Lifestyle Program Trainers
Robyn Martin
Rob delivers a variety of courses at the college. Most are 'hands on' sessions using computers, tablets or smartphones and are focused on the use of a range of software and apps. For many years Rob has also taught all our Tech Savvy Seniors participants.
Rob has worked at community colleges teaching both accredited and more relaxed courses for over twenty five years - at Laurieton since the early 2000s; at Wauchope and Port Macquarie colleges last century! Her first experience as a trainer, some forty years ago, was on an inner urban revegetation project in Melbourne, where she taught the use of small machinery, propagation of indigenous plants, tractor driving and weed control. The subject matter of her lessons has changed a lot since then, though the satisfaction she gets from imparting skills and encouraging confidence has not.
Rob believes learning enriches life and that there is a wealth of knowledge available to all of us. She loves animals and lives in a home shared by two (now not so) feral cats and a rehoused dog, and hopes that, in the not too distant future, our wildlife and natural environment will be strongly protected and its diversity preserved. Rob feels very privileged to live on the Mid North Coast and thoroughly enjoys living in Wauchope.
Bev Moss
Bev teaches Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) at the college and has done so since 2019.
She is an Occupational Therapist and has worked in mental health services for most of her career. Bev is a Master Instructor for the Mental Health First Aid course and has been teaching it since 2013.
Bev believes that education is the key to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health issues in our community, and is passionate about sharing her knowledge through the MHFA course.
We welcomed Peter to the college at the end of 2020. He helped us purchase some flash new equipment and expertly trained us to use it, so we thought it a great opportunity to snatch him as a trainer!
Peter is a Graphic Designer who has many other talents such as Photography, IT and Landscape Architecture. He has qualifications and lots of experience in these different areas. Design has been a part of his life as long as he can remember but it wasn't until his 30's he realised his talent and fervour for Graphic Design specifically, redirecting his career from IT and Landscape Architecture.
For fun Peter enjoys travelling to such places as Asia and the Pacific - so much so that he sacrificed most of his income to be there! This was the catalyst for his photography passion which led him into winning prizes in several competitions.
Lisa Head
Lisa is currently running our programs: Write Your Story, English Conversation and Basic Foundation Skills.
She has a BA in French and English Literature and Art History and a Masters in Curatorship of Modern Art. Lisa has previously worked in both Public and Private Galleries in Sydney as well as extensive work in Senior Administration in the Family Company. In 2016, Lisa completed het CELTA qualification and spent several years working as an English Teacher at Universities in Tokyo.
Since returning to Wauchope she has been working at Port Macquarie TAFE in the CSWE department as a support for students who are studying English as a second language. Lisa started work with our college in 2021 following Margaret Kernahan's retirement.
Lisa loves the ocean, bushwalking, food and cooking, reading, movies, theatre, music, art, her cavoodle Jed and being a Grandmother to three beautiful children.
Tin Hta Nu
Tin has been a part of our college for many years, offering Cooking and Buddhism classes to our community.
She has lived a life of service to those around her through fundraising, volunteering, teaching, lecturing and facilitating many different community projects - from Camden Haven to Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and more. Tin has received recognition for her efforts with an array of awards for volunteering and leadership.
In her spare time she enjoys being in her garden, growing magnificent flowers and organic vegetables.
Karina Lindsay
Karina joined the college as a Lifestyle trainer/facilitator in 2018, bringing with her a vast range of amazing talents and skills which she uses to teach her participants.
She is a qualified Art Therapist, Meditation and Drumming teacher and a Dru Yoga teacher. She has gained many years of experience developing therapeutic programs and facilitating groups for adults. Her background has been working in Mental Health Services, however she now focuses on continuing to create and provide programs which increase peoples self-esteem and self-worth, allowing them to grow and build strength and resilience in life.
Karina loves creativity! Everything from painting, drawing, cooking, gardening and developing programs like Yoga and Drumming. She also loves to get away with her partner in their caravan and explore this amazing country, while also riding her bike and paddling in our beautiful waterways.
