Our People

Isabelle Gillespie

Acting Chief Executive 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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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Jenni James

Director, Quality and Compliance

Jenni has been part of the CUC network since 2023 as the founding Centre Manager for CUC Cape York. During her time there she played a pivotal role in establishing the Centre as a thriving educational hub in Cooktown and across the Cape York Peninsula. Still based in Cooktown, Jenni brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, holding an MBA with a focus on corporate strategy and operational improvement. Prior to her Centre Manager role, she worked at Cook Shire Council in economic development and strategic projects, where she developed and delivered strategic plans, oversaw compliance, quality control, and risk mitigation, implemented new governance models, and ensured adherence to the Shire’s funding agreements.

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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.

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Han Worsley

Project Officer, Widening Participation

Han joins CUC Central after several years as the Education Coordinator at CUC Snowy Monaro, Cooma. Still based in the Snowy Monaro region, Han brings a lived understanding of rural student needs, shaped by their own upbringing on the family farm near Nullamanna, NSW, population 40.

They are currently undertaking a PhD remotely through the University of Canberra, focused on understanding and amplifying the aspirations of rural primary school students. Using this study, alongside their experience as a primary school teacher and previous tenure as CEO of non-profit Country to Canberra, Han is excited to contribute to place-based programs in rural Australia.

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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.

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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. Maddie’s regional New South Wales upbringing gives her a strong understanding of the barriers to higher education in rural communities. 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 expertise to contribute to a broader mission.

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Alix Greenhill

Chair

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.

Dean Lynch

Non-Executive Director 

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.

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.