Staff

Ann Porcino

Ann has extensive skills in management, planning, organisational development and relationship building. A particular strength she brings to all her work is her ability to facilitate interactions between groups of people often of diverse backgrounds and points of view. She assists people to uncover solutions to different issues and to build strong and sustainable working relationships. Ann's strong management credentials also include a Master in Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Management (Health Services and Administration) from the University of Massachusetts. Ann ran her own management consulting firm for five years prior to founding RPR, and was the Executive Director for the Australian Council for Health Care Standards and Director of the Research and Development Unit for Prince Henry and Prince of Wales Hospitals. She has served on a voluntary Board, and lectured in health administration and management.

Penny Ryan

Penny has strong skills in social research, adult education, quality improvement systems and the articulation of good practice in human services delivery. Her social research capacity has been developed over 25 years through the design, conduct and analysis of large scale surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews and focus groups for a variety of clients including the Commonwealth and state governments, universities and other organisations. Previous work included senior management positions in the NSW Community Services Commission, the National Community Health and Accreditation Standards Program, and the NSW Family Planning Association. Penny has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of New South Wales and a Masters in Adult Education from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Deb Michels

Deb has worked extensively in the non-government sector developing, delivering and managing a wide range of programs targeting disadvantaged communities. She has specific expertise in the development of educational tools (such as videos and manuals), in community cultural development, and in the youth and health sectors. Prior to her work with RPR, Deb was National Training Manager for the Community Health Accreditation and Standards Program. She is highly skilled in community and consumer consultation and facilitation, and has substantial experience working with Indigenous communities. Deb is currently a Youth Justice Conference Convenor for the NSW Department of Juvenile Justice and was the Chairperson of an innovative youth service providing support to disadvantaged young people in the South Sydney area.

Zeah Behrend

Zeah joined RPR in 2006, having previously worked at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the NSW Commission for Children and Young People, and the NSW Department of Education and Training. She has skills in both qualitative and quantitative research, including designing and analysing surveys. In her research role with the NSW Commission for Children and Young People, Zeah undertook statistical and policy-based research on a range of issues impacting on children and young people in NSW. Through her work at the Commission and the Department of Education and Training, Zeah has gained extensive experience working and consulting with children and young people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. Zeah has a Bachelor of Social Science and Social Policy (University of New South Wales).

Paula Shaw

Paula has worked for RPR since 2005. Prior to joining RPR, Paula was a teacher for two years in a remote Aboriginal community, a social planner in the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, a research assistant for a number of consultancy firms and an editor and copywriter. Paula is particularly skilled at conducting focus groups with a wide range of consumers and service providers, analysing information for evaluations and in training. Paula has a BA (Anthropology) and a BEd (Queensland University).