Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Peter Blasina
Peter Blasina is the GadgetGuy, with regular appearances on Channel 7's Sunrise, and Radio 702 amongst others.
Val French
Val French is a journalist by profession and inclination. She worked in print, radio and television and in this respect is still active. She taught at the University of Queensland and was Senior Lecturer in Journalism at QIT (now QUT).
After a time she was co-founder and foundation President of the Queensland Council of Carers (Carers Qld) and one of the founders of the first national carers association.
She established Older People Speak Out at the media's request at a forum between older people's organisations and the media in 1993 and has been President ever since. She travels with OPSO around the state seeking the issues and needs of older people. With OPSO she takes these to government or helps find local solutions.
Val initiated the Queensland and National Media Awards to help address negative ageing and its consequences of depression, loneliness, elder abuse, suicide and mature-age unemployment. To this she added training courses on working with the media for volunteer organisations. The concept was accepted by the State and Commonwealth governments and OPSO has conducted these since 1993.
She has been and is a member of numerous government and non-government advisory committees, including for the last 10 years, the Ministerial Road Safety Advisory Committee and for the last three years, the Police Seniors Task Force and committees on housing, intergenerational projects, aged care, elder abuse, grandparenting and social isolation.
She also represents OPSO on the seniors' Round Table, is on the Board of Volunteering Queensland and is the Patron of Brisbane Seniors online. Val attended the 2020 Summit and was appointed to the Harmer Pension Review.
Graham McFarland
Graham McFarland is the NSW Area Manager, Next Byte Apple Premium Reseller.
He started with Next Byte (NSW) Pty Ltd this Calender year, managing 7 Apple Premium reseller stores in NSW.
He has spent his entire career within the Consumer Electronics Industry. Previously he worked for 18 years with the Dick Smith Electronics Group, specializing in Digital Cameras, Mobile Phones, PC computing, Console gaming, MP3, ARIA music retailing and Home Entertainment.
Sarah Vaughan
As Microsoft Australia's Windows Business Group Lead (Commercial), Sarah is one of the company's key ambassadors for the Windows platform in the business, software developer and IT communities.
Sarah joined Microsoft in 2002 to manage Microsoft's Application Platform server business including BizTalk Server, SharePoint Portal Server and SQL Server. Sarah subsequently became the Platform Strategy Manager and was responsible for identifying and growing interoperability initiatives across the group and with customers and partners.
Prior to joining Microsoft, Sarah held a number of roles in both the private and public sector. She is a graduate of the Royal Military College and spent eight years in the Army in a variety of Communications and Information Systems management roles, including the 509 Signals Troop (parachute), Systems Manager for the Australian Joint Intelligence Centre and various communications operational roles in the Army and ADF.
Raul Vera
Raul is responsible for 'Geo' products in Google's Sydney office: that means Google Maps and Google Earth. He's had a long and distinguished career as a software engineer, including with Sun Microsystems and the ABC in Australia. He studied at Princeton University and George Washington University in the US - but don't be fooled by the accent, he's a proud Australian citizen. In fact, one of his favourite recent projects was working to get the Great Barrier Reef included in Google Maps.
Presentations and workshops
Barbara Anderson
Barbara Anderson is the founder in 1999, and now Co-ordinator, of the Neutral Bay Seniors Computer Club, which has assisted over 2000 seniors in computer skills and has over 20 volunteers to tutor and help.
Nan Bosler, OAM
Nan Bosler is committed to the growth and development of ASCCA as it seeks to empower Seniors Computer Clubs to help older people use modern technology.
In November 2007, Nan Bosler was the winner of the inaugural Apia Learning Ambassador Award, sponsored by the Australian Pensioners Insurance Agency and Adult Learning Australia. She has represented adult learners at conferences nationally and internationally.
Nan is a member of many boards and committee including the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Telstra Consumer Consultative Council, National e-Security Awareness Week steering committee and the Digital Switchover Taskforce and represents the interests of ASCCA
Nan was the foundation president of ASCCA and is involved in all aspects of ASCCA's work.
