QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Al Mucci
General Manager, Dreamworld Corroboree
Al Mucci has been in the zoological industry for over 18 years and has held the
position of General Manager of the wildlife department at Dreamworld for the past 8
years. Al has broad based experience with a wide variety of animals which has
included senior positions in non-government organisations, private and public
institutions. Al is President of the Executive Committee of the Zoo and Aquarium
Association (ZAA), Queensland branch (ZAAQ). Al is an invited member of the
Biosecurity Queensland Ministerial Advisory Council.
Al has been working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community locally
and across Australia for the past 6 years. Under the leadership of Al, Dreamworld
was the first leisure based attraction in Australia to launch a Reconciliation Action.
Al dreamt-up the Corroboree project and was successful in obtaining a STIG grant from the Federal
Government to integrate a current wildlife attraction into an authentic and credible Indigenous experience
with wildlife.
Nicholas Doherty
Training Manager at Jupiters Townsville Hotel & Casino
Nicholas has been employed by Jupiters Townsville for over 13 years working within Food and Beverage and
Human Resources. In his current role, as Training Manager, Nicholas identifies
training needs within the organisation, then designs, develops and implements
programs; and supports career development for team members individual
development plans. In his role he also actively assists in recruitment, investigations,
engagement and is a Safety Representative.
Nicholas has completed Diplomas in Hospitality, Management & Human Resources.
He is a Business Mentor for the Townsville Enterprise Indigenous Youth
Ambassador Program, Justice of the Peace and current Chairperson for the QTIC
Professional Development Committee (Townsville).
Penny Cleland
Staff Development Manager, CaPTA Group
Penny was born on a farming property in Southern NSW 1956. She attended a one
teacher school in her primary years moving to Sydney and a large girl’s school for her
secondary schooling years.
Penny worked in a variety of positions across the Tourism and Hospitality industry in
Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef during the 70's and 80's. However, it was a move to
Weipa that initiated her passion for training and the importance of apprentices and
traineeships in the workplace. During her 10 years in Weipa Penny become part of
the Weipa community and was involved in the development of several community
projects within the tourism and hospitality industry.
Page
Joining the Capta Group of Companies in 2007, her diverse background in Tourism and Hospitality and the
experience of working in both Front Line and Senior Management has given Penny the opportunity to be part
of the HR team with the Capta Group. One of the initiatives Penny has successfully developed in her role as
Staff Development Manager with the Capta Group has been to increase indigenous employees and to
encourage and strengthen a learning environment in the workplace.
1
Returning to Cairns mid 1990’s Penny has continued to work within the Tourism and Hospitality industry.
During her career she completed 10 years working for Power Brewing, 6 years working for Fosters and 4 Years
with Raging Thunder, 2 of which were spent living and working on Fitzroy Island.
QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Joe Sproats MA
M SocPol, MAPS, Dreamtime Learning, Noorla Heritage Resort
Joe is a trained psychologist in clinical and organisational psychology, with a
research Master of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Social Policy. Joe has held
a number of management positions over a fifteen year period with
organisations in the Commonwealth, State, community and private sectors,
prior to establishing his own full time consultancy practice in Management,
Training and Planning in 1996.
Other roles include Psychologist/Trainer and Director, Platypus Wealth Institute;
Partner, Ay Ot Lookout Conference Centre ; and Business Mentor, Department
of Tourism and State Development and Queensland State Tourism Awards.
Sonya Jeffrey
Managing Director, Ingan Tours, Tully, North Queensland
Sonya is the youngest daughter of Ernie and Enid Grant of Tully, FNQ. Sonya identifies
as a Jirrbal woman and has had the privilege of learning her language and culture by
her Elder and father Dr Ernie Grant. As Managing Director Sonya leads the company
and develops the corporate culture for the organisation. Sonya’s responsibility is to
manage all facets of the business. This includes staff, customers, budget and the
company’s assets.
Ingan Tours is an Australian company that is 100% Aboriginal owned by the Grant
family in Tully, North Queensland.
Sonya also plays the part of Marketing Manager which links well and complements her official position as
Managing Director. In this role she develops and enhances the current marketing strategy, measures success
and budget, approves images and most importantly ensures a strong marketing brand both domestically and
internationally in the tourism industry.
Deborah Lanham
Senior Consultant, Human Resources, Snap Fresh Pty Ltd, A Qantas Group Company
Deborah has been employed by Snap Fresh for approximately 9 years. She has a proven track
record of successfully improving workforce engagement and implementing innovative
employment and diversity programs. For the past 2 years Deborah has been a member of
the Ipswich & Logan Priority Employment Committee and in 2013 was appointed to a
leader’s role with the Logan Council - City of Choice Leadership team as a subject matter
expert for employment. Qantas and Snap Fresh continue to support the local community
using Deborah’s resources and expertise in relation to local employment matters.