Silvia Fernandez
You will find Silvia teaching Spanish at the College!
In her professional life she works with numbers and spreadsheets, but her real passion is in language, culture and travel.
Migrating to Australia as a small child from a Spanish speaking country has allowed Silvia to become bilingual in Spanish/English and sometimes what we call Spanglish. During school she was always interested in language and studied French and Italian.
Silvia found that having these skills not only benefitted her professionally, but also enriched her personal life and she has had the pleasure of cultivating friendships with people from different cultures. Silvia strongly believes that learning a new language is not only beneficial to your brain development and health, but that it also opens up a whole new world of opportunities and experiences.
Alan Taylor
Alan has been sharing his skills with the college since 2018. He presents engineering based subjects to anyone who will listen - oldies, trades, builders, and professionals who want to upgrade their skills.
He has been an engineer since 1978. Early on he was a researcher with the UNSW and then was involved in construction on the Mid North Coast. He became an Arbitrator in 1986 and has had a passion for building dispute resolution ever since. Alan opened up a Structural/Civil Consulting practice in Laurieton in 1983, and still loves the work. He and a mate thought up an invention (building product) and had it patented in about 7 different countries. They appeared on ABC New Inventors - so he considers himself a bit of a TV star as well! Lately however, Alan can see the benefit of his experience in helping people navigate litigatious environments and do this without adopting the stress which goes with them.
Alan finds great joy in watching a student as they have a 'light bulb' moment when something they were stressed about becomes clear.
Charles Doyle
Charles has been teaching Guitar in the college since 2013! He has loved watching the excitement on students faces as they learn how to play songs and riffs.
He was previously an Educational Consultant and teacher with the NSW Department of Education and Training and has been a guitar teacher for over 12 years. Charles is passionate about the guitar and having people from all walks of life learn how to play.
In his spare time Charles enjoys his sports, particularly cricket and bowls - he is also a bowls coach! He was fortunate enough to play cricket in England for a couple of seasons and played 1st Grade in Sydney.
Trudy Hardy
Trudy is a new trainer with our college. She actually gained her Cert IV in Training and Assessing with us about 10 years ago!
Trudy's passion for Genealogy began around 40 years ago and has developed into a serious love for the subject which she now wants to impart onto others. Everyone has a family jigsaw that needs putting together which can be a mission to try and accomplish solo, so she wants to help people navigate their way through cemeteries, libraries, record offices and archives to put that jigsaw together!
In another life Trudy was a hairdresser who is now retired and loves to travel, play tennis and mahjong.
Jenn Watts
Jenn is a Holistic Counsellor and a Practitioner of Integrated Therapies and Ayurvedic Shirodhara.
She supports clients on their journey, exploring aspects of their experience through the use of Movement, Music and Art. These modalities can assist in moving through trauma, challenges or obstacles that may rob us of a healthful and happy lifestyle. They are also wonderful tools for maintaining a positive outlook regardless of what challenges we may face, and can be implemented into your everyday lifestyle, tailored to personal needs in a relatable, fun, and practical approach.
Jenn facilitates group workshops and invites you to participate in connecting with your body, becoming familiar with your own personal mind/body relationship, and exploring beautiful practices that we all deserve to experience.
She is passionate about making sure we all tap into positive and fun experiences, and personally continues to explore her own responses to life experiences, and how she processes challenging times of her own.
Christine Convery
Christine has been teaching Yoga Nidra and Meditation, using various techniques and types of meditation, for 20 years, professionally. She also holds weekend retreats and workshops.
In 2018, Christine had the joy of publishing her first book about Meditation. Her students have found the book, The River of Life – Find your Flow After a Life Crisis, very helpful and instructive for their daily meditation practice. Christine told us 'It has been a privilege to have instructed individuals and groups in these wonderfully liberating and enlightening practices. I look forward to holding more classes this year, both in person and online, via Zoom.'