David Bennett
David spent his working life (1957-1997) in the computer industry designing and building systems for Elliott Bros London and later he was responsible for the world wide manufacture of McDonnell Douglas Computers USA. Retiring to Australia to live a quiet life away from computers, after ten years he is still searching for that quiet life!
He joined Computer Pals for Seniors - Northern Beaches as a trainer and soon became involved in the organisation and development of the club. When Avalon Computer Pals was formed he became a founder member and spent three years as a trainer and member of the committee.
He was elected as a Director of ASCCA and supporting ASCCA as a presenter, on a wide variety of subjects, has taken him to many member clubs.
When Microsoft launched their Unlimited Potential Program in Sydney he was pleased to demonstrate the use of a webcam link to John Howard and Bill Gates.
Lynton Bradford
Lynton retired in 1993 after 40 years with Email Limited where he was involved in many roles in the appliance servicing industry. These include technical training programs, service development and quality control. This led to various management roles including State Service Manager, National Technical Manager, National Manager of Renewal Parts and Service, and finally National Systems Manager.
After retiring in 1993, he joined the Appliance Industry Association as Executive Director for 5 years.
He is a committee member of Computer Pals for Seniors - Epping, and President of the Anglican Retirement Village Residents Computer Club. His wife Gwen shares his interest in computers and is currently the Newsletter Editor for the Epping club and Membership Secretary for the ARV Computer Club.
Diane Brentnall
Diane was the Training & Development Officer for COTA Computing Club for the last 7 years until its recent closure and is now working part-time for ASCCA and as a roaming/free-lance trainer visiting other ASCCA senior computer clubs. Prior to this Diane taught in TAFE labour market programs, Department of Corrective Services and SkillShare. Diane recently re-located to Woy Woy where she hopes to establish another ASCCA computer club.
Sandra Brophey
Sandra Brophey is a trainer and currently Secretary at Forest Computer Pals for Seniors and says that her 4th career -retirement - is by far the most interesting and wondrous due to the exciting variety life now offers. She taught children for 22 years and as well as teaching the younger ones was responsible for managing up to 108 Mac computers in the school by the time she left.
With the continuous changes in technology it is fun to stay current; to this end ASCCA conferences, local club participation and a mentoring husband have been a great help. Her love of sound has meant that she is currently studying some of the ancient classical subjects and is learning from overseas lecturers via Skype; and would be lost without her MP3 player when on long plane trips.
Patrick Cavanagh
Patrick will speak about Canon. Awaiting information.
David Cooke
David Cooke is the Group Manager, Health and Aged care Group, NEC Australia. David has been involved with Broadband for Seniors from its inception within NEC, and is also active in applying information technology to diverse applications including emergency call systems and digital pens to trap clinical data from paper based systems with-in the Health and Aged Care sector.
Joan Craymer
Joan Craymer is President of Computer Pals for Seniors Epping. She became a director of ASCCA in 2006, and in 2007 became ASCCA's newsletter editor. Her original motive for joining a computer club was a desire to learn new skills to apply to her many personal interests; including genealogy, history, painting and writing. In her computer Joan discovered a creative tool with endless possibilities, and as a trainer the opportunity to share these discoveries gives her additional fulfilment and satisfaction.
Paul Ducklin
Paul Ducklin joined Sophos from the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (similar to Australia's CSIRO) in 1995.
He has held numerous senior technical roles in Sophos over the years, variously heading up software engineering, global technical support, and even - for a few admittedly temporary weeks of vertiginously enormous budgetary power - IT.
Paul moved to Sydney in 2001 to join Sophos Australia, which hosts one of the company's four global R&D labs. He is now Head of Technology, Asia Pacific.
In 2009, he won the inaugural AusCERT Director's Award for Individual Excellence in Information Security.
