants in the National Basketball League. In 1992 he joined the Carlton Football Club administration, starting in the marketing team before becoming the first media manager of an AFL club in Victoria.

In his 20-year association with the Carlton Football Club, during which time he was part of the executive team, he developed the club’s media and communications structure and strategies. He built exceptional personal communication and relationship management capabilities through his experience across complex management and board structures and is regarded as an expert at cultivating and managing sensitive stakeholder relationships and interests.

A graduate of the ICDA Diploma of Governance, Ian is a great supporter of, and has a long association with, community groups – his past and present roles include board member, advisor and volunteer. He is also a co-founder and director of a not-for-profit organisation that promotes reconciliation through sport.

Ian joined Our Community in 2020 and delivers training for Class B Cemetery Trusts.