Our Team
President - Jenine Smith
Having graduated as an Economic Geographer in 1981, Jenine came to the Teaching profession in 1998 after completing her Graduate Diploma of Education. In 2001 she completed the Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training along with a Certificate II in Business Services through TAFE NSW and gained her Masters of Education (Career Education) at the Australian Catholic University in 2007. Jenine was Careers Adviser at Marist Sisters College, Woolwich and currently is the Assistant Careers Adviser at Rosebank College. Having been on the Executive since 2011 Jenine has undertaken the roles of Communications Officer and Secretary. Jenine commenced as President of CAA in October 2017.
Vice President Government Schools - Linda Drenkhahn
Linda is currently the Careers Adviser at Bulahdelah Central School. Her original CA’s training was in 1994 through the Department when she was a general secondary teacher at Trundle Central School. She spent 5 years at Broken Hill High School as full time CA before moving to Great Lakes College in 2003 and to her current position in 2017. Linda upgraded her Careers qualification through ACU in 2011 to further develop her knowledge and skills. As a professional Careers Adviser with many years of experience she enjoys a high level of respect from her peers. She has assisted and mentored fellow Careers Advisers many times also giving freely of resources and programs that she has developed for the benefit and use of others. Linda is currently Secretary of the LNCCAA, and has held active voluntary executive roles both within her local careers network as Secretary and President, and at the NSW CAA level where she held the Secretary position for 2012-14. Linda stepped up in 2020 to fill a casual vacancy on the CAA Executive Committee and is currently the Vice President of CAA.
Vice President, Non-Government Schools - Susan Stewart
Susan held the position of Career Adviser at Bethlehem College, Ashfield since 2005 and commenced as Careers Adviser at the International French School of Sydney in 2022. Susan completed the Post Graduate Certificate of Career Education at the Australian Catholic University in 2005, a Master of Education at the University of Sydney in 1992 and a Diploma of Counselling from Unifam Education in 2004. Susan is an experienced teacher of VET Hospitality and VET Coordinator with a CIV in Assessment and Workplace Training. Susan is the current CAA Executive Committee Vice President Non-Government Schools, a position she has held since 2011.
Secretary - Glenys Lawson
Glenys served on the CAA Executive Committee from 2014 to 2018 as the Association’s Treasurer. Glenys is an advocate for regional area members and continues to ensure our members in regional areas are supported in their roles as Careers Advisers. Glenys has been a mentor and support for colleagues across the state, especially those in the Far North Coast (Tweed/Byron) network and across all educational sectors. Glenys developed the concept of an online Work Studies course to help her students under threat of disengaging which has become a 120-hour course on Google classrooms that helps bring the HSC back into reality for those students becoming disengaged from their learning. Her Curriculum knowledge is encyclopedic, and she always has awesome insight and breadth of knowledge.
Treasurer - Sue Sundstrom
Sue became a Careers Adviser in 1986, retraining the same year through the Department of Education Retraining Course. Sue completed a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education at the University of NSW. She joined the CAA Executive in 1992, and has now been on the CAA Executive Committee for over 30 years, including her role as President from 2009 to 2017. Sue was awarded Life Membership in 2016 and was inducted into the Associations Forum Hall of Fame in 2018 in recognition of her outstanding high-level contribution and commitment to CAA and it's members.
Committee Member - Liri Latimore
Liri has represented her various networks on the CAA Executive since 1978. Over recent years, Liri has held the position of Vice - President (Gov Schools), relinquishing that position in 2022, however was then elected as a Committee member on the Executive Team. Previously she has held many roles including, Professional Development Officer, Membership Officer and Minutes Secretary. Liri retrained as a Careers Adviser in 1978 and has been a professional member of CAA ever since. Liri has represented the Association at many functions over the years and is a valued member of our Executive Committee. Liri received Life Membership of the Association in 2017 in recognition of over 20 years on the Executive Committee. She has taught in girls, boys and co-educational schools across Western, South Western and South East Sydney, serving in short term positions in regional areas including Goulburn and Kanahooka, the QLD School Of the Air, as well as Promotions and Presentation Officer for 'Teach NSW', and Careers Counsellor at the University of Wollongong. Liri is currently a Careers Adviser at Endeavour Sports High, Caringbah.