Paul is one of the world's leading security experts, and loves to share his knowledge. He is an entertaining and sought-after speaker world-wide.
Paul is a press contact for Australia and New Zealand and is available to talk to the media about viruses, spam, spyware, encryption, data loss, privacy and related security issues.
Sirkka Duncan
Sirkka K Duncan is working on the ASCCA/Telstra Connected Seniors 'Train the Trainer' Workshops on Mobile Phones.
Sirkka has recently moved from Adelaide, where she worked for many years in community projects promoting Life Long Learning. She was an inaugural member of U3A Flinders SA, Secretary/Office/Programme Co-ordinator, President, Newsletter editor. She was also an inaugural member, (Volunteers/Office Co-ordinator, President, Teacher) of Seniors-On-Line Inc. SA, established in 1994 teaching computing for seniors. She has served in many committees promoting adult education and life long learning.
Sirkka has received the Centenary of the Federation Medal and the Order of Australia medal. She was also recognised as a 'Learning Champion' by the Centre of Life Long Learning and Development in SA.
Alan Hadley
Alan is a Photography and Photoshop Tutor, Westlakes Seniors Computer Club.
He was born in England and moved to Australia at age 27. Photography has been his hobby since his early teens, when he used to make contact prints on the kitchen table. He progressed to a darkroom and making Black and White enlargements. On moving to Australia he decided that only colour film could do justice to the vibrant colours of the outback and started using slide film.
Since the age of 20, he has been involved in camera clubs, and about nine years ago some members of his camera club started scanning their slides into the computer and making digital prints. After seeing the quality of their results, Alan decided to join them. He knew nothing about computers, so joined Westlakes Seniors Computer Club.
After doing a beginners course with them, he felt he had enough information to buy a PC. Alan says it has been a continuous learning process since then, and decided he'd learnt enough to be able to run classes on Photography and Photoshop Elements at the club.
Neville Hall
Neville Hall is a retired electrical engineer with extensive experience in telecommunications, digital electronics, large scale computer planning and installation, radio frequency spectrum management, technical training, and skill development programs for young people.
Neville is President of Tamworth and District Seniors Computer Club.
Dr Scott Hollier
Dr Scott Hollier is the Project Manager, New Media for Media Access Australia, a not-for-profit, public benevolent institution. Scott's work focuses on making computers and Internet-related technologies accessible to people with disabilities, Scott also represents MAA on the Advisory Committee of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the organisation primarily responsible for developing and promoting access to media through technology for people with disabilities.
Scott has completed a PhD titled 'The Disability Divide: an examination into the needs of computing and Internet-related technologies on people who are blind or vision impaired' and has a background in Computer Science and a wealth of experience in both the information technology and not-for-profit sectors. Scott is legally blind and as such understands the importance of access at a personal level.
Helen Jewell
Helen Jewell is a retired academic formally lecturing in Object Oriented Analysis and Design and various high level programming languages within The School of Multimedia and Information Technology at Southern Cross University NSW. Over the last three years has been responsible for the Linking Tasmanian Seniors Information Technology seminars throughout Tasmania. Recently she has have taken over the Helpdesk and the maintenance of the LTS web site as a working member of the LTS committee.
Darren Kane
Darren Kane is the Director of Telstra's Corporate Security & Investigations (CSI) group which provides both strategic and operational security advice across the company. The group manages all internal investigations, asset security, information protection and Telstra's security risk; the development of Telstra's business resilience capability which covers both business continuity and crisis management; lawful requests for information and support from national security and law enforcement agencies.
Darren began his career as a member of the Australian Federal Police for approximately 13 years finishing in 1998. He made his way to Telstra in 2004 from the Australian Securities Investments Commission where he was Assistant Director of National Enforcement.
Darren also holds the position of Telstra's Officer of Internet Trust & Safety and is responsible for coordinating the company's commitment to cyber-safety for all people associated with its products and services. Part of this responsibility sees Darren sit on various boards and committees including the Federal Government's Consultative Working Group on Cyber-Safety.
