OUR FACULTY TEAM
Associate Professor Sunny Vinnakota – Academic Dean
Dr. Sunny Vinnakota is a distinguished academic leader with over 22 years of experience in higher education, curriculum development, and institutional leadership. Currently serving as Academic Dean at Academies Australasia Polytechnic, he excels in teaching, research, and academic administration, with expertise in business, digital marketing, hospitality, psychology, and management. His focus areas include digital transformation, innovation, and quality assurance in education. Dr. Vinnakota holds a PhD (Management & Marketing) (2018), with a dissertation on “Digital Marketing Adoption in an Emerging Economy: Consumer’s Perspective”, and is pursuing a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Global Business Innovation, along with ongoing studies in Master of Applied Artificial Intelligence and Master of Autism and Neurodivergent Studies. His qualifications include a Master of Education (E-Learning & Digital Pedagogies) (2024), focusing on digital technologies and AI in education, a Master of Tertiary Education (Management) (2022), specialising in quality assurance and institutional leadership, and a Master of Business Administration (Innovation & R&D) (2011), with expertise in strategic marketing and change management. He also holds a Master of Business Hospitality Management (2009), a Master of Arts in Psychology (2012), a Master of Arts in Tourism Psychology (2004), and a Master of Marketing Management (2002), along with multiple diplomas and certificates in community services, early childhood education, marketing, and hospitality management.
Dr. Vinnakota has held leadership roles such as Associate Dean (Education) (2020–2024) and Program and Technology Enhanced Learning Director (2018–2019) at Academies Australasia Polytechnic, driving curriculum innovation and digital learning integration. He has also served as Course Coordinator at various universities in Australia (2015–2018) and Change Management Project Leader at Public Transport Victoria (2008–2010). With over two decades of teaching experience, he has delivered programs like Bachelor of Business and MBA at RMIT University, Charles Darwin University, Charles Sturt University, Federation University, University of Canberra, University of Sunshine Coast, and Victoria University, emphasising innovative pedagogy and digital tools. An active member of professional organisations, including Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) and Academy of Management, Dr. Vinnakota has completed advanced professional development programs, such as Executive Coaching at the University of Cambridge. His expertise includes educational technologies (Moodle, Canvas, Adobe Suite), data analysis (SPSS, NVivo), and project management (PRINCE2, Six Sigma).
Dr. Vinnakota’s research focuses on digital transformation in business, tourism and hospitality innovation and quality assurance in higher education, exploring Digital Learning Technologies, AI in Education, and Digital Pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning through technology-driven solutions.
Dr Mohan Dass – Senior Lecturer – Academic Integrity and Quality
PhD, Deakin University; MBA, University of East Asia, Macau; BA(Hons), University of Science, Malaysia; GradCertEd (Tertiary), Federation University Australia, Digital Skills & Digital Marketing, Accenture, Online Teaching, University of New South Wales
Responsible for Academic Integrity & Quality. Former Academic Dean, AAPoly. Served in several key public and private sector managerial roles, namely the State Economic Development Authority, Malaysia and HR Manager of an US MultiNational Company. Later served in academia as Deputy Vice President, Deakin University Programs, Malaysia, and Program Director for the Masters of Management at Swinburne University, Melbourne. Experience and expertise in public and private sector management, the promotion of international academia, relationship & management, international partnership development, and academic program evaluation and consultation. Member of Malaysia Australia Business Council and editor board member of International Journal. Areas of research cover international business; change management; marketing; international HR; talent management; and, contemporary teaching and learning.
Dr Hira Maqbool – IT Program Coordinator (Curriculum)
Doctor of Philosophy, Computer and Security Science, ECU; MS Computer Engineering; BS Computer Engineering (with Hons), University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan
Hira is a distinguished academic and researcher with a PhD in Computer and Security Science from Edith Cowan University (ECU), Australia. Her research focuses on immersive technologies, digital aesthetics, and interdisciplinary methods in game design and computational systems. She has contributed to projects in machine learning, data visualization, and digital twin dashboards, and her work is published in prestigious conferences. She has served as a Research Fellow at CSIRO and as a lecturer and unit coordinator at ECU, where she has taught programming fundamentals, scripting languages, and Data Analysis and visualisation using R. She has also contributed to curriculum development at the Australian Data and Cyber Institute and Radiation Training to create training resources under compliance with the AEIC. She is deeply committed to community engagement, having volunteered with the Girls Programming Network in Perth (2019–2022), showcased VR/AR technologies during ECU Open Days and also participated in the WA Health Hackathon 2021, where she contributed to the development of an indoor navigation system for hospitals. Her dedication to innovation, teaching, and research makes her a valuable contributor to the advancement of technology and education.
Dr Abbass Ghanbary – IT Programs Coordinator
Abbass Ghanbary has completed his PhD (with full scholarship) from the University of Western Sydney (UWS), focusing on the issues and challenges in incorporating emerging technologies in business integration. This research was concluded by creating a model for Collaborative Business Process Engineering (CBPE). Abbass has numerous publications in Journals, Conferences, Book Chapters, and a Book in the area of Information and Communication Technology including business process engineering and service collaboration as a framework for organisation integration.