Mandy Pradal
Human Resources Coordinator, Mercure Cairns Harbourside
Born and raised in Cairns, Mandy is a high achieving undergraduate business student,
studying full time at James Cook University.
Page
2
Mandy started her career in hospitality with Mercure Cairns Harbourside in 2013 as a
Human Resources Coordinator working alongside Paul Morton, the General Manager
who is also the Accor Indigenous Champion for TNQ. In this role, she assists driving
the Accor Indigenous Employment Initiatives for recruitment, career pathways and
retention in commitment to Reconciliation.
QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Paul Morton
General Manager, Mercure Cairns Harbourside
Since arriving in Australia in 2005 from the UK (where he had a six year career with
the Whitbread hotel company), Paul has worked with Accor in many roles and
locations, and across its portfolio of brands.
In 2007 he joined Accor at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth as Assistant Manager, and
later became the hotel’s Reservations Sales Manager and then Front Office
Manager.
In 2010 he was promoted to General Manager of the Ibis Styles at Karratha, and in
2011 moved to Tasmania to take on the role of General Manager at the Mercure
Launceston.
Located on the Esplanade overlooking Trinity Bay, Mercure Cairns Harbourside provides an excellent base for
both business and leisure travellers. The hotel features 173 rooms, two restaurants, three function rooms, a
swimming pool and spa along with international standard hotel services and facilities.
David Hudson
Managing Director, Didgeralia
Born and raised in Kuranda, North QLD, David is from the Ewamian and
Western Yalanji people. His whole life has established his knowledge of
culture and life growing up with traditional and contemporary values.
After finishing school David went to Alice Springs and worked in the railway
for three years. Looking for more meaningful work, David ventured to
Perth for teachers college and upon returning ventured overseas to
America in 1985. Observing the interest taken by foreigners in his dance
and culture, David recognised that there was a niche market in cultural
tourism in Australia. Spectators of David‘s performances are treated to entertainment and education about
indigenous culture, a term David calls ‘edu-tainment’.
David is a founding member of the internationally renowned Tjapukai Dance Theatre, which started with seven
performers in a 90 seat basement style theatre. In 1992 David left the company to pursue his own career in
the performing arts, one which led him to many personal successes and achievements. As a recording artist,
David has achieved worldwide popularity and in many parts of the globe regarded as the face of Australian
Indigenous music. David has performed with the legendary Yanni in amazing venues including the Taj Mahal in
India, the Forbidden City in China and the Ancient Pyramids in Giza. A Logie award winning documentary
presenter and actor on television and motion pictures, his film career has landed him roles along side such
actors as Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer.
Artistically his talents are not restricted to performing, he has worked with children of all ages conducting
workshops involving painting, murals and mime enlightening young minds to aboriginal culture. In 1993 he was
awarded an Honorary Tourism Ambassador for Queensland Tourism and more recently the Centenary Medal
for services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
Natalie Chapman
Page
3
Training and Development Manager (Indigenous), Voyages
QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Belinda O’Connor
Human Resources Advisor, Brisbane Airport Corporation Pty Limited
Belinda O’Connor has been selected to represent Brisbane Airport Corporation
(BAC) in supporting Indigenous Australians to gain employment. Belinda is
responsible for providing leadership and expertise in the management of
recruitment, industrial relations, remuneration and other delegated human
resource functions.
Given the diverse nature of BAC’s business operations, the Corporation aims to
support the employment of Indigenous Australians in addition to promoting
cultural diversity within the business. As part of its commitment, BAC has joined
the Australian Employment Covenant.
BAC also partners with the QUT Business School and is one of the sponsors of the Indigenous Student Intern
Scholarship Program. Further to providing a broad business for its Scholarship Student to work in, BAC hopes
to gain a greater insight into what its needs to do to ensure that its business is ready for the future generation
of leaders.
Margaret Grenfell
Sustainability Support Officer- Culture & Community, Straddie Camping
Margaret Grenfell is a Quandamooka woman, a descendant of the Nunukul,
Nughi and Gorenpul clans. Presently, living on Quandamooka Country at
Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay, South-East Queensland.
