Executive Team

Martin Riordan  BA (Hons) MBA
Chief Executive Officer

Martin Riordan is Chief Executive Officer of TAFE Directors Australia, the peak incorporated body representing Australian TAFE and technology institutes.

TAFE Directors Australia enjoys membership from Institutes across all Australia's states and territories, and "TDA" now is the body representing the TAFE sector on Australia's vocational education qualifications and policy bodies.

Martin Riordan previously worked at executive levels in vocational education, and communications, in Australia and through Asia-Pacific. He began his career as a graduate trainee journalist with News Limited Sydney, before working as a political journalist in Canberra and Macquarie Street, NSW, and was appointed an editorial executive with News Limited. He has enjoyed senior executive appointments in public companies operating in Australia, and subsequently regional director for a UK-plc, in Singapore. This extended posting to Singapore continued with Martin's appointment to establish and head a dedicated vocational education, industry conference and research agency servicing regional-based IT and retail clients. He was recruited to DEST on his relocation to Australia, and was appointed as principal speech writer. He was a recipient team member in the Corporate Strategy Group of the DEST Secretary's Award for Excellence in 2005. Additionally, Martin worked at Northern Sydney Institute TAFE NSW, lecturing in communications, for the launch of its diploma programme.

Martin continues with an interest in international education, including links for educators in Australian schools and those operating in SE Asia and Greater China. His BA (Hons) undergraduate qualification was gained at Macquarie University, and MBA from University of Technology Sydney. Martin has enjoyed further study at TAFE Institutes: Asian language studies at Sydney Institute of TAFE NSW, and information technology at Canberra Institute of Technology.

Contact details: 02 6205 4600 or email Martin.Riordan@tda.edu.au.

Pam Caven BA (Hons), Dip Ed., Masters in Educational Leadership and Change Management, Cert. IV Training and Assessment
Director, Stakeholder Engagement

Pam has worked as a secondary teacher, a tertiary lecturer, a teacher in TAFE and an author of textbooks. She was a Project Director in the Victorian Department of Education and Training prior to moving to ANTA to take up the position of Project Director managing the DEST funded Training Package Support Materials Program to support the implementation of Training Packages and the take up of New Apprenticeships. At ANTA she also managed a range of significant national projects in areas such as teaching and learning, assessment and professional development. In the last two years Pam has been engaged in a range of projects, including conducting an audit for the Victorian Auditor General, Vocational education and training: Meeting the skill needs of the manufacturing industry.

Pam has a BA (Hons), Dip Ed., a Masters in Educational Leadership and Change Management and Cert.IV Training and Assessment.

In 2005 the Victorian Minister for Education and Training appointed Pam to the Council of the Eastern Metropolitan Region of Further Education for a three-year period.

Contact details:  02 6281 0180 or email pcaven@bigpond.net.au.

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Rebecca Biazos, B Int Bus Rel, M Int Rel
Director, International Engagement

Rebecca Biazos joined TDA in December 2007 to support the association and its members in their international engagement activities and strategy.

Rebecca Biazos is an experienced strategist, marketer and policy influencer in the international education and training industry. She has worked across all three levels of government in senior industry development and international relations roles.

From 1999-2003 she coordinated a team within the Gold Coast City Council focused on economic development and international relations for the city. As a business development executive for the education sector she was part of the initial group of key stakeholders who pioneered the "Study Gold Coast" education brand and network.

Since 2003 Rebecca held the position of Director VET Export Office with the Queensland Department of Education Training and the Arts. The VET Export Office supports the international engagement activities of Queensland's public and private VET sectors. In 2006 her team prepared and launched the Queensland VET sector International Engagement Strategy to lead a sector wide approach to international engagement and industry development.

Rebecca contributes to a range of national projects and initiatives, including recent leadership in encouraging the uptake of outward mobility in the sector and management of the 2007-2008 VET sector Outward Mobility Pilot Programs. She has worked extensively in key markets around the world and has an in-depth knowledge of the TAFE and its unique characteristics, stakeholders and international market appeal.

Rebecca holds a Bachelor of International Business Relations from Griffith University, Master of International Relations from Bond University and is currently undertaking a Doctor of Education part time.