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Pam Caven
I joined Port Phillip U3A in December 2017 following my retirement.
U3A is a good fit for me. My last role for 10 years prior to my retirement in 2017 was as Director Policy & Stakeholder Engagement for TAFE Directors Australia. I have always worked in education, first as a secondary school teacher (Victoria & London), as a Teacher’s College lecturer, a VCE curriculum writer, a TAFE teacher, an author, a Policy Director in the Victorian Education Department and Project Director with the Australian National Training Authority.
Along the way I have been a member of a Regional ACFE Board, the Board of the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, the Board of the Friends of the ABC, the Board of the Community Colleges Baccalaureate Association (America) and President of the Melbourne High School Council.
In 2018 I have been an active participant in a variety of U3A courses, too numerous to list. I have loved the experience of being intellectually stimulated and physically stretched by very proficient and expert facilitators. I have been impressed by the welcoming atmosphere, the friendliness of fellow participants and the breadth of offerings.
To me U3A is a community resource that deserves to be well nourished, with a committee of management that has members from diverse backgrounds who are committed to providing and managing a broad range of educational experiences.
Peter Chung
We (my wife and 2 sons) moved to Melbourne from London in 1988. Then moved back to London for 5 years in 1995 returning in 2000. Now both sons are working in London for a number of years now.
I spent 12 years of my career as an auditor on financial and IT systems, 30 years working in banking & financial services. I went to Warwick University for my Bachelors Degree and then qualified as an accountant in the UK. I completed Masters degree in Management at the Melbourne Business School in the early 90s. Plus a Graduate Certificate in Wealth Management from Deakin University in 2008. I had a varying career in banking in different roles in internal audit, financial control, project management, financial planning etc until I retired in April 2017.
I discovered the joys of U3A and joined in 2018. Initially, doing yoga, Ukulele, watercolour and Japanese classes. I had previously found it difficult to join the Committee of Management as I had been spending 3 months plus in London every year during the Melbourne Winter months; that is until 2020!
In March 2020 (plus another month Lockdown), I completed my Yoga Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh, India and started teaching Yoga via Zoom with U3A since May 2020 (once I got out of quarantine!). My interests now are mainly Yoga, meditation, writing (poetry mainly), music and some (very little) painting.
Jim Pribble
Jim grew up Southwestern Oregon, USA, was educated in local schools, then, later, at Oregon State University (OSU), Corvallis, Oregon, graduating with a Master of Science degree in 1972. He worked on several research projects at OSU, then was employed by the Research Division of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. In 1979, Jim was recruited to design and implement a major research program for the Victorian Fisheries Division in Australia. He remained in research management for the remainder his career within the Victorian Government, ending with retirement in 1998.
Jim enjoys the warm and welcoming atmosphere at U3A and the ‘can-do/must do’ attitudes of members. There is a sense of deep curiosity and a desire to learn. The contributions of members to the wellbeing of the local community is an added bonus. He looks forward to a continuation of his participation within U3A as a facilitator or any other role which advances the objectives of the organisation.
Jean Dunn PSM
Jean was Australia’s Ambassador to Turkey (2005-2007), Lebanon (2009-2010) and Poland and Ukraine (2012-16). After Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down in July 2014, Jean relocated to Kyiv and – with Sir Angus Houston – co-led Australia’s response; she was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) by the Governor General in recognition of her efforts.
Jean earlier served as Australia’s negotiator for the Singapore Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2001 and for the 2008-2009 WTO Doha Round of agriculture negotiations. She worked with Prime Minister Keating’s senior foreign policy adviser in 1993 to establish the annual APEC Leaders Meeting.
Since retiring from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Jean has been Director of the Centre for Political and Diplomatic Studies Indo-Pacific which provides professional development programs for civil servants and post-graduate students in Australia, Asia, the Pacific, Middle East and the UK. These include a women in leadership course for representatives of the public and private sectors in Vanuatu; a post-graduate program at the University of London; and negotiation training for staff in the foreign, trade and defence ministries of Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, New Zealand, Vietnam, the Philippines, UAE and Bahrain.
The French Government has recently selected Jean to conduct leadership training for women in the Pacific. Support for this program has come from Asialink and the Lowy Institute.
