THE ASSOCIATION'S BOARD
The current Board was elected at the Annual General Meeting on 7/11/2022 and will serve until the next AGM in 2023. The Board of ASFA is:
President — Emma Burns
Emma is a psychologist employed by New Zealand Police. 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 suicide prevention workshops, and is also a mother of four and a competitive swimmer. Emma co-ordinates a Solution-Focused discussion/support/interest group in Hawkes Bay.
Vice-President (Aust) — Vacant
This position is temporarily vacant, but will be discussed and allocated at the 1st meeting of the new ASFA Board in late 2022
Vice-President (New Zealand) — Vacant
This position is temporarily vacant, but will be discussed and allocated at the 1st meeting of the new ASFA Board in late 2022
Secretary — Vacant
This position is temporarily vacant, but will be discussed and allocated at the 1st meeting of the new ASFA Board in late 2022
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 – Susan Colmar (NSW)
Dr Susan Colmar is an Honorary Associate Professor at The University of Sydney, with many years of experience as an educational and developmental psychologist and as an academic. For twenty-five years, Susan 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 also initiated and is the Editor of Applied Practices within The Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools. Susan is a key ongoing member of the Memory Mates team, a highly successful, researched set of free resources for children, and their parents and teachers. 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.
Board member – 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.
Board member – Sharyn Lynch (ACT)
Sharyn Lynch is a Social Worker and has completed post-graduate studies in Counselling and Social Health at Macquarie University & also in Systemic Family Therapy with the UnitingCare Institute of Family Practice. Sharyn has worked in family preservation services, parenting support and homelessness services in Sydney, and more recently in schools in Canberra & regional NSW as a School Counsellor in Catholic schools, and as a School Social Worker for ACT Education. She is a busy Mum of 2 teens, part-time taxi driver so she can get them to sports/social activities/shops etc, and loves time by the coast & walking her Jack Russell Sadie!
Board member – Iain Saunders (NZ)
ASFA welcomes Iain to the Board on 7/11/2022. His bio is coming!
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 – Adrian Holmes (Qld)
Adrian Holmes is a counsellor, clinical supervisor and SF trainer based in Brisbane, Australia. Adrian has worked in a number of roles across the human services field and alongside this work is currently completing PhD research related to mental health and social policy. Adrian co-founded the training and supervision organisation Tools For Hard Conversations and continues to offer training and supervision for other human service professionals in Brisbane and beyond. He also released his book entitled Tools For Hard Conversations in the Helping Professions in 2020. Adrian has sat on the board of the ASFA since 2020.