Management Team
Simon Christensen
Chief Executive Officer
Simon provides strategic leadership and direction to Chifley Business School. Simon has over 12 years of experience in management training and he contributes to continuous business improvement processes to support the development and delivery of high quality programs. His foresight and keen interest in business and management, has earned him the trust and respect of many long-term clients. His passion to deliver high quality management education and the desire to build strong and competent workforces are his driving forces.
Prior to joining Chifley Business School, Simon was Director of Corporate Training and Consulting at the Australian Institute of Management (AIM), QLD. Simon has served on prominent committees such as Aviation Australia’s Study Skills Council; Queensland Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association; Brisbane Club’s Members Committee and is currently a member of Make a Difference Foundation (MAD Foundation).
Catherine Stephensen
Manager, Training and Assessment
B. Adult & Vocational Teaching, MBA
Catherine adds 18 years of Vocational Education and Training experience to the Chifley Management Team. 'By industry. For industry.' describes perfectly Catherine's approach throughout her VET career, which began in 1990 with TAFE Queensland, after an initial career in horticulture. Her first VET posting was to the Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE, where she built, taught in and managed the Horticulture Unit. Catherine went on to positions as the Head of Faculty of Built Environment and Director of Studies for the Department of Manufacturing Technology.
On returning to Melbourne in 2003, Catherine worked to guide private Registered Training Organisations through AQTF compliance and built SkillsRec – an RTO delivering Frontline Management – and her own consultancy, Stephensen Training P/L, working primarily with the energy supply industry in Queensland, NSW and Victoria. Catherine is passionate about connecting work and training to deliver measurable skill development.
Michele Lucas
Chief Instructional Designer
Michele leads Chifley's Design and Development Team, which has responsibility for the design, development and production of a range of print and online learning to support Chifley's postgraduate and vocational education and training programs. Michele has many years' experience in the design and delivery of adult and workplace education. She has worked in a number of education and training institutions including Deakin and Melbourne Universities, Deakin Prime, The Australian Insurance Institute, Kangan Batman TAFE and The Construction Skills Training Board.
Michele has managed and worked on numerous training, curriculum development and learning materials projects in a diverse range of industries including vehicle manufacturing, polymer, financial, health, aerospace and aged care. She has delivered a number of national professional development programs in competency-based training, assessment, and language and literacy to vocational and workplace trainers and has developed nationally- and state-accredited competency-based training programs for use in the vehicle manufacturing, transport and aerospace industries. She wholeheartedly believes in the transformational power of learning and education and to this end she is committed to working in partnership with industry clients to customise training programs that achieve measurable business outcomes and develop the capabilities of individual learners.
Paul Large
Manager, Graduate Programs
Paul has been a part of the Chifley team for more than 3 years and brings varied experience in program management in the sport and leisure industry to international HR experience from working in two of UK's leading Universities. Paul's role includes the strategic and operational management of delivering the postgraduate programs to students. Another important part of Paul's role is dealing with external suppliers, agents and University partners both domestically and internationally.