THE ASSOCIATION'S BOARD

Some changes in positions have occurred early in 2024, these interim arrangements will be in place until the 2024 Annual General Meeting which will be held in September 2024. The current Board of ASFA is:

President — Dion Sing (QLD)

          Dion is a consultant, trainer and supervisor. Dion offers a range of services and specialises in Solution-Focused supervision. Currently Dion lives on a sail boat on the QLD coast with his wife and two young children.

Vice-President (New Zealand) — Emma Burns

           Emma is a registered psychologist employed by New Zealand Police as a Senior Advisor Organisational Development. Emma has been a Board member and Vice-President of ASFA for several years, but in Nov 2022 she was elected as President of ASFA. In her spare time Emma delivers Solution Focused workshops, counselling and supervision. She is also a mother of four and a competitive swimmer. 

Vice-President (Aust) — Jason Pascoe (NSW)       

          Jason Pascoe is an experienced professional with a diverse background in coaching, mentoring, facilitation, program design, and strategic advisory roles. He has supported professionals across Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UK. Jason's expertise encompasses leadership development, project coordination, team building, coaching, mentoring, and university lecturing. In 2011, he was introduced to SF and incorporated it into his practice, working mainly with groups and teams. Jason pursued further education, completing a Solution Focused Business Professional certificate, and a Graduate Diploma in Coaching Psychology.

Secretary — Susan Colmar

           Dr Susan Colmar is an Honorary Associate Professor at The University of Sydney, who for 25 years was Program Director of two Masters’ level courses training postgraduate students as school counsellors/school psychologists. She is the author of over ninety publications.  Susan won the Inaugural Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Research Engagement and Impact Award (2019) at The University of Sydney, given to researchers and research teams who have had a significant impact on the world beyond the walls of the University.

Treasurer — John Penny (NSW)

          John WAS a School Counsellor, Parramatta Catholic Education, where he was previously Manager of Counselling and Behavioural Programs at Parramatta Catholic Education. John is now officially retired and spends most of his days on the golf course. We greatly appreciate that John has agreed to stay on the Board of ASFA.

Board member  – Kylie Johnson (Cambodia)

          Kylie is a long-time SFBT devotee from Australia but based in Cambodia. Kylie works at the intersection of law and psychology in a cross cultural setting, along with providing training and consultancy in Cambodia.

Board member  – Jacqui Van de Velde (NSW)

          Jacqui has more than 30 years experience in education, wellbeing, mental health and community engagement  in both a professional and volunteer capacity. She has worked in, and continues to work across, a variety of business, education and community contexts, in Australia, New Zealand, the EU, Singapore, and North America. Jacqui is a trainer, speaker and advocate for parent and family engagement, positive growth outcomes in education, professional learning networks and continuing education in the workplace, wellbeing, veteran health, and advocacy.

Board member  – Kerry Drummond

Board member  – Cathy Martin 

Board member  – Andrea Lemm (NZ)

         Andrea is a social worker based in Dunedin, New Zealand. She has been working in statutory Child Protection over the past 20 years in England and in Aotearoa, New Zealand.  Andrea is passionate about bi-cultural practice and how best to integrate Western Eurocentric models of practice like the solution focused approach with Māori practices, principles and values.  Andrea has started a SF practitioner group in Dunedin in 2017 and she has been on the ASFA board since 2017.  You can read more about Andrea here.

Board member  – Matt Cameron (NZ)

        Matt Cameron lives in Timaru, New Zealand and is a counsellor, teacher, and tennis referee. He also enjoys being a home handyman, building or fixing things. He is a Christian and married with two boys in their early 20's. He enjoys various sports and has played competitive tennis, badminton, soccer, rugby and most recently fistball - being selected to play in the NZ masters team (you can google “fistball” ;-). He has been working in South Canterbury as the a Grief and Loss Coordinator since 2012 and has been applying the Solution Focused approach to his work since 2016 and began to offer training workshops in the approach in 2020.