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Leadership
This page showcases our
Board of Directors
and Academic Board
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Professor John Tarrant (Chariman)
Professor John Tarrant brings over four decades of leadership experience spanning
the education, legal, technology and resource sectors. As Chairman of the Australian
Guild of Education Pty Ltd, Professor Tarrant leverages his diverse expertise to
guide the organisation’s strategic vision and governance, ensuring its commitment to
academic excellence and innovative practices.
Professor Tarrant’s professional journey includes key roles as a director of
companies across Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, operating in higher
education, mining, oil and gas, and investment industries. He has served as
Managing Director, Chairperson, and committee leader, driving impactful initiatives
across private and publicly listed organisations.
His extensive academic career includes as a professor in law at the University of
Western Australia. Professor Tarrant holds an impressive array of academic
qualifications, including two doctorates in law. His publications, spanning five seminal
books, reflect his expertise in areas including equity, personal property, and legal
remedies. Professor Tarrant is a former barrister and public notary and has practiced
commercial, administrative, and military law.
His passion for education is evident in his commitment to higher education
leadership, with past roles including Chairperson of Polytechnic Institute Australia
and Director of Australia Advance Education Group. With a dedication to fostering
academic innovation and organisational excellence, Professor Tarrant’s leadership at
AGE ensures a robust and future-focused foundation for the institution’s growth and
impact.
Dr Matthew Field is an educator, entrepreneur and experienced governance leader. He has more than two decades of experience serving in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors in senior leadership roles.
Through critical and creative analysis, while implementing effective delegation strategies, Matthew has assisted organisations to successfully work through complex legal and financial scenarios where they may otherwise have sought closure. As Chair of the Board he successfully guided a mid-sized not-for-profit through the complexities of Covid disruptions resulting in the organisation being in the strongest financial position it had been for years.
In his earlier years Matthew performed numerous professional engagements as a pianist and vocalist, was a Yamaha Artist(Piano) and recording artist. He completed a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with High Distinction at the Melba Conservatorium of Music under master teacher Dr Mikhail Solovei before entering into corporate work. Following the completion of a PhD in 2012 from the University of Newcastle, Matthew focussed for some time on music education designing and delivering a revolutionary program for foundational training including a large output of course books and instructional videos.
Matthew has been involved with the Australian Guild of Music Education in an academic capacity for a number of years including as Professor of Music Theory and Academic Dean. He was integral to the degree accreditation process in 2017/8 and served on the Higher Education Committee from 2018 to 2023. During this time he worked closely with management to fully review all course offerings, reimagine organisational structure and ensure stability in regulatory compliance.
Matthew has served as board member with AGE since 2023 and is excited to see the Guild position itself as a world leader in delivering innovative education.
Dr Matthew Field
Dr Dino Ruzzene
Dr Ruzzene holds a number of degrees in education including Master of Education Curriculum Reform and Doctorate of Education on policy reform from La-Trobe University.
In the early 1990s Dr Ruzzene established the Australian Alpine Institute at Mount Buller - a multipurpose education and sporting provider in response to the needs of Snow Sports athletes.
This was followed by being appointed as the CEO of a joint educational project between La Trobe University and Groset Pty Ltd to establish an educational provider at Mt Buller in the Victorian Alps. This resulted in the La Trobe University Mt Buller Campus
In 2005, Dr Ruzzene established Greenpine Education and Training Services, providing consulting and training across TAFE and Higher Education registration and compliance services.
In 2017, Dr Ruzzene accepted an offer as the foundation CEO of Polytechnic Australia Institute
Dr Ruzzene has held a number of Governing Board positions including: Kangan Institute of TAFE, Dova-Port PTY LTD (a joint venture board between La Trobe University and Groset Pty Ltd. Board of Directors Australian Ski Institute (now part of Winter Sports Institute)
Dr Ruzzene has been an Honorary Research Fellow at the Italian Australian Institute at La Trobe University for some 30 years producing a number of papers and publications on immigrants in Australia
ACADEMIC BOARD
Dr. Tim Weir was appointed Chair of the Academic Board in 2024.
