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 Updated: 11/7/2008
Welcome to our AWARD-WINNING team! The trainers and lecturers at the WISE Academy all have between 5 – 30 years practical experience in their respective area of expertise.  Additionally, we are proud to have an international faculty having either worked, taught and/or lived in the following countries:
  • Australia

  • Canada

  • Fiji

  • Hong Kong

  • South Africa

  • Various parts of Southeast Asia

  • United Kingdom

  • United States

  • Vietnam

We are always looking for great people to join our team. If you would like to lecture or present at the WISE Academy, please email us your resume.
Dr Dion Klein, CEO/Founder

 Dr Dion has been involved in a variety of industries beginning his career in health, physical education, and media at West Chester University (USA). He has enjoyed success over the past 20 years nationally and internationally mainly as lecturer/trainer, consultant, personal coach and massage therapist, and business owner.

In the United States he owned a small marketing consultancy and had his own massage practice before being appointed as a lecturer and course convenor at the University of Canberra in Sport Administration in 1994 where he enjoyed the opportunity to teach in Hong Kong and present strategic planning and marketing to the Oceanic National Olympic Committee NGOs. After six years, he worked as an Internet Strategist/Business Analyst at MIMS Data Systems before embarking on his personal entrepreneurial endeavours in IT, education and health. He was the founder of the Corporate Health and Fitness Challenge, the Health and Fitness Expo, and most recentely the Australian Get Healthy Challenge. He served on the Board of Fitness ACT for eight years, four of them as President (ended 2004). He is a past president of the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) - ACT Branch and is currently on the management committee of the AHPA - ACT Branch and the Australian Council of Private Education and Training (ACPET) - ACT Branch.

Dion has always enjoyed learning having undergraduate and graduate degrees in Health & Physical Education/Sports Administration from West Chester University (PA), Temple University (PA), and the University of New Mexico. He completed his MBA (Internet Marketing/International Business) from Charles Sturt University, and received a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from the University of Canberra. He holds a Certificate III in Fitness, Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment, and holds an equivalent Level 2 in Massage Therapy. He has a Statement of Attainment in Career Counseling and is currently completing his Diploma in Professional Counseling.

He appreciates the importance of life balance having to manage both Canberra-based companies: Diverse Concepts International Pty Ltd t/a Healthy Worksites and The WISE Academy. He previously owned an educational information website called Conference Papers Online. He also is the founder of the Australian 'Get Healthy' Challenge.

Dion's an avid reader and feels his mission in life is to create opportunities for business and allow people to have fun, and become healthier.

Awards:

  • Monty Dortkamp Professional Contribution to the Industry (2006)
  • Winner of the BreadTV (Australia) Foreign Correspondent Competition (2005)
  • Innovation Award 2002 from the ACT Bureau of Sport and Recreation for the Fitness ACT Corporate Health and Fitness Challenge (2002)

Download Dr Dion's Curriculum Vitae.
Gail Aiken

 Gail is passionate about making a difference in the lives of others, particularly through empowering people to achieve their potential through her endeavours as a business owner and a committed community leader. Following her administrative, pastoral, counseling, teaching, training and leadership work in Australia and internationally, together with numerous opportunities in the public service, Gail embarked on a new career, pursuing her passions of individual mind and body well being, health and fitness through the launch of ‘TenFit’ - Tennis and Fitness from Tigga to Keenager - in 1994. After 12 year of hard work, passion and commitment, she opened mPowerdome, a large tennis centre Canberra that also serves as a community centre for various indoor sport activites such and even dancing. She is currently the Vice President of the TCA ACT, and a member of the Tennis Participation Industry Board of Tennis Australia.

Awards:
  • Centenary Medal for Service to the ACT community through sport and tennis (2003)
  • Tennis Coaches Australia Award or Excellence: National Development Coaches Award (2002)
  • Nominated for ACT International Women’s Day Award (2002)
  • Tennis ACT Coach of the Year (1999)
  • ACHPER Award for Outstanding Commitment to Health, PE and Sport (1999)
  • ‘Thanks Coach’ award recognizing dedication to sport (1999)
  • ACT Womensport and Recreation Award, Outstanding Contribution to Women’s Sport and Recreation (1998)
  • Tennis ACT Coach of the Year (1997)
Ray Ballantyne

Ray’s experience lies mainly in Rugby League Sport Development with the West Belconnen Leagues Club. There he runs rugby league programs and gross motor skills programs in primary schools, development programs and coaching clinics for junior coaches. Having an Advanced Diploma of Sport and Recreation (Sports Management), he has interests and experience in athlete management, event management, and sponsorship management.

Awards:
  • Leadership Award: Australian Business Academy’s Most Prestigious Award (2002)
Kris Beissner

Kris has been working in the health and fitness industry since 1988 as a fitness instructor, massage therapist, trainer, assessor, and currently manages Club Pink (CISAC). She previously was the Education Manager and South East Asia Operations /Master Assessor for Les Mills Australia for five years where she designed and maintained the system of coordination of training sites throughout Australia and South East Asia, overseeing the organisation of a team of 35 national and international trainers.

Awards:
  • Nominated for Contribution to the ACT Fitness Industry (2003, 2004)
Kate Cox

Bio Coming Soon!
Judy Croston

 Judy has been in the health and fitness industry for over 30 years as an instructor, trainer, educator, and nutritionist. Having worked with clients from all walks of life, she has assisted many in overcoming their physical and mental challenges towards exercise as well as food. Judy will share her expertise having conducted a variety of weight management programs in the workplace, especially in the public sector.

Awards
  • ACT Fitness Leader of the Year (1992)
Kathryn Feeley

Bio Coming Soon!
Wendy Foster

 Biography coming soon!

Awards:
  • ACT Fitness Leader of the Year (1991)
Brendan Lynch

 Brendan Lynch is a consultant in the sport industry specialising in strategic planning, program development, governance reform, organisational development, workforce planning and human resource management. He has worked with international, national and state sporting organisations as well as conducting major projects for the Australian Sports Commission. Brendan was previously Manager of Corporate Services with Swimming Australia overseeing the organisational reform, operational management, sport development and commercial growth of the sport. The position had a strong focus on policy development, marketing and communication, education and stakeholder relationship management, participation growth and community engagement. Prior to that, as Program Manager of Volunteer Recruitment for the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG), he headed the team responsible for the successful delivery of the 60,000 volunteers for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Brendan was subsequently awarded the Certificate of Olympic Merit by the International Olympic Committee. He has since acted as an advisor to a number of Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and Asian Games organising committees, as well as the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Service. Brendan is a former Chair of the Advisory Council to the ACT Minister for Sport, a current executive member of the ACT Olympic Council, a member of the Advisory Council to Volunteering ACT and a Fellow with the Institute of Sport Management.
Emma Mountain

Her Bio is coming soon!
Helen Palethorpe

Helen began her health and fitness career "late in life" being employed as a casual instructor at a variety of fitness centres throughout Canberra. She had four years experience as a part-time counselor with the ACT Community and Health Services in the Health Advancement Branch. in 1992 she began working as the manager for the YMCA of Canberra (City) and has continued to build the Older Adult program over the past 15 years. In 2001, Helen was the recipient of the Winston Churchill Trust Fellowship where she went on a three-month study tour to investigate physical activity programs for older adults with a focus on falls prevention in the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands. She recently retired from her position as Manager for Community Health and Special Population at the YMCA of Canberra where she ran physical activity programs for older adults, intellectual disability, and physical disability.

Awards / Achievements:
  • Order of Australia Medal for Community Service in the development and delivery of physical activity programs for older people (2006)
  • YMCA of Australia Program Leadership Award for Older Adult Programming (2005)
  • Healthpact Award for Innovation - the development of the Canberra Senior Sports Carnival (2005)
  • ActewAGL Lifetime Achievement Award (2004)
  • Sport and Recreation Award for People Development (2004)
  • Fitness ACT Award for Contribution to the Fitness Industry (2003)
  • Winston Churchill Trust Fellowship (2001)
  • YMCA of Canberra "Staff Achievement Certificate"
Jan Simpson

Jan's Bio is coming soon!
Larissa Zimmerman

 Larissa’s passion is teaching the skills for a healthy mind, body and wallet and she loves seeing people develop their potential. Her career began with graduation from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1990 where she studied a BSc (Mathematics) followed by graduation from the Royal Military College Duntroon in 1993 to Medical Corps. Whilst posted as Instructor to the Army Logistic Training Centre in 1999 Larissa obtained her Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training. In 2002 while transitioning from Army, Larissa had eight part time jobs and developed a Basic Budgeting process to ensure her financial fitness remained healthy. Larissa then worked for the Australian Federal Police Protective Service as a Family Liaison Officer and in 2005 focused on her financial literacy training business. In 2006 Larissa obtained the Certificate IV in Fitness (Personal Trainer) and developed the Health and Wealth Program which focuses on financial literacy while incorporating information and activities for a healthy mind and body. Larissa has recently obtained a Diploma in Financial Services in the stream of Consumer Education, possibly being the first person in Australia to study this stream. She looks forward to working in a wonderful learning environment such as the WISE Academy.

Achievements:

  • Selected as Team Leader for Army Exercise to Solomon Islands (1999)
  • Selected as Team member for Rotary International Exchange to East African Islands (2005)
Natalie Wells

Her Bio is coming soon!
Scott Williams

 Scott has been directly involved with the fitness industry since 1993. In 1997 he took the step of starting his own Personal Training company, building the business from the ground up over a 4 year period. During this time, he steadily expanded to a point where he serviced a clientele base of over 50 on a regular basis. It was through these experiences that he has gained extensive knowledge in all aspects of the fitness industry, from specialised fitness assessments to extensive exercise programming and planning and conducting group classes.

During that time he had the opportunity to help change the lifestyles of many different people, working with a diverse range of clients, from primary school students through to seniors. These experiences helped teach him the skills and knowledge to effectively produce results on a consistent basis.

Scott has also worked with the Department of Education over an extended period, working specifically with children who had both physical and emotional disorders. This has enabled him to gain valuable skills and formal certification in Child Psychology. Through these experiences he has also acquired a Certification in working with Special Populations.

Since re-locating to Canberra, he has co-ordinated a number of nationally franchised and independently run health clubs, where he is responsible for the day to day running of the Health Club and its staff.

His goal in life is to be able to help change peoples lifestyle, educating them on the power of the mind and body. By giving people the guidance to be able to better themselves, it is his aim to be able to teach them that everyone has unlimited potential.  



Awards:

  • Fitness ACT Personal Training Business of the Year (2007)


8/14 Brierly Street, Weston, ACT 2611 Australia (Ph) +61 2 6162 0919 (Em) info@thewiseacademy.com [ABN: 20124018944]