Governance & leadership.

Robert (Bob) Cameron is an experienced business leader and senior manager, with an extensive career history in the mining sector. His career led him to becoming the founder, Managing Director, and CEO of Centennial Coal – an industry leading mining organisation in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region – before he stepped down in 2011. 

Mr. Cameron was appointed Chairman of Zeal Futures in 2012, and is an advocate for vocational education, training, and employment. He is also a Director on the Board of the NSW State Library Council.

Phil Cox joined our Board of Directors in 2015, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the vocational education and training (VET) sector. For almost 20 years, Phil worked with the NSW Government in various management roles before joining TAFE NSW in 1991, where he also held a number of senior executive positions over a period of more than 20 years. 

Mr. Cox was appointed Deputy Chair of Zeal Futures in 2021 and continues to be an active member of the VET sector. 

Patrick Gallagher is a former officer of the Australian Army and, over the last 20 years, has held a wide range of general management and subject matter expert roles in business, corporate strategy, and risk management across the public and private sectors. 

Mr. Gallagher joined our Board of Directors in 2018 and operates as an independent governance, risk, and compliance consultant, as well as serving as a Non-Executive Director for Brisbane Water (NSW) Legacy.

Sharon Smith was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Zeal Futures in 2013, bringing extensive experience as a dynamic and influential leader in utilities, regional development, education, and employment across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. 

Sharon was appointed as an Executive Director of our Board in 2021 and, in 2023, was appointed as Chair of the National Apprentice Employment Network – the largest employment network of apprentices and trainees in Australia.

Peter Annis-Brown is the founder and owner of ManageHealth and ManageSport, is a member of the Industry Council for Fitness Australia and sits on advisory grant committees for local and federal MP’s. 

Mr. Annis-Brown joined our Board of Directors in 2019 and operates as an independent contractor & consultant specialising in VET, industry relationships, and education. 

Sue Murray is an experienced finance and commercial leadership professional with over 30 years of experience in these fields across industries such as agriculture, not-for-profit, defence and aerospace. Currently, Sue holds a senior management role with BAE Systems Australia – a global defence organisation. 

Mrs. Murray joined our Board of Directors in 2018 and is passionate about career development for young Australians.

Helen Liossis joined our Board as a Non-Executive Director in 2021, bringing over 30 years of experience in corporate strategy, transformations, business planning, investor relations, and corporate affairs. 

Helen has held senior executive positions with a diverse range of organisations, including large, complex, public-sector companies such as Prime Minister and Cabinet, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, and Sydney Water Corporation. 

John Sandell joined the Zeal Futures Board of Directors in 2021 with an extensive career history in leadership roles across multiple industries, including financial services and human resources, as well as having experience in the VET sector. 

John has a demonstrated track record in operational excellence and corporate strategy across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. 

Sharon Smith was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Zeal Futures in 2013, bringing extensive experience as a dynamic and influential leader in utilities, regional development, education, and employment across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. 

Sharon was appointed as an Executive Director of our Board in 2021 and, in 2023, was appointed as Chair of the National Apprentice Employment Network – the largest employment network of apprentices and trainees in Australia. 

Debbie Laarkamp joined Zeal Futures in 2022 with a wealth of industry knowledge up her sleeve, having experience in various change and leadership roles within the vocational education and training (VET) sector. 

Debbie has also worked with the Disability Employment Services sector and has a passion for operational and educational leadership.

Libby Ford is one of our longest serving employees, having commenced with Zeal Futures in 2002 in an administrative role. Since then, Libby has worked across various departments throughout the organisation, including finance, administration, 
recruitment, and operations, before being promoted to Operations Manager in 2012. 

Libby also serves as Deputy Chair of the Apprentice Employment Network NSW & ACT and has become a hub of industry knowledge for the vocational education and training sector. 

Allyson Malloy joined the Zeal Futures team in 2017 as a HR & Safety Officer before being promoted to Group HR & Safety Manager in 2020, now leading the charge for developing and implementing human resources and safety systems across our organisation. 

These systems support recruitment, talent management, and training, as well as various other departments, to ensure the health and safety of all Zeal Futures employees, apprentices, trainees, and students. 

Ellen Morris comes from a strong background in branding, corporate communications, design, and marketing. 

Ellen joined our team in 2022 as Group Marketing & Communications Manager, implementing her experience and expertise to develop the Zeal Futures brand and guide the strategic direction of our marketing and communications activities. 

Laura Steel joined Zeal Futures in 2022, bringing with her over 12 years’ experience in project management and information technology. 

As a change management specialist with a focus on leading strategic development across the organisation, Laura paves the way to refine system processes that improve business function and enhance our digital capabilities. 

Trisha Oswald is our resident financial expert, coming on board with Zeal Futures in 2024 with strong career background and proven track record of driving financial success for a number of organisations. 

Trisha is pivotal in guiding our financial strategies and leading our finance team, managing Zeal Futures accounts and assets as well as a weekly payroll of over 800.