Our Team

Frances Widdison
General Manager

Frances has been associated with StudyGoldCoast for over four years, providing support on all levels and in every aspect of the business.  Frances, now General Manager of StudyGoldCoast coordinates all staff and volunteers whilst managiing the daily operations of the business.

Michelle Lynn
Assistant Admin/Marketing

Michelle has recently joined the StudyGoldCoast team bringing over 10 years experience in sales and marketing. Michelle has come on board to provide administration and marketing support.

Committee

Nick Bottral
Chair
Executive Institute of Management

Relaxed, Driven, Caring, Mischievous, Humourous, are not usually words that go together when describing your leader, but those words somehow make sense when it comes to describing Director of EIM Training and Chair of StudyGoldCoast, Nick Bottrall.

Nick’s right brain creative, entrepreneurial style has presented him with many experiences and opportunities in business and his personal life. A professional musician in the 80’s, then establishing and owning an office equipment company in the early 90’s, becoming a corporate trainer in 1998 and founding a training company in 2004. EIM Training has fast grown to become one of the largest private Registered Training Organisation (RTO) on the Northern Gold Coast, with a additional campus in Hervey Bay.

Nick Discovered NLP (Neuro-linguistic Programming) in the mid 90’s and has been studying and teaching its powerful methodologies for the last ten years, embedding it in many of his sales and management training programs. He has worked at the highest levels training and coaching executives, managers and sales people in a wide range of leading organisations including MLC, ANZ Bank, Coles Myer, Microsoft, Macquarie Radio Works (92.5 Gold FM & 90.9 Sea FM), Accor Premier Vacation Club, and the Australian Defense Force to name a few.

Nick is not famous, he is not an international speaker, hasn’t yet got around to writing a book and is not yet a billionaire, but he’s certainly not boring, and you will learn many almost magical communication skills in his talks and training sessions.

Stuart Love

Vice Chair

Aurora Training Institute

Founder and Managing Director of Aurora Training Institute, a progressive Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that specialises in delivering quality training solutions across Australia.

With over 15 years’ experience working in both hospitality and education senior management, as Vice Chair Stuart brings to the Gold Coast Education and Training Network Committee (StudyGoldCoast) a drive and energy to see the region develop into a leading education destination. Holding post graduate qualifications in business and organisational development, as well as qualifications in hospitality, training and assessment, human resources, and management, Stuart is committed to lifelong learning, and utilising his experience to deliver positive results to Study Gold Coast members and the wider community.

Suzie Neeson
Treasurer
Southern Cross University

Shane Mackintosh
Secretary

Shane is acting Secretary of the Gold Coast Education & Training Network Committee (Study Gold Coast) and actively develops partnerships with industries to further advance the profile of the Vocational, Education and Training (VET) sector on the Gold Coast.

David Cox
Gold Coast Tourism

David currently works for Gold Coast Tourism, the destinations official regional tourism body as the Niche Markets Manager. David has worked within the marketing and membership services department at Gold Coast Tourism for six years and is responsible from growing the international education sector plus the backpacker and youth markets for the region. Prior to this David has extensive experience within the tourism and travel industry, working previously as an International Sales Executive and Conference Sales Executive for Couran Cove Island Resort, Inbound Travel Agent for Australian Holidays and also other hotel chains and theme parks.

Domonique Burgess
Dreamworld

Tom Betts
Domestic Marketing Chair
Bond University

Tom Betts is Bond University’s Regional Manager for the Gold Coast and Northern NSW region. As one of the foundation staff of Bond University, and with 20 year experience with local school students and the education community, Tom has a highly developed dedication to both quality in education services, and to the greater welfare of young people.

Tom has been a state committee member for the National Association of Prospective Student Advisers, a national board member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a committee member of the GC branch of the Australian Institute of Management, and was a Foundation Committee member of the Bond University General Staff Association. He is currently on the School Council for St Hilda’s School, one of the Gold Coast’s leading high schools.

In his past Tom has been a journalist, film and television actor, university lecturer and scriptwriter. Tom’s qualifications include a Certificate IV in Workplace Training from Mackintosh College; a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California; a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from University of New England; and a Master of Arts in International Relations from Bond University.

Don Whitford
International Marketing Chair
Southern Cross University

Don has expanded into International Education after more than 20 years experience in Education in Australia and is the 2010 Chair, International Marketing, StudyGoldCoast.

He is responsible for Southern Cross University Worldwide Agent Network management and currently visits India, Nepal, China and South East Asia, as part of his role, as International Marketing and Recruitment Officer.

Don has the ability to involve others from many different areas of education having also worked with the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School(NSW), Australian International Hotel School(ACT), Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School(NSW), Rivermount College(QLD) and SCECGS Redlands, Sydney over the last 20 years and travelled extensively throughout Australia attending Career Expos and delivering Information Seminars.

He shares his wide experience and is passionate about providing relevant and current information to expand the training options for career development.

Through his meetings with agents and prospective full degree International students and Study Abroad and English Language Centre students he has developed a strong interest for foreign culture and languages.

Don also has a keen interest in Tourism and is a member of the Career Development Association of Australia(CDAA), Australian Institute of Management(AIM) and Australian College of Education(ACE).

Suzanne Dalton

King's International College

Suzanne is the Marketing Manager for King’s International College. Prior to joining King’s in 2006 she previously held positions as manager, coach & trainer with Flight Centre and her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, International Business Relations & Certificate IV in training and assessment.

Suzanne has a passion for marketing & development of Education and Training on and for the Gold Coast and is looking forward to being a part of the StudyGoldCoast Committee team.