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President
Ann Marie Chemello has over 36 years’ experience in the Early Education and Care Sector. Ann Marie is a Service Provider with Long Day Care and Outside School Hours Care. Ann Marie is currently the Secretary of the National ACA Body.
Ann Marie firmly believes that the first 5 years of a child’s life are fundamental to all areas of their development. With this in mind, she involves herself in the areas where children and Educators can benefit. Her passion is in training Educators to deliver a caring and nurturing environment that involve opportunities to enrich the child’s development.
Ann Marie holds a Diploma in Teaching, Diploma in Social Science and a Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
As President on the ACA WA board Ann Marie would like to use her experience and knowledge of the sector to empower members of the association, with the view to assist other board members in areas where needed.
Ann Marie holds a Diploma in Teaching, Diploma in Social Science and a Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
As President on the ACA WA board Ann Marie would like to use her experience and knowledge of the sector to empower members of the association, with the view to assist other board members in areas where needed.
Vice President
Brett Thomson has 10 years’ experience in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector and is the Commercial Director for the Schools of Early Learning.
Brett has a PhD in Agricultural Science and has previously worked for many years in agribusiness. He brings a wide range of management and financial skills to the private childcare sector, and is passionate about providing beautiful, progressive environments and programs for children and their families.
As a committee member on ACA WA Brett would like to ensure the voice of the Western Australian childcare sector is heard at a national level. He also welcomes the opportunity to have input into federal and state policy on childcare.
Treasurer
Frits Grader has over 20 years’ experience in the Early Education and Care Sector. Frits is the owner of Ready Set Grow Group.
Frits has successfully owned, managed and operated in excess of 30 Long Day Care and Outside School Hour Care services in WA. Frits has owned and operated childcare/OSHC services in the metro and rural and remote areas of WA. Frits is also the Managing Director of a Registered Training Organisation, who specialise in providing high quality customised workplace training and professional development to the early education and care industry.
Frits holds a Cert IV in Training and Assessment and is also completing a Master’s in Business Leadership.
As a committee member of ACA WA board Frits would like to see the standard of training provided to early childhood educators raised through better understanding the needs within the early education and care industry. More relevant training as opposed to simply more training is the key to achieving high quality care.
Secretary
Shelley Prendergast has over 29 years’ experience in the Early Education and Care Sector.
Shelley is passionate about training and development for the sectors Educators, believing this approach the key to best outcomes for children. Well- trained and skilled Educators provide amazing learning opportunities and environments for children, laying foundations for genuine opportunity for optimal child development and learning.
Shelley Holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences Children Studies), updating her qualification with a Diploma of Community Services and complementing these with the achievement of the Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment.
As the Secretary of ACA WA, Shelley aims to support Childcare Operators to provide positive learning, educational and care environments and outcomes for Western Australian children raising the profile of the sector to promote early childhood education as an essential element for optimal child development.
Committee
Service Provider to three Long Day Care services and one Outside School Hours Care service.
With over 24 year’s personal experience in caring for children and having a family of her own, Lisa understands the challenge of balancing a career with family life. Lisa takes great pride in her centres and has never lost sight of the great privilege it is that families trust in us to take care of and educate their children.
Lisa has become a leader and advocate in the childcare industry for staff, children and families. Lisa’s vision is to provide quality learning for all children and to lift the training standards and offer children an environment to become confident learners. Her personal strength lies in training and motivating and she recognises the importance of her role in inspiring Educators to strive for excellence.
Lisa holds a Diploma in Childrens Services.
As former President of ACA WA, Lisa raised the profile of the Early Education and Care Industry. Lisa aims to instill her passion and knowledge for educating children in their early years, and to change the way that Educators and society, view our industry.
Committee
Nesha has over 40 years of experience in long day care centres. Nesha is also Vice President of the ACA National Executive Committee, Nesha is also former President of the ACA NSW Executive Committee.
Nesha continues to consult and train in the Early Education & Care field.
Nesha currently owns and operates 1 service in North Western Sydney. She is passionate about working collaboratively across the sector to bring about positive outcomes for children, families and operators in the areas of funding, planning, inclusive support and policy.