Abbass Ghanbary has been actively involved with academic institutions since 1993 with more than 20 years of industrial experience working on very complex projects in the public and private sector. Therefore, he has two principal guidelines for his academic philosophy: “bringing knowledge to life” meaning that teaching can only come to fruition when readily applying the contents in practice. And “student-centered learning” ensures that the students are in the centre of the learning process.
Johnson Boda – Program Coordinator, BTHM
Mr Johnson Boda’s professional expertise sits at the intersection of tourism management practice and higher education program leadership. With a Master of Arts (Tourism Management) and over 12 years of combined industry and teaching experience, he brings a practitioner-informed perspective to curriculum design, classroom delivery, and student capability development.
In his role as Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Tourism and Hospitality Management (BTHM) at Academies Australasia Polytechnic (AAPoly), Johnson has developed strong expertise in program-level governance and quality assurance, including curriculum oversight, academic delivery coordination, assessment governance, and student progression monitoring. This places him in a high-impact quality role where he ensures the program remains aligned with AAPoly expectations and applicable regulatory standards.
Johnson’s professional profile is further strengthened through his membership with CAUTHE, reflecting active engagement with the tourism and hospitality education community and contemporary sector thinking.
His expertise is best characterised as industry-grounded, academically rigorous, and governance-aware, supporting sustainable program quality and improved student outcomes across the tourism and hospitality discipline.
Naveen Kumar Kokkula – BTHM Program Coordinator
With over two decades of international experience across Australia and Dubai (U.A.E), Naveen is a distinguished educator and hospitality professional dedicated to shaping the future of the industry through experiential, student-centred learning. His career encompasses leadership roles at globally recognised establishments—such as Hilton, Langham, and Crown Casino—where he honed his expertise in hotel front-of-house operations, corporate training, and higher education. This extensive exposure has cultivated a finer understanding of both hospitality operations and academic pedagogy.
Naveen holds a Master of Business in Hospitality Management from Victoria University (Aus), alongside formal qualifications in Sommelier, Events Management, Leadership, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. His interdisciplinary acumen spans food and beverage operations, human resource management, financial planning, and service excellence standards—skills which underpin his innovative approach to curriculum design, academic mentoring, and higher education delivery.
As a passionate advocate for lifelong learning and academic-industry integration, Naveen’s pedagogy blends theoretical knowledge with practical application. He is committed to cultivating resilience, ethical leadership, and career readiness in his students; these capabilities are essential in today’s evolving service economy. His collaborative spirit, dedication to academic excellence, and cultural intelligence position him as a valued contributor to institutional advancement and student success.
Kanwalpreet Kaur – HE Academic Manager/Lecturer – Information Technology
Kanwalpreet Kaur is an accomplished IT Lecturer and Academic Manager with over a decade of experience in higher education and vocational training. Her expertise encompasses cybersecurity, cloud computing, computer networking, programming, and artificial intelligence.
Currently serving as an IT Lecturer and HE Academic Manager at AAPoly, Kanwalpreet oversees academic operations, ensuring quality assurance and compliance. She is dedicated to student success, employing innovative, data-driven teaching methodologies, including the integration of Power BI and learning analytics, to enhance engagement and outcomes.
Kanwalpreet holds a master’s in information technology (Networking/Cyber Security) from Charles Sturt University, a Master of Computer Applications, and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Artificial Intelligence. She is a certified instructor for Cisco and AWS and possesses multiple training and assessment qualifications, including the TAE40116 ( Certificate IV and Diplomas) in Training Design and Development.
Her commitment lies in delivering industry-relevant education and fostering an inclusive, supportive learning environment that prepares students for the evolving IT landscape.
Dr. Shaghayegh Sahraei – IT Program Coordinator
Ph.D. in Information Technology, Curtin University. Master of Information Technology, TMU, IRAN
Dr. Shaghayegh Sahraei holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology from Curtin University, with a research focus on intelligent systems, data-driven decision-making, knowledge management, and their applications in electronic commerce, digital banking, and IT project. Her Ph.D. thesis proposal was recognized among the top three research proposals in Australia and New Zealand Academy competition.
With over 10 years of extensive academic experience, Dr. Sahraei has supervised more than thirty-five master’s and doctoral theses in diverse areas such as artificial intelligence, expert systems, computer networking, databases, digital transformation, and data analysis. She is a prolific researcher and has published numerous articles in reputable, peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, she serves as a peer reviewer for more than five academic journals, contributing her expertise to support the advancement of research in the IT field.
Dr. Sahraei also brings more than 20 years of industrial experience, having worked on a wide range of IT projects across both public and private sectors. She integrates her practical industry expertise with the latest academic knowledge to enrich her teaching and research. This synergy is reflected in both her scholarly publications and her classroom delivery, offering students valuable, real-world insights into the IT field.
