Our People

OUR BOARD

The Skill Engineer Ltd. is governed by a skilled, youthful and motivated Board with expertise and experience across business and enterprise development, education and training, marketing and digital content governance, community and workforce development.

Maggie MacFie

Maggie MacFie
Director

Maggie Macfie has pursued a varied and dynamic career, working in the business and not for profit sectors, as well as in government. In her role as CEO of youthconnections.com.au (2000-2015) she took an innovative approach to assisting young people—particularly vulnerable young people or those with disability—to make a smooth transition from school to the workplace. She did this through the creation of a suite of wrap-around programs and organisations on one unique site, Green Central, on the NSW Central Coast. Leading a passionate team, she guided the establishment of a Registered Training Organisation, a Group Training Organisation, an Independent Year 9 – 12 school for disengaged young people, a bush tucker café, a media centre and an automotive workshop. The site was entirely constructed by young apprentices and trainees.  

Maggie also has a passionate interest in working with and for First Nations people to achieve business and education aspirations. In Western Australia, she has served as Manager of Social Enterprise for Nyamba Buru Yawuru (2015) and Business Development Consultant for Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community (current). Maggie’s work with First Nations people earned her the Darkinjung Medal for a non-Aboriginal person at the Central Coast Aboriginal Community Awards in 2012. 

In addition to her community work, Maggie has run several small businesses including Spike the Bubble Books and Music, Spike the Bubble Beach House, Afshar Persian Rugs of Distinction, and the Bright Alps Guest House and Ski Resort. 

She has a Bachelor of Arts, an Advanced Marketing Certificate and a Diploma in Governance. Maggie has been recognised as Businesswoman of the Year in the Central Coast Local Business Awards and is an alumnus of the prestigious Sydney Leadership Program (2012). 

Maggie is proud to live and work on Yawuru country.

Brendan Ritchens

Brendan Ritchens
Director

Brendan has a strong management, education and training background.

He has held three Managing Director positions for Engineering companies, including his current business EVERO Pty Ltd where he employs 20 full time staff and liaises with regional stakeholders, local and state government bodies and manufacturing industry representatives to secure construction and fabrication contracts.

Brendan has a passion for teaching high school and tertiary students. In his time with Youth Connections and yG Enterprise Pty Ltd he led social and economic initiatives to raise the aspirations of young people and help them to become economic, social and civic contributors in their community.

Prior to this Brendan set up and led the Central Coast Australian Technical College, a secondary school allowing students to enter apprenticeships via School Based Apprenticeships and secure their Year 12 Certificate. He has also held various positions with TAFE including Lecturer and Head of Department in both regional Victoria and the remote Western Australia Kimberley region.

Brendan is proud to live and work on Yorta Yorta country.

Madelaine Dickie

Madelaine Dickie
Director

Madelaine has a keen interest in working with marginalised people, people with disabilities and First Nations people. With qualifications in disability work, journalism and creative arts, Madelaine has most recently served as editor-in-chief of National Indigenous Times, a weekly online news publication offering rigorous reporting on the issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She’s also worked extensively in northern Australia under the direction of Kimberley Traditional Owners to further an agenda of independent Aboriginal economic development.

Further afield, Madelaine has interviewed and filmed women in Indonesia and the Philippines recognised in the United Nations N-Peace Awards. These awards celebrate women who have been pivotal in defusing conflict in their communities. She has worked with the Afghan Women’s Writers Project to provide editorial feedback on poems and short stories ahead of publication. She has also translated reports and eye-witness accounts from Indonesian to English for West Papua Media Alerts.

An award-winning author, Madelaine is currently writing the authorised biography of the Kimberley Aboriginal leader Wayne Bergmann. It’s shaping up to be a racy and gripping tale of grit, leadership, and the tension between two very different forms of law.

Madelaine is proud to live and work on the land of the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinikurtura people.

Erin Johnson

Erin Johnson
Director

Erin is the Creative Director of Design Plus Digital, a graphic design studio for NGOs, not for profits, charities and government departments.

Currently she works as a graphic designer for Council for Intellectual Disability where she assists with advocacy for people with intellectual disability so that they can live their best lives. Prior to this role she worked for an education technology start-up, an advertising agency and a not for profit youth organisation.

During her time in the not for profit sector, Erin supported a range of school to work transition programs for disadvantaged young people across education, training, employment, social enterprise, Aboriginal and disability services.

Erin is passionate about helping young people and has volunteered her time as a member of the Central Coast Youth Advisory Committee and as a mentor driving instructor for the yDrive program.

