APACS National Committee
The APACS National Committee (Executive & State Representatives) is made up of individuals from the various State and Territory organisations.
EILEEN KURUCKCHI
Eileen is a registered psychologist with over 30 years’ experience working in both Western Australian and Victorian government schools. She is currently employed as a Lead School Psychologist with the Western Australian Department of Education. Eileen served as President of the School Psychologists' Association of WA from 2014 - 2016 and was elected President of APACS in 2018. She has particular interest in the promotion of safe and supportive schools, leadership development, and positive organisational cultures. Eileen is also an adjunct lecturer at James Cook University where she provides Psychology Board of Australia approved supervisor training.
JOCINTA RUSSON
Jocinta is a lead school psychologist with the WA Department of Education: School Psychology Service, and maintains her registration as a primary school teacher. Her early school career was spent teaching in beautiful coastal townships including Geraldton, Carnarvon, Exmouth and Karratha, with her final years as a Deputy Principal before returning to Perth to study Psychology. Jocinta is in Private Practice and enjoys balancing her professional roles across a diverse range of leadership, management, supervision, counselling & training services.
COOSJE GRIFFITHS
Coosje is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. She currently works part-time as a senior psychologist for the Department of WA and as an educational consultant on various school projects. Coosje is on the Editorial Panel of the APACS Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors, for which she provides regular peer reviews. Coosje previously served as AGCA/APACS President 1998-2000. She provided leadership in the Commonwealth funded AGCA MindMatters Plus initiative and has also served as APACS membership secretary and WA representative
JENEANE WRIGHT
Jeneane has been on the QGCA executive for nearly 20 years and was recently awarded QGCA Life Membership. She has served as President, Vice President, Newsletter Editor and her current role of Secretary. She is now retired after a career as a primary teacher, guidance officer, senior guidance officer and Regional Coordinator of the National More Support for Students with Disability Project. She continues to enjoy contracts in schools working as a guidance officer, and has professional interest in psychoeducational assessment, supervision and learning disabilities.
MELISSA OSBORN
Newsletter Editor Assistant
& South Australian State Representative
2015 – Current
Melissa joined the APACS SA Executive Committee in 2014, before joining the National Executive Committee as state representative in 2015. Melissa also supports the Newsletter Editor in an assistant role. Melissa has worked with children and adolescents since 2013 in both the private and public sector. Presently, Melissa works as a Senior Psychologist within the Department for Education Student Support Services.
DENISE HARDINGHAM
Promotions Assistant
& New South Wales
State Representative
2020 – Current
Denise has been a member of APACS NSW for seven years, serving on the committee since 2019. She is currently a school counsellor working for the NSW Department of Education holding qualifications in both teaching and psychology. In 2018 Denise co-presented at the International School Psychologists Association conference in Japan on evidence-based practices in psychotherapy delivered in schools.
SHANNON STEVENS
Shannon is a registered psychologist and teacher with a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology. She passionate about education and the promotion of mental health in schools. She began her career with an internship in the Department of Education in regional WA. She has since worked as a school psychologist in both the Catholic and Independent Education systems, giving her an overarching view of education in WA. After serving on the School Psychologists Association of WA (SPAWA) committee for over 10 years, Shannon is currently enjoying her role as the Immediate Past President of SPAWA. She is also a former committee member of the national APACS committee, and is relishing being back and able to contribute to the profession of school psychology on a national level.
BRIAN BAZZO
Brian has worked in schools as a teacher, school counsellor/psychologist, District Guidance Officer and in State Office as an in-service teacher trainer and then manager of the international students’ program in NSW government schools. He has worked across NSW in metropolitan and rural areas. In semi-retirement he worked as a casual school counsellor/psychologist in Northern Sydney and on the Central Coast until last year. Brian has been a member of APACS (and formally AGCA) since 1990 and been NSW Membership Secretary for 5 years. His significant areas of interest in working with students have been managing critical and traumatic incidents in schools, child protection, self-harm and grief. Brian has been author and co-author of a number of publications including the social skills books LifeScience and Junior LifeScience.
JOHN NOBLE
After happily assisting school communities in various regions of NSW for 40+ years in numerous roles (K-6 Teacher, Special Education, Principal, School psychologist, Regional Services Coordinator), John chose in retirement to assist promote APACS as a wonderful professionally supportive organisation for School Psychologists and Counsellors.
MARILYN CAMPBELL
Professor Marilyn Campbell served as QGCA president for seven years and in 2007 took up the editorship of the Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools. Marilyn has taught in infants, primary and secondary schools, been a teacher-librarian and a school counsellor. Presently she is at the Queensland University of Technology teaching in educational psychology. Her research interests are in anxiety disorders in childhood and adolescence, school counsellor services and bullying including cyberbullying.
SUSAN COLMAR
Associate Professor Susan Colmar is the Editor of the Applied Practices section of the Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools. Initially, Susan was the NSW representative on the National Committee. In 2011, she successfully proposed establishing Applied Practices and was elected as editor. She attends APACS committee meetings regularly in this role, contributing at meetings and as part of relevant working parties. Susan has trained school counsellors, who are psychologists in NSW, at Western Sydney University for eight years and The University of Sydney for seventeen years. She is retiring in July 2020 but will remain committed to continuing working with APACS.
TRINA CUMMINS
Trina is the inaugural Director of Counselling at Immanuel College, Adelaide, South Australia with more than 21 years' experience in leading wellbeing, counselling and mental health programs across different school sectors (government/independent) in America and Australia. Trina served as a founding member on the Community Advisory Committee for the South Australian Mental Health Commission and is a member of the Education Committee for Concordia College. Trina was elected founding Chair of the South Australian Positive Education Schools Association Chapter and was chosen to participate in the inaugural National Australian Mental Health Leaders Fellowship. Trina is a doctoral candidate at the University of Adelaide with her PhD research investigating mental health services in education to enhance student wellbeing and academic outcomes.
SANDRA WIGGINS
Sandra first joined the APACS (then AGCA) National Committee in 2009 when she became Tasmanian State President and TSPA State Representative. She has also served as the APACS Membership Secretary. Sandra has been a School Psychologist since 1996, working in both Victoria and Tasmania, and across the government and independent sectors. She also graduated with a Master of Teaching in 2019 and is a registered teacher and psychologist.