Our Team
Professor Rebecca Spence
Director
As the Director of International Capacity Building at the University of New England Rebecca is responsible for the design and implementation of GEAReD training programs.
Rebecca has over 30 years’ experience in the International Development sector, beginning her career as a volunteer in Cape Town at the end of apartheid before completing a Ph.D. on peace-building in Northern Ireland. Through her peace-building consultancy, Rebecca has advised government agencies including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australian Defence Force in hot-spots including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Fiji and the Solomon Islands.
Rebecca has learned first-hand how to foster collaboration and create consensus, vital leadership skills that she brings to the GEAReD team. Rebecca recognises that many of the women GEAReD works with are at the forefront of disrupting gender norms in their communities and is passionate about delivering these women the skills they need to successfully navigate challenges and barriers that they may face.
As a facilitator Rebecca’s empathetic approach and warm, open nature help to establish a trusting atmosphere where genuine personal growth can be achieved.
Dr Philip R Harrell
Lead Trainer
Dr. Phil Harrell (B.A., M.Litt., MBA., DBA., Cmgr IML) is a sought-after public speaker, educator and consultant. He has been presenting his unique and engaging style of leadership and management development training throughout Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and South East Asia for over twenty-five years.
He is an internationally acknowledged leader in the field of Values-Based Leadership (VBL) and researches and consults extensively in this field. He is an accredited Master Coach in Leading, Managing and Coaching by Values through the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Phil has a passion for helping people reach their full potential and firmly believes that through understanding and harnessing your personal values you can create a truly focused and rewarding life.
As Executive Director and founder of the Australian based, training and consulting organisations - the Leadership Alliance and New England Management Development (NEMD); Phil heads up a small team of organisational development professionals. Together, they design, develop and implement leadership training, organisational change initiatives, strategic planning and integrated action learning-based management development programs across multiple industries.
Dr Felicity Joseph
Trainer
Felicity Joseph teaches units in Gender Studies and Philosophy at UNE. She holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Melbourne, and has a particular interest in applying philosophical methods to analyse contemporary gender issues. Before becoming an academic, she worked in many areas, including ESL teaching, curriculum design and legal administration. She enjoys working with adult students most of all. She is married to another philosopher and has two little children, which has recently led to an interest in the theme of motherhood and work.
Dr Tamsyn Crowley
Trainer
Associate Professor Tamsyn Crowley, is the current Director of Poultry Hub Australia (PHA) (the successor body to the Poultry CRC). Tamsyn, who has an extensive background in poultry research, currently leads PHA based at the University of New England, while also maintaining her poultry research laboratory at Deakin University. She graduated her PhD in 2007 at Deakin University and has since had roles within CSIRO and a number of academic institutions. Associate Professor Crowley’s research interests include gut health, biomarker discovery, epigenetics and bioinformatics. As director of PHA, Tamsyn is tasked with improving all sectors of the Australian poultry industry through applied research, education and training. Her current role enables her to liaise with all sectors of the industry from farmers to poultry research scientists. Tamsyn is passionate about poultry, education and science and her current role enables her to bring all these passions together.
Skye Creevey
Executive Officer
Skye provides high level executive support to the International Capacity Building team across the range of programs and activities. She is responsible for a wide array of logistical support and care for both the team and participants in the JDF training program.
Skye was born and raised on a cattle station in western Queensland and has strong family ties and a research background in both agriculture and business. She has worked in a range of roles that have taken her throughout the agricultural, business and education sectors. Skye is passionate about supporting people in skills-based learning and expanding knowledge on the interconnectivity of sustainable agriculture systems within the commercial context. She understands the importance of education, training and relationship building in ensuring growth and resilience throughout the sector and strives to support and strengthen people in these goals.
Andrew Edwards
Project Officer
Andrew is an international development professional and has been working in a multicultural context for the past ten years. Andrew coordinates all course activities and is the principal point of contact for all operational aspects of GEAReD programs including pre-training registration, travel and accommodation, plus health and other personal issues.
Andrew has a research background in molecular biology and veterinary parasitology and is a devoted family man. As the father of two girls, he is particularly passionate about the impact GEAReD has and is proud to be working towards greater gender equity.
Alice Armitage
Communications & Publishing
Alice is a farmer’s daughter and serial entrepreneur with a background working in the venture capital space. Having worked and studied in metropolitan Australia and abroad, Alice has recently returned to her hometown in Northern NSW, focusing on supporting grassroots initiatives and innovation happening in regional Australia and founding The Pandaemonium Paper.
This contemporary, quarterly newspaper showcases the innovators, creatives and self-starters living outside the metropolitan mould. Her experience in communications for agriculture and publishing are valuable additions to the International Capacity Building team and delivered as part of the media training modules of the JDF Fellowship.
Mike Terry
Communications
Mike has a background in journalism, arts education and anthropology. He earned a BA in Mass Communication at the University of Utah in 2011 and a MA in Visual & Media Anthropology from the Freie Universität Berlin in 2013.
Mike’s visual work has been published internationally in print and online media including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Elephant and Monocle Magazine.
Mike came to the University of New England in 2021 and in addition to producing film and photo features on agricultural research at UNE he manages communications for a variety of ACIAR supported fellowships on behalf of the university’s International Development group.