Tim is the Deputy CEO of Armstrong Institute. Prior to this appointment, he served as Dean at Acknowledge Education and other roles in tertiary institutions in Australia and the United States.
His academic work focuses on the intersection of creativity and business, as well as in compliance and governance in tertiary education. Dr. Weir has presented and published in Australia, Canada, the United States, and in the UK.
Dr. Weir holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Miami (FL, USA), a Master of Music from Florida International University (USA), a Master of Business Administration (CSU), Graduate Diploma in Education (UC) and a Bachelor of Music (ANU).
Dr Tim Weir (Chair)
Dr Laura Hougaz
Dr Laura Hougaz has 20 years’ experience in higher education across both the public and private higher education systems. She has worked with senior academics, managers and policy makers.
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She has created, developed and implemented innovative international educational programs and projects, with a focus on addressing barriers to employment.
Laura has received numerous academic and community awards, and has attracted major national and international funding for a broad range of research projects and international study abroad and employment programs
Her book Entrepreneurs in Family Business Dynasties, published by Springer Publishers, offers insights into how multigenerational family businesses successfully survive into thriving family dynasties, and identifies personal and ethical values that contribute to successful multigenerational family dynasties.
Dr David Morgan is a tertiary education professional with over seventeen years of experience in a variety of institutions and roles. His recent work has involved complex academic integrity investigations, planning an academic integrity strategy, ensuring compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework (HESF) and other regulatory legislation including assessing professional accreditation concerns, program review requirements and staffing to meet the HESF.
David has experience in developing policies for tertiary education providers, ensuring VET compliance in RTOs, institutional registration, designing and obtaining accreditation of courses for both VET (1) and Higher Education (14), writing reports, implementing academic integrity processes, managing academic administration, implementing governance restructures, migrating student management systems, and I am familiar with the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), Education Services to Overseas Students (ESOS) Act, the National Code, Higher Education Support Act (HESA), Victorian HESG Contracts, Skills First Funding and ASQA Delegations obligations, he also has experience managing teams of staff: academic, professional and interns. David has been his employers' contact person for regulators and participated in relevant professional networks.
David’s background is in IT, and he has previously worked in software development combined with the employer and volunteer projects.
He holds a Master of Higher Education from Macquarie University and a Doctorate in Theology from the University of Durham.
Dr David Morgan
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JORDAN MURRAY
(Academic Director)
Jordan Murray is a freelance trombonist and music educator residing in Melbourne, Australia.
Jordan has established a strong reputation as a diverse performer in the music industry playing in jazz, pop, funk, soul and salsa bands, symphony orchestras, TV studio bands, theatre and recording studios. He is also a sought-after composer, arranger and orchestrator.
Jordan has performed throughout the world with international artists such as Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, The Temptations, Tony Bennett, Paul Anka, Frankie Valley, Michael Buble, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Hans Zimmer, Joss Stone and Ricky-Lee Jones. He has also performed with leading Australian artists such as John Farnham, Hugh Jackman, Tina Arena, Jon Stevens, The Tesky Brothers and The Cat Empire at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Jordan is very proud to have been invited to work on indigenous projects such as The Black Arm Band featuring Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Kucha Edwards, Mark Atkins, William Barton and Paul Kelly. Jordan was also the musical director for 1967 – Songs In The Key of Yes that celebrated the Australian 1967 referendum.
From 2011 to June 2021, Jordan lectured in jazz and improvisation studies at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Monash University. During this period, Jordan engaged in musical collaborations with several national and international artists such as Daniel and David Wilfred (AUS), Hermeto Pascoal (Brazil), Kenny Werner (USA), George Lewis (USA), Django Bates (UK), Mark Helias (USA), Nasheet Waits (USA), Dave Douglas (USA), Ray Anderson (USA), Tomasz Stanko (POL), Carla Bley (USA) and Steve Swallow(USA).
Jordan holds a BMus from from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), undertook post-graduate studies at Berklee College of Music, Boston, an MA from the Victorian College of the Arts (University of Melbourne), and a PhD from Monash University.
