Meet the Board

Board Meeting Dates for 2008

	Ms Karen Blanchfield Chair Ms Blanchfield has worked in a variety of schools and office positions overseas and in the Northern Territory. She has taught at Alice Springs since 1981 and is Principal of Ross Park Primary School. She recently completed her Master of International Management and is an executive member of the Association of Northern Territory School Educational Leaders (ANTSEL). Ms Blanchfield is Deputy Chairperson of the Teacher Registration Board.

	Mr Steve Carter Deputy Chair Mr Carter is an electronic systems coordinator employed by the Power and Water Corporation. Prior to this he has been associated with the oil and gas industry working in Europe and the Middle East as well as Australia. Mr Carter is a long-serving executive member of the Council of Government School Organisations (COGSO), President from 1996 to 1998 and a Life Member. He has a long-standing interest in education and is well informed about educational issues at the local and national level and currently represents COGSO in the Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO).

	Ms Natalie Hyde Ms Hyde is employed at The Essington School Darwin as Assistant Principal and has worked at the school in a variety of positions since 2001. She has a strong background in primary schooling and has completed a higher degree in leadership and administration. Extensive experience in public sector management (DEET, SA) for 10 years has provided Ms Hyde with a strong background in a variety of middle management roles with an emphasis on administrative leadership. Ms Hyde has recently completed a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) and is currently studying her Masters in Management and Leadership in Education. As a committed teacher she has worked extensively with community organisations and has taught in a variety of educational contexts including adult training.

	Mr John Sarev Mr Sarev is the Northern Territory Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations’ nominee and is employed by the Department of Employment, Education and Training as a teacher at Darwin High School with Teacher of Exemplary Practice 3 status. Following his graduation from the Northern Territory University in 1995, he has continued his own professional development and has given strong leadership in this area across the Territory. Mr Sarev is the President of the English Teachers' Association of the Northern Territory and the Northern Territory Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations. He has considerable expertise in ICT for classroom use, having extended his qualifications and implemented innovative programs at his school. Mr Sarev is the NT delegate to the Australian Association for the Teaching of English and the Australian Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations. In 2005, Mr Sarev was appointed a Director of Teaching Australia: Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership as one of five Australian Joint Council of Professional Teaching Association nominees.

	Ms Robyn Ober Ms Ober has had a total of 21 years teaching in a variety of educational contexts, including early childhood, primary and tertiary education. Her teaching experience includes seven years teaching in Northern Territory remote and rural schools as well as an inner-city Indigenous school in Brisbane. She is currently employed by the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE) as an Indigenous Research Officer, but prior to this, has taught for 14 years in the teacher education (primary/early childhood, adult Education) program at BIITE.

	Ms Elsabe Bott Elsabe Bott has been teaching in the Northern Territory since 1988, when she began teaching English at Kormilda College. During that time she completed work on a Master of Educational Studies (Aboriginal Education). After eight years, Ms Bott moved to St John's College where she worked firstly as Coordinator of Indigenous Education and then as Curriculum Coordinator. In 2002 she returned to Kormilda College to take up a position as the Director of Studies. In this role she takes a keen interest in professional development activities and professional standards for staff, a role that complements her work on the Teacher Registration Board. Elsabe is currently a member of the Independent Education Union NT Executive and previously was Secretary of the IEU–NT Branch.

	Ms Didamain Uibo Ms Uibo is employed by the DEET and is currently located in an office position in Darwin. She has served as a teacher and a principal in Arnhem Land schools where she gained a high profile as an effective educator. As an Indigenous woman she has ably represented Indigenous people in numerous forums.

	Ms Helen Webber Ms Webber is the ET2 Principal at Robinson River School. This school has the distinction of being NT DEET's most isolated school. Ms Webber presently enjoys the quiet life in Robinson River, but has worked in much larger schools in Darwin and Alice Springs. She has 15 years experience as a teacher and four of those as a school leader. Helen has also qualified and worked as both an Accountant and a Librarian and has a Graduate Diploma of Educational Administration from the University of Melbourne.

	Mr Greg O’Mullane Greg O’Mullane is the Deputy Director of School Services for the Catholic Education Office in the Northern Territory. In this position he oversees resourcing for all Catholic schools in the areas of Finance, Infrastructure, Planning, Enterprise Bargaining, ICT, VET in Schools and the Block Grant Authority. Greg has been in this position for eight years. Prior to taking this position he was Principal of O’Loughlin Catholic College for six years and Deputy Principal for eight years at St John’s College. Greg has been a member of the NT Board of Studies, Senior Course Curriculum Committee for the NT and Chair of the NT Catholic Principals Association. As well as the Teacher Registration Board, Greg is on the Ministerial Non-Government Schools Committee and Catholic Education Council’s School Personnel and School Resources Standing Committees. He is also a member of the NCEC Employment Relations Working Group. Greg is a member of the Australian College of Education Leaders and a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators and currently, President of the Australian College of Education, NT Branch.

	Professor Alison Elliot Professor Alison Elliot, Head of School, School of Education is the Charles Darwin University (CDU) representative. Professor Elliott holds a Doctor of Philosophy, University of New England 1990 and a Master of Educational Studies, University of Newcastle 1980. Before joining CDU, Professor Elliott held the positions of Research Director, Early Childhood Education, Australian Council of Educational Research and Adjunct Professor of Education, University of Canberra.