Margie is a new member of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. She joined
Straddie Camping in March 2013 as a Guest Services Coordinator within the
reservation team. In more recent months she has been promoted to the
Sustainability Support Officer – Culture & Community position. This support work
is across varied internal policy and practices, the Minjerribah Reconciliation Action Plan, an Indigenous
employment strategy, Indigenous staff liaison, training and workplace health and safety.
Over the past 28 years she’s had an extensive and varied career in the federal and state government
Indigenous education, employment and training sectors in South-East Queensland. Margie started her working
career as part of the Commonwealth public service intake for Aboriginal Clerk Class 1 identified positions; in
the Department of Education’s Abstudy Programs Unit in 1984. This led to labour market program contract
management. reporting and monitoring for the Aboriginal Programs Unit Dept. of Education NSW.
Leaving the workforce to start a family she worked part-time on country in the local primary and secondary
schools, and TAFE where she achieved a Certificate IV in Trainer and Assessor delivering cultural awareness
training for teacher aides. Returning to full-time employment she worked in the apprenticeship system (both
in the public and private sector). During this period she also worked with her cousin Dr Christopher Matthews
(mathematics) in the Indigenous Research Network, Griffith University in the role of administration project
officer.
Page
4
She recently attended the Global Eco-Tourism conference held in Noosa. This gave her a grateful and
rewarding experience that provided a broader understanding of the Tourism Industry and the varied
stakeholders, issues and positive solutions where passion and hard work makes a difference.
QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Jacob Cassady
Owner, Mungalla Station
Jacob a proud Aboriginal man who is one of the traditional owners on his country in
and around the Ingham area in North Queensland; his tribe are called the “Nywaigi”
people.
Born and bred in the Ingham region Jacob grew up on the Herbert River and spent
his childhood days playing and fishing for red bream and barramundi and always
swimming with family and friends (warily) in the salt water crocodile infested waters
around the Lower Herbert River area.
In 1999 Jacob’s people were handed back some of their traditional land call Mungalla Station…a magnificent
old cattle and horse property that is steeped in fascinating European history and rich in Nywaigi sacred sites
and places of deep cultural significance for his people. Visitors to Mungalla Station will discover the Culture
and History of Mungalla Station and the Nywaigi Aboriginal People of North Queensland.
Kim Dorward
Learning and Development Manager, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia,
Mossman Gorge Centre
Kim is the Learning and Development Manager . The Mossman Gorge Centre
currently employs 78 Indigenous Employees, over 90% of the workforce. The
centre opened in June 2012 as an initiative of the Mossman Gorge Community
and supported by the Indigenous Land Corporation to provide employment
for the local Kuku Yalanji people.
The Mossman Gorge Centre also includes the Mossman Gorge Training
Centre, a residential training facility run through the Indigenous Youth
Mobility Program. Trainees come to the Centre from regional and remote
areas across Australia to participate in a Certificate Three Hospitality Traineeship. Trainees are hosted to local
hotels in the Port Douglas and Daintree region in roles such as Food and Beverage, Front Office and
Housekeeping. Expanding the Indigenous Traineeship Program into these hotels is an achievement of which
Kim and the Centre are very proud of and hope to continue to facilitate further engagement and opportunities
for Indigenous candidates who wish to work in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
Kim also assists Voyages at Ayers Rock Resort and Home Valley Station with the recruitment of Indigenous
Employees for both general direct hire roles and within their Traineeship Program.
.
Kristina Goodman
General Manager at Metro Hotel Ipswich & Metro Hotel Tower Mill Brisbane
Page
Earl Muir
5
Regional Human Resources Manager, QLD and NT Accor Hotels
QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Jane Morgan
Owner, Cosmos Centre and Observatory
Jane has been in the tourism industry for over thirty years. Throughout her tourism
career Jane has always worked and developed product that has a high level of
interpretation. Jane has a strong belief that travellers love the stories, related by
people to enhance their experience.
She was worked in Cairns developed and training staff for the first ever Kuranda Rail
‘talking carriages’, was sales for Quicksilver and involved with the Marine Biologist
guided tours of the Reef, developed her own interpretative tour product in Tasmania
for the USA not for profit Zoo and Alumni market, run two Regional Tourism
organisations in NSW and Queensland and is currently managing the Charleville
Cosmos Observatory and developing new product for the small outback town of
Charleville.
Jane believes that the connection of people with stories is vital for the tourism industry and while technology
has it’s place, nothing really replaces a guide that delivers a good story that people can relate to. Over the
years Jane has worked to develop products that have a story telling component that is engaging. She believes
Tourism is a people industry and always ensures that guides telling their stories is the ‘stuff’ that holiday
memories are made of.
