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Our Team

Our Executives

Founder & CEO

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 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.  

Bachelor of Business (Marketing) 

Managing Director & Head of Innovation

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.
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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.

MBA (Deans List)
Graduate Certificate Career Development
Diploma Training & Development

Director of Growth

Hon. Jaala Pulford

The Honourable Jaala Pulford was elected to the Victorian Parliament in 2006 as a Member for Western Victoria. Over the first two terms of the Andrews Government (2014-22), Jaala was the first woman to serve as Agriculture Minister. She also served as Deputy Leader of the Government in the upper house.
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Hon. Jaala Pulford

The Honourable Jaala Pulford was elected to the Victorian Parliament in 2006 as a Member for Western Victoria. Over the first two terms of the Andrews Government (2014-22), Jaala was the first woman to serve as Agriculture Minister. She also served as Deputy Leader of the Government in the upper house.

Jaala steered Jobs Victoria through a critical period as the pandemic hit hard for both workers and employers alike. She led the state’s efforts to help Victoria’s 640,000 small businesses navigate and survive the impact of lockdowns. She also set Victoria on course to be Australia’s first gigabit state through the Connecting Vic program.

Jaala is an experienced leader with deep experience in Cabinet government, public administration and governance. Jaala is passionate about making sure people and businesses can thrive in an economy undergoing fast-moving, often destabilising, but exciting and transformational change.

Master of Politics and Policy, Political Science and Government

Our Operations Team

Head of Talent 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.
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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. 

Bachelor of Commerce
Diploma of Marketing
Graduate Certificate of Career Development

Head of Employability

Dr Michelle Hill

With over 20 years of project leadership, stakeholder engagement and management consulting experience, Michelle has been deeply involved in a wide variety of sectors including chemicals, banking, insurance, airlines, motoring, postal services, public sector and higher education.
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Dr Michelle Hill

With over 20 years of project leadership, stakeholder engagement and management consulting experience, Michelle has been deeply involved in a wide variety of sectors including chemicals, banking, insurance, airlines, motoring, postal services, public sector and higher education.   Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and is finalising her PhD at Monash University, which has focused on designing and implementing interventions to help undergraduates improve their employability and make a positive transition from university to the workforce. 

As a Program Manager, Michelle is driven by a desire to understand and meet each client’s needs and deliver programs that deeply engage students and build their employability and capacity to realise their potential.

Bachelor of Science (Honours)
PhD (STEM education and employability)

Head of Learning Design

Priscilla Trahar

With over 25 years of experience in roles in business, government and education, Priscilla brings her passion for a consistent and meaningful student experience along with extensive expertise in Learning Design and Educational Technologies to the Career Ahead team.
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Priscilla Trahar

With over 25 years of experience in roles in business, government and education, Priscilla brings her passion for a consistent and meaningful student experience along with extensive expertise in Learning Design and Educational Technologies to the Career Ahead team. 

Priscilla has worked as a Senior Learning Designer, Educational Designer and Implementation specialist across several tertiary institutions including University of Sunshine Coast, La Trobe University, Griffith University and Swinburne University. She has had extensive experience on projects ranging from university-wide employability portfolio solutions to program-specific solutions. Priscilla has focussed on university-wide employability solutions for Griffith University as well as for The Griffith Business School. At LaTrobe she was part of the team to design and implement 360 degree feedback solutions for oral health students and teaches these students how to prepare and present professional portfolios. 

Priscilla has presented at multiple domestic and international conferences on topics including portfolio design and implementation, enterprise-wide learning technology solutions, making program-wide connections for student learning journeys, providing and collecting 360 degree feedback for student learning and assisting students to evidence professional competencies through portfolio-based learning. Priscilla’s work and presentations are published in ePortfolios in Australian Universities (2017), ePortfolios Australia Forum Conference Proceedings (2015 – 2019), Future Ready: Equipping learners for the Journey Ahead (2016), The Enterprise Endeavour - Scaling up personal learning (2018) and the 2019 ASCILITE Conference Proceedings.

Priscilla completed Bachelor of Communication (Honours) at the University of the Sunshine Coast and is a recognised leader in portfolio design and development. She offers a wealth of expert knowledge and skill in implementing creative solutions in the online learning space to engage students in meaningful learning activities. 

Bachelor of Arts (Communication) Hons (Dean’s List)

Image of Alana Lane
Program Coordinator

Alana Lane

Alana is a Career Practitioner who specialises in counselling mid-career professionals and consulting to Employment Service Providers. Alana has over 20 years of experience in teaching and educational leadership across a range of educational sectors and institutions throughout Australia.
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Alana Lane

Alana is a Career Practitioner who specialises in counselling mid-career professionals and consulting to Employment Service Providers. Alana has over 20 years of experience in teaching and educational leadership across a range of educational sectors and institutions throughout Australia. She has taught K-12 in Performing Arts, English, Behavioural Studies and Vocational subjects. Alana has led projects for the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) in Tasmania, to improve the delivery of high-quality career education and to elevate the professional capabilities of Career Advisers and Career Education teachers in schools. She has also managed corporate recruitment and HR processes for private Tasmanian and Victorian firms. Alana is the Tasmanian Division President for the Career Development Association of Australia (CDDA).

Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary)
Bachelor of Arts (Drama)
Certificate IV Career Development
Graduate Certificate Career Development Practice

Head of Design
Nikki Colliver
Nikki is an experienced and passionate Graphic and Digital Designer, with a particular interest in finished art and web design. Having worked across a variety of creative industries such as print production, advertising, digital design, and corporate identity development, she combines her multi-channel knowledge and keen eye with her passion for solving problems to develop engaging and effective content.
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Nikki Colliver

Nikki is an experienced and passionate Graphic Designer, with a particular interest in finished art and web design. Having worked across a variety of creative industries such as print production, advertising, digital design, and corporate identity development, she combines her multi-channel knowledge and keen eye with her passion for solving problems to develop engaging and effective content.

Advanced Diploma of Advertising and Graphic Design
Certificate III of Interactive Digital Media

Administration Assistant

Mietta Downie

Mietta has previously worked as an Inventory Analyst and has experience in early childhood care. Mietta works part time as an administrative assistant across the whole team. She is responsible for office management, including supporting the Head of Finance with administration, arranging travel, event coordination and providing support to the executive team.
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Mietta Downie

Mietta has previously worked as an Inventory Analyst and has experience in early childhood care. Mietta works part time as an administrative assistant across the whole team. She is responsible for office management, including supporting the Head of Finance with administration, arranging travel, event coordination and providing support to the executive team.

+61 3 9645 5545
info@careerahead.com.au

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