Leading Teams Australia
Melbourne - Victoria
Garie Dooley - Chief Executive Officer
Garie started his working life as a School Teacher then continued to have a varied business career that has included Senior Management roles with Port Adelaide Football Club, Optus, Kelly Services (a global recruitment company) and VIP Homes Services.
Garie has also had a senior soccer career that has spanned 15 years in Adelaide and he has been part of the local sports media. He has a passion for organisational development and supporting organisations with their efforts to maximise the potential of their people.
Garie has a Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma of Teaching and a Graduate Diploma in Business.
Outside of work Garie volunteers with the Julian Burton Burns Trust, a not-for-profit organization, to help raise awareness, education and funds to support people with burns.
Garie lives in Adelaide and has two children, Alexander and Sophie.
Ray McLean - Director
Ray McLean is a founding Director and principal trainer of Leading Teams Australia. Ray began his working life as a teacher, working for 10 years in schools in regional Victoria, and holds a Bachelor of Education. From 1989 to 1994 Ray joined the RAAF as a training and leadership officer and was responsible for the design and delivery of leadership and team training for the Airmen Aircrew Training Unit.
In his position at Leading Teams Ray conducts team performance and leadership programs for a number of AFL, NRL and NBL Clubs. He also works with a wide range of corporate, educational and community organisations including:
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NBL Clubs |
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NRL Clubs |
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Corporate |
| Sydney Swans |
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Boomers |
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St George Illawarra |
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St George Bank |
| Adelaide Crows |
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Opals |
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Melbourne Storm |
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Macquarie Bank |
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Insurance Australia Group |
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Country Fire Authority |
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McCain |
Recently Ray wrote a book called "Any Given Team" which provides an insight into Leading Teams unique philosophy on leadership and teamwork. The book can be obtained by sending an email to Leading Teams info@leadingteams.net.au
Kraig Grime - Director of Programs
Kraig Grime is a Director of Leading Teams Australia. Kraig began his working life with the Navy but transferred to the Air Force and completed 20 years service, his career culminated in him accepting a Commission and leading a team of Management Systems Analysts responsible for providing Organisational Development advice to Regional Commanders.
Kraig facilitates our Performance Improvement Program for a number of Corporate and Elite Sports teams, his current client list includes:
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Elite Sport Teams |
| Straits Resources (Hillgrove Mine) |
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Hawthorn Football Club (AFL) |
| Nillumbik Shire Council |
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New Zealand Cricket Team |
| Wimmera Business Leadership |
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North Queensland Cowboys (NRL) |
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Hawthorn Football Club - Executive and Administrative Teams |
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Waikato Chiefs Rugby Union Team (Super 14's) |
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In addition to his responsibilities with Leading Teams, Kraig is also a Director of Highland Personnel, a not for profit organization that specializing in training and employment for people with disabilities and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kraig is married to Leonie, they have three adult children and live in Ballarat, Victoria.
Gerard Murphy - Director
Gerard Murphy is a founding director of Leading Teams and is currently working with the Geelong Football Club (AFL) and has facilitated with Wellington Hurricanes (Super 14), the Australian Rowing Team and the New Zealand Breakers (NBL). Gerard also has a passion for educational leadership and is currently working with a number of the regional offices and over 80 schools (secondary, primary & special) around Victoria. Gerard’s corporate clients include Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Alcoa and Leadership Wimmera.
Prior to Leading Teams, Gerard was the Communication and Public Relations Manager at the Melbourne Football Club, where he worked for five years. Gerard has a Bachelor of Education with eight years teaching experience, a Graduate Diploma in Sport Management, a Graduate Diploma in Professional Communication and is currently completing a Master of Education (Leadership and Administration). Gerard is married with five children and lives at Jan Juc.
Craig Biddiscombe - National Programs Manager
Craig operates in the position of National Programs Manager at Leading Teams Australia where he is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of elite sport, corporate, school and community leadership programs. In 7 years with Leading Teams, Craig has delivered leadership and team alignment programs that have improved the performance of numerous elite sport and corporate organizations during and since the conclusion of his AFL career with Geelong and Richmond.
These clients include most recently:
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Elite Sport |
Corporate |
Government / Education |
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Brisbane Lions (AFL) |
Financial Index Australia |
Department of Education - BSW |
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Canterbury Bulldogs (NRL) |
Target / Coles Myer |
Norlane West Primary School |
| Queensland Reds (S 14) |
Lemnos Foods |
Department of Victoria Communities |
| Sydney Uni Flames |
AXA Australia |
Traralgon College |
| Australian Netball Team |
Dandenong Basketball Assoc. |
Mary McKillop Catholic Regional School |
| Sydney Uni Rugby |
AMP Financial Planners Assoc. |
Newborough Primary School |
| Australian Rowing |
Stateplan - Austbrokers |
Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College |
Craig is married to Tash, a physiotherapist and partner in a health studio on the waterfront in Geelong, where they both reside. He is currently in the 3rd and final year of a Masters of Business Management Practice at Victoria University that specialises in Organisation Development and Change Management.
Jim Plunkett - Programs Manager
Jim Plunkett is the Programs Manager (6 years) at Leading Teams where he presents a wide and varied range of leadership and team alignment programs to elite sport, corporate, school and community organisations throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.
Jim has a background in elite sports, playing Australian Rules Football with Western Bulldogs (1999) and Carlton (2001 - 2003) at the highest level. Whilst Jim played AFL he completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Teaching at the Australian Catholic University and he is currently completing his Masters of Management at Monash University.