Nesha takes a hands-on approach to centre operation, and is acutely aware of the issues facing operators, families and our children. She has won a host of awards for her business management from the Australian Family Awards, Child Care Week Awards, National Work Life Balance Awards, Small Business Awards and Telstra Business Women's Awards.
Nesha holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and English, a Masters in Psychology, a Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling, and a Post Graduate Certificate in Special Education - Inclusive Support and a Diploma in Children's Services. Nesha is a registered senior supervising psychologist, a long-standing Member of the Australian Psychological Society, and a Justice of the Peace. She also has a Cert IV in Training and Assessment.
Committee
Committee
Adrian Grundy is the owner of Murdock Early Education Schools - Morley Campus and Murdock Education Recruitment a recruitment agency that specialises only in the Early Years Education Sector.
Adrian has over 7 years experience in the Early Years Sector working alongside local WA childcare business owners to assist them in all facets of recruiting local top talent. More recently Adrian purchased his first Long Day Care in Morley WA where he has had the ability to entrench himself further into a sector that he loves and has aligned himself with.
Adrian is dedicated to providing excellence in early learning and care and has a deep understanding of the challenges the sector faces and is passionate about using his strong presence in the community to address these challenges and assist in building a sector driven by quality and excellence.
Committee
Kristen McPhail is co-founder of Pachamama Early Education and Childcare. Created in 2012, Pachamama is known as a special place where nature and nurture intersect with early education and childcare. Underpinned with focal points of cultural diversity and respect for Mother Earth, Pachamama features creativity in ways only dreamt about in our industry. Passionate about play-based learning, Kristen believes that every child’s unique characteristics and interests should be developed in a safe and supportive environment that encourages their connection with nature, each other and themselves.
With a foundation of business and marketing experience in both public and private companies, Kristen’s Bachelor of Economics is supplemented by her Master of Teaching studies with University of Notre Dame Australia. This experience and education constructs a unique skill set that has resulted in Pachamama - an ‘out of the box’ early education creation for the local Perth Hills community. Having lived in Perth for more than 30 years, Kristen’s fond childhood memories of playing in the deep woods and lakes of Minnesota motivated the initial creation of Pachamama - which has becoming a prototype for change in the childcare industry worldwide. One of Kristen’s favourite saying is, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” (Steve Jobs, 2005).
Associate Committee
Rosina has had over 15+ years of experience in education and care sector, starting off as Qualified room leader role and progressing to higher management roles such as Operations Manager, Area Manager, Compliance and governance and business support.
Currently working for MercyCare early learning as their general manager and has been with the organization for 4 years. MercyCare has 13 LDC’s and 1 OSHC service. Working for a not-for-profit, charity organization has provided me opportunities to support the wider community through our vision and mission “for people and communities to thrive, to bring compassion and justice to life and break cycles of significant disadvantage.
I believe with the right highly skilled educators who share our values we can make a positive difference to not only our children’s lives, but their family and the community.
Providing person centred care, and playbased education that looks at the child holistically we are giving our children the best start to life.
Qualifications: Advanced diploma in children services, cert IV in training and assessment. Mother of 2 children
Sara Hinchley
Associate Committee
Sara works at Child Australia as an Executive Director and has worked for the organisation since 2006. Sara’s current portfolio of responsibility oversees the Service Delivery and Programs located throughout Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Sara holds over 25 years of experience working in various roles within the Early Childhood Sector. Sara was an active member of the National PSC Alliance from 2006-2016 and is a current member of the Northern Territory Key Stakeholder Action Group.
Child Australia currently operates 6 Early Learning Centres and 5 OSHC services, she is passionate about working collaboratively across the sector to bring about positive outcomes for children and families and is committed to advocating for the professionalization of the Early Childhood Sector.
Sara has extensive experience in the Early Childhood Sector as a Qualified Educator, Director, Approved Provider and a National Childcare Accreditation Council Validator which required her to travel to South Australia, regional Western Australia and Sydney to validate Early Learning Centres.
Sara has international experience developing and managing play schemes and sponsored children’s services in the United Kingdom. Her professional interests lie in quality care provision and pedagogical leadership. Sara holds a Diploma in Children’s Services, Cert IV (TAA) and post graduate Qualifications in Business Leadership.