TasTAFE Executive Members
Grant Dreher
TasTAFE Chief Executive Officer
Grant Dreher is the CEO of TasTAFE, Tasmania’s public provider and the state’s largest registered training organisation.
Since joining the organisation in early 2021, he has overseen TasTAFE’s transition out of Tasmania’s state service to become a not-for-profit government business and led the development of a new 10 Year Strategic Plan which will provide a roadmap for the future of TasTAFE.
Prior to this, Grant spent more than 20 years in the Victorian TAFE sector, most recently, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Vocational Education and Pathways at Victoria University and Executive Director, Victoria Polytechnic.
He led the establishment of the renewed TAFE Division of VU, now known as VU Polytechnic, and the development of its multi-award winning blended and online learning model.
Grant is active in the national vocational education and training sector and is currently a board member of TAFE Directors Australia.
Grant is passionate about strategic planning and governance. His experience as a CEO, senior director, manager, coordinator, and teacher has shaped his commitment to developing the skills and knowledge for industry and enterprise, addressing the current and future skills needs to support a prosperous economy.
Opinion Pieces
It’s now almost a year since TasTAFE transitioned to a not for profit government business. Read Grant’s article on what has been achieved in this time and where TasTAFE is heading. (This piece appeared in the Mercury newspaper on 5 June, 2023).
On 1 July TasTAFE will transition to a not for profit government business. Read Grant’s article on the future of TasTAFE (This piece appeared in the Mercury newspaper on 28 June, 2022).
Tasmania’s construction boom is providing plenty of opportunities for young trades apprentices. Read Grant’s article on: Why a trades qualification is a great career option (an edited version of this piece appeared in The Mercury newspaper on 7 October 2021).
Lyndene Bowen
Director Quality and Academic Services
Lyndene is a champion of vocational education, having been involved in the sector for over 20 years. This long tenure has built Lyndene’s extensive understanding of the vocational education and training sector.
Throughout Lyndene’s career she has been instrumental in the provision of quality learning and assessment to ensure students are skilled and job ready. Her dedication was evidenced with being awarded the Trevor Leo Medal. This medal is awarded to an individual or organisation who has made an outstanding contribution to vocational education and training in Tasmania over a sustained period. Lyndene currently leads TasTAFE’s strategic approach to meeting the standards for registered training organisations and the provision of services to students both domestic and international.
Jim Burden
Director People Performance and Culture
Jim has held key senior leadership positions in diverse community focussed service delivery organisations in Australia for over 20 years. Well known and highly regarded for developing strong relationships, he leads with authenticity and a genuine commitment and passion for developing and mentoring others to create highly constructive, humanistic organisational cultures. Jim provides high level strategic leadership and direction for the design, development, and delivery of contemporary human resource functions and delivery practices for TasTAFE.
Colleen Grasso
Director, Governance and Corporate Affairs
Joining TasTAFE in late 2022, Colleen brings extensive experience in corporate governance across banking and public health sectors including leading teams and special projects. Colleen has experience as an investigator into health complaints, an emphasis on professional behaviour and ethics. Colleen is responsible for leading the team within the Office of the CEO including risk functions and ministerial liaison and has reporting responsibilities to the Board of TasTAFE. Colleen has completed the Company Directors course and is a member of the Governance Institute of Australia.
Brendan Holland
Director Education Operations
Brendan has extensive and diverse experience in vocational education and training having undertaken a range of roles with TasTAFE dating back to 2005, including teaching, Education Management and other senior roles in HR, administration and campus development. He also has considerable leadership experience in senior roles in Health and Retail related to HR and operational management. Since 2015, Brendan’s roles have had a strong operational focus within TasTAFE working with delivery teams and administration functions, leaders and staff on matters such as recruitment, administrative support, productivity, business planning, product planning and HR related issues.
Brendan is passionate about growing the potential of those he works with and takes great enjoyment from watching them succeed and the contribution they make to TasTAFE.
Helen Leeson
Director Learning Design
Helen joined TasTAFE in 2022 bringing her extensive experience in vocational education and training including teacher, director and executive director positions with TAFE Queensland. Her career has spanned strategic and operational leadership for a broad range of industry sectors, commercial projects, innovation design and development.
Helen has held positions of university lecturer, project leader and National president of AUSTAFE steering leadership capability for TAFE managers across Australia. As Chief Academic Officer of the Australian Pacific Training Coalition, Helen led strategic academic direction and country-based education teams to design and implement quality delivery of programs across 9 Pacific Island countries. A highly experienced academic leader, Helen is focused on ensuring valuable education and training outcomes and viable innovative solutions now and for the future.
Will McShane
Chief Financial Officer
Will has more than 20 years’ experience working in accounting, financial services, and leadership roles across a variety of industries in Tasmania including tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, and financial services sectors. Through his background, Will brings significant commercial expertise across all areas of finance including financial analytics, budgeting, capital and risk management as well as strong experience in technology, projects and property management.
Will has been actively involved in not-for profit governance for nearly a decade including his current role as Chair at Carer’s Tasmania/Care2Serve Limited and previously the Chair of Lady Gowrie Tasmania.
Will is Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Information Systems) from the University of Tasmania, a Masters of Applied Finance from Kaplan as well as being a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).