Cheryl Langdon-Orr
Cheryl is Director auDA & ISOC-AU and is currently serving her second term (2008-09) as Chair of the ICANN At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) and represents ISOC-AU as an ICANN accredited At-Large Structure (ALS) in ICANN's Asia Pacific Regional At-Large Organisation (APRALO) and APRALO in the ALAC.
She is a telecommuter, and licensee of domain names in .au as well as in the global DNS, but most importantly, she is an avid end-user of the Internet for work and recreation.
She believes the Internet should be seen as a public asset and needs to be developed and maintained as a cost-effective and accessible resource for communication, education, community, social and business opportunities by the Australian and wider global community.
Deborah Martin
Deborah remembers when computers ran on punched cards. Her first home computer was a Commodore 64 and saved data to an audio cassette tape. She has been using computers ever since, for work and for pleasure, and has watched with fascination how computers have become an essential part of our everyday lives.
Deborah ran her first Computer Awareness course 20 years ago. A recent retiree, she is getting a lot of satisfaction from helping other seniors use computers to enrich their lives. Deborah is a trainer at Parramatta Computer Pals for Seniors.Melissa McKenzie
Melissa is the business to business account manager for coles.com.au. She has been with Coles for the last 10 months and has been educating business on the benefits with on line shopping.
Since she has been with coles.com.au they have launched in Southern Queensland, Brisbane, Gold Coast, New Castle, ACT, WA and Adelaide.
Allan Mikkelsen
Allan Mikkelsen started in the IT industry in the 60s and now in retirement is Secretary of the Canberra PCUG and a system administrator on their internet service.
The PCUG has run an internet service for members for almost 15 years using volunteer system administrators. Allan will discuss the challenges facing them.
Ros Miller
Roz Miller is the Newsletter Editor, First President and founder member of Computer Pals for Seniors-Concord. She is an ex librarian; was an Activities Officer in Nursing Homes and is now retired. She learned to use a computer at 49 in a course called "Working with the Elderly". She is married with two girls. They have a caravan and have joined the grey nomads touring Australia; always with her laptop of course. Her other passion is patchwork.
John Robinson
John Robinson joined NComputing as VP and Country Manager for ANZ & SPI in September 2008. He has more than 25 years experience in the IT and Semiconductor industries including senior appointments at AMD, IBM, Avnet and Texas Instruments.
The role at NComputing is to deliver the benefits of this cost savings and environmentally-friendly technology solution to organisations in all vertical markets, in particular in Education, Aged and Health Care, and community markets such as computer clubs and associations.
Annette Stuckey
Annette is a member of the Westlakes Seniors Computer Club on beautiful Lake Macquarie, and was elected Secretary in June 2000 and has held the position since then. Annette also fills in as tutor in various courses. She conducts workshops in Photo Story and Sounds of Music.
Annette was elected to the Board of ASCCA in 2006.
Paul Vincent
Paul Vincent manages the Technical Implementation Branch of the Digital Switchover Taskforce within the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. His background is in public broadcasting and digital media management. He developed digital content and transmission projects for SBS as the Manager of Digital Media, as Business Development Manager for technology & distribution and as a policy adviser.
Before joining SBS in 2000, Paul was the founding partner of Click Interactive, a multimedia company specialising in interactive advertising and online games for Nickelodeon and other television channels. Over 17 years at the ABC, he has worked as a policy advisor, technical project planner, reporter, producer, trainer and manager in the television, radio and marketing divisions. He is a graduate of the arts and business faculties of the University of Sydney and the University of Technology Sydney.
Paul Wallbank
Paul Wallbank has been the computer expert for the ABC Sydney Weekend and Nightlife programs for eight years. Since founding PC Rescue in 1995, he has helped over 2,000 people with computer and Internet problems. He brings a grass roots view of the computer industry and how consumers and ordinary users find their way through it.