Chris Ronan

Chief Executive Officer

Chris leads CUC as CEO, he has worked in the higher education and not-for-profit sectors across the United States, New Zealand, and Australia with a focus on Regional, Rural and Remote higher education policy, student equity, widening participation and rural student transitions.

He holds a master’s degree from the LH Martin Institute for Tertiary Education Leadership and Management at the University of Melbourne with a focus on Regional, Rural and Remote higher education policy and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). Chris is the National President of the Society for the Provision in Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) and an Executive Member of Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA).

Email Chris

Isabelle Gillespie

Chief Operating Officer

Isabelle comes to the CUC with almost a decade of working in public affairs, policy development and strategic communications, and has a passion for regional Australia. Throughout her career, she has worked directly with regional communities during her time in politics and government and led the strategic direction across various portfolios for a Cabinet Minister. This included developing the first NSW Regional Youth Strategy and Action Plan which recognised that success of regional young people is central to the vitality and growth of regional communities and economies. Isabelle also worked on the establishment of the Regional Health Division for NSW Health and its dedicated Coordinator General (now Deputy Secretary).

Most recently, Isabelle was Head of Programmes for the London-based think-tank, the International Longevity Centre where she led a team of staff driving change with policy and decision-makers across the G20, G7, EU and OECD.

Isabelle is eager to collaborate with communities to help unlock the potential of regional Australia, and support the growth and development of the CUC in 2025.

Email Isabelle

Erin Wrafter

Director, Widening Participation

Erin was the founding Centre Manager of CUC Western Riverina 2019 -2022 and returns to the CUC network after working across multiple roles within the Widening Participation and Outreach team within a higher education institution. Erin's passion for regional, rural and remote communities and their higher educational aspirations has led her to complete a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education and Master of Education (Wellbeing) in addition to her Bachelor of Education (Secondary).

Email Erin

Dan Keenan

Director, Student Services

Danielle Keenan is the Director of Student Services at Country Universities Centre (CUC) Central, leading the development of student support services across the CUC network. Previously, as the inaugural Centre Manager of CUC Far West, she established place-based student services tailored to the needs of rural, regional, and remote (RRR) learners, shaping best practices across the network.

A 2024 ACSES Fellow, Danielle’s research project "We want to build a culture of learning in our community" explores the widening participation effect of Regional University Study Hubs. Having grown up in Far Western NSW, she understands the barriers RRR students face and is committed to ensuring CUC continues to provide high-quality, community-driven support. As Chair of the Regional University Study Hub Advisory Committee, she works closely with Regional Hub staff to strengthen services that empower students and their communities.

Email Dan

Erin Miskelly

Director, Quality and Compliance

Erin commenced at the CUC in early 2023 after working more than 16 years within the higher education sector across three Australian Universities in various roles within Admissions, Enrolment, Compliance and Policy. She is passionate about ensuring quality education is accessible to all students, especially in rural, regional, and remote Australian communities and growing the skillsets of these communities.

Email Erin

Sarah Rolton

Director, Network Engagement

Sarah joined the CUC network in 2020, delivering innovative Widening Participation programs to the community at CUC Far West in Broken Hill. Sarah was appointed as Centre Manager at CUC Far West in 2022 and continued the success of the Centre building on key services and building further programs. Sarah has a Bachelor of Educational Studies, and is working towards a Graduate Certificate in Career Development from James Cook University. Sarah supports consistency, innovation and efficiency of the CUC network. As a regional person, Sarah is passionate about the CUC and has seen firsthand the positive impact of the model on regional communities.

Email Sarah

Melissa Watkin

Finance Officer

Melissa is a Chartered Accountant with over 10 years’ experience in public practice and the private sector, working in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Her experience is in leading financial control teams, with a focus on financial analysis and reporting, process improvement and people management. Having grown up in regional New South Wales, Melissa understands the challenges faced in obtaining a higher education. This personal experience inspired her to join CUC and she feels very privileged to be able to contribute to bettering outcomes for regional and rural communities. Melissa has recently relocated back from London and will be based in Queanbeyan in New South Wales.

Email Melissa

Annie Sze

Systems Coordinator

Annie joined CUC in 2025, bringing extensive experience in systems management, data analysis, and process optimisation. With a strong track record of operational success, she excels in streamlining processes and designing efficient systems that enhance organisational performance.
Annie holds a Postgraduate Diploma in IT Management, a BA in Social Science, and a Diploma in Business Accounting, along with certifications in Change Management, Project Management, and Six Sigma Black Belt.
At CUC, she plays a key role in managing and improving the Salesforce database, supporting training initiatives, and ensuring the accuracy and usability of data across the organisation.

