Heidi Schwegler

Heidi is 31 and a Financial Planner. She knew from the age of 16 that this was what she wanted to do and became the first person in Australia to complete the degree in Financial Planning. She has worked in the financial services industry for 12 years in various roles such as a Paraplanner, Fund Administrator and, more recently, a Business Development Consultant. In 2007, she started her own financial planning business and currently works in a practice in South Melbourne marketing and promoting her own financial planning business.

Heidi’s motto is to "try new things" and she recently completed courses in massage, philosophy course and novel-writing. She enjoys riding, watching movies, dancing, reading and doing puzzles.

Michael Hick

Michael is 30 and a Carpentry and Joinery Teacher at Victoria University in the Construction Industries Department teaching and training 1st, 2nd and 3rd year apprentices as well as pre-apprentices and also curriculum writing. He also works in the family business, which specialises in timber staircase construction, helping in the running of the business, measure and quoting, preparation and construction of the staircases.

Michael would like to undertake the following vocational activities during the tour: visit schools and training institutes for building and construction, building design and building and surveying and traditional boat building.

His hobbies and interests include bushwalking/hiking, getting out doors, motorbike touring, good company and good food, making timber furniture, eBay, X-box, and all types of music.

Bronwyn Flanagan

Bronwyn is 27 and a Pharmacist Manager in a Kensington Community Pharmacy, providing pharmaceutical care, harm minimisation program for opioid dependent persons and a range of health and educational services. She is also a Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (Vic) Councillor, Board member of the Victorian state committee; Chairperson of Policy and Practise Committee; Chairperson of the Young Pharmacist Special Interest Group.

Bronwyn would like to undertake the following vocational activities during the tour: visits to pharmacies of various types and settings (super-stores, independent community pharmacies, hospital settings, pharmacies providing specialised services); attend a meeting of the Nebraska Pharmaceutical Society; and observe opioid dependent programs in Nebraska.

Her hobbies and interests include: the Arts (theatre, choral, instrumental and visual), recreational sports, foreign languages, farming, dining and travel.

Jason Cotter

Jason is 31 and a Writer/Editor/Art Coordinator. He has been involved in publishing and the Aboriginal Art Industry. He works at Readings Books writing book reviews, developing and editing a new anthology, liaising with publishers about the return of unsold books and managing inventory. Previously at Warlukurlangu Artists - a remote, central Australian desert Aboriginal community art centre - he coordinated the production of aboriginal art work and its sale through exhibitions, liaising between senior, first contact, aboriginal artists and the art industry, and the social care of Warlpiri elders and their families. Jason is also a published writer of short fiction and non-fiction, and is currently working on a novel set in a desert Aboriginal community.

Jason would like to undertake the following vocational activities during the tour: meet with editors, publishers and others from Nebraskan publishers; meet and perhaps workshop with writers and editors; meet with local writers and artists with a strong sense of the natural landscape informing their work (The University of Nebraska Press has published a volume of Australian and North American nature writing called A Place on Earth that Jason found of great interest); meet with booksellers from independent bookstores; meet with members and visit the reservations of Native American Tribes, visit the Bureau of Indian Affairs and any other organisations owned by Tribal Councils; and run for Native American cultural maintenance, welfare and development, with a particular interest in health and the art industry.

His hobbies and interests include reading and writing, the great outdoors (camping, fishing, exploring, flicking through the Cabelas catalog), art and artists, agriculture, photography, travel, wild places, plants and animals, different cultures, food, history and sport.

Lena Condos

Lena is 31 and has a background in marketing, fundraising and events management within the non-profit sector, presently with an animal welfare organisation. She has been employed in other areas of the non-profit sector including arts and culture, with a war memorial and as a manager of a local government museum.

Her work responsibilities include: development and implementation of strategic marketing plans, communications strategy, profile building events, sponsorship acquisition, fundraising activities, media and PR campaigns, increasing the number of dogs and cats being re-homed, merchandising activities, web content development, developing newsletters, and co-ordinating development of customer service charter for staff.

Lena would like to undertake the following vocational activities during the tour: visits to animal welfare organisations and shelters, visits to non-profit organisations involved in humanitarian aid and development projects, visits to arts and cultural facilities.

Her hobbies and interests include netball (not a popular sport in America!), sporting events, development projects, trekking, the outdoors, wildlife, nature, cycling, cultural events, musical events.

2008 Team Leader Anne Peace

Anne is a Past President of RC Echuca-Moama and, prior to retirement, was a Teacher (Elementary classroom, Music, Librarian). Currently Anne is owner/operator of a self-contained B&B in Echuca. She is a widow with two daughters, two sons-in-law and five grandchildren.

Anne is a Board Member of the local College of Adult Education, Secretary of 'The Paddock' alternative setting, Co-ordinator of special programs, most recently with local indigenous students.

During the tour Anne would like to visit to schools, especially alternative settings, music programs and adult education, and foodbanks. Her hobbies and interests include the Arts (theatre, choral and visual), gardening, volunteering, dining out, people and places of historical interest, and sporting events.