Our Team

Our Executives

Chief Executive Officer​​

Peter Cantwell​

With over 30 years of commercial, strategy and general management experience gained in Australia and internationally, Peter has held executive leadership roles in large multinational, private equity owned and ASX listed companies. Peter’s corporate roles have included Managing Director Sales for the Fosters Group, Managing Director of Lion Confectionery UK, General Manager Australia for Independent Distillers and both Commercial Strategy Director Africa and Middle East and Sales Strategy Director EMEA for Cadbury. Peter also holds a Bachelor of Business from Monash University.
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Peter Cantwell

With over 30 years of commercial, strategy and general management experience gained in Australia and internationally, Peter has held executive leadership roles in large multinational, private equity owned and ASX listed companies. Peter’s corporate roles have included Managing Director Sales for the Fosters Group, Managing Director of Lion Confectionery UK, General Manager Australia for Independent Distillers and both Commercial Strategy Director Africa and Middle East and Sales Strategy Director EMEA for Cadbury. Peter also holds a Bachelor of Business from Monash University.

Peter is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Career Ahead, bringing extensive leadership, industry, strategy and career development insights to education and organisational clients and individual program participants. As an industry and employability expert and passionate Career Coach, Peter has developed innovative programs and services that unlock real employability outcomes for government, educators, corporate partners, parents and students.

Managing Director​

Katea Gidley

With over 25 years of human resource, career and talent management experience gained in a variety of industries, including FMCG, retail, financial services and property, Katea has worked as a Chief Human Resources Officer in two top 25 ASX listed companies, CUB and Colonial First State Global Asset Management (now Vicinity) leading the people agenda. She has also held senior HR and Organisational Development roles with the Country Road, L’Oréal and Federal Hotels Groups. In addition, has Board experience with the Melbourne Renegades. A recipient of a Dean’s List honour for her MBA at Monash University, Katea also has a Diploma in Training ...
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Katea Gidley

With over 25 years of human resource, career and talent management experience gained in a variety of industries, including FMCG, retail, financial services and property, Katea has worked as a Chief Human Resources Officer in two top 25 ASX listed companies, CUB and Colonial First State Global Asset Management (now Vicinity) leading the people agenda. She has also held senior HR and Organisational Development roles with the Country Road, L’Oréal and Federal Hotels Groups.  In addition, has Board experience with the Melbourne Renegades. A recipient of a Dean’s List honour for her MBA at Monash University, Katea also has a Diploma in Training & Development from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Certificate in Career Development from RMIT.

Katea is a co-founder and Managing Director of Career Ahead, with accountability for program innovation, solution design and key partner relationships. An experienced facilitator, career counsellor and executive coach, Katea brings substantial knowledge and experience to Career Ahead programs and services across talent management, career development, recruitment, succession and workforce planning.

Our Operations Team

Head of Career Solutions – Education & Corporate

Shannon Lyndon-Lugg

With over 20 years’ experience in human resources, talent management and recruitment across professional services, banking, government, airlines, automotive, education and the IT sector. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Business with majors in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from RMIT, she is an accredited Executive Coach with the International Coaching Federation...
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Shannon Lyndon-Lugg

With over 20 years’ experience in human resources, talent management and recruitment across professional services, banking, government, airlines, automotive, education and the IT sector.  Shannon holds a Bachelor of Business with majors in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from RMIT, she is an accredited Executive Coach with the International Coaching Federation and has studied Positive Psychology with The University of Pennsylvania.  Shannon has held Executive Leadership roles in a variety of blue-chip companies including National Australia Bank, SEEK, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Bank of America/Merrill Lynch and was the former Head of Recruitment for PwC.

As the Head of Career Solutions – Education & Corporate, Shannon is a passionate and skilled facilitator and program designer, and she actively works as an Executive and Career Coach across the ASX100. Shannon has published numerous articles on talent, growth and improving performance. As a talent and leadership expert, Shannon leverages her deep knowledge of employment, recruitment processes and selection requirements, coaching and program design, as well as her knowledge of job seeker behaviours and goals to support our clients to achieve their ambitions.

Head of Career Solutions – School, Sport & Indigenous

Sharyn Donaghy

With over a 15 years of experience Teaching and delivering career advisory services and programs in schools, sport and community settings, Sharyn is a qualified teacher with a Master of Educational Psychology (Dean’s List) and a Bachelor in Exercise Science and Education from The University of Queensland. Sharyn is a qualified Career Practitioner, a Board Member of the...
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Sharyn Donaghy

With over a 15 years of experience Teaching and delivering career advisory services and programs in schools, sport and community settings, Sharyn is a qualified teacher with a Master of Educational Psychology (Dean’s List) and a Bachelor in Exercise Science and Education from The University of Queensland.  Sharyn is a qualified Career Practitioner, a Board Member of the Career Development Association of Australia, (CDAA) and a Career Practitioner for the Australian Institute of Sport’s referral network.