Email Annie

Maddie Cummins

Design Coordinator

Maddie joined CUC in 2022 and was one of the first students of CUC Goulburn. She holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts with a major in Graphic Design from the University of Wollongong, graduating in 2019. Before joining CUC, Maddie worked in designing educational resources to support educators. In her role as Design Coordinator, Maddie supports the CUC network by maintaining brand consistency and creating both print and digital design collateral. Maddie is passionate about using her design skills to create impactful narratives and contribute to a broader mission.

Email Maddie

Dean Lynch

Chair

Dean Lynch is Snowy Hydro Relations Manager and is involved in all levels of government and community stakeholder engagement for the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project. The fifth-generation grazier was Mayor of the Cooma Monaro Shire for eight years, followed by two years as Administrator of the amalgamated Snowy River Regional Council. He sat on the NSW Government Joint Regional Planning Panel and was Chairperson of numerous Council and Community committees. Dean continues to sit on various committees and is also a partner in a retail business. Dean was instrumental in establishing the Cooma Universities Centre during his term as Mayor, during which time Cooma Monaro Shire and Snowy Hydro concept designed and then established the Centre prior to gifting it to the community. He sat on the governing Board of the Cooma Universities Centre (now CUC Snowy Monaro) up until becoming Chair of the Country Universities Centre.

Praveena Karunaharan

Non-Executive Director 

Praveena is the Head of Governance and Compliance and Group Company Secretary at Snowy Hydro, where she is responsible for corporate governance and regulatory strategy across the Snowy Hydro Group. Prior to joining Snowy in 2013, Praveena was a Director in PwC's Risk Consulting division where she advised ASX listed clients on governance, risk and compliance practices and led organisational and regulatory change programs. At PwC, she was the Risk Consulting lead for the PwC Foundation where she provided pro bono strategy and governance advice to NFPs including Rob de Castella's Indigenous Marathon Project and the Reach Foundation. Praveena also served as a youth mentor for Mission Australia. Praveena’s prior NFP experience also includes 15 months as Board observer with Habitat for Humanity, Australia, followed by a term on the Habitat Board Risk Committee.

Kim Houghton

Non-Executive Director

Dr Kim Houghton has worked on regional economic development in Australia for almost 20 years. Kim is currently Chief Economist at the Regional Australia Institute and leads the think tank’s policy and research work. Kim works to ensure the Institute’s work has practical application and supports a better policy environment and more vibrant regional economies. Kim established and ran the consulting firm Strategic Economic Solutions and has over 20 years' experience in regional development consulting across Australia and overseas. Kim has a passion for engaging, motivating, informing and connecting regional leaders from business, community and government.

Kim’s previous roles include: Director of consultancy Strategic Economic Solutions, Associate with Elton Consulting; Chief Economist, Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia; Policy Officer, Economic Planning Advisory Commission; Executive Officer, Australian Japan Research Centre and Policy Officer, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Duncan Taylor

Non-Executive Director 

Duncan Taylor is the founder of Country Universities Centre, and previously served as the voluntary CEO. Duncan was the inaugural Chair of the original Cooma Universities Centre which later became the Country Universities Centre Snowy Monaro, and now sits on a number of Centre Boards in NSW and Queensland. 

Duncan is a former Member of the TAFE NSW Commission Board and former President of the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association of New South Wales, and previously sat on the Rural and Remote Education Advisory Group that advised the NSW Government and Department of Education on strategies to improve educational outcomes in rural and remote areas.

Duncan is a farmer on the Monaro and South West Slopes of NSW, and was a founding director of agricultural assets management company Growth Farms Australia.

Alix Greenhill

Non-Executive Director 

Alix Greenhill is the Finance Manager of Cubbie Ag, the largest irrigated cotton farm in Australia, spanning 93,000ha located near Dirranbandi and St George Queensland.

Alix previously was the inaugural Centre Manager of CUC Balonne a successful low-population pilot model in remote Queensland. She has been a strong advocate for the region and CUC having been involved in numerous community and regional committees as part of her current and prior role. Alix understands first-hand the benefits of having access to a CUC as a current Master of Business Administration student and is a strong believer in equitable opportunity to access higher education.

Paul Broad

Non-Executive Director 

Paul Broad is a seasoned executive with a distinguished career in the utilities and infrastructure sectors. He served as the CEO of Snowy Hydro Limited, a key player in the Australian energy industry known for its iconic Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. During his tenure at Snowy Hydro, Broad was instrumental in steering the company through significant expansions and technological upgrades, including the development of the Snowy 2.0 project, which aims to increase the generating capacity of the existing scheme.

Prior to his role at Snowy Hydro, Broad held various leadership positions, including CEO of Infrastructure NSW, Managing Director at Hunter Water Corporation, and CEO of AAPT.