Jim’s clients include most recently:
| Elite Sport |
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Corporate |
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Education |
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Melbourne Football Club (AFL) |
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Hagemeyer |
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Department of Education |
| St George Dragons (NRL) |
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Victoria Police |
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Renmark Secondary School |
| Parramatta Eels (NRL) |
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A&LWindows |
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Department of Victoria Communities |
| Norwood Football Club (SANFL) |
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AFL Mentoring Program |
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East Gippsland Specialist School |
| Sandringham Football Club (VFL) |
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AFLPA |
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Wheelers Hill College Indigenous Commmunities |
Jim and wife, Bianca love to spent their time enjoying the company of their family and friends. Jim also helps out at the Northern Knights U/18 Team in the TAC competiton.
Justin Peckett - Programs Manager
Justin retired from AFL Football in October 2006 after 252 games with the St Kilda Football Club (1989 - 2006).
Throughout his career Justin has gained extensive facilitating experience delivering various life skills and leadership programs within Schools, Indigenous Communities, Juvenile & Adult Prison Systems, Elite Sport and the corporate environment.
Justin’s client list includes;
| Elite Sport |
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Corporate |
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Education |
| Port Adelaide Football Club (AFL) |
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Port Adelaide FC Executive & Admin. Teams |
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The Peninsula School |
| Brisbane Broncos (NRL) |
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RMIT - IT Services |
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Lyndale Secondary College |
| Gold Coast Blaze (NBL) |
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Paterson Securities |
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Kosciuszko St Primary School |
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Signature Floor Coverings |
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BMW, ANZ and Salmat |
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Justin is currently in his final year of studying a Masters of Business Management Practice – Specialising in Organisational Change and Development at Victoria University, Melbourne.
Outside of work, Justin is in his 2nd year as playing coach of the Karingal Football Club in the Premier Division of the MPNFL.
Justin’s other passions are his wife Teresa and their six children, surfing and music.
Martine Harkin - Community Programs Manager
Martine joined Leading Teams in January 2008 as the Community Programs Manager and will be managing and delivering Community Leadership Programs in schools and communities throughout Australia.
Previously, she was in the education system for 9 years and held the Sport Coordinator role for the last 3 years. Martine completed her Bachelor of Applied Science (Phys Ed) at RMIT.
Outside of work, she is an experienced Netball coach, having coached State League Championship grade and the State U15 team, and was also an Assistant Coach with the State U19 team.
Simon Fletcher
Simon also joined Leading Teams in January 2008 and will be managing the AFLPA Apprenticeship Programs throughout Australia.
Simon brings to the team a considerable amount of experience in the AFL football arena. From 1996 – 1997 Simon played with Geelong Football Club, he then transferred to Carlton Football Club in 1998 through to 2003, where he was awarded Best First Year Player in 1999, then moving to joined Richmond Football Club in 2004. Simon has played 90 AFL games.
In 2005 Simon took time out to enjoy traveling abroad returning in 2007 to establish his career in Elite Sports.
Vivienne Hopkins – Office Manager
Vivienne joined Leading Teams in January 2008. Previously Vivienne worked within the surveying profession assisting Graduate Surveyors to become registered licensed surveyors within Victoria.
Vivienne has completed a Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training and in her spare time is a Volunteer Guide at the Werribee Zoo.
Belinda Capuana - Finance Manager
Belinda commenced working with Leading Teams Australia in late February 2006. Prior to her position at Leading Teams, Belinda was employed by a Top 100 Chartered Accounting Firm for six years, after completing a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at Victoria University.
Leading Teams New Zealand
Leading Teams New Zealand specialise in the facilitation of teamwork and leadership programs to elite sporting and corporate teams in order to improve performance.
We align teams by creating shared vision and behaviours that empower all members of the team to engage in open dialogue.
We develop leaders who model and defend the behaviours that the team identifies as non-negotiable. With origins in Australian airforce and elite sports, Leading Teams’ experience in aligning teams and developing leaders has transferred just as successfully to teams in corporate, education and government organisations around the world. Some of our current sports clients in New Zealand include:Blues
- Hurricanes
- Chiefs - Super 14's
- Black Caps
- White Ferns
- New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
Patrick Steinfort - CEO
As a former professional AFL footballer, and now CEO of Leading Teams New Zealand, Paddy Steinfort has more than 10 years experience working in and for elite teams. He currently conducts leadership and teamwork training for our elite sports clients based in Auckland – Auckland Blues (Super 14s), NZ Warriors (NRL) and NZ Breakers (NBL) – as well as corporate and government programs across NZ.
With extensive facilitation experience beginning in school and government programs, and now including elite sporting and corporate teams, he is committed to the simple goal of delivering programs that enhance teams’ performance and improve the leadership abilities of all involved.
Paddy initially became involved with Leading Teams as an Athlete Facilitator of our schools programs in Victoria during his football career. He has since worked in South Australia as the State Business Development Manager, and at the end of 2007 relocated to New Zealand to set up our international office in Auckland. Prior to his full time position at Leading Teams, Paddy also worked part time as a physiotherapist.
In his role as CEO, Paddy is also responsible for liaising with government, non-profit and corporate organisations in order to develop and customise programs which suit their unique needs.
Leading Teams Europe
Trent Hotton - CEO
Trent has moved in a new direction within Leading Teams taking on the new CEO role of Europe based out of the United Kingdom.
Trent background is in elite sport, having played a total of 78 AFL games (17 at Collingwood from 1994-1996 and 61 at Carlton from 2000-2002).
During his football career Trent combined football and study to complete a Bachelor of Applied Science and Physical Education degree at RMIT.
Using his experiences gained throughout his teaching degree and invaluable knowledge from elite sport, he has worked with elite sporting teams facilitating leadership sessions at various NRL and AFL clubs, corporate organisations and school groups.
Partners:
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