Sharyn has an immense commitment and is passionate about supporting individuals. In her role as Head of Career Solutions – School, Sport and Indigenous she uses her experience gained from delivering career advisory services and teaching in both government and independent secondary schools, as well as her experience with special needs groups, disadvantaged groups and elite athletes, to establish programs that include career diagnostic assessment, the provision of one-on-one counselling and coaching methodologies. Her goal is to ensure each client leaves empowered with the skills, knowledge and resources to make informed and positive career choices.

Manager, Career Solutions

Stephanie Krinickas

With international experience across United States, Colombia and France Stephanie has a Bachelor of International Business with Distinction from RMIT University. Stephanie’s career has centred around events and program management, post-graduate course support, executive education, industry engagement and graduate recruitment...
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Stephanie Krinickas

With international experience across United States, Colombia and France Stephanie has a Bachelor of International Business with Distinction from RMIT University. Stephanie’s career has centred around events and program management, post-graduate course support, executive education, industry engagement and graduate recruitment.

As the Manager, Career Solutions, Stephanie is responsible for the design, delivery and management of career development programs for Australian Higher Education and VET institutions, including innovative approaches to work integrated learning. Stephanie’s passion for improving post-study outcomes for students, coupled with her insights into the importance of comprehensive employability programs, enables students to effectively plan and prepare for their careers.

Manager, Career Solutions

Sarah Valdez

With over 15 years of career and talent management experience, Sarah has experience across a broad range of sectors including health, telecommunications, banking and finance, retail, hospitality and education, having worked with a number of blue-chip organisations including Austin Health, GE, HSBC and Telstra. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in...
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Sarah Valdez

With over 15 years of career and talent management experience, Sarah has experience across a broad range of sectors including health, telecommunications, banking and finance, retail, hospitality and education, having worked with a number of blue-chip organisations including Austin Health, GE, HSBC and Telstra. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Human Resources and Law from Deakin University and is currently studying a Graduate Certificate of Career Development with RMIT.

Sarah is passionate about career development and has deep understanding of recruitment processes and selection requirements from Graduate to Executive level which she draws on to assist clients to make confident and supported career management decisions.

Consultant, Career Services

Jonathon Gamble

With a Master of Psychology from Deakin University, a Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology from Monash University and a Bachelor of Applied Science from Deakin University, Jonathon has a depth of experience in graduate recruitment and development gained across government, private and educational institutions...
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Jonathon Gamble

With a Master of Psychology from Deakin University, a Graduate Diploma of Professional Psychology from Monash University and a Bachelor of Applied Science from Deakin University, Jonathon has a depth of experience in graduate recruitment and development gained across government, private and educational institutions. 

In his role as Consultant, Jonathon works with clients to deliver comprehensive programs tailored to their specific needs. His passion for applying best practise behavioural science places him in a unique position to maximise the performance of our student programs. His drive for improving client outcomes, coupled with his insights into the importance of developing evidence-based approaches to employability, builds a focus on delivering high quality outcomes that empower students and deliver results to clients.

Finance Manager

Fionna Oliver-Taylor

With over 20 years in accounting and finance, Fionna has held a number of senior management roles across entertainment, professional services and FMCG including Coca-Cola Amatil, KordaMentha and Ernst & Young. Fionna holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Arts from The University of Melbourne, a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance and a Graduate Diploma...
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Fionna Oliver-Taylor

With over 20 years in accounting and finance, Fionna has held a number of senior management roles across entertainment, professional services and FMCG including Coca-Cola Amatil, KordaMentha and Ernst & Young. Fionna holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Arts from The University of Melbourne, a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance and a Graduate Diploma with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

In her role as Finance Manager for Career Ahead, Fionna is tasked with managing the accounting function, as well as the administration systems and processes that underpin the business. Through an energetic and collaborative approach, Fionna works with our clients to ensure that we keep pace with ever-changing conditions and plays a key role in the commercial management of the business.

Program Coordinator

Shelly Drewitz

With over ten years’ experience in program support across a variety of industries including retail, fashion, manufacturing and professional services, Shelly has worked alongside a range of executives, providing executive administrative support and client management. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing & Editing) from Victoria University...
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Shelly Drewitz

With over ten years’ experience in program support across a variety of industries including retail, fashion, manufacturing and professional services, Shelly has worked alongside a range of executives, providing executive administrative support and client management. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing & Editing) from Victoria University.

In her role as a Program Coordinator, Shelly develops materials and coordinates programs across schools, TAFEs, universities and organisations and carefully manages the logistics for the thousands of individuals from Graduates to Executives participating in our programs. Shelly applies a strong customer-focus to her role, developing deep connections with our clients to support them to achieve their objectives.