Jordan Murray is a JazzHead and FMR-UK recording artist.
Emeritus Professor Greg Whateley completed a Diploma of Teaching (with majors in
Music and Psychology), a Bachelor of Education (Curriculum Design and Development), a
Bachelor of Music Education (with a music pedagogy focus), a Graduate Diploma in
Educational Administration (with a focus on Organisational Behaviour), a Master of
Education (Music) - with a focus on Assessment and Evaluation - and a Doctorate in Virtual
Pedagogy – specifically related to creating a Virtual Conservatorium. Throughout his
teaching career he has maintained a keen interest in how and why people learn.
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Dr Whateley began his teaching career (1974 –1988) in the areas of music and arts
education at both primary and secondary level. He has taught at every level of formal
education (K – PhD) and has either, taught and/or researched, in four States and five
Countries. During this time, he also taught at Tertiary Level in the areas of music education.
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He commenced his fulltime work in the tertiary sector at the University of Tasmania in Hobart
(1989-90) as a Lecturer in Music Education. He moved to Griffith University on the Gold
Coast (1991-1999) as a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Music Education. He served as Head of
School - Arts and during that time managed the Film and Television Music post- graduate
awards at the University and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he also
served as Deputy Dean (External Relations). He became Associate Professor and Director
of the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (2000-2003) where he co-founded (with
Professor Ian Bofinger) Australia’s first ‘Virtual Conservatorium’. He also held the position of
Head of School - Arts and Manager, Business Initiatives in the Faculty of Education and
Creative Arts.
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He took the position of General Manager and Professorial Head of School at the Australian
Institute of Music (2004 – mid 2005). He also held the position of Senior Visiting Fellow at
the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales (2006 - 2008) and Director of
Education and Quality at the National Centre for Language Training (an International Centre
of Excellence at the University of New South Wales) from mid-2005 to end 2008. Greg held
the position of Senior Visiting Fellow at Wesley Institute (2005- 2011) where he chaired the
Academic Board and managed the Master of Music program (Arts Management strand). In
2008 Greg was appointed Principal of the Australian International Conservatorium of Music.
He was also Consulting Chair of Arts Management at the Sydney Opera House in
association with the Australian Institute of Music. In 2011, Greg accepted the post of Deputy
Dean at UWS College, University of Western Sydney and later became Professor and Dean
of The College (Western Sydney University). For seven+ years Greg was the Chair of the
Academic Board at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM). Greg’s teaching areas include
Teaching Pedagogy, Human Behaviour, Organisational Leadership, Organisational
Behaviour, Critical Management, Qualitative Research Methodology and Music History &
Form.
Greg recently retired as Deputy Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer at Group
Colleges Australia (2016 - mid 2024). He continues researching and writing in the areas of
Quality Management and eQuality. Greg retired from teaching Management and Leadership
in October 2020. He is author of more than 900+ publications and advises in the areas of
accreditation, quality assurance, government reporting, eLearning, mLearning and
bLearning. He is currently a Member of the Editorial Board for the International Journal of
Innovation, Creativity and Change; a Reviewer for the British Educational Research Journal;
Chair of the Board of Directors, Australian Academy of Music and Performing Arts (Sydney);
Chair of the Academic and Examination Board of Hitmaker Global Academy (Singapore);
Chair of the Board of Directors of KIHE (Sydney); Chair of the Invigilator Plus Advisory
Board and Immediate Past President, Musicum20 (3013-2024). Greg is also a Fellow of the
Australian Institute of Management; a Fellow of the Australian College of Research; a Fellow
of the Centre for Scholarship and Research; and a Fellow of the Australian Society of
Authors. He is also a Member and Immediate Past President of the Musicum20 international
consortium and think tank.
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Emeritus Professor Greg Whateley is currently Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and
Executive Dean (ED) with the Australian Guild of Education in Melbourne
Emeritus Professor Greg Whateley
Dr Tim Weir
(Chair of the Academic Board)
The Chair of the Academic Board of AGE is always a member of the Board of Directors to ensure that the Academic nature of the Institute stays at the forefront of all Board decisions.