Jean has also worked in Australia’s embassies in Geneva, Seoul and Washington, and was the Trade Minister’s senior trade adviser for two years. In 1974, Jean graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours from Monash University, after which she received a Japanese Government Scholarship to study Japanese and Indonesian relations at Waseda University in Tokyo.
November 2020
Graham Gosling
Graham recently retired with him having over 35 years senior executive experience in industrial relations and human resource management. He has a strong background in training and development and has held significant positions on training boards that are dedicated to advancing the training agenda within industry.
He holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Technology Sydney and was admitted as a barrister to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in March 1994.
As a member of the U3A Committee Graham is looking to utilize his human resources skills and experience to assist in providing strong and effective advocacy for members and volunteers as well as working to ensure that the organisation meets their needs and expectations.
His personal goal is to become better versed in the Italian language, which is very much a work in progress.
Ian MacDonald
Ian started working life as an apprenticed Automotive Mechanical engineer of 17 years servicing, repairing and maintaining everything from Interstate Coaches, Public transport and garden mowers to Navy ships and large high performance marine propulsion systems.
Furthered education - gained BA Social Science majoring in Sociology/Philosophy/ Psychology, Training and Leadership Studies located within the faculty of workplace development.
I have a interest in the direction of electric cars and storage systems along with ebikes
John Harris
I left school at 16 and worked as a clerk at the AMP Society for three years before completing a two year Teachers Primary Teaching Certificate at Burwood Teachers College. I began teaching in Primary and Secondary Schools but decided that it was necessary to complete a University degree for career advancement. When I completed the degree, the Colleges of Advance Education were just emerging and I obtained a job as a lecturer in Economics and Statistics at Caulfield Institute of Technology. I completed a Masters Degree and spent some time as Head of an Academic Department. When I was put on a committee to make recommendations on Institute Budget Planning, the responsibility became so all consuming that The Director created a position for me as Resource Manager with the approval to form a Resources Branch. When we amalgamated with Monash, I became Head of the University Budget Branch.
I have held many voluntary positions, including when I retired to Castlemaine for thirteen years, Treasurer of Castlemaine and District Community Health and Treasurer of The Secondary College Chaplaincy Committee. I enjoy working in volunteer situations and interacting with a range of people and look forward to an opportunity to work with others at U3APP.
Ann Gibson
After bringing up three sons I joined the ‘crew’ of the historic barque, Polly Woodside in 1985- the year of her 100th birthday celebration which included a ‘voyage’ across the Yarra. My initial two month contract turned into 21 fabulously interesting, informative and enjoyable years. With the ship temporarily closing in 2006 I moved to the National Trust of Victoria’s head office at Tasma Terrace where I spent the next seven years as Information Officer for their Conservation Department.
I joined Port Phillip U3A in 2014 and have enjoyed a variety of classes from Choir to Cryptic Crosswords. In 2015 I joined the Course Coordination Team and help with the always challenging task of programming classes, rooms & times.
Diane Boyle
Diane Boyle is a Canadian-Australian who has lived in Melbourne more than half her life. She spent her working life in IT and, having taken up scuba diving just prior to retirement, now works on a casual basis for a dive safety organisation.
Diane has been a member of U3APP for a few years and is thrilled with the range of opportunities we offer to members. Being a volunteer organisation, she currently helps on the IT team and sees the Committee of Management as a vehicle for continuing and expanding the U3APP offerings.
Sheila Quairney
I joined U3APP shortly after moving to Melbourne in late 2018 from the UK.
I stepped down in 2016 from my full-time job as Head of Enterprise at Sheffield Hallam University, where I organized support for student and graduate entrepreneurs. During my career, I’ve also served on and chaired numerous Boards and committees. In the very dim and distant past, I got a degree in Politics but I know that like many of us, I’ve learned most from the University of Life!
Alongside my day job, I have regularly done voluntary work, including being a Beaver (Joey) Scout leader and a mentor for The Prince’s Trust. I have also taught Yoga part-time for 27 years and continued to run classes after leaving full-time work, in the UK and then for U3APP. I’m currently a volunteer at the State Library of Victoria on their Family Programme.
I was delighted to be asked to join the Board of U3APP and have been so impressed with the range of courses, the expertise and enthusiasm of the tutors and the positive, proactive attitude of all the volunteers. It’s a fantastic organisation and a tribute to the hard work of everyone involved - both front and back of house. I’m very glad to be able to contribute in a small way to its ongoing success.