About us

About us

Key RIDBC People

RIDBC Executive Committee

John Berryman - Chief Executive

John Berryman
John Berryman BSc, MAdmin, MSpecEd (Sensory Disability), GradDipDP, FAIM, FAICD, FACE, joined RIDBC in 1978 as Manager, Computerised Braille Production. After appointments as Assistant Chief Executive (Administration) and Deputy Chief Executive, he was appointed RIDBC's Chief Executive in 1985.
Contact: Robyn Williams (PA to RIDBC Chief Executive) (02) 9872 0215


Professor Greg Leigh - Chair, RIDBC Renwick Centre

Professor Greg Leigh
Professor Greg Leigh DipTeach, BEd, MSc, PhD, FACE, joined RIDBC as Head of Renwick College in 1993, and was appointed Assistant Chief Executive (Educational Services) in 1999. In 2006, he was appointed to his current role, and assigned the responsibility of expanding and developing RIDBC’s research and professional development programs and facilities.
Contact: Sue Vale (Secretary to Chair, RIDBC Renwick Centre) (02) 9872 0373


Jan North - Director, Children’s Services

Jan North
Jan North CertTeach, BSpecEd, MEd, MACE, was a university lecturer in Special Education before joining RIDBC in 1990 to establish the early childhood programs. Jan subsequently headed the RIDBC VisionEd Department before leaving in 1998 to become Principal of Highfields School. She was a Director on RIDBC's Board from 1999 until 2002, when she rejoined the staff as Manager, Service Development. In 2006, she was appointed Manager of Children’s Services.
Contact: (02) 9872 0311


Paul Freeman – Director, Community Relations and Fundraising

Paul Freeman
Paul Freeman AFAIM, MFIA, joined RIDBC in May 2009. Paul had held senior management positions in two other charities. Prior to entering the Not For Profit world, he enjoyed 25 years senior level mass and direct marketing experience with multi-national and major Australian companies over a range of industries and household brands.
Contact: (02) 9872 0333


Paul Harris – Director, Corporate Services

Paul Harris
Paul Harris BEc, MEc, MBA, FCPA, joined RIDBC in September 2009, having previously held senior management positions in the corporate sector. His background is in finance, accounting, information systems and business, with experience working for ASX50 multi-national corporations both in Australia and overseas in senior financial management roles.
Contact: Wendy Middleton (Secretary to Director, Corporate Services)
(02) 9872 0274


Rob Walker - Manager, Human Resources

Rob Walker
Rob Walker GradCertMgt, GradDipBA, MMgt, has worked for most of his career in human resources, training and recruitment in the corporate sector. He joined RIDBC in 2005.
Contact: (02) 9872 0803


RIDBC Heads of Educational Services

Sue Benzie - Head, RIDBC Early Childhood Services (Hearing Impairment)

Sue Benzie
Sue Benzie CertTeach, TDeafCert, DipTeach, BEd, MLMEd, GradCertEdStud(SpecEd, Sensory Disability), MACEL, MACE, joined RIDBC in 1994 as Director of RIDBC Nepean bringing experience as a teacher and administrator with the NSW Department of School Education. She was appointed Manager, Preschool Services, in 1997, and to her current role in 1998.
Contact: (02) 9872 0217


Alan Baynham - Head, RIDBC VisionEd, and Coordinator, RIDBC Assessment Unit

Alan Baynham
Alan Baynham BEd, MEd, MEd(SpecEd, Multi-sensory Impairment), DipTeach, GradDipSpecEd, GradDipAboriginalEd, GradDipSchoolAdmin, worked as a teacher for the NSW Department of School Education before joining RIDBC in 1979 as a residential care assistant. He transferred to the RIDBC Alice Betteridge School in 1980, and was appointed Deputy Master in 1981 and Principal in 1984. Alan was appointed Manager, RIDBC VisionEd, in 1998 and Coordinator, RIDBC Assessment Unit, in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0366


Jacqueline Cashmore - Principal, RIDBC Alice Betteridge School

Jacqui Cashmore
Jacqui Cashmore AssocDipEdHab, BEd, MA(SpecEd), completed her undergraduate practicum at RIDBC Alice Betteridge School and commenced as a teachers aide in the school in 1994. Jacqui moved into a teaching position in 1995 and into the Curriculum Coordinator role in 2003. She was appointed Principal, RIDBC Alice Betteridge School, in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0292


Julie Kirkness - Head, RIDBC Auslan Programs

Julie Kirkness
Julie Kirkness BA, GradCertEd, MSpecEd(Sensory Disability), worked as a Special Education teacher at RIDBC Alice Betteridge School from 1984 to 1992. She left to work as a Literacy and Support Teacher of adults with hearing and vision impairment at Western Institute TAFE, and as Assistant Principal of the North Rocks School for Blind Children. Julie returned to RIDBC in 2002 as a Teacher/Consultant. She was appointed to her current position as Principal of RIDBC Thomas Pattison School and Manager, RIDBC Auslan Services in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0367


Alan Kelly - Head, RIDBC Garfield Barwick Centre (RIDBC Garfield Barwick School and RIDBC School Support Services (HI))

Alan Kelly
Alan Kelly BA, MSc(Applied), LSLS Cert AVT, worked at RIDBC in 1994 and 1995 as Lecturer and Research Fellow at RIDBC Renwick Centre. Before this, Alan was Principal of St Gabriel’s School for Hearing Impaired Children and directed its Early Learning Centres. Alan rejoined RIDBC in 2003 to coordinate the RIDBC Cochlear Implant Educational Services Program and the RIDBC Early Learning Program (Hearing Impairment). He was appointed to his current role in 2008.
Contact: (02) 8838 1401


Genelle Cook - Senior Audiologist/Head, RIDBC Jim Patrick Audiology Centre

Genelle Cook
Genelle Cook MA, DipAud, MAudSA(CCP), has extensive experience in paediatric audiology in the public hospital system, private ENT practice, and with Australian Hearing. She joined RIDBC in her current role in 2004.
Contact: (02) 9872 0828


Dr Jill Duncan - Head of Graduate Studies, RIDBC Renwick Centre

Dr Jill Duncan
Dr Jill Duncan BSc, MEd(HI), MEd(Man), LSLS Cert AVT, PhD, joined RIDBC in 2005 as a Senior Lecturer at the Renwick Centre. She previously held an academic position with the University of Melbourne, and senior administrative positions with the Cora Barclay Centre in South Australia and with Soundbridge in Connecticut, USA. Jill was appointed to her current position in 2009.
Contact: (02) 9872 0331


Melissa McCarthy - Head, RIDBC Teleschool

Melissa McCarthy
Melissa McCarthy BA, MED, LSLS Cert AVT, joined RIDBC in 2004 as a Teacher/Consultant in the Early Learning Program (Hearing Impairment). In 2007, Melissa was appointed Coordinator of the new RIDBC Teleschool and in 2008 was appointed to her current role as Manager of RIDBC Teleschool. Melissa brings a unique combination of skills to her role, with training and experience in speech pathology, audiology, early childhood education, deaf education, distance education, consulting and management, in a variety of early intervention and educational settings.
Contact: (02) 9872 0821