Erin is proud to live and work in North East Victoria on Dhudhuroa country.

Charlotte Dickie

Charlotte Dickie
Director

Charlotte is currently the Marketing and Communications Manager for Wunan Foundation, an Aboriginal development organisation in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Wunan operates with a clear purpose and strategy to drive long-term socio-economic change for Aboriginal people in the region.

She is a highly skilled marketing and communications specialist, working for an array of NGOs including Northern Land Council, Kimberley Land Council, Garnduwa Aboriginal Corporation and Youth Connections.

Charlotte is a multi-faceted creative specialising in communications, project management visual strategy, content marketing, photography, and graphic design.

For more than 10 years, Charlotte has worked in the not-for-profit sector to address the barriers facing Aboriginal people, as well as actively promote the native title, Indigenous land, and sea management, and the achievements of Aboriginal people on a national level.

Charlotte has also worked alongside disadvantaged youth, helping to share their stories, provide mentoring and training, and assisting students to get on-the-job training via the Structured Workplace Learning program.

Charlotte has a particular interest in not for profits that assist marginalised people and young people in Australia with a track record of impact and sustainability.

Charlotte is proud to live and work on Mirrawong country.

Eve Ritchens

Evelyn Ritchens
Director

Eve is a marketing and communications professional.

Backed with a degree in strategic communications, her background includes a magazine, a digital marketing agency, professional services firm and most recently marketing manager at a large entertainment, events and sporting complex.

Eve is the founder of Eve Digital and works with businesses to elevate their brand in a professional yet creative way.

In addition to her board work with The Skill Engineer, she serves as a Director and Deputy Chair of Be.Bendigo, a local Chamber of Commerce providing support, connection and advocacy for businesses in the region.

She is also a committee member of the Young Professionals Network, Bendigo, speaking to business leaders, politicians and reporting in local news segments about issues facing the young professional workforce.

Eve believes in giving young people a voice and having equal opportunities available, no matter where they are located.

Eve is proud to live and work on Dja Dja Wurrung and the Taungurung country.

Emma Aldrich

Emma Aldrich
Director

Emma began her career in Albury, NSW where she worked as a Youth Worker for Yes Unlimited.  This position allowed Emma to pursue her interest in working with young people and saw her develop skills in youth leadership, communication, community engagement and mentoring. Whilst in this position Emma was awarded the Albury City Council “Young Citizen of the Year,” for 2017.

After spending her gap year working in the remote Indigenous community of Kalumburu, WA, Emma graduated her Bachelor of Nursing at Charles Sturt University in 2019. Emma then began her nursing career in both Nhulunbuy and Darwin, NT. She is currently working on the paediatric ward in Darwin and especially enjoys working with adolescent patients. In 2021 Emma was one of three nominations for “NT Graduate Nurse of the Year.”

In recent years Emma has volunteered in multiple organisations in the not for profit sector including Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul and Yes Unlimited. Emma is honoured to be board member for The Skill Engineer and is looking forward to continuing her work in the youth sector.

Matt Grant

Matt Grant
Director

Matt Grant has a strong background in leadership and management, coaching and mentoring, and the coordination of emergency response, in addition to the delivery of large-scale work programs within the electricity industry. Matt brings a wealth of knowledge to The Skill Engineer board, and is an important link to industry, employment and training and business relationships. 

Within Ausgrid, Matt maintains a versatile and safety focused team of employees and is experienced in managing employee performance to ensure safety and efficiency program deliverables are achieved. Matt initiates and drives development through planning sessions, team briefs, and one on one coaching.  

Matt has a Diploma of Leadership and Management and a Certificate III in ESI Power systems, and is extremely motivated to create and see change within his community and is passionate about improving the lives of young people. 

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Darkinjung, Pangerang and Yawuru peoples and pay respects to their elders past and present. We thank them for sharing their country, their culture and their language.We look to the future with hope as we walk side by side with our First Nations people in the spirit of reconciliation and truth telling.

Tuggerah, NSW

Ph: (02) 4304 3031
14/1 Bounty Close, Tuggerah NSW 2259
Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm

Wangaratta, VIC

Ph: (03) 5737 4257
16 Osboldstone Rd, Wangaratta VIC 3677
Monday to Friday, 7am - 5pm

Broome, WA

Ph: 0428 995 955
41 Blackman St, Broome WA 6725
Monday to Friday 8:00am - 2:00pm

covid safe workplace

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