Service

I am the Treasurer of the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia (JERAA) and, during my full-time employment at the University of Newcastle, fulfilled roles on committees and panels, and conducted reviews, and examinations and supervisions of Honours, Masters and PhD students.

My latest roles at the University of Newcastle were as the Program Convenor for the Bachelor of Communication undergraduate and Honours Programs and the Communication discipline Team Leader. In these roles, I managed a team of academics, ensured students met graduation requirements, sat on committees, actively engaged with student recruitment, reviewed and updated the programs, and analysed data and developed reports, including the 2021 Honours External Review document.

I was an Executive Member (NSW Representative) of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association (ANZCA) for several years and co-convenor of the successful ANZCA annual conference with A/Prof Phillip McIntyre that was held in Newcastle in 2016. I was also a co-convenor of the annual JERAA conference held in Newcastle in December 2017. In this role, I was part of the Executive of JERAA as the Vice President (Conference) and am currently on the Executive in the Treasurer role. In 2018, I had the role of Associate Editor of JERAA’s journal, the Australian Journalism Review. 

Recent roles include the chair of the School of DCIT Teaching and Learning Committee and the School of Creative Industries Teaching and Learning Committee and Research and Research Training Committee. I also represented the Communication discipline on the Faculty of Science and IT Teaching and Learning Committee. As part of my duties with this Committee, I represented the Faculty at the University’s Orientation Working Group. I was the MCR representative on the Faculty of Education and Arts Research and Research Training Committee and the FEDUA representative on the innovative the Education Network (tEN) Steering Committee.

Other previous roles include the School of DCIT representative on the ECR sub-committee of the Faculty of Science and IT Research and Research Training Committee, and the facilitator for the Communication discipline RHD support group where I organised and managed monthly meetings for the Communication discipline RHD students. 

I am regularly asked to review conference papers, journal articles and book chapters for national and international publications. I also review ethics applications, sit on confirmation and completion panels, and supervise Honours and HDR research.

Previous employment

 – VitalCom Newcastle (1990-2014)

Prior to my full-time employment at the University of Newcastle, I was a partner in VitalCom Newcastle, a successful and innovative small business and I stayed involved in the business until it was sold in June 2014. 

My primary role was as Office Manager and, in that role, I helped to supervise up to 10 employees, developed the marketing strategy, managed the day-to-day running of the business, and ensured compliance with legal and financial obligations. 

The entrepreneurial and organisational skills I gained through my crucial role in industry directly inform my teaching practice, service and administration functions, and research success.