Faculty

Academic Faculty


Executive Leadership


Sam Jacob (CEO)

Sam has fallen in love with the staff and students of Collarts. They see living proof every day that creativity is vital, difference is powerful and stories change the world. They believe education transforms hope into agency, creating new generations of changemakers. Graduation still makes them cry.

Sam has served on several community boards, including Midsumma, Feast, and NTAHC. They currently volunteer for the Pinnacle Foundation and remain resolute about seeking out and supporting queer community wherever they live. Sam walks softly as a sign of respect to Elders past and present.

Sam Jacob on LinkedIn

Dr. Tim Moss (Dean & Chief Academic Officer) - tmoss@collarts.edu.au

Tim is an award-winning teacher and researcher with over 25 years of experience in higher education, and has held leadership roles at a number of institutions, including Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Tasmania. He has taught extensively across all levels of education, and his teaching practice emphasises student agency, active learning, and arts-based practices. As a researcher, Tim is known for his work on student engagement and innovative digital teaching practices.

Tim Moss on LinkedIn

Jason Nell (Chief Operating Officer)

Jason Nell has 30 years of experience and has led multi-national projects in sectors such as Government, Education, Media & Telecommunications, and Finance. Jason is outcomes-focused, consistently delivering successful results through his strategic vision, effective management, and project execution. He has a passion for leading diverse teams to achieve organisational goals and enhancing productivity and profitability.

Jason Nell on LinkedIn

Tonya Willoughby (Chief Sales and Marketing Officer)

With over 20 years in education, Tonya brings expertise in sales, marketing, and strategic partnerships. Most recently, she led commercial partnerships at SEEK, launching innovative products, driving student acquisition, and expanding SEEK’s impact. She has also held leadership roles at Pearson and CareerOne, collaborating with industry leaders to transform student recruitment and foster impactful partnerships.

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Peter Barnard (Quality & Compliance Manager)

Peter brings over 30 years of experience in the tertiary education sector to Collarts. Primarily working remotely from the NSW Far North Coast, Peter is a professional musician and passionate about supporting creative arts education.

Peter Barnard on LinkedIn

Kylie Cardinal (Head of People & Culture)

A passionate and humanistic leader with over 13 years of extensive experience in people and culture, customer experience and relationship management across the private and public sectors. Kylie is driven personally and professionally by her values of integrity, quality relationships, mentoring of others, approachability and drive for organisation success. She has worked throughout Australia in a diverse range of industries from aviation to marine logistics and tertiary education.

Kylie Cardinal on LinkedIn

Academic Leadership


Dr. Natasha Taylor (Associate Dean, Scholarship and Education Futures)- ntaylor@collarts.edu.au

Natasha supports our academic staff to create and deliver high-quality courses through scholarship, professional development and educational innovation. She is the Program Leader for the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. Natasha has worked in Higher Education for over 25 years as a teacher and education leader in both the UK and Australia. Her vast experience in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels has given her a passion for active learning and effective assessment.

Natasha Taylor on LinkedIn

Dr. Melissa Laird (Associate Dean, Program Excellence) - mlaird@collarts.edu.au

Melissa is passionate about transforming education through creative arts, encouraging curiosity, bravery, and experimentation. As an ally to Australia’s First Peoples, she is a seasoned academic leader, award-winning teacher, and material culture scholar with an active arts practice. She has held leadership roles at NIDA and the University of Melbourne and lives and works respectfully on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country.

Melissa Laird on LinkedIn

Rikki Bunder (Academic Lead - George St) - rbunder@collarts.edu.au

Rikki-Paul Bunder is a passionate photographer and educator. He has spent the last 20 years as a professional photographer, artist and educator. Rikki brings his many years of experience as a commercial advertising photographer and his passion for landscape and fine art photography into the classroom every day.

Rikki Bunder on LinkedIn

Jess Carroll (Academic Lead - Online)- jcarroll@collarts.edu.au

Jess Carroll is a communications professional and educator. She has worked within the entertainment and events industry and specialises in marketing and presenting creative projects to the public. She has a Masters of Teaching and is completing research studying music exports and the cultural and creative economy of France.

Jess Carroll on LinkedIn

Jason Torrens (Academic Lead - Wellington and Brunswick St)

Jason is a Pro Tools Certified 310M Expert with an AVID ACSR 400 qualification, Bachelor Degree in Applied Music/Audio Production, a Grad. Cert. in Learning & Teaching (HE) and is currently completing his Masters of Education. As the owner and manager of Debasement Recording Studios, JT has worked with clients from Bodyjar, You Am I, Slipknot and hundreds more. He has been an in-demand drummer and teacher since the early 1990's and has played drums with dozens of artists like 28 Days and Bugdust.

Jason Torrens on LinkedIn

Cherie Wright (VET Manager)

Cherie has over a decade dedicated to adult education and is a passionate advocate for inclusive learning, particularly for neurodiverse students, to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to thrive during their educational journey. With a strong emphasis on compliance, quality, and interactive learning methodologies, Cherie is committed to ensuring that all students receive the highest standard of education tailored to their needs.

Cherie Wright on LinkedIn