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.
Learn More

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 ...
Learn More

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

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.

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 and a Board Member of the Career Development Association of Australia.

Since commencing with Career Ahead, Sharyn has used her experience in delivering career advisory services and teaching in secondary schools, both government and independent, as well as her direct experience with special needs and disadvantaged groups and elite athletes, to establish programs for career diagnostic assessment, the provision of one-on-one counselling and coaching, and the implementation of comprehensive program management methodologies.

Sharyn has an immense commitment and is passionate about supporting individuals. Her goal is to ensure each client leaves with the skills, knowledge and resources to make informed and positive career choices.

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...
Learn More

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.

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.

Program Manager, Career Services

Madeleine Gardam

Madeleine is an experienced project and program manager with expertise in Higher Education, Leadership Development, Talent Management, and Public Health Research.
Learn More

Madeleine Gardam

Madeleine is an experienced project and program manager with expertise in Higher Education, Leadership Development, Talent Management, and Public Health Research.

Madeleine has previously held roles with Pearson Education, Development Dimensions International (DDI), and Monash University.

As a Program Manager, Madeleine is passionate about client engagement and relationship management with client experience the centre of her work

Partnerships Manager, Career Services

Tracey Varga

With over 20 years experience in marketing, sales and trade relations, Tracey has held a number of senior roles across the liquor, FMCG, toy and pharmaceutical industries, having worked with a number of blue-ship organisations including Fosters, Nestle, Kraft Foods, Hasbro and Boots Healthcare. Tracey holds a Bachelor of Business with majors in Economics and Finance from the University of Western Sydney.
Learn More

Tracey Varga

With over 20 years experience in marketing, sales and trade relations, Tracey has held a number of senior roles across the liquor, FMCG, toy and pharmaceutical industries, having worked with a number of blue-ship organisations including Fosters, Nestle, Kraft Foods, Hasbro and Boots Healthcare. Tracey holds a Bachelor of Business with majors in Economics and Finance from the University of Western Sydney.

In her role as Partnerships Manager for Career Ahead, Tracey is tasked with creating and maintaining solid relationships with Industry. Tracey has a passion to connect with people, and thrives on build long term engagement for both students and industry partners, ensuring that we continue to focus on what can truly make a difference for the workforce future.

Program Administrator, Career Services

Lindie Frier

With a Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology from The University of Pretoria (South Africa), Honours of Industrial and Organisational Psychology from The University of South Africa, and Bachelor degree, specialising in Psychology and Education from The University of Pretoria; Lindie has gained experience in end-to-end recruitment and selection, performance management and reviews, organisational development, psychometry, training and development, and industrial relations management.
Learn More

Lindie Frier

With a Master of Industrial and Organisational Psychology from The University of Pretoria (South Africa), Honours of Industrial and Organisational Psychology from The University of South Africa, and Bachelor degree, specialising in Psychology and Education from The University of Pretoria; Lindie has gained experience in end-to-end recruitment and selection, performance management and reviews, organisational development, psychometry, training and development, and industrial relations management. She gained experience in various sector including Education, Health, Information Technology, Logistics and Distribution while previously working as a Human Resources Consultant.

As a Program Administrator, Lindie prides herself in taking an evidence-based approach when conducting research; while keeping abreast with all the latest industry trends. She has a high regard for ethics and enjoys taking a detailed approach in completing daily tasks.

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...
Learn More

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.