Christopher Campbell – Chairman
B.Soc.Sci. (Hons), University of Singapore; FFin, FAICD, FCG (CS, CGP), FGIA.
Group Managing Director and CEO of AKG.
More than 25 years’ experience in the education sector in Australia. About 30 years as Managing Director of AKG. Prior to entering the education sector, spent more than 25 years in banking (central, investment and commercial) overseas and then managing a national financial planning group in Australia.
Member of the Advisory Council of Asia Society Australia (ASA) since November 2020, after eight years on the ASA Board. Also National Committee member of the Australian China Business Council.
Mark Lo – Independent non-executive Director
BBus, Swinburne University of Technology; Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management; Grad. Dip. Divinity, Melbourne School of Theology
Mark had over 30 years’ experience in the IT industry and some 11 years in the education sector serving in a number of senior roles with AMI Education which eventually became Academies Australasia Polytechnic. He had occupied senior executive positions of Vice Presidency for DMR Asia Pacific, Unisys Australia and managed the Services Division of Unisys Asia based out of Singapore overseeing 10 countries and 600 professionals. He was appointed Vice President of Unisys Corporation managing the prestigious World Wide Imaging program out of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. Prior to that, Mark worked for IBM Australia and Arthur Young & Co. and spent many years in consulting with management and IT strategic planning specialisations. His teaching experience include lecturing in Swinburne’s undergraduate programs and was adjunct teaching fellow for Swinburne’s Master of Information Systems Program for three years.
Gabriela Rodriguez – Director
B.Comp.Sci., Technological University Institute Antonio Jose de Sucre, Venezuela; B.Sc.Sys.Eng, University Institute Santiago Marino, Venezuela
Deputy Group Managing Director and Group COO of AKG. Director of the Independent Higher Education Australia (IHEA) from 17 May 2017 and Deputy Chair from 29 May 2019 to 27 April 2023.
Gabriela joined AKG in 2001 as a lecturer in IT and moved through its leadership group holding positions in marketing, curriculum development and regulatory compliance. Also held senior management responsibilities in acquisitions, corporate restructure and financial management.
Gabriela is on the AKG board and holds Board positions on each of the group’s 18 colleges.
John G. Adnams OAM – Independent non-executive Director
BCom, University of Melbourne; AAIB (Associate of the Australian Institute of Bankers)
Four decades in the Banking Industry in Melbourne, Sydney and New York. Senior positions with the Commercial Bank of Australia Limited and Westpac Banking Corporation (following a merger of the two banks). Former President of the Small Business Mentoring Service with active involvement in mentoring small business in the fields of management and training, finance & accounting, and strategic planning. Various other volunteer roles. In 2013, received Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to business and commerce, and to the community.
Louise Cooper-Shaw – Independent non-executive Director
MEd, University of Melbourne; MA (Organisational Psychology), University of Melbourne; BEd (Educational Psychology), Monash University; GradDip (Criminology), University of Melbourne; BComm, University of Melbourne; MAICD
Director and principal consultant of Global Leadership Centre, a consulting firm engaged in the provision of leadership development programs globally. Adjunct senior lecturer and program coordinator for Federation University Australia, teaching leadership and management subjects such as organization behaviour, change management and strategic management in different locations in Asia. Mayor of Bayside City Council (2008-2012).
John Adrian McComb – Independent non-executive Director
GAICD
Former Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Private Higher Education (now called Independent Higher Education Australia), established by John with leading private sector institutions in the late 1990’s to effectively represent Australian private higher education institutions. Promoted good policy within the higher education sector and led in advocacy, seeing the introduction of FEE-HELP in the HESA and engaging in issues arising since.
Sold his digital mapping company to Telstra (rebranded as Whereis) and helped establish an innovative private institution linked with Macquarie University in Sydney. Worked for two decades in academic, technical, medical and scholarly publishing in a market spanning all Australian universities and colleges.
Joanna Kelly – Chief Executive Officer (non-voting)
Grad Dip BA, Torrens University Australia; Masters (Marketing and Management), University of Economics, Poland; Diploma of Community Welfare, MIT International College; Australian Institute of Company Directors; IEAA Fellow
As the Chief Executive Officer of Academies Australasia Polytechnic, Joanna Kelly is responsible for managing the overall operations and resources of the company and its corporate activities. With two decades of experience in international education across Australia and overseas, Joanna Kelly is also the Group General Manager at Academies Australasia, the parent company of AAPoly. She oversees the strategic direction of the group’s English language colleges — including the award-winning Discover English in Melbourne and Language Links International in Perth.
Joanna’s expertise spans marketing, strategic and operational leadership, student services, and quality assurance. Having immigrated to Australia as an international student in 2003, she brings a deep personal understanding of the student experience and is passionate about promoting cultural diversity and championing Australian education globally.
She is a board member at IEAA and a Deputy Chair at the English Australia Board. Joanna is dedicated to strengthening collaboration across the ELICOS, VET, and higher education sectors and ensuring Australia remains a world leader in quality international education.
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.