Eddie Ruska
Riverlife Mirrabooka and Nunukul Yuggera
Riverlife Mirrabooka is an excellent example of the mutual benefits that can be gained by a
joint partnership between an Indigenous and mainstream business. Nestled below the cliffs
at Kangaroo Point along the banks of the Brisbane River, Riverlife Mirrabooka offers visitors
the opportunity to participate in traditional Aboriginal song and dance in the heart of the
city.
The success of the partnership is largely due to great working relationship between the two
directors, Eddie Ruska and John Sharpe. Eddie Ruska is the director of the Nunukul Yuggera
Aboriginal Dance Troupe a highly acclaimed dance troupe which has toured worldwide with
their performances and John Sharpe owner and director the award winning Riverlife
Adventures. The two businesses negotiated responsibilities and respect the others provision of service to the
partnership. John provides tourism marketing and networking support for the product and Eddie manages the
Cultural input and leadership to the troupe. An important aspect of the relationship indicative to Indigenous
Culture is that it developed gradually allowing time for trust to build between the partners.
The venture has facilitated mutual benefits for both parties. The venue has provided a regular performance
base for the Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Troupe which has increased the employment capacity and
consistency of the troupe. Additionally, some of the dancers are also cross training in other areas of the
business such as outdoor activities, booking services and hospitality, providing learning opportunities for all
dimensions of the business.
Page
6
Incorporating an Indigenous element into the services offered at Riverlife has created new market
opportunities by providing visitors with a truly unique Aboriginal tourism experiences that provide a real
understanding of local Indigenous Customs, Art, Culture and Heritage. With business defying the economic
downturn, visitor demand for Indigenous experiences appears to be consistent and fairly resilient to industry
fluctuations.
QTIC Tourism Industry Employment Champions Network
Samantha Martin
Product Development Manager, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
Samantha Martin is an Aboriginal woman from the Kija and Jaru tribes in
the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Her Aboriginal language
name is Nywarru Nyudbi, she has spent half of her life in the Australian
outback been taught traditional knowledge passed onto her by her
Elders. Samantha applied for a traineeship in Human Resource at the
Argyle Diamond Mine, where she worked her way up the corporate ladder
into a more senior level. Samantha decided to travel Australia, and chose
to settle in the Whitsunday where she gained her working experience in the Hospitality and Tourism industry
on Island resorts such as Hamilton Island, Long Island Resort, Daydream Island and Club Med Lindeman Island.
In the Whitsunday Samantha set up her own modelling agency where she ran a program to assist young
Indigenous girls build their confidence in deportment and grooming training, she had girls travel to her from
as far as Townsville, Mackay, Bowen and Proserpine. She then left the Whitsunday in 2003 where she worked
for the ABC Indigenous Unit, SBS, Australian Film Commission and other corporate companies throughout
Sydney.
She moved to the Sunshine Coast and worked on her Bush Tukka series for NITV and ran her own film
production company Sacred Oz Productions producing educational Indigenous content for ABC, VEA, SBS and
NITV (National Indigenous TV).
Samantha travelled through Europe and America presenting lectures based on her culture. She has lectured
on board a 6 start German cruise liner MS Europa in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Samantha has also been a TV
personality and professional keynote speaker in Australia for the past 15 years.
In 2012 Samantha worked as a Training and Employment Coordinator then promoted to Campus Manager for
an RTO company MEGT at the Mossman Gorge Centre working closely with the local Kuku Yalanji people and
other stakeholders at the Mossman training centre. Samantha had graduated approximated 50 Indigenous
students through her time at Mossman. She played an important role in mentoring, training and providing life
skills to her students who have gone onto achieving great things as is still mentors most of them today.
Samantha was approached by Hardie Grant Publishing to write a Bush Tukka Guide which she completed in a
year and was published and launched in April 2014 throughout Australia.
Samantha was then given the opportunity to work at Tjapukai Cultural Park as the Product Development
Manager, where she has played a huge part of the re-development of the new Tjapukai Business to provide
hospitality and tourism services as well as education and entertainment to international travellers. In 2015
Samantha will embark on studying for her MBA which she will complete in 2016.
Darrell Harris
Page
Darrell has lived in North Queensland all his life. He has worked in the banking
industry for 15 years, and worked and volunteered with non-profit organisations in
senior executive roles for over 30 years. Darrell
has experience in all aspects of managing and operating community organisations
and small business. He joined UMI Arts in 2008 as Business Manager, and at the start
of 2013 became UMI Arts’ first Indigenous Executive Officer.
7
Executive Officer, UMI Arts Limited