Committee Member - Tracy Ryan
Originally a 7-12 Drama teacher, Tracy has been a Careers Adviser since 2008 when she retrained with RMIT. Since then, she has been a Careers and Transition Adviser in Western Sydney, South Western Sydney, Hunter Central Coast and Far West NSW. Tracy has Chaired the Nepean Careers Forum, worked to regroup the Inner Western Sydney Network, and had the privilege of being the School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships Co-Ordinator for Northern Sydney Region. Happily, Tracy has developed and maintained many professional and personal relationships during this time that have endured for the best part of 15 years. 2020 marked the conclusion of Tracy's Central & Far West Adventures as she returned to Northlakes High School as Head Teacher Welfare and Careers Adviser. Tracy retains this position. Some of you may recall Tracy took a school sabbatical to run the Transition to Work program some years ago for the Wyong Job Centre before returning to the CA and HT Welfare role at Hoxton Park High. She is currently undertaking a similar, DoE sanctioned, sabbatical to work as Employment Coordinator and Educational Designer with Charles Sturt University. She is proudly building our networks within the tertiary education sector to support access options, information sharing and learning opportunities for our students. As an Executive Committee Member since 2011, Tracy is excited to have reinvigorated our awareness of working in rural and remote NSW and to be joined by others from regional and rural schools. She is always open to feedback regarding the wider suite of awards being developed.
Committee Member - Nathan Cassilles
Nathan is in his 10th year as Careers Adviser and Vet Coordinator at Yanco Agricultural High School, a fully residential public school located in the Western Riverina. He originally trained as a PDHPE teacher at the University of Wollongong and then completed a Graduate Certificate in Careers Education through RMIT. Nathan has been the president of the Western Riverina Careers Adviser Network for the past 7 years and is an executive board member with the local group training provider and employment centre. He is also part of the steering committee for the “Grow Our Own” program which is an alliance between business, industry and education to inform and inspire young people into living, working and learning in the Riverina. Nathan is passionate about career education and opportunities for rural and remote students and hopes to represent Careers Advisers on the CAA Executive Committee.
Committee Member - Mick Lee
Mick has been a Careers Adviser in the Hunter Valley for more than 20 years. He has been an active member of his local Careers Adviser network and has previously been a member of the CAA Executive Committee as Membership & Awards Officer in 2009 after being co-opted to the committee in 2008. Mick is currently undertaking the role of Head Teacher Careers in the Educational Pathways Program. He was a member of the CAA Advocacy Committee where he promoted and supported the role of Careers Advisers in Government, Independent and Catholic Schools. Mick has presented at several CAA New Careers Advisers Days, providing education and support to new Careers Advisers. Mick has also delivered exciting and valuable workshops at Conference many times. In 2019, he was recognised by his peers by being awarded the Hilary Bolin Award. He has joined the CAA Executive Committee to ensure regional Careers Advisers continue to have a voice at the state level.
Executive Officer - Alison Muscat
Alison has a Bachelor of Arts (Computing & Business) and a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours. She has a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and her practice background is as in-house legal counsel in the corporate sector. Alison commenced as external legal counsel for CAA in 2008 where she was responsible for providing legal and compliance advice to the Association. Following the arrival of her first two children, an opportunity arose in 2010 for Alison to work locally for CAA so she came on board and extended her responsibilities to include running the Association.
Finance & Administration Officer - Rebekah Cook
Rebekah is an experienced School Support Officer, having worked in High Schools to support Careers Advisers with NESA and curriculum administration. She has also completed a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours) at Western Sydney University. Rebekah is CAA’s Administration and Finance Officer and is enjoying the opportunity to collaborate with and support Careers Advisers to deliver quality career education programs and opportunities to students throughout NSW and ACT.