Ross Goulden – RDAA Chairman

Ross Goulden was appointed as Chair of the RDAA Board RDAA in late 2009. Ross has been involved in RDA since 1994: Coaching 1996-2008 at South West RDA, WA; 3 years as President, and fundraising. At State level, Ross served 6 years on the RDAWA Executive as State President (2007 - 2009) and State Delegate to RDAA. Ross presents workshops on horse education, fundraising, promotion of research and therapeutic riding awareness throughout RDAWA. In 2008 Ross was awarded the prestigious RDAA Michael Field Award which recognises the outstanding contribution that Volunteers make to this organisation.

Ross’s working career was in farming and thoroughbred horse breeding, including 8 years marketing in Singapore and Malaysia and a member of the WA Bloodhorse Breeders Association - including a term as Vice-President. More recently he taught piano and was the regular repetiteur for the South West Opera Company.

Ross believes passionately in equality of opportunity, and will continue to strive to ensure RDA provides a service of the highest standard, with facilities to match the rest of the community, and encouragement for volunteers to be involved in RDA for their own benefit as well as our clients.

Judith van Unen – RDAA Director and Deputy Chair

Judith is a Business Performance Strategist, owning a variety of businesses and has been a consultant to SMEs, corporations, government departments. She is the founder of JERA International, a not for profit organisation focussing on gender equity. She has extensive lobbying experience for organisations from local government through to federal level and the United Nations, where she has been on the Australian government delegation to CSW on a number of occasions.

Judith has held numerous national community Board positions, currently being National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW), BPW Cooperative and Security for Women (S4W) and recently including Council of Small Business Australia (COSBOA), Business & Professional Women Australia (BPWA) and Rideability Victoria. She has worked with projects in developing countries and her personal philosophy has always been one of social commitment and active promotion of the welfare of people in all walks of life. Judith is a member of the National Institute for Governance.

John Stirk – RDAA Company Secretary

John Stirk is a lawyer practising in Alice Springs in central Australia. He has been a Territory Resident for 30 years. He works as a lawyer practising in a broad spectrum of work. He has an interest and experience in governance and restructuring of organisations at all levels of government and works in legislative reviews, with a particular interest in indigenous organisations.

He and his family have been involved with RDA activities over the last decade. John has held positions as the President of the Northern Territory Law Society and a member of the Law Council of Australia for terms of two and four years respectively.

He is particularly interested in the outcomes that RDA delivers across a range of communities throughout Australia and is interested in developing the links that indigenous Australians can have in achieving the objectives of RDA.

William (Bill) Ash – RDAA Director and Treasurer

Bill started as a volunteer in 2003 at Palmwoods RDA; member of the management committee and then President. He facilitated the amalgamation of two RDA groups into the Sunshine Coast RDA. Bill now assists his wife, Katy (RDA Coach) in breeding Highland Ponies as suitable mounts for RDA programs.

Bill’s successful career in Project Management in the Development & Construction Industry has fostered the management and commercial skills required to be a valuable member of the Board. In 1980, he founded the Westleigh Group Pty Ltd responsible for landmark projects throughout Australia & South-East Asia. As MD, Bill is actively involved in day-to-day operations. He liaises and consults with Federal & State Governments. Bill is working on a no of projects within the ACT and NSW; consultation and negotiation with the local Aboriginal Land Council.

Bill served as a member of the RDAQ Board (2007 - 2009). Skilled in mediation and corporate governance, he believes in the future of RDAA as an inclusive, transparent and democratic organization in which all members are included in the decision-making process.

Norma Pearce – RDAA Director

Norma is a trained Special Education teacher and taught children and adolescents with disabilities in both Australia and the United Kingdom for a period of 30 years.

She was involved in the Riding for the Disabled Association in Victoria, Australia from its inception – both at a local level as a volunteer and later at State Level. She was actively involved in the formation of the national body Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia (RDAA), serving on the national executive and was national President for 2 years.

Norma was Australia’s representative at several FRDI congresses and a member of the working party which prepared the first constitution for the establishment of the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International (FRDI). She was a member of the first Executive Board of FRDI for six years.

Norma has been employed as Executive Director (Secretary) of FRDI for 12 years until her retirement earlier this year.

Other interests include recreational activities for people with disabilities; community planned activity groups and music.

Stephen Hutchins - RDAA Director Steve's first introduction to RDA was while he was serving in the Navy in WA in 1993 when his son Josh began riding with the Capricorn Group. When the family relocated back to Victoria in 1996 Josh started riding with the Peninsula Centre and Steve became an active volunteer. Steve has since left the Navy after being awarded a Diploma of Engineering in Aircraft Maintenance and a Diploma in Frontline Management. He rose to the rank of Warrant Officer and completed 26 years service.

Steve served as President of Peninsula RDA Centre from 2004 until October 2009. Steve's email address is shut3549@bigpond.net.au. Please feel free to drop him a line.

Dr Peta Wellstead – RDAA Director Dr Peta Wellstead normally lives in Perth but in March 2010 she took up a 12 month Research Fellowship within the Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance at Griffith University in Brisbane.

Prior to taking up this position Peta operated her own consultancy which provided research and information management support to government departments, local government, the not-for-profit sector, business and academia. Peta has a rural background and personal exposure to the disability sector; in 1954 her aunt was involved in a traffic accident which resulted in paraplegia. Peta has a particular interest in evidence-based practice and building Community - University partnerships to increase and disseminate the knowledge base which underpins Riding for the Disabled programmes.

Board Member Roles & Responsibilities

• Ross - Fundraising and Therapy
• Judith van Unen - Networking and Lobbying
• Bill Ash - Finance
• John Stirk - Governance
• Norma Pearce - Coaching
• Steve Hutchins - Communication
• Dr Peta Wellstead – Research

Please note:

The RDAA Board has re-introduced the ‘buddy system’ to facilitate communication between the RDAA Board and State Presidents. RDAA Board Members have been appointed as buddies for the following States:

• Steve Hutchins - Victoria
• Bill Ash - Queensland
• Norma Pearce - WA and Tasmania
• John Stirk – SA
• Judith van Unen - ACT
• Ross Goulden - NSW

Company Members

• Riding for the Disabled Association South Australia Inc.
• Tasmanian Riding for the Disabled Association Inc.
• Riding for the Disabled Association RDA NT Inc.
• Riding for the Disabled Association of ACT. Inc.
• Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria
• Riding for Disabled Association of Queensland Inc.
• Riding for the Disabled Association of Western Australia
• Equestrian Athletes with Disabilities NSW