Thanks to each of the judges who have volunteered their expertise and time to help select the finalists and winners for the 2019 Victorian International Education Awards. Learn more about them below.

Ana Bratkovic

General Manager, NEAS

Ana Bratkovic is the General Manager of NEAS, the leading quality assurer in English Language Teaching in the Asia Pacific. In search for a more people focussed work-life, Ana transitioned out of her first career as an Economist with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and into teaching. Firstly, Social Science in Sydney’s eastern suburbs to High School students and young adults and then English as an Additional Language to migrants and international students. After developing her management skills as the Director of Studies in one of Sydney’s premier ELICOS colleges, SELC, Ana commenced her career in accreditation and quality assurance with NEAS in 2002.  Ana has enjoyed a range of roles at NEAS contributing to the full range of accreditation and monitoring services in both ELICOS and AMEP including desk audits, on-site reviews, course assessments and workshop delivery.

Andrew Ross

Coordinator, Victoria Abroad (The Americas), Victoria University

Andrew has been working in Student Mobility for almost seven years joining Victoria University in 2018. Having studied a Bachelor of International Studies and spending a semester each in the UK and Canada as well as undertaking short programs in Korea and Fiji; he is passionate about student mobility and how transformative it can be to students. He is determined to encourage as many students as possible to take up these opportunities while at VU. Andrew is currently the chair of Victorian Universities Exchange and Study Abroad Group (VicX).

Andrew Williamson

Executive Director, Victorian TAFE Association

Andrew Williamson has worked in executive and leadership roles in Victorian TAFE, dual sector university, technical college and government. He joined the Victorian TAFE Association (VTA) from the Department of Education and Training, where he was a Director in the Higher Education and Skills Group. VTA  is the peak body representing Victorian TAFE Institutes and Dual Sector Universities at both state and federal levels.  The VTA and its antecedents have served the Victorian TAFE sector for over 25 years. Recently, VTA has incorporated Victorian TAFE International.

Brett Blacker

Chief Executive Officer, English Australia

Brett Blacker is the Chief Executive Officer of English Australia, the National Peak Body for the English Language Teaching sector. He has previously held a range of Director level roles at Murdoch University, and the University of Newcastle. Brett has experience with the Insurance and Health sectors as General Manager: Health, OSHC Worldcare a portfolio under Allianz Worldwide Partners. He was a long-standing Board member and immediate past President of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA). He has served on the Board of Perth Education City (PEC) and as part of the executive group of Australian Universities International Directors Forum (AUIDF). Brett is a member of StudyNSW International Education Advisory Board, the South Australian International Education Ministerial Advisory Council and Council for International Education.

David Livingstone 

Manager, International and Civic Services, City of Melbourne

David Livingstone is the Manager, International and Civic Services, with the City of Melbourne.  Prior to that he was Head, Global Engagement, Business Council of Australia.  Previously, as a senior diplomat with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, David was posted as Deputy Head of Mission, Baghdad, Deputy Consul-General, Hong Kong, and Deputy High Commissioner, Nairobi, as well as shorter postings to Ankara, Beirut and Taipei.  David also led the Australia’s intellectual property negotiations in the Free Trade Agreement with China, and in the WTO. He was also previously Chief of Staff to the (Commonwealth) Parliamentary Secretary for Trade, and later Education. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne, a Bachelor of Laws from ANU, a Master of Laws from UNE, a Graduate Certificate in Legal Practice from the University of South Australia, and is a graduate of the Royal Australian Navy Staff College.  David has been admitted to Practice in the Supreme Court of South Australia.

Demmi Paris

Executive Officer, Victoria/Tasmania, Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia

Demmi Paris currently hold the position of Executive Officer Vic/ Tas at the Independent Tertiary Council of Australia (ITECA). Demmi has been involved with the International Education awards for a number of years as a judge and has seen the evolution and the growth of the sector. She is very passionate about the connection and recognition these awards have on International education both to students but also to International Education providers in Victoria.  She is Masters qualified with 20 years of experience as an executive leader in the Tertiary education sector both onshore and offshore, leading and developing inclusive engagement practices that improve connections for Local & International students. She is very passionate about the importance of education and the opportunities it provides to both students but more importantly for training providers to engage and connect with Industry to cultivating and building strategic partnerships and networks to increase business capability to deliver a Tertiary education.

Gerard Holland

Founder, Outcome.Life

Gerard is a chartered accountant and has been a business advisor with a demonstrated history of working in the middle market and startup sectors over a decade. Gerard has also completed his Masters in Entrepreneurship & Innovation which inspired him to quit his comfortable corporate job to become an entrepreneur. Gerard founded Outcome.life in 2016 to solve the problem of employability for international students and also through other founded businesses, GADA technology, Pleased.Property and PCSS Gerard has employed over 30 internationals living in Australia. Outcome.Life has received funding from LaunchVic, was a winner at the 2018 TechDiversity awards and equal second in the 2018 StartUpSmart Awards.

Jane Osborn

Investment and Trade Specialist, Tourism, Regional Development Victoria (DJPR)

Investment and Trade Specialist in Tourism for Regional Development Victoria, Jane is working to attract investment, support industry development, manage feasibility and business case projects in the Visitor Economy in Regional Victoria. Jane has more than 25 years experience, including 15 years based in the Middle East, in the corporate, education marketing and market research sectors with Roy Morgan Research, Taylor Nelson Sofres, Travel Research Centre Sydney, Euromonitor International London and Education Adelaide. With an educational background in media, research and communications, Jane has worked on many tourism projects for tourism related clients and in recent years has worked closely with the regional tourism boards of Goldfields, Grampians, Daylesford and the Wimmera Mallee regions to support  visitation growth and product development.Jane is passionate about regional Victoria and growing skills, jobs and investment opportunities in tourism. This is Jane’s second year as a judge for VIEA.

Jennifer Mendes

Senior Coordinator - Global Student Mobility (Inbound), Deakin Abroad, Deakin International

Jennifer is the Senior Coordinator, Global Student Mobility (Inbound) at Deakin University, leading the team responsible for all Inbound Study Abroad and Exchange, Trimester and Short Term Programs. Jennifer is passionate about International Education and has worked in the Higher Education Sector since graduating in 2009. Her focus on International Admissions (Full –degree and Study Abroad and Exchange) has seen her lead teams of staff and students on a variety of local and international mobility and orientation programs. Jennifer holds a Bachelor degree in Arts and a Master degree in Communication. Jennifer moved to Melbourne as an international student in 2005. Having experienced bouts of homesickness and learning to survive on limited cooking skills, she can relate to the struggles of an international student and is testament that it will all work out. Drawing from her personal and professional experiences in this space, she is committed to improving the student experience and in particular the admissions application process for all. She hopes that she can give back to the international student community, which was an integral part of her time as an international student.

Jennifer Walsh

Associate Director, Programs, ISANA International Education Association Inc.

Jen Walsh has an extensive background in adult education, including international students, oversight of learning programs, project management and the promotion of public education. Currently Associate Director, Programs at Trinity College, the University of Melbourne, providing total leadership, management and implementation of the Non-Residential and Residential Programs. As Housing and Accommodation Manager at Trinity, Jen worked closely with external partners to ensure consistently high standards of student safety, security and wellbeing within a range of approved accommodation options for international students under the age of 18. Jen is currently VP ISANA, Victoria/Tasmania. In this position she is collaborating with the Centre for Vocational and Educational Policy (CVEP) in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education on a research project funded through a grant from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR) under Category 2 of the International Student Welfare Program (ISWP) to study the homestay experiences of international students in the higher education (HE), vocational education and training (VET) and English language sectors.

Judie Kay

Director, Careers and Employability, RMIT University

Judie Kay is responsible for the development and implementation of a broad range of RMIT career, employability and industry engagement strategies. She has been involved in a range of national employability and work integrated learning (WIL) projects including The Edge, Emerging WIL Models and the Leading WIL project. Judie is currently leading an Australian Government grant developing micro credentials to support International Students undertaking WIL. Judie is the immediate Past President of Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN), the peak association for WIL and a Board and Executive Committee member representing Australia on the world body for WIL, WACE. Judie was awarded the WACE global award for “Excellence in Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Commitment to Co-operative education and Work integrated learning " in 2015.

Stewart Burn

Stewart is a retired scientist with experience in materials performance and water management. He is ex CSIRO Manufacturing and Land and Water, where he was the Program Leader for Urban Water Systems. He was also an Adjunct Professor at RMIT and Victoria Universities, where he co-supervised a number of PhD students in their studies. He now undertakes laboratory assessments for NATA and monitors companies on behalf of the Australian Shareholders Association

Martin Powell

CEO, VET Development Centre

Mr Martin Powell commenced as the CEO at the VET Development Centre (VDC) in January 2016. Since this time, Martin has driven innovation and change at the VDC to support its goal to become a centre of excellence for continuous professional learning to the VET workforce. Prior to joining the VDC, Martin has held prominent positions in the VET sector. Martin was the National Manager, Services / Victorian Executive Officer for the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). With TVET Australia and the National Advisory for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment (NATESE), Martin was Director of the National VET Equity Advisory Council (NVEAC), the COAG advisory committee responsible for independent social policy advice for those groups at risk of disadvantage. His experience extends to broader policy, project and program roles in public sector social policy in the areas of VET, health, corrections, youth services, mental